Industrialization Flashcards
This deck reviews our unit on Industrialization following the Civil War (1865) through the late-19th century (late 1800s).
The government followed this policy, which means lenient or little government control. In short, the government kept their “hands off” the economy and did NOT regulate the economy while following this policy.
laissez-faire
What factors helped make America’s industrialization in the late-1800s possible?
1) Lots of natural resources
2) New technologies, like factories, the steam engine, railroads, etc.
3) Cheap labor, mostly through new immigration, which had no restrictions.
4) The idea or belief in SOCIAL DARWINISM.
5) Government policies of laissez-faire or “hands off” the economy.
6) Government siding with management against workers, breaking up strikes, issuing injunctions, etc..
What is Social Darwinism?
The belief, held by some in the late-1800s, that certain nations, or races of people, or even corporations, were superior to others and destined to rule over others. This applies the idea of “survival of the fittest” to society.
What is a negative results of monopolies, pools, trusts, and cartels? In other words, why do people view monopolies and trusts negatively?
Monopolies, pools, trusts and cartels seek to ELIMINATE (or get rid of) COMPETITION. In the end, this leads to HIGHER PRICES for consumers.
How did the Federal Government decide to fight against monopolies in 1890 (and again in 1914)? HINT: What types of laws did the government implement?
ANTI-TRUST Laws were passed. ANTI = AGAINST. The government passed the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 and the Clayton Antitrust Act in 1914. Both laws were designed to RESTORE or INCREASE competition.
Who was Andrew Carnegie?
An immigrant from Scotland who brought the Bessemer Process of making steel to the US and created Carnegie Steel, eventually becoming the richest man in the world. Later in life, he gave much of his fortune to various philanthropic causes, including libraries like the one on Main Street in Bolivar, NY.
What industry was John D. Rockefeller known for?
OIL! He created the Standard Oil Company after creating a monopoly on the process of refining oil into usable products, like kerosene for lights. He used the technique known as ‘Horizontal Integration’ to achieve this success.
What is meant by the phrase “Robber Baron”?
This was a nickname for those in business (like Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, and others) who used RUTHLESS TACTICS to defeat their competitors and create monopolies or trusts in their respective industries. This is NOT considered a compliment.
What was the “Tin Lizzy?”
Henry Ford’s Model T. This was the first car that was MASS PRODUCED, which meant the cost was less. Using interchangeable parts and the assembly line, the Model T came in “any color you wanted…as long as you wanted the color black.”
What do the terms URBAN, SUBURBAN and RURAL mean?
Urban = City Suburban = Outside the City Rural = Small Town/Country
Can you describe the working conditions in factories in the late-1800s?
Long Hours (12 hour days)
Low Pay (Cents per hour)
Very Dangerous, with accidents happening often!
Workers were viewed as UNSKILLED and replaceable. Children worked in factories too, rather than attending school.
Who were the populists?
FARMERS, FARMERS, FARMERS! The Populist Movement was a movement of farmers who were tired of feeling abused and exploited by big business, especially the railroads. Farmers formed the Grange, Farmers’ Alliance, and fought for laws to more closely regulate railroads and other industries.
This law, passed in 1887, was the first major law that allowed the Federal Government to regulate business (the OPPOSITE or laissez-faire!). This law was designed to regulate the railroads and created a commission to monitor and regulate interstate businesses.
Interstate Commerce Act (1887)
This early labor union focused on organizing SKILLED WORKERS and made specific demands on “bread and butter” issues like higher wages, better hours, and better conditions. Samuel Gompers was the leader of this union.
American Federation of Labor
This early labor union welcomed a broader group of people, including BOTH skilled and unskilled workers, African-Americans as well as whites, and women as well as men. They also focused on broad social reforms.
The Knights of Labor, which was led by Terrence Powderly.
What is a “Yellow Dog Contract”?
An agreement that a worker would have to sign promising an oath to NEVER join a union. If the worker then joined a union, he could be fired.
Who were the Pinkertons?
The Pinkertons were a detective agency and private army that big businesses would hire to spy on their workers and bring an end to strikes, often using violence.
What is Collective Bargaining?
A process in which employers (management) NEGOTIATES with employees (workers) through the workers’ unions, regarding wages paid, hours worked, conditions of work, etc.
What is a “Blacklist?”
A list of people who were NOT hired or SHOULD NOT be hired because of a specific reason, like trying to form a union at the workplace. This could often mean the end of a person’s career or force a person to move to a new state or community to find someone who would hire them.
What is a “scab”?
A scab is a replacement worker. This is a tool of management. If workers went on strike, the boss could hire ‘scabs’ to replace the workers on strike.
Can you name any of the MAJOR strikes in the late 1800s?
Haymarket Square (1886); Homestead Strike (1892); Pullman Strike (1893)
Is a protective tariff GOOD OR BAD for businesses in America?
GOOD. The idea behind a protective tariff is to make the IMPORTED products from a foreign country COST MORE so that people will BUY AMERICAN-MADE products.
What is it called when one corporation gains COMPLETE CONTROL over a product or service within an industry?
Monopoly (which is often used interchangeably with the word TRUST)
