History Test study guide (standard 3)

Question 1

What effect did the Railroad have on the United States?

Answer 1

The railroad helped drive settlement in the western regions, stimulate economic development, and open up mining markets

Question 2

What was the purpose of the protective tariff policy of the late 1800s and restrictions on union organizing?

Answer 2

To protect American industries from foreign competition. Restrictions on union organizing help industrial growth because businesses can expand considering they aren’t fighting with their workers

Question 3

Explain what laissez-faire economic is.

Answer 3

Prices/wages are determined by the marketplace (government hands off)

Question 4

What was a major impact of laissez-faire economics?

Answer 4

It allowed businesses to do what they wanted with little government interference. This led to the development of monopolies.

Question 5

What industry did Rockeffer run?

Answer 5

Standard Oil

Question 6

What industry did Carnegie run?

Answer 6

Steel

Question 7

What type of monopoly did Rockeffer have and explain it.

Answer 7

Utilized the horizontal system, system of consolidating many firms in the same business

Question 8

What type of monopoly did Carnegie have and explain it.

Answer 8

Utilized the vertical system, system of consolidating many firms in all steps of a product’s manufacture

Question 9

What is a philanthropist?

Answer 9

A person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes

Question 10

How could a business tycoon earn himself the nickname “Robber Baron”?

Answer 10

If their business practices were considered unethical and if they created a monopoly

Question 11

What is Social Darwinism?

Answer 11

The belief that certain nations and races were superior to others and therefore destined to rule (survival of the fittest)

Question 12

What did the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire show about factory owners?

Answer 12

Factory owners cared more about profits than safe working conditions

Question 13

What was the primary reason labor unions formed?

Answer 13

To help laborers with work-related difficulties such as low pay, unsafe or unsanitary working conditions, long hours, and other situations

Question 14

What were the workers demanding?

Answer 14

Better wages, reasonable hours (eight hour workday), and safer working conditions

Question 15

Was there division among the workers?

Answer 15

Yes, workers were divided based on skill, race, gender, foreign vs not foreign, etc

Question 16

Why did big business want relaxed immigration laws?

Answer 16

They were concerned with making the highest possible profit and immigrants (cheap and unskilled) were willing to work long hours for very little pay

Question 17

Why did farmers desire “cheap money” policies?

Answer 17

Prices for their crops would raise and debts would become easier to pay

Question 18

What was the Dawes Act?

Answer 18

Act that attempted to foster Native American assimilation into American society, tribal lands were divided into farming parcels and given to individual families

Question 19

What was the impact of Upton Sinclair’s book, The Jungle?

Answer 19

It inspired a national movement for food safety, the Pure Food and Drug Act

Question 20

What is a Political Machine and what do they do?

Answer 20

Organizations that controlled local government, provided aid to immigrants in return for their support and votes

Question 21

What is nativism? Who would most likely be a nativist?

Answer 21

Belief that native-born Americans are superior to newcomers, white anglo-saxon protestant (WASP)

Question 22

How did the government help aid the building of the railroad?

Answer 22

Gave subsidies in the form of payments, loans, and western lands in return for a discount on the transportation of troops and mail

Question 23

What problems did farmers face in the late 1800s?

Answer 23

Overproduction which caused prices on farm goods to fall, high tariffs on items they needed to purchase, and competition

Question 24

What was the platform of the Populist Party?

Answer 24

More silver in circulation, government ownership of railroads, a graduated income tax, direct election of senators, immigration restrictions, and eight hour workday

Question 25

What is Bimetallism? Who was the political candidate for it?

Answer 25

Backing money with both gold and silver so that more money could be in circulation, William Gennings Bryan

Question 26

What was the Sherman Anti-Trust Act?

Answer 26

1890 law banning any trust that restrained interstate trade or commerce, prohibits monopolies, this means we have more competition to give the consumer the best price

Question 27

Who was Jane Addams?

Answer 27

A pioneer social worker in America, as a feminist and an internationalist, she created the first settlement house in the U.S., Chicago’s Hull House

Question 28

What did Settlement Houses provide?

Answer 28

Support services to the urban poor, women, and immigrants, often including education, healthcare, childcare, and employment resources

Question 29

What are the progressive amendments?

Answer 29

16th, 17th, 18th, 19th

Question 30

Who were muckrakers and what did they do?

Answer 30

Writers who uncover and expose misconduct in policies or business