Overview of the Gilded Age

Question 1

Who coined the term “Gilded Age”?

Answer 1

Mark Twain

Question 2

What does “Gilded” mean?

Answer 2

Something that has been covered in gold to prevent the visibility of rust

Question 3

How can the term “Gilded” be seen with this period in America?

Answer 3

There was growing economic prosperity but there were also lots of ruthless businesses and corruption

Question 4

What is the period of time considered the Gilded Age?

Answer 4

1877-1890

Question 5

What did many businesses create (beginning with t) to start monopolies?

Answer 5

Trusts

Question 6

What are trusts?

Answer 6

A group of businesses in a certain industry attempting to get the government to do a certain action in their favour

Question 7

How much expansion had there been by the end of the Gilded Age in terms of with the Frontier?

Answer 7

The Frontier was closed by the end of the Gilded age so all of America had been explored

Question 8

What can be said about the Gilded Age with its point in American History?

Answer 8

It was a high point

Question 9

What impact did the Civil War have on industry / technological innovation?

Answer 9

There was the growth in industries for consumer products, instead of just wartime products.

Question 10

Why was America set-up for a strong industrial revolution?

Answer 10

They had a continent of valuable resources such as coal, oil, steel, and many agricultural products

Question 11

What was the impact of Industrialisation in terms of with the rest of the world and businesses?

Answer 11

Many European investors saw the US as a good place for business

Question 12

What was the impact of Industrialisation in terms of with Immigrants? How significant was its scale?

Answer 12

Immigration occurred heavily, which almost doubled the USA Population.

Question 13

What was there a larger need for due to Industrialisation?

Answer 13

Work

Question 14

What were created for the first time in America in large cities due to Industrialisation?

Answer 14

Skyscrapers

Question 15

What are monopolies in business?

Answer 15

Businesses that have a massive control over a specific field of industry

Question 16

Name 3 Monopolies of the Gilded Age

Answer 16

Carnegie Steel Monopoly, Vanderbilt Rail Monopoly, Rockefeller Oil Monopoly

Question 17

Why were monopolies a problem for quality of products in their field?

Answer 17

No competition means no drive to improve their products or reduce prices

Question 18

Who was James Fisk? What did he do?

Answer 18

He was a Robber Baron who manipulated finances and was involved in bribery

Question 19

Name a government effort to fight the issues of monopolies (And the year this was created)

Answer 19

1890 Sherman Antitrust Act

Question 20

Name a Farmers movement that attempted to improve conditions for farmers

Answer 20

The Granger Movement

Question 21

What idea did some rich people have in society about why they were successful?

Answer 21

Social Darwinism

Question 22

What is Social Darwinism?

Answer 22

The belief that some people are biologically superior to others so are able to adapt better to economic conditions and become wealthy

Question 23

What does AFL stand for? When was it founded?

Answer 23

American Federation of Labour, founded 1886

Question 24

What did some workers begin to think about in terms of the corrupt system?

Answer 24

They started to become more radical and wished to destroy big businesses

Question 25

What did the Government do in this age to help the workers conditions improve?

Answer 25

They did very little

Question 26

Why did the Government do very little to help workers’ lives improve?

Answer 26

Because they were bribed by monopolies telling them not to do it

Question 27

What happened in the Haymarket Riot? When did it happen and how violent was it to start with?

Answer 27

An originally peaceful protest in 1886 escalated when one protestor threw dynamite at a police officer

Question 28

What happened with the Homestead Strike? How did the strike stop?

Answer 28

Carnegie Steel Workers went on strike so armed forces were hired to stop the strike

Question 29

When did the Dakota Gold Rush occur? What issue was there with Native Americans?

Answer 29

1876. Native Americans owned this land supposedly, but it was now being invaded by the USA.

Question 30

What war broke out due to tensions over the Dakota Gold Rush? How long did it last?

Answer 30

The Great Sioux War of 1876, lasting around 10-12 years

Question 31

How were African Americans treated after the Reconstruction Era ended?

Answer 31

They were terrorised and lynched and criminalised

Question 32

What laws were put in place in Southern States against African Americans?

Answer 32

Jim Crow Laws

Question 33

What act was abolished in 1883?

Answer 33

1875 Civil Rights Act

Question 34

What Act was created against Chinese Immigration? When was it made and what did it say?

Answer 34

1882 Chinese Exclusion Act banned all Chinese immigrants for 20 years and made all existing Chinese in the USA in to aliens (illegal citizens)

Question 35

What were political machines?

Answer 35

Organisations which helped Immigrants get on their feet in America in exchange for the immigrants voting for the party

Question 36

Name a pro and a con for Political Party Machines?

Answer 36

Pro: Immigrants could get jobs easier and make money Con: This would result in unfair elections in which the people who got in to power would be very corrupt

Question 37

Which Era came after the Gilded Age?

Answer 37

The Progressive Era