Gilded Age. Terms to know:

Transcription

1 Terms to know: Name: Period: Gilded Age Presidents o Grover Cleveland Legislation o Homestead Act o Dawes Act o Sherman Anti Trust Act o Interstate Commerce Act o Indian Removal Act o Chinese Exclusion Act Significant Elections o William Jennings Bryan Big Business o Captains of Industry o Robber Barons o John Rockefeller o Standard Oil Company o Andrew Carnegie o Cornelius Vanderbilt o JP Morgan Political Issues o Populism o Political Machines o Tammany Hall o Political Bosses o William Boss Tweed Economy o Laissez-faire o Monopoly o Trust o Vertical Integration o Horizontal Integration o Boomtowns/Ghost towns Labor Strikes o The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 o Haymarket Affair o Pullman Strike o Homestead Steel Strike Literature/Art/Music o Political Cartoons Geography o Transcontinental Railroad o Open Range o Great Plains o Cowboys o Ellis Island o Angel Island Social Reformers & Social Groups o Philanthropist o Social Gospel o Eugene Debs o Samuel Gompers o Knights of Labor o American Federation of Labor Social Events/Movements/Protests o Social Darwinism o Reservations o Child Labor War/Battles/ People o Battle of Little Big Horn o Battle at Wounded Knee o Sand Creek Massacre o General George Custard o Sitting Bull o Crazy Horse Technology/Inventions/Innovators o Henry Bessemer Bessemer Process o Thomas Edison Light Bulb o Joseph Glidden Barbed Wire o Alexander Graham Bell Telephone Vocabulary Words o Gilded o Unions o Strike o Black List o Americanization o Assimilation o Melting Pot o Nativism o Tenements o Urbanization

2 The Western Frontier I. Native American Relations: 1. Conflict over Land: a. Railroads threaten Indian existence i. Cut through hunting grounds ii. Disturb buffalo (main food source) iii. Physical conflicts over land were frequent 2. Indian Removal Act of 1830 a. Forced tribes to relocate to reservations in Oklahoma b. Different tribes forced to live together did not get along 3. Clash on the Great Plains: a. Indians wouldn t give up their land without a fight b. Army responded with attacks on the plains tribes. c. Sand Creek Massacre i. 150 Indians, mostly women and children killed ii. Sent natives to reservations 1. An area of federal land reserved for Indian tribes 2. Most Indians refused to be confined by reservations d. The Battle of Little Big Horn 1876: i. Custer s Last Stand ii. US troops led by Colonel Custer attacked Sioux and Cheyenne Indians iii. Indians out-numbered Custer 1. they were led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull 2. Custer s troops were wiped out 4. Assimilation: The Dawes Act a. The U.S. government wanted Indians to assimilate, or adapt into American culture b. Dawes Act: Reservation land is distributed to individual families, rather than tribes 1. What conflicts arose between US government and Native American Tribes? 2. How did Manifest Destiny affect Native Americans? Westernization: Why Move West? Mining Boom o Gold and Silver Cattle o Demand for BEEF Homesteading Transcontinental Railroad o Connecting East and West Western Settlers: Forty-niners/miners Mountain Men Homesteaders Buffalo Hunters Chinese US Army

3 5. Mining: a. Boomtowns grew quickly when a mine opened i. Opened at the site of a Mine b. Ghost towns go bust when a mine is cold c. Closes quickly and everyone moves away d. Gold Rush: i. California 1849 ii. Klondike 1896 What do you notice about the geography of the mine locations? e. Gold Mining: The Myth i. The Myth: Individuals, Hard Work & Luck, Pan for Gold in rivers f. Gold Mining: The Reality i. Corporations, large scale operations, modern/industrialized machinery g. Mining was dangerous: i. Unsafe Equipment ii. Lung Disease iii. Explosions iv. Cave-ins v. Fire h. Impact of Mining: i. Quick Statehood ii. Wealth for some/states iii. Environmental issues iv. High Mortality v. Population booms 1. How did mining help to grow the West? II. Cattle Kingdom: 1. Demand for beef grew a. Cattle ranchers in Texas drove herds to Abilene, Kansas, to be shipped east. 2. Cattle ranching spread across the Great Plains a. Created the Cattle Kingdom that stretched from Texas to Canada. 3. Competition, the invention of barbed wire, and the loss of prairie grass brought an end to the Cattle Kingdom. 4. Cowboys: a. Cowboys were workers who took care of ranchers cattle. i. They borrowed many techniques from vaqueros, who were Mexican ranch hands. b. Most important duty was the cattle drive. i. The Chisholm Trail was a popular route for cattle drives. c. Life in cattle towns was often rough and violent.

4 d. Cowboy life was often romanticized i. The Cowboy Life was not glamorous hour days and the long trail drive were boring e. Not all Cowboys were white Americans i. 1/6th of cowboys were Mexican and many were African American, Former Confederates and even Native Americans ii. Cowboys did not often have to fight off Native Americans iii. 1/3 of the cowboys were former slaves and most of the others were former confederate soldiers. iv. A cowboy worked for $.80 a day. v. 2/3 of cowboys were teenagers between the ages of f. Hired to care for Ranchers Cattle i. Drive cattle north to eastern markets ii. Round Ups iii. Branding iv. Gather Cattle for Slaughter g. Cattle Drives: i A Steer worth $4 in Texas sold for $40 in the East. ii. Need to drive a herd to a railroad town iii. Major trails- Chisholm, Goodnight Loving, Western and Sedalia. iv. Drive lasted 3 months miles per day. v. Conflict over the open range between cowboys and ranchers h. OPEN RANGE and Competition i. Land was used by everyone for cattle grazing 1. Could not know what was public or private land ii. Cattle spread across the Great Plains, from Texas to Canada i. Cattle Barons i. Men who owned millions of head of cattle 1. Richard King, Henry Miller, Theodore Roosevelt j. Homesteaders/ farmers and Sheep Farmers i. Farms/food destroyed and eaten by cattle during drives 1. What impact did cattle drives have on the Great Plains? 2. What characterized the typical Cowboy? III. African Americans move West: 1. Became cowboys, joined the army, and became farmers a. Faced racism, despite their freedom and ownership of land 2. Exodusters a. African Americans who migrated to Kansas under the Homestead Act i. 6,000 in 1879 at the end of Reconstruction

5 ii. Overall over 20,000 migrated to Kansas City Push Factors Post-Reconstruction South o Increased violence o Disfranchisement o Loss of Civil Rights (Jim Crow Laws) o Little to NO economic opportunities Pull Factors Land acts open up opportunities Targeted Propaganda IV. Homesteaders: The Great Western Migration 1. Homestead Act 1862 a. Signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln b. Citizens can occupy 160 acres of Government land i. Citizen must improve and build on the land 1. Building homes and farming 2. 5 years after settlement the farmer owned the land c. Who could receive land: i. Head of the family ii. 21 years or older OR performed military service iii. Never borne arms against American Government iv. Pay $10 v. Occupy the land themselves d. The Oklahoma Land Rush i. On April 22, 1889 flooded the unassigned lands ii. Land was opened By President Harrison 1889 iii. When cannon shot potential Homesteaders rushed to find their new farming land e. Life on a Homestead: i. Some Migrants lived in sod houses ii. Other Migrants lived in Dugouts 1. WHY? a. There was no lumber on the Great Plains b. Transporting lumber was too expensive V. New Agricultural Technology: 1. New farming technology made farming easier on the Great Plains 2. Helped to close off the Great Plains to cattle drives 3. Increased agricultural output in America a. Prairie Fan i. Water Pump b. Sod Buster i. Steel Plow c. Barbed Wire i. Joseph Glidden invented Modern Barbed Wire in Environmental Impact: a. Loss of Prairie Grass i. Over-grazing and bad farming practices b. Lack of water

6 i. Fights over water rights c winter d Hot, Dry Summer 5. Impact of Western Population Growth: a. Lumbering depleted the forests. b. Sodbusters plowed-up the Great Plains to plant crops, destroying top soil. c. Mining for gold and other precious minerals destroyed the land. d. The Railroads and buffalo hunters would soon wipe out the buffalo. e. Rivers and lakes would be polluted. 1. What was the purpose of the Homestead Act of 1862? 2. In what way did targeted propaganda help to populate the west? 3. In what way was Barbed Wire important to settling the west? VI. Transcontinental Railroad: How to link the West to the East? 1. The growth of the West created a need for communication across the country. a. The Pony Express carried messages on a route 2,000 miles long. b. Telegraph replaced the express in Demand for a transcontinental railroad grew a. Congress passed the Pacific Railway Acts of 1862 and 1864 i. The railroads agreed to carry mail and troops at a lower cost 3. Two railroad lines began construction: a. Union Pacific from Omaha, Nebraska b. Central Pacific from Sacramento, California c. On May 10, 1869, the railroad lines met Promontory Point, Utah. i. The two tracks were joined with a golden spike 4. The Men who Built the Railroad: a. Irish, African Americans and Chinese immigrants worked on the railroads. b. Harsh conditions: Indian attacks, explosives, etc. 5. Transcontinental Railroad: a. Conflict over land i. Threatened Indian existence ii. Cut through hunting grounds and grazing land for Buffalo b. Damaged the Great Plains (environment and habitats) i. Depleted resources c. Increased western Population i. Statehood granted quicker d. Industrialization boom i. Greater need for goods to make Railroad

7 ii. Demand for goods in west grew e. Increased Wealth f. Ease of movement connection across the country g. Closing of the American Frontier!! 1. What created a need for the Transcontinental Railroad? 2. What conflicts arose because of the railroad? 3. What impact did the Transcontinental Railroad have on the west? Gilded Age Grassroots VII. Populist and Greenback Parties: 1. The farmers on the Great Plains debt rose and a fall in crop prices caused them to fail. a. A protest movement began based on populism 2. Populists: Political party that favor s the common people s interest over the wealthy or business interests. 3. Greenback Party a. Planned to relieve farmers debt b. Goal: Increase paper money by changing gold standard i. Gold Standard: Every dollar had to be backed by a dollar s worth of gold to ensure value c. Greenbacks wanted money backed by Gold and Silver to increase inflation and cause a rise in crop prices 4. William Jennings Bryan: the Great Commoner a. Revivalist style of oratory. b. Supported free silver coinage i. Condemned the Gold Standard c. Candidate for president in 1896 i. Populists supported him ii. Split the vote because of stand on silver iii. Bryan lost, and the populist party ended Why Did Bryan Lose and Populism Decline? Bryan Focus on silver undermined needs of urban voters. Did not form alliances with other groups. McKinley s campaign was well-organized and highly funded. Populism Decline The economy experienced rapid changes o Industrialization and Immigration. o The era of small producers and small farmers was fading away. Race divided the Populist Party, especially in the South. The Populists were not able to break existing party loyalties.

8 5. Gold Triumphs Over Silver: 1900 Gold Standard Act a. Confirmed the nation s commitment to the gold standard. 1. What was the main goals of the Populist/Greenback Parties? 2. What factors led to the decline of the Populist Party? 3. In what way did Bryan help lead to the Populist decline? American Capitalism VIII. Innovation Boosts Growth ( ) Key Terms to Define Entrepreneurs Free enterprise Protective tariffs Patent Thomas Edison Bessemer process Suspension bridges Time zones Mass production Cash crop 1. Technological Innovations a. After the Civil War, human and animal strength were replaced by steam and electricity.

9 i. Steam engines, powered by burning coal to heat water, drove the textile mills, factories, and trains. b. During the late 1800s the center of coal mining was in the Appalachian Mountains of western Pennsylvania. c. America s first oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania in i. At first, oil was just used as a lubricant, later it was refined into kerosene for lighting. 1. It wasn t until the internal combustion engine and the development of the car, that the demand for oil skyrocketed. ii. New sources of energy and transportation technologies have improved our mobility and our production capabilities. 2. Americans invest in new technology a. Financial Backing: willingness to risk money on new businesses. 3. Capitalism: An economic system in which factories, equipment, and other means of production are privately owned rather than being controlled by the government. 4. Bessemer Process: a. Henry Bessemer (1855) i. Revolutionizes Steelmaking ii. New technology for turning iron into steel 1. Gave rise to the Iron industry 2. Increased the amount and the quality of steel being produced. a. Allowed steel to be made cheaper and quicker iii. Andrew Carnegie invests Carnegie Steel Company 1. Largest and most modern steel mill of its time (Pittsburgh) iv. This new steel was used to lay more miles of railroad track, to build the world s 1st skyscrapers, and to make better machinery. 5. Electricity: a. One of the era s most significant developments b. Electricity was first used as a means of communication with the telegraph. i. The telegraph dramatically changed the speed at which we communicated over great distances and made the Pony Express obsolete. 1. Alexander Graham Bell would later perfect the telephone in 1876, it hasn t stopped ringing since then. American life changes drastically Prior to Industrialization After Industrialization Candles, Oil Lamps Electric Lights Icebox Electric Fridge Letters Telegraph Telephone Horse & Buggy Automobile c. Thomas Edison designed a way to get electricity into homes and businesses i. Edison was able to create: 1. The light bulb, (world went 24/7) 2. The phonograph, (which later gave way to other forms of recordings) ii. Light Bulb & Electric Generating Station d. Benefits of artificial lighting i. Allowed companies to stay open longer 1. Factories ran through the night

10 ii. Work and read at night iii. Electric fridges & other appliances 6. Changes in Communication: a. Samuel B. Morse:1 st Telegraph-Morse Code ( ) i Telegraph lines connecting Washington DC to Baltimore, Maryland ii. By 1870s, Western Union Telegraph Company dominated industry. b. Alexander Graham Bell: Telephone (1876) i. Bell Telephone Company- plenty of financial support ii. Patent ran out in 1893, independent telephone companies formed million phones by In what way did electricity change homes and businesses in the Gilded Age? 2. Explain the importance of the Bessemer process to the American Industrial Revolution? 3. How did Bell s invention change the Gilded Age and still affects us today? 7. Other Inventors & Innovations: a. This was a time period of many inventions that improved the lifestyle and standard of living of many Americans. i. Elias Howe sewing machine, clothing could be made cheaper, faster, and now at home. (1846) ii. Elisha Otis passenger elevators, the new technique of making steel allowed for skyscrapers, this created a need for elevators to carry people between floors. (1852) iii. Wright Brothers Orville & Wilbur first successful manned flight. Although their first flight lasted only seconds, it opened way for air travel at a dramatically increased speed and distance travelled. (1903) iv. Christopher Sholes typewriter, made businesses more productive and helped improve communications. Eventually led to computer keyboards. (1867) IX. Industrial Growth: 1. Interchangeable Parts: used to produce goods in large quantities (Mass Production) a. Machines could produce identical parts for quick assembly 2. Unskilled workers ran machines a. No longer needed skilled artisans 3. 3 Factors of Productions: a. Necessary for increased industrialization during the Gilded Age b. Land: Resources i. Soil, forests, minerals (Abundant resources) c. Labor: Workers i. Immigrants, migrants, Urban poor, minorities, women and children d. Capital: Any asset that can be used to produce income

11 i. Money, buildings, tools, machinery 4. Ford s Moving Assembly Line: a. Allowed for mass production of automobiles b. Workers stand in one place while conveyer belt bring product/work to them i. 1 or 2 tasks are performed, then product moves to next worker ii. Car was built down the assembly line until finished c. Increased productivity, cheaper goods, fewer workers 5. Investors and Patents: a. Investors put money in railroads, factories, scientific research, etc. i. Ex: Thomas Edison financially supported by J.P. Morgan b. Investors made sure inventors had patents i. Patents: Sole legal right to make or sell an invention for a specific period of time. ii. Federal government began issuing patents in 1790, by 1860 a total of 360,000 had been granted. 1. Between 1860 and 1890 there were 600,000 granted. 2. Thomas Edison holds the record for patents with 1,093 in all. 1. What is the overall theme of inventions during this era? 2. Why was the assembly line so important to industrial growth? 3. Explain the roll of investors and Patents in the Gilded Age? X. Development of a National market: 1. Began to emerge as railroads, canals, the telegraph and telephone linked the country together. a. National producers could ship their goods cheaper i. Would dominate sales in the West. 2. New methods of marketing and advertising a. Gave manufacturers ability to expand across the nation. b. Store catalogs became wish lists XI. Impact of Industrial Growth on Population: 1. Rapid population growth a. Population jumped from over 2 million to 76 million in just 50 years 2. Cities were crowded 3. Growing population was a steady supply of cheap labor. 4. A high birth rate and a constant stream of immigrants created a rising demand for goods a. Population growth favored business expansion. XII. The Free Enterprise System: 1. The Success of America s industrialization was based on its free enterprise system. 2. Free Enterprise System is when people have the freedom to make their own choices in what to buy, where to work, and what to make.

12 a. Producers: free to use their money and time to start a business in hopes of making a profit. b. Consumers: free to choose the type of product they wish to buy and how much they ll pay. 3. People have unlimited wants but we have limited resources to satisfy these wants. a. Every society must determine how to use its resources to satisfy these wants. b. Businesses use their resources to compete with each other to satisfy these consumer desires. XIII. Entrepreneurs: 1. An Entrepreneur is a person that invests their time, money, and skills on creating a profitmaking business. a. In the 1870s these entrepreneurs dominated America s economic life. b. Efficient large-scale production allowed them to sell goods at lower prices and Competition forced them to continually improve the quality. i. Many of these entrepreneurs created monopolies and made huge fortunes. 1. In what way did the national market drive industrial growth? 2. What characterizes a Free Enterprise system? 3. What is the importance of entrepreneurs in a Free enterprise system? Business in the Gilded Age XIV. New Types of Business Organization: 1. Before the Civil War, most businesses were owned by individuals or by a groups of partners. a. After the war, corporations became more common. 2. A corporation is a company chartered by the state and recognized as a separate person. a. Issue and sell stock or shares of a company. b. A shareholder is a partial owner, and they receive a share of a corporations profits based on the amount of stock they own. i. Shareholders were responsible only for the shares they own, not for losses and are protected from lawsuits. ii. Allowed for people to pool their money to raise the huge sums needed to build railroads, factories, steel mill, etc. 3. Corporations: a. Corporation- a company that is recognized by law as existing independently form its owners. i. A corporation can own property, borrow money, sue, or be sued. ii. People can invest in corporations by buying stock, investors become owners of the company 1. Wealthy capitalists bought huge amounts of stock to control companies. iii. Investors not liable for company s debt, could lose what they invested and that s it 4. Competition: a. Competition provides consumers with choices

13 i. Businesses had to slash prices to compete 1. Debts rose, prices fell, bankruptcy ii. Power capitalists tried to limit competition amassed huge amounts of money 1. Buy or Bankrupt other companies a. John D. Rockefeller had great success with this XV. Captains of Industry: 1. Many of the more successful entrepreneurs became known as Captains of Industry. a. They became known for their ruthless tactics used to destroy their competition and methods used to keep workers wages low. b. Some of the best known were: i. John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt 2. Captains of Industry ruled America during the Gilded Age a. They amassed fabulous wealth and lavishly spent it while the majority of Americans were poor. b. These men were also called robber barons and were glorified and vilified. i. Some became the richest men in the world. XVI. Monopoly and Trusts: 1. Monopoly- a company that completely dominates a particular industry a. With competitors out of the way they could rise prices and reap great profits b. Approach to reduce competition 2. Trusts- A set of companies that are managed by a small group known as trustees. a. They have the power to prevent companies in the trust from competing with each other. 1. In what way does a Monopoly inhibit competition and business growth? 2. In what way was a corporation different than previous business types? 3. What are the characteristics of a corporation? John D. Rockefeller Made his fortune in oil. o Kerosene, for lighting, made him millions The gasoline industry, made him even richer. Used horizontal integration and ruthless tactics to push competition out of business then would buy them out. o Made a deal to ship oil for cheaper to cut prices below competitors Standard Oil Co. became a trust, with him owning most of the shares. Andrew Carnegie Made his fortune in steel mills in the Pittsburgh, PA. He used vertical integration o Bought his own iron ore fields, coal mines and ships so he could control all phases of steel production. Crushed attempts to form labor unions, paid low wages, and forced laborers to work 12 hour days. o The labor strike on Carnegie s Homestead Steel Mill would be one of the eras most violent

14 o Later he would controlled 90% of all oil refined. Horizontal Integration: John Rockefeller Vertical Integration: Andrew Carnegie Joining together firms from the same step of production Taking control of every step in the production and distribution of a product o Acquire raw materials to manufacture, package, and ship XVII. Robber Barons were accused of 1. being just plain greedy 2. unfair business practices 3. being above the law 4. abusing labor with low wages and long hours 5. having too much, influence on government 6. simply not caring about the American public XVIII. Philanthropy: 1. Carnegie and Rockefeller both made millions a. They paid low wages and demanded long hours of work. b. As businessmen they didn t believe in charity, their belief was: i. help those who help themselves c. Later, both would lead the wealthy Americans in philanthropy: the generous donation of money to good causes i. They gave away millions of their dollars to the public. 1. They built libraries', museums, scholarships, and universities. 1. What are the differences between Horizontal and Vertical Integration? 2. What are two ways in which Rockefeller and Carnegie differ (not their industry type)? 3. In your own words, what is Philanthropy? XIX. The Gilded Age was all about Laissez-Faire 1. People realized big business was limiting competition and prices continued to rise. a. Law makers and politicians were unwilling to stop such business practices i. Laissez-Faire: market regulates itself through supply and demand, no government interference 1. Leave business alone XX. Social Darwinism applied to businesses a. Followed ideas of laissez-faire i. Government doesn t regulate business. b. Adapted Darwin s ideas

15 i. Best run businesses ran by most capable people would survive and prosper. 1. Allow businesses to fail or succeed on their own XXI. Laws Against Anti-Competitive Practices 1. Government and business leaders believed in laissez-faire a. Government did have some involvement in business, such as patent laws, enforcing contracts, laws protecting property, and tariffs to help American manufacturers. 2. Some of the anti-competitive practices of big business soon became so oblivious that reformers started calling for government intervention to remedy the problems. a. Americans were alarmed that small businesses were denied opportunities 3. Interstate Commerce Act (1887) a. Railroads often charged small farmers more to ship goods than they did large companies. i. States passed laws to stop this, but the Supreme Court ruled these laws were unconstitutional. b. Congress finally passed the Interstate Commerce Act that prohibited unfair practices by the railroads. i. The Interstate Commerce Commission was created to enforce these laws. c. First time Congress had regulated big business. 4. Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890) a. Federal law aimed at stopping monopolies and trusts from engaging in unfair practices. b. This law outlawed trusts, monopolies, and other forms of business that restricted trade. i. Act marked a significant change in the attitude of government about the abuses of big business. ii. Standard Oil was the 1st monopoly the government attempted to stop. c. Government didn t really attempt to enforce the law i. Wording of law was vague, and courts that would interpret were biased and decided in favor of big business. Pros and Cons of Big Business Pros Large business is more efficient which leads to lower prices. Hire large numbers of workers. Produce goods in large quantities. Have the resources for expensive research and to invent new items 1. In what ways did the government try to fight against monopoly? Cons Unfair competitive advantage Often exploited workers. Often unconcerned about pollution they may cause. Have an unfair influence on government rules that affect them. 2. Why was government action against monopoly ineffective? 3. What are two pros and two cons of Big Business?

16 Labor XXII. Working Class: 1. Working Class: Men, women, & children that work for wages in factories, mill, mines, and other businesses performing manual labor. 2. Division of Labor: Factory production is divided into separate tasks, with one task assigned per worker 3. Child Labor: a. Why did children work in factories? i. Families couldn t survive, even with both parents working ii. Children made less pay for the same work so factory owners were happy to employ them. 4. Some states passed laws with minimum age: 14/15 a. Laws were often ignored and not enforced b. Most dangerous jobs because of their small size c. Little opportunity for school 5. Working Conditions: a. 6 days a week, 10+ hours a day, earning about $1 a day (Long days, low wages) b. Hazardous environments c. Little or no financial compensation for injuries d. Cramp, unventilated sweatshops e. Lose job if they protested to heavy flow of immigrants coming in XXIII. Unsanitary Living/working Conditions: 1. Slums- heavily populated parts of the city marked by filth and squalor 2. Tenements rundown apartment buildings of 4 to 6 floors, usually 4 families on a floor. a. These families would cook, eat, and sleep in the same room b. Disease flourished in these cramped, airless quarters. 1. What are some of the reasons children were used for labor? 2. What are at least three working condition problems that existed in the Gilded Age? 3. What characterizes a Tenement? XXIV. The Labor Movement: 1. Labor Unions - A group of workers organized to protect the interest of its members. a. Goal 1: Higher wages b. Goal 2: Shorter hours c. Goal 3: Better working conditions d. Power came from the threat of a strike i. Strike: workers refused to go to work. ii. Strikes could shut down factories, railroads, mines, but were usually a last resort. 2. National Labor Organizations a. Labor Unions joined forces to form a national labor federation, or a group of unions.

17 i. Poor leadership and lack of unity led to collapse. ii. Economic depression hit and unemployment was high, there was a lot of competition for jobs which made it hard to have create national labor unions. b. Labor Unions: i. Knights of Labor- accepted skilled, unskilled, African American, and women workers. ii. American Federation of Labor organized skilled workers (Samuel Gompers) c. Unions used: i. Collective Bargaining: negotiations between employers and employee representatives concerning wages, working conditions, etc. Knights of Labor: Goals Eight-hour workday. Workers cooperatives. Worker-owned factories. Abolition of child and prison labor. Increased circulation of greenbacks. Equal pay for men and women. Safety codes in the workplace. Prohibition of contract foreign labor. Abolition of the National Bank. American Federation of Labor: Goals Catered to the skilled worker. Represented workers in matters of national legislation. Maintained a national strike fund. o Money to workers on strike so they could continue to receive a wage Evangelized the cause of unionism. Prevented disputes among the many craft unions. Mediated disputes between management and labor. Pushed for closed shops. XXV. The Socialists 1. International Workers of the World (IWW or the Wobblies ) a. Eugene V. Debs i. Railway union leader, leader of Socialist Party of America, ran for president 5 times b. Big Bill Haywood i. Violence was justified to overthrow capitalism c. Mary Harris The Miners Angel i. Organizer for the United Mine Workers. ii. Founded the Social Democratic Party in iii. One of the founding members of IWW in Tactics used to Undermine Unions: a. Yellow-dog Contracts- Business owners pressured employees to sign a written pledge to not join a union i. Businesses only hired workers who would sign the pledges. b. Blacklists - Owners would also exchange lists of union members and organizers. i. Businesses would not hire those on the lists Management vs. Labor scabs P. R. campaign Pinkertons/intimidation lockout blacklisting yellow-dog contracts court injunctions open shop Tools of Management: boycotts sympathy demonstrations Informational meetings picketing closed shops Organized strikes wildcat strikes Tools of Labor:

18 1. What were the overall goals of the Labor Movement? 2. What are three differences between AFofL and KofL? 3. In what ways did Business owners fight against the Labor Movement? XXVI. Strikes: 1. Railroad Strike of 1877 a. An Economic recession was going on, owners slashed prices b. West Virginia rail workers strike. i. ½ the nation s RRs were shut down c. Largest labor uprising in American history d. Riots broke out, RR property burned and looted e. US Army was brought in to end strike, 1 st time i. President Grover Cleveland 1. Used the U.S. Army to shut down the Railroad Strike of Haymarket Affair 1886 a. A violent clash between Union Supporters and Chicago Police b. Strikers fought with scabs, police broke up fight c. Anarchists (people who reject all forms of government) set up protest meeting in Haymarket Square. i people showed up to calmly protest. ii. Police showed up to break it up, someone threw a bomb into police and they fired on the crowd. iii. This divided the labor movement. 3. Homestead Strike 1892 a. Carnegie Steel plant workers strike i. Pinkerton Agents hired to protect Carnegie Steel plant from strikers ii. Gun battle broke out, Pinkerton agents finally gave up and Strikers took over the town b. Broken up by the state militia c. Non-union workers were brought in i. Resulted in union being shut out of Carnegie Steel for 40 years 4. Pullman Strike 1894 a. Pullman Palace Car Company i. Workers lived in the company town in company apartments and bought food from company owned stores. ii. Employee s owed large debt to the company, their wages went straight to bills. b. During 1894 recession, Pullman cut wages 25% i. Workers went on strike, strike was supported by American Railway Union 1. Shut down railroad traffic in the Midwest ii. Refused to handle trains with Pullman cars

19 c. Strike that was broken up by federal troops 5. The Federal Government and Labor Unions a. Government often sided with business, not unions 6. Late 19 th Century-Early 20 th Century gains made by Labor Unions: a. Mostly Skilled workers from 1819 to 1915 but eventually represented many laborers i. 54 lowered to 49 hours per week ii. $17.60 increased to $21.30 a week b. Most unskilled (white women, African Americans, immigrants) still struggled 1. What was unique about the Government s role in Railroad Strike? 2. What characterizes the strikes of the Gilded Age? 3. What gains were made in labor in the late 19 th -eraly 20 th century? Political Corruption XXVII. Political Machines: 1. Cities were controlled by political machines a. Organizations of politicians whose main goal was to get and keep political power, money, and influence by any means necessary b. Served the interests of Dishonest Politicians and those who bribed them c. Weakened Political influence on average Americans d. Distorted and Undermined democracy XXVIII. Tammany Hall: 1. William Boss Tweed: infamous head of the Tammany Hall political machine of New York a. Helped people in exchange for vote at election time i. Pay for funeral, feed family, etc. XXIX. Corruption in Cities: 1. Bosses controlled access to city jobs and business Opportunities a. With a good word from a boss, a poorly qualified person could land a job in place of a capable applicant b. To get a city work contract, a company had to donate to the machine s reelection campaign c. Businesses also paid politicians to keep them from interfering with their activities; pay-offs / bribery d. Also controlled elections i. Often used fraud to win at the polls ii. Candidates might pay citizens for their votes or stuff ballot box with phony votes e. Maintained control of cities 1. In what ways did Bosses and Machines maintain power in cities?

20 2. What services did people and businesses receive in return for votes? XXX. Spoils System: 1. Giving a political office to someone because they are friend or family a. Person is often NOT qualified for position b. Person relies on you staying in power to keep their job 2. Spoils and Bribery: Give a political office in return for Political/financial support a. Consequence of Gilded Age politics and the spoils system. b. Elected officials appointed friends and supporters to government jobs, regardless of their qualifications. i. Government swarmed with unqualified, dishonest employees. ii. Ensured them a loyal group of supporters in future elections. c. Both Democrats and Republicans handed out jobs to pay off the people who had helped them get elected. i. System led to corruption when dishonest appointees used their jobs for personal profits. XXXI. Corruption at the National Level: 1. Senators a. Constitution gave the power to choose senators to state legislatures i. Corporations often bribed legislators to elect their favorite candidates b. Patronage- giving jobs to friends and supporters i. Some of these jobs went to unqualified people 2. Pendleton Act: limited patronage a. Set guidelines for hiring civil service employees- nonmilitary government workers b. Exams to new applicants for government jobs 1. In your own words, explain the spoils system? 2. In what way did bribery work in the spoils system? 3. How did the Pendleton Act attempt to fix the spoils system? Gilded Age Immigration XXXII. America is a Melting Pot 1. Made up of people from all-over the globe a. Each group brings unique culture, language, food i. Contributes to American society: 1. Food, Art, Music, language etc. XXXIII. Immigration: 1. Steam boat trip could last 3 weeks-1 month a. Ships separated by social class

21 i. Metal bunks ii. Rotted food iii. Filth Push Overpopulation: Crowded and no jobs Hunger: Irish Potato Rot/Crop Failure Lack of land Religious Persecution: Russians, Polish, Jews Pull Life in a Democracy Jobs/opportunity Resources Propaganda: Letters from family ELLIS ISLAND: NEW YORK European Immigrants Inspections: Long hours Sick sent home and/or quarantined Prove they weren t criminals Show they have money Prove could work Angel Island: San Francisco Bay Asian Immigrants: Mostly Chinese Harsher processing Tough questioning Long Detentions/ quarantines XXXIV. Issues Immigrants faced: 1. Expectations to Assimilate 2. Lived mainly in Ethnic communities 3. Strong Nativism: Favoritism toward native-born Americans 4. America passes the Chinese Exclusion Act limited/ended Asian immigration 5. Urban Problems a. Housing: Tenements b. Sanitation c. Transportation d. Water: Unsafe for drinking e. Crime f. Fire: Wooden structures Chicago 1871, San Fran Million Europeans immigrated during the Gilded Age a. Only 300,000 Chinese were allowed to immigrate: i. Never be Americanized ii. Violence towards them iii. Economic Woes blamed on Chinese Immigrants 1. What are two similarities and two differences between Ellis and Angel Islands? 2. What are four problems immigrations faced? 3. Explain two pull and two push factors for immigration during the Gilded Age?

22 Transcontinental Railroad Closing of the American Frontier Miners attracted by Gold and Silver Homestead Act 1852 Ranchers Settle Great Plains Farmers on the Great Plains Dug Deep water Wells Built Sod Homes Used Barbed Wire California Gold Rush Completion of Transcontinental R.R. Killed off Buffalo Herds Klondike Gold Rush