American History: From the Civil War to the Roaring Twenties
Explain what the Wilmot Proviso would have accomplished if it had passed Congress?
That in any territory the United States gained from Mexico, “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist.”
2. What was the original purpose of the Gadsden Purchase?
Secretary of War Jefferson Davis supported the South’s interest in a southern route for the transcontinental railroad instead of a northern one.
3. Explain what the Know-Nothings believed.
They were an anti-Catholic and nativist party who hoped to prolong the naturalization process, weakening immigration influence.
4. Explain what Kansas voters were trying to communicate when they rejected the Lecompton Constitution.
The Kansas voters were voting against slavery in their state – since the majority of them were against slavery.
5. What was the main purpose of Crittenden’s Compromise?
Proposed by Senator John J. Crittenden of Kentucky, the purpose of the series of amendments nicknamed by newspapers as Crittenden’s Compromise would guarantee slavery where it already existed. It would also reinstate the Missouri Compromise line and extend it all the way to the California border. Slavery would be prohibited in all territories north of the line and protected in all territories south of the line.
6. What was Lincoln’s main worry about Baltimore seceding from the Union?
If Baltimore, Maryland seceded and joined the South, Washington D.C. would be surrounded by Confederate territory.
7. What was the main way Lincoln attempted to keep Maryland in the Union?
Lincoln imposed martial law – military rule – in Baltimore, where angry mobs had already attacked federal troops. Under martial law, anyone supporting secession could be arrested and held without trial.
8. Who was the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad?
Harriet Tubman.
9. How did most Southerners interpret John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry?
Many Northerners viewed Brown as a martyr (person killed because of beliefs) in a noble cause.
10. Most Free Soilers opposed slavery. Why?
They argued that free men on free soil comprised a morally and economically superior system to slavery.
11. What was the name of the book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that Lincoln credited with helping start the war?
Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
12. What question did the Supreme Court decision Dred Scott v. Sandford settle?
It held that the federal government had no power to regulate slavery in the territories, and that people of African descent (both slave and free) were not protected by the Constitution and were not U.S. citizens.
13. What year did the Civil War begin?
1861.
14. Which of the Civil War Amendments gave citizenship to the freed slaves?
The 14th Amendment: declared that former slaves were citizens and required that states provide everyone equal protection under the law.
15. Which battle is considered the turning point in the war – when the South began to lose?
Gettysburg.
16. Who was the President of the Confederacy?
Jefferson Davis.
17. The first shot fired in the Civil War occurred at what location?
Fort Sumter.
18. Where did the largest battle of the Civil War take place?
Antietam.
19. Who were the Copperheads?
Democrats that supported the war but didn’t want to end slavery.
20. Who was the General in command of the Army of the Potomac that wouldn’t fight?
Lieutenant George B. McClellan. He was afraid of using his army.
21. Explain the Anaconda Plan.
The U.S. Navy blocked all Southern ports, limiting the supplies being shipped from Europe.
22. In which states were the slaves not freed?
The states that had stopped rebelling: Louisiana, Kentucky, and Georgia.
23. At what location did Lee surrender to Grant?
On April 7th, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia.
24. Who shot Lincoln?
John Wilkes Booth.
25. Name Lincoln’s vice-president who became President after Lincoln was assassinated.
Andrew Johnson.
27. What is the twelve-year period after the war ended called in U.S. history?
Reconstruction.
28. Which Amendment made involuntary servitude illegal in the United States?
The 13th Amendment made “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude” legal in the United States.
29. Who were the Scalawags?
Poor Southern whites who had a habit of blaming the rich.
30. Who were Carpetbaggers?
Northern investors who carried bundles of cash in their carpetbagger suitcases. They would use their cash to buy businesses and farms that would have been worth more before the war.
31 Name the secret vigilante group that tried to control freed slaves through terror and intimidation.
The Ku Klux Klan. Their mission was to restore order in the absence of slavery.
32. What year was the Transcontinental Railroad completed?
May 10, 1869
33. Name the three parts of Grant’s Indian policy.
– Move the Indians onto reservations
– Assimilate them (force them to adopt Christian values)
– Destruction of their food source.
34. According to the Doctrine of Discovery, how did the people already living in an area have to be treated?
They must be “treated as sovereign, and the members of those nations must be dealt with by binding treaties.”
35. Name the six technologies that had to be developed before large numbers of Americans would homestead on the Southern plains.
– Steel plows were essential because the ground was easier to till.
– Windmills for energy and grain
– Sod houses
– Six-shooters
– Railroads provided faster transportation
– Barbed wire helped keep land secure from trespassers.
36. Who founded the Standard Oil company?
John D. Rockefeller in Cleveland, Ohio.
37. What is meant by a free market economy?
A market economy is an economy in which decisions regarding investment, production, and distribution are based on supply and demand, and the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system.
38. What is an entrepreneur?
Risk-takers willing to risk their money to start companies and create jobs.
39. What is an anarchist?
Defined as a political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, or harmful, or, alternatively, as opposing authority or hierarchical organization in the conduct of human relations.
40. Name the first nationally known labor union.
Knights of Labor. Their goal was to improve working conditions for labor.
41. Who first brought the Industrial Revolution to the United States through memorized plans for a textile mill?
Samuel Slater memorized the 16,000 moving parts of a textile mill, brought the plans in his head to America, acquired investors in Rhode Island, built the first factory, and started the Revolution in the U.S.
42. Who invented the American system of manufacturing?
Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin and the American system of manufacturing.
43. Which Supreme Court decision affirmed the constitutional right of the Congress to regulate trade between the states?
Gibbons v. Ogden was the case in which the Supreme Court ruled it Congress’ right to regulate interstate commerce.
44. What were the reasons for rapid industrial growth after the Civil War in the United States?
Railroads, New Inventions, National Resources, more human labor, and enough money/capital.
45. Which ethnic group built the western half of the Transcontinental Railroad?
The Chinese & Irish.
46. List the technologies introduced for the first time at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876.
– The typewriter
– Telephone
– The light bulb
– The Corliss Steam Engine
– Phonographs
– Bicycles
– Vaudevilles
– Nickelodeon
47. What is a philanthropist?
Wealthy persons who gave away money to charities to better their society.
48 What were the factors essential to the growth of cities after the Civil War?
Railroads, Electricity, Skyscrapers, Subways & Elevator Trains, Greenbelts, The Fine Arts, and Department Stores.
49. From what part of Europe did most of the immigrants come to the United States after the Civil War?
Germany.
50. Who started the Revival movement of the 1870s in Chicago?
Dwight L. Moody. He was also President of the YMCA in Chicago.
51 In what city did the Social Gospel movement begin?
It began in New York City thanks to Walter Rauschenbusch, a pastor in New York City’s poorest areas.
52. What was the first attempt to reform government services (1883)?
The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883. It required all applicants for government jobs to take a civil service test to show if they were qualified, and it was illegal to fire a government employee because of their political views.
53. Was the only Democratic President to serve between 1860 and 1912?
Grover Cleveland.
54. Who was an early woman leader of the Populist movement in Kansas?
Mary Ellen Lease, or “Mary Yellin'” as some liked to call her.
55. What was another name for a populist movement?
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56. Name the Populist Presidential candidate who ran in 1892.
– James B. Weaver.
– He got America to begin thinking about a graduated income tax – the more you make, the higher percentage of your income is taxed.
57. Name the speaker at the 1896 Democratic National Convention who delivered the famous “Cross of Gold” speech?
William Jennings Bryan from Nebraska electrified the DNC.
58. Who were Exodusters?
African Americans who moved from the rural South to Kansas thanks to Benjamin Singleton. Named Exodusters due to similarity to the Hebrews’ escape from Egyptian bondage.
59. What were the statutes called which enforced segregation?
They were known as Jim Crow Laws, or Black Codes.
60. Which Supreme Court decision made segregation legal under the 14th Amendment?
The case Plessy v. Ferguson made segregation legal, saying the 14th Amendment only provided that “no state” could deny citizens equal protection under the law.
61. What does imperialism mean?
The idea to develop empires for economic benefit by either intimidation or outright force used against weaker and smaller nations.
62. What were the three motives or justifications for American imperialism?
– Nationalism
– The need for taking over foreign markets
– The ideology of spreading Anglo-Saxonism.
63. What does Jingoism mean?
An attitude of aggressive nationalism – usually prevalent among Republicans.
64. Who was the founder and leader of the Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War?
Colonel Leonard Wood, with second in command Theodore Roosevelt.
65. Name the social Darwinism idea that the English-speaking culture is the most evolved and advanced on the planet.
Anglo-Saxonism.
66. To what did Seward’s Folly refer?
Land purchased from Russia in 1867 opening up vast treasures of national resources and precious metals.
67. What was Yellow Journalism?
Overly sensational newspaper reporting that was greatly exaggerated and may have even been outright lies.
68. Explain Adam Smith’s idea about how government should relate to free enterprise.
That prices would be fair with the absence of government intervention, and natural competition will arise due to greed. It would, in concept, keep prices fair and negate monopolies.
69. What does laissez-faire mean?
Belief of “letting the people do what they will” when it comes to business.
70. What did Progressives believe about science and technology?
They had put a lot of faith in the ability of science and technology to improve the quality of life.
80. In which form of urban government did the Progressives believe?
They believed that urbanization and industrialization had caused many social problems, and believed the government should take part in a larger role in fixing these problems.
81. What were reporters called who focus on investigating social conditions and political corruption in the cities called?
They were called Muckrakers.
82. What were the parts of the Progressive agenda?
– Expand Democracy
– Bring about a better government
– Wanted to limit the power of big business
– Wanted to increase government regulation
– Wanted the government to do a lot more for the poor and unfortunate.
83. Who wrote the book, “How the Other Half Lives“?
Jacob A. Riis.
84. What personal incident in his life most taught Theodore Roosevelt to be able to relate to ordinary, everyday working Americans?
The day on which both Theodore’s mother and wife died and he transitioned from his house to living in solitude probably impacted his political thinking the hardest.
85. How did Roosevelt earn the name, trustbuster?
Roosevelt had broken up nearly 40 different companies during his presidency. He also set up the Department of Labor and the Committee department to oversee the activities of both labor unions and businesses.
86. What three things did Roosevelt believe a laissez-faire approach to business had caused?
– Artificially high prices
– Low wages
– Poor working conditions.
87. What did Roosevelt call the policies of his second term as President?
“The New Nationalism”.
88. Who was the main leader of the Socialist branch of the Progressive movement?
Eugene V. Debs.
89. What is a referendum vote?
Allows the state to vote on proposed laws. If the state legislators didn’t have the political courage to vote on a controversial issue, the voters were allowed to vote.
90. Which Amendment was the focus of the National American Woman’s Suffrage Movement?
The 15th Amendment gave African American males the vote, and women wished to be included.
91. Which Amendment was the Temperance Movement trying to get added to the Constitution?
The 18th Amendment – which would ban alcohol.
92. How did Theodore Roosevelt describe his approach to foreign relations?
“Speak softly but while carrying a big stick”
Meaning, talk of peace but have a military to back you up.
93. Who was the main person who wanted William Howard Taft to run for President in 1908?
His wife Mrs. Taft. She really enjoyed being First Lady.
94. What party ran former President Roosevelt for a third term in 1912?
Bull Moose Party.
95. Which Amendment created the first personal income tax for Americans?
The 16th Amendment.
96. For which ethnic group’s civil rights did the NAACP fight?
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People fought for justice for minorities.
97. In what year did WWI start?
1914.
98. What was the Zimmerman Telegram about?
The German government sent a telegram to Mexico City telling them if they sided with Germany, Germany would help them take back Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
99. What was the slogan on which Wilson ran for a 2nd term as President?
“He’s kept us out of war!”
100. Why were American Soldiers fighting in WWI called “dough-boys?”
All they ate during the entirety of the war was bread.
101. What was the main method used by the U.S. Government to raise money to fight the war?
They used war bonds. They advertised it as patriotic to buy war bonds and support the Government, and if you were not patriotic enough, you were thought of as suspicious.
102. What year did America’s involvement in World War I start and what year did we finish?
1917 – 1919.
103. What killed 635,000 Americans during the winter of 1918 – 1919?
Influenza, or the Swine Flu.
104. On what date was the Armistice signed, ending WWI?
The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. November 11, 1918.
105. What year were women allowed for the first time to vote in a Federal election?
1920, the election in which Harding won.
106. What ethnic group was the National Origins Act of 1924 mostly designed to keep out of the United States?
The Chinese and other Asians.
107. Who was the most famous baseball player of the 1920s?
Babe Ruth.
108. Who was the main leader of the Harlem Renaissance?
Langston Hughes.
109. Who were the male and female leaders of Fundamentalism in the early 1920s?
Billy Sunday and Aimee Semple McPherson.
110. What was the science topic involved in the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925?
Evolution.
We discussed eight situations or events that led up to the Civil War. These eight occurred from 1850 – 1860. Tell each event, when it occurred, and how it contributed to the start of the war.
– The introduction of Tariffs made the South feel like they were basically paying for all of the government.
– The Compromise of 1850 banned slavery in Washington, D.C. and made California a free state.
– Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which was published on March 20, 1852, led Northerners to believe that Negroes were people too, and pushed for the end of slavery.
– The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854’s initial purpose was to open up many thousands of new farms and make feasible a Midwestern Transcontinental Railroad. It became problematic when popular sovereignty was written into the proposal so that the voters of the moment would decide whether slavery would be allowed.
– Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) took its part by upholding a new rule saying that the Constitution law was stronger than states, causing 22 free states to become slave states.
– The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 took part by Lincoln quoting the Bible, having Lincoln looking like he wished to abolish slavery.
– John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry (1859) was a raid to arm slaves. It caused an uproar and killed many people.
– Lincoln’s Election as President in 1860 contributed to the war since many states had pledged to leave the Union if Lincoln was elected. His election seemingly divided the United States.
According to Dr. Walter Webb of the University of Texas, six technologies had to be developed before large numbers of Americans would settle on the Southern plains. Name the six technologies. Explain why each was necessary for successful settlement of the plains.
– Steel plows were essential because the ground was easier to till.
– Windmills for energy and grain.
– Sod houses.
– Six-shooters.
– Railroads provided faster transportation.
– Barbed wire helped keep land secure from trespassers.
Grant’s Indian Policy had three parts. Name each part. Explain how the government intended each part to work. Tell the goal of each part. Explain in detail how Grant’s policy impacted the Pawnee after the government moved them to Indian Territory.
– The first part was moving them over to Indian territories so that they wouldn’t bother the white towns.
– If they didn’t wish to move or were too young to move, they were Assimilated into white culture.
– The third part was unmentioned in writing, but Grant sent hundreds of men out into the plains to kill off the Indian’s food source (buffalo) to have them willingly move. This act created a lot of distrust among the Natives, and it is still prevalent today.
Americans have undergone at least three Great Awakenings – spiritual revivals that have ultimately impacted our political decisions. Explain how the Great Awakening of the 1740s, the mid-1800s, and the last one beginning in 1949 have impacted our politics and changed American culture.
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What were the three motives for American political leaders pursuing a foreign policy of imperialism in the early 1900s? Give detailed supporting examples that demonstrate the carrying out of each motive.
– Our new-found ideology of Nationalism helped fuel our belief in spreading Anglo-Saxonism, which was the feeling of superiority in white English-speaking humans.
– We also felt like we needed to control foreign markets for our economy to be able to sustain properly.
– Control of foreign can be seen when we took over Hawaii and Indonesia for their natural resources.
The Progressives had five goals they wanted to accomplish. Name each goal and give at least one foreign policy or one piece of Federal legislation that successfully carried out those goals.
– They wanted to expand Democracies in the United States and around the world.
– They also wanted to bring about a better government. This can be seen in examples of Indonesia and Hawaii.
– They wanted to limit the power of big business.
– To increase government regulation.
– Have the government do more for the poor and unfortunate which can be seen by how Roosevelt “drew the line between misconduct and wealth,” the establishment of the FDA, and set up the ICC.
Write a biographical sketch of Theodore Roosevelt’s life. Cite at least five things that happened in his personal life that would ultimately shape his political thinking. Cite the incident and give an example of a resulting political action you believe connected to the personal incident.
– When Roosevelt was 10, the doctors had told him he would die before he reached puberty – which he overcame by building endurance and exercising. When he was 21, he was elected the youngest New York Assemblyman, which is a state representative. Later that year, his mother and wife died on the same day, leaving him with an infant. He packed up his stuff, and moved to a farm in North Dakota where he lived life as a cowboy. After finishing his second term as President, he went on a safari for 18 months, where he relaxed and hunted.
The incident in which probably shaped his political thinking would be the day that his mother and wife died. His wife died of preventable causes after childbirth, and now understanding that this may happen to people all around the globe, he set out to help people, get the ball rolling, and progress forward.
World War I was the first “motorized” war. Besides motorized armament, several technologies were invented after the Civil War that helped make WWI a very bloody conflict. Cite at least six motorized innovations and technologies that impacted the conflict and how each made the war more devastating than it might have otherwise been.
– Airplanes
– Tanks
– Submarines
– Trucks
– Motorized ambulances were the first one on the list of motorized warfare.
With the absence of Airplanes, tanks, and submarines, WWI may have been a lot less deadly.
New technologies being invented were semi-automatic rifles, machine guns, barbed wire, and the introduction of trench warfare. With the absence of trench warfare and automatic rifles, the standstill in between small tracks of “no man’s land” may have resulted in the lives of millions being spared.
Explain how American culture swiftly changed after WWI and during the 1920s. Cite examples of music, clothing, literature, writers, inventions, transportation, and entertainment.
– After WWI, women were becoming more powerful. Shortly after the war ended, women were wearing short skirts, smoking, and even drinking in public while hanging out at speakeasies. New music coming out named Jazz would spike Americans’ interest because of its upbeat sound and happy beat. American writers such as Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway changed America, but most of all Langston Hughes for basically leading the Harlem Renaissance.
How did African American culture change during the 1920s? Mention the Great Migrations, literature, music, writers, and any other evidence of a changing African American culture in the 1920s.
– With the invention of Jazz, the Harlem Renaissance underway by Langston Hughes, and the Great Migrations (where 500,000 blacks moved up to the North to work in factories), life was changing for the African Americans. Though racial unrest was prevalent,
unrest was prevalent,