Unit 2 Chapter 3 The Birth of Modern America (a.k.a. The Gilded Age)

Causes of Industrial Revolution Natural Resources  Water, timber, coal, petroleum New Inventions  Telephone, light bulb Immigration  20 million immigrants ( ) Laissez-Faire Economics  Govt. has hands off approach to economy  no regulation of business

Major Industries c. 1900

Railroads Link the Nation Pacific Railway Act (1862)  Built the Transcontinental Railroad Land Grant System  Federal government gave free land to railroad companies Robber Barons  Nickname given to railroad entrepreneurs (owners)

Growth of Railroads

The Rise of Big Business Capitalism: economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods and competition in a free market Types of Business Consolidation (Monopolies)  Monopoly: the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade of a commodity or service.  Vertical Integration: Business owners control all phases of production  Horizontal Integration: Buying out competing businesses to create a monopoly  Trust: large business controlling most or all of an entire industry; another name for a monopoly

Business Consolidation

Vertical Integration

Political Cartoons on Monopolies and Trusts

Labor and Unions Working Conditions  Dangerous work in unsafe factories and mines Workers form Unions (late 1800s)  Knights of Labor- large labor union  American Federation of Labor (AFL) Workers Strike  Haymarket Strike and Bombing, Chicago (1886)  Gave unions a bad name  Government sided with corporations Attempts to Stop Unions  Yellow dog contracts-could not join a union  Blacklisting-unable to get work

Working Conditions in Factories

Working Conditions for Children

Labor Strikes

Labor Strikes-Haymarket Strike and Bombing, Chicago (1886)

Immigration Immigration from Europe  From Southern and Eastern Europe  Ellis Island, NY Immigration from Asia  From China and Japan  Angel Island, San Francisco, CA

Immigration

Ellis Island

Processing through Inspection

Waiting for Inspection

Health Inspections

Angel Island

Immigration Hardships and Discrimination  Culture Shock-difficulty adjusting to new culture  Ethnic Enclaves-neighborhoods that retained some cultural aspects  Melting Pot-immigrants were suppose to merge into American culture  Americanization Movement-assimilated immigrants quickly through educational programs in English, US History and Government  Nativism-overt favoring of “native born” Americans  Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)-ended Chinese immigration to the US  Gentlemen’s Agreement (1908)-ended Japanese immigration to the US

Ethnic Enclaves of NYC

Urbanization Growth of the Cities  Caused by industrialization, transportation, and immigration Urban Issues and Solutions  Overcrowding  new types of houses  Mass transit systems developed: cable cars and subways  Safety and crime issues  police and fire departments  Health and Welfare problems  water filtration and trash collection

Dumbbell Tenement

Row Houses

Dumbbell Tenements

Urban Politics – Political Machines- organizations that provided social services and jobs in exchange for votes. controlled local and State governments corrupt- stole millions from cities (Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall)

Political Machines

The Great Chicago Fire (1871)

O’Leary Cow

San Francisco Earthquake (1906)

Urbanization - Tenement Living

The Gilded Age ( ) Gilded Age- term created by Mark Twain to refer to the era of serious social problems that were masked by a thin gold gilding (big businesses making $) Popular Beliefs during G.A. – Individualism- no matter where you came from you could rise above through hard work – Social Darwinism- used to explain why some people succeeded while others did not – Andrew Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth- wealthy Americans should use their great fortunes to further society

Social Reforms Social Gospel Movement- sought to improve conditions in the cities based on the ideas of Christian charity  Dwight L. Moody-preacher and organizer of charities  YMCA  Salvation Army Settlement Houses  Communal housing for the poor

Social Gospel Movement and Charitable Organizations

Settlement Houses

Political Reforms Spoils System: rewarding political supporters with government jobs Garfield’s Election (1881) and Assassination  Killed over spoils system Pendleton Act (1883): ended the spoils system Civil Service Commission: granted government positions based on merit

Economic Reforms Railroad Abuses and the Grange  Interstate Commerce Act (1890)-regulated railroad companies  Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) set up to enforce  First attempt of the govt. to regulate an industry Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1891)  Made monopolies and trusts illegal; not well enforced

Populist Movement Populism: a movement to increase farmers’ political power and to work for legislation in their interest. – Goals End trusts and monopolies Regulate railroads Secure 8 hour work day People’s Party: also known as the Populists; came from Farmers Alliance

Segregation in the South Disenfranchising African-Americans  Poll Taxes- fees required to vote  Literacy Tests- tests required to vote  Grandfather Clause- prevented all African Americans from voting Restrictions become Law  Jim Crow Laws- segregated white and black society  Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)- established “separate but equal”

Ku Klux Klan

African-American Response Booker T. Washington-African-Americans should focus on economic goals  Atlanta Compromise W.E.B. Du Bois-African-Americans should demand political rights  The Souls of Black Folk Ida B. Wells- campaigned for an anti- lynching legislation