APUSH 1862-1920

Question 1

What happened at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876?

Answer 1

Native Americans defeated U.S. troops led by Custer

This battle is also known as Custer’s Last Stand.

Question 2

What was the cause of the 1886 Haymarket Square Riot?

Answer 2

A labor protest that turned violent after a bomb exploded

The riot highlighted the tensions between labor and management.

Question 3

What was the purpose of the Dawes Act (1887)?

Answer 3

To divide tribal lands to assimilate Native Americans

The act aimed to promote individual land ownership among Native Americans.

Question 4

The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 was the first U.S. law to:

Answer 4

Regulate railroad practices

This act marked the beginning of federal regulation of private industry.

Question 5

What event occurred at Wounded Knee in 1890?

Answer 5

A massacre of Lakota Sioux by U.S. troops

This event is often cited as the end of the Indian Wars.

Question 6

What did the Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) attempt to do?

Answer 6

Break up trusts and monopolies to restore competition

It was the first federal act that outlawed monopolistic business practices.

Question 7

What was the Pullman Strike of 1894 about?

Answer 7

A major railroad strike over wage cuts and layoffs

The strike disrupted rail traffic and led to federal intervention.

Question 8

What was the focus of William Jennings Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” speech in 1896?

Answer 8

Supporting bimetallism and criticizing the gold standard

This speech was pivotal in the debate over monetary policy.

Question 9

What was the ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?

Answer 9

It upheld “separate but equal” segregation laws

This ruling legitimized racial segregation for decades.

Question 10

What was the significance of the Gettysburg Address and Emancipation Proclamation (1863)?

Answer 10

They redefined the war as a fight for freedom and unity

These documents emphasized the principles of liberty and equality.

Question 11

What did the Reconstruction Acts (1867) do?

Answer 11

Divided the South into military districts to enforce new laws

This was part of the effort to rebuild the South after the Civil War.

Question 12

What was the significance of the 1867 Purchase of Alaska?

Answer 12

It expanded U.S. territory and was called “Seward’s Folly”

The purchase was initially criticized but later proved valuable.

Question 13

What did the Compromise of 1877 result in?

Answer 13

The end of Reconstruction and removal of federal troops from the South

This compromise marked a significant shift in U.S. policy towards the South.

Question 14

What did the U.S. do in 1898 regarding Hawaii?

Answer 14

Annexed Hawaii for strategic and economic reasons

The annexation facilitated American military presence in the Pacific.

Question 15

What caused the Spanish-American War (1898)?

Answer 15

Explosion of the USS Maine and yellow journalism

The war marked the emergence of the U.S. as a global power.

Question 16

What did the Wright Brothers accomplish in 1903?

Answer 16

First powered airplane flight

This achievement marked the beginning of the aviation age.

Question 17

Why did the U.S. enter World War I in 1917?

Answer 17

Unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmerman Telegram

These events shifted public opinion in favor of entering the war.

Question 18

What did the 19th Amendment (1920) achieve?

Answer 18

Granted women the right to vote

This was a significant victory in the women’s suffrage movement.

Question 19

What was the First Red Scare (1920s) a response to?

Answer 19

Fear of communism spreading after the Russian Revolution

This period was characterized by widespread paranoia and anti-communist sentiments.