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The Industrial Era & Reform Movements (Review Sheet 5)

American industry grew at a quick pace after the Civil War. In 1876, Americans had a chance to show off their progress. That year,

they celebrated the nation’s 100th

anniversary. A huge exhibition was held in Philadelphia Exhibition showed many American inventions.

Foreign visitors to Philadelphia Exhibition were amazed at how quickly American industry was developing. Visitors had a good

reason to be surprised. As recently as 1860, America was far behind the nations of Europe in industry. But by 1900, American industry

would produce more goods than any other nation in the world.

The growth of industry made America rich. It also created problems. Workers shared little of the wealth produced by industry. In

the late 1800’s, workers organized to win higher wages and better working conditions.

For many Americans, the early 1900’s was a time of great hope. Prosperity (good economic times) had returned after hard times in

the 1890’s. People enjoyed luxuries their parents had never dreamed of, such as telephones, electric lights, and phonographs. On the eve of

the year 1900, the New York Times wrote that the 1800’s were “marked by greater progress in… the material wellbeing (had more good

things & new information) and enlightenment of mankind than all previous history.” Most Americans hoped for even greater progress

during the new century.

But the good times were not good for everybody. The rapid growth of American industry created problems as well as benefits. Many

Americans worried about the political power shown by trusts and monopolies. The cities of America had problems with the burdens of

overcrowding and corruption. In mines and factories, children still worked away their health and youth.

Beginning in the 1890’s, Americans set out to correct the problems created by industrial growth. Reformers worked for many range

of improvements. These reformers were united by their belief that in a great nation like the United States, life should be good for everyone.

The reforms they achieved included four constitutional amendments. Their efforts helped to shape the society, government, and economy of

the modern United States.

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I. The Rise of Industry in the United States - In this section you will learn how the United States changed

from an agricultural nation into one of the world’s leading industrial countries.

A. Free Enterprise system (Market Economy)

1. Industrial Revolution, which began in England in the 1750’s, changed the way people produced goods.

a. goods now produced in factories with the help of machines

b. After the Civil War U.S. becomes one of the world’s leading industrialized nations.

2. Capitalism (economic system), sometimes called free enterprise system helped the industrialization

of the U.S. to grow rapidly.

a. Under this system, capital (money) is controlled by individuals, rather than controlled by

government.

b. Investor risk money in businesses in order to get profits (the money a business makes after

business costs are paid).

c. Consumers are free to choose what they want to buy at the price they want to pay.

d. Impact of Industrialization:

* How did the availability of raw materials influence industrialization?

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B. Becoming an Industrial Giant(reasons for the rise of the U.S. as an industrial giant)

1. Growth of railroads

a. 1869, the transcontinental railroad- connecting east and west was completed.

- other connecting lines were soon built.

- affected just about every aspect of life= brought people from east to the frontier, moved food from

farms and goods from factories to far off cities, railroad advertisements describing new

opportunities, attracted many immigrants.

- goods could be moved faster and cheaper

- created standard time zones(4) across the United States.

*What were the positive and negative aspects of railroad expansion?

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*How might the development of industry have been affected if the railroads had not existed?

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2. Growth of population and a national market

a. population of the U.S. doubled from 1860-1900.

- buy new goods and work in factories.

b. national market was created since goods made in one part of the country could be sent to other parts.

- Important to owners of large businesses.

- New methods of selling, like mail order catalogue and department store came to existence.

3. New inventions and way of producing goods.

a. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone (1876) and Thomas Edison developed the electric

light bulb (1879).

-by 1900, electricity was used to power such items as motors, electric streetcars and subways.

*How did electricity change American life?

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* How did new inventions affect the nation’s workers?

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4. Organizing business: corporations

a. Before the Civil War business were owned by individuals or partners. After corporations became

popular.

b. Corporations, is a business created by state law and is treated as a person for the purpose of paying

taxes.

-Key advantage is that it can raise large sums of money by selling shares of the business to

anyone who wishes to buy them.

-stockholders are people who purchase these shares.

- Each stockholder is a part owner of the corporation, but is not liable (responsible) for the

corporation’s debts beyond his or her own investment.

* number of and size of businesses in America began to expand rapidly after the Civil War.

C. Great business leaders: Captains of Industry (Heroes) or Robber Barons (Villains)

1. Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)- Scottish immigrant who became one of Americas richest men.

Dominated the steel industry. Sold steel at very low prices and put other steel companies out of

business. Workers put in long hours at low wages and were stopped from joining unions. Later in life

gave large sums of money to support education, cultural activities and medical research (Philanthropy).

*How did Andrew Carnegie’s life symbolize the American success story?

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2. John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937)- formed the Standard Oil Company. He controlled most of the oil

refinery Business. He forced the railroads companies to give him special low rates for shipping oil,

while they charged higher rates to his competitors. By 1900 he had almost total control (monopoly) over

the oil business. Later in life he gave away his money to education and science (philanthropy).

*How did big business try to get rid of competition? Why?

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C. Regulating Competition

1. Laissez-faire Capitalism- belief that government should not interfere with business.

a. government had no constitutional right to control business.

b. lead to the best and cheapest goods being produced.

**large companies grew more powerful by driving smaller companies out of business.

2. Monopoly, a company that control most or all of the business in a particular industry. The aim is to get

rid of all competition so that the seller can control the price.

3. Interstate Commerce Act (1887)- law made certain prices of railroad companies illegal such as entering

into agreement with other railroad companies to control rates.

4. Sherman Anti-trust Act (1890)- law was created to stop the growth of monopolies. It made illegal

many actions that companies had been using to take business away from their competitors.

D. Summing Up Rise of Industry

* Over the last 150 years, the United States had become the greatest industrial power in the world.

The growth of industry and big business helped this country in many ways, but also led to a

number of serious problems, such as unfair competition.

II. The Rise of Organized Labor- as result of poor working conditions, workers began to organize into

labor unions.

A. Workers face new problems

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B. Birth of Labor Unions

1. Industrial workers in the late 1800’s had no power to make big business raise their pay or improve

working conditions.

a. required little skill, workers could easily be replaced.

2. Labor Union (a group of workers organized to achieve common goals) – were organized so that

workers could have more power.

a. Strike= walk off the job.

b. Unions would use voting power and money from dues to persuade the government to pass laws

favoring workers.

C. Tactics Used by labor and management

1. Attempts to form unions or improve working conditions forced workers and employers against each

other.

D. Workers Seek A National Voice

1. By the end of the 1800’s many workers believed to overcome their problems was to join together in a

national union of all workers.

a. Knights of Labor-1869, form one larger union that would include both skilled and unskilled

workers, and even women.

b. 8hour work days, higher wages, and safety codes for factories.

c. Limiting immigration (competitors for their jobs)

d. skilled workers refused to be grouped in the same union with unskilled workers.

2. The American Federation of Labor (AFL)-1881, Samuel Gompers (founder), united small unions of

skilled workers (carpenters, cigar makers, shoemakers) into a single national union.

a. 8 hour work day, better working conditions.

b. Weakened in its early days since it excluded unskilled workers but gradually grew stronger.

-Today it is the largest union in the U.S.

* How did craft unionism and industrial unionism differ?

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E. Government Attitude toward Unions

1. Government leaders favored businesses over unions.

F. Government Attitude toward Unions change.

1. Dangerous conditions for workers.

a. Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in 1911 killed 146 workers.

b. workers could not escape because the doors were locked from the inside and one fire escape.

*Department of Labor-created in 1913 to study problems of workers and propose solutions.

2. Workers and the Depression

a. tremendous unemployment during the Great Depression.

-Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Wagner Act (1935) = guaranteed workers the rights to unions

and to collective bargaining (use of negotiation to try to settle problems between owners &

workers).

b. Taft-Harley Act (1947)-made some unions actions illegal. Gave government the power under

certain conditions to tell unions to stop strike for a “cooling period”. Hoped that union and

employer would settle differences.

* Why did labor unions start to decline in the 1890’s?

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G. Summing Up: Rise of Organized Labor

*Workers began to form unions to fight for higher wages and improve conditions. At first

government favored big business over unions. Eventually, the government took steps that allowed

unions to grow. As a result, the power of workers grew stronger and their lives improved. Later

on, the government took steps to prevent unions from using their power in ways that hurt the well-

being of the nation.

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I. The Grange and Populist Movement

A. America: A nation of farmers- today, less than 2% of the United States population lives on farms. Life was

quite different in the 1870’s, when majority of Americans were farmers.

1. Problems of farmers: 1870-1900, as food prices dropped lower and lower, farmers expenses remained

high. This situation resulted from a number of causes.

2. Grange (barns, farmhouse) Movement- national association of farmers’ clubs.

a. social club focusing on activities like picnics, lectures and dances.

b. As problems grew, focus (purpose) was to influence the govt. to improve standards of living.

c. Railroads were seen as the main cause of their difficulties since railroads charged them high

prices for shipping crops to market.

d. Interstate Commerce Act-created a government agency to regulate the railroads and interstate

commerce. (First time government tried to regulate businesses)

* How did the railroads take advantage of farmers?

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* What were some of the causes of farmers’ economic problem?

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*Why did farmers think that more money available to borrow at a lower cost would help solve their

economic problems?

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* How did the Grange and the Farmers’ Alliances pave (make possible) the way for the Populist

Party?

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B. Populist Party (1891-1896)- represented farmers, laborers, and factory workers against bankers & railroads.

1. Believed big business had too much influence on government, could not count on the two parties.

2. Wanted the federal government to take more responsibility for the people’s well-being.

* Why did the Populist movement collapse?

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C. Role of Third Parties- provide an outlet for minorities to voice their grievances (complaints), generate new

ideas, propose new solutions, and educate the public.

1. If a third party is not successful, one or both parties will adopt its ideas.

D. Summing Up: The Grange and Populist Movements.

1. The period from the 1870’s to the early 1900’s saw the lives of most farmers change for the worse. They

received less money for their crops, and paid for more machinery, supplies and shipping. In an effort to

improve their lives, farmers organized the Grange Movement. Eventually, farmers joined with other

groups to support a new political party, the Populists. Although no Populist ever became President, many

Populist ideas eventually became law.

II. The Progressive Movement (1900-1920)

A. The Problems- Some cities had grown so fast that they could not deal with such problems as

overcrowded housing, poor schools, and inadequate (not enough) health services. Looking for a

solution, people turned to the local head of one of the political parties, known as a political boss. Bosses

helped people get jobs, housing and even loans. In return, the boss expected these people to vote for

candidates he recommended. Once the candidate was elected, the boss often took advantage of his

contacts in government to steal from the public treasury or to make money in other illegal ways.

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B. Goals & Accomplishments

C. The Muckrakers- Among the early Progressives who had the most influence were a group of newspaper

reporters and writers known as muckrakers. They got this name because they “raked” through the muck

(dirt) of American life in search of news. They wrote about people who suffered as a result of

industrialization. They also let the American people know about the dishonest and corrupt practices of

people in government and big business.

*How did the Publication of The Jungle in 1906 affect the safety of the meat that people eat today?

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D. Progressive Presidents- Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were Presidents who helped grow the

Progressive Movement. They tried to use their Presidential powers to introduce important reforms to

correct some of the problems created by industrialization.

1. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)-became president when president William McKinley was

assassinated.

a. Roosevelt the “Trust-Buster”. He believed that there were “good” and “bad” trusts

(companies that joined together to limit competition – monopolies).

- “Bad” trust, acted unfairly against the public interest. John D. Rockefeller’s

- Standard Oil Company because its control of the entire oil industry.

* Establish the idea that the federal govt. should break up harmful trusts.

b. Square Deal Legislature – fair play and equal opportunities was promised to the people.

To do this he established:

- The Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act ________________________

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- Regulate Transportation and Communication - _________________________

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- Protect the Environment- ____________________________________________

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* What actions did the Roosevelt administration take to regulate food and medicines?

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2. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)- In 1912, Roosevelt accepted the nomination of a new third party

known as the Progressive or Bull Moose Party. This spilt the Republican Party and allowed the

Democratic nominee, Woodrow Wilson to win the election. Wilson promised Americans what he

called the New Freedom (control big business & improve living conditions of Americans).

a. Graduated Income Tax/ Federal Income Tax (1913)-required people with higher

incomes to pay a higher percentage of their income in tax than people with lower

incomes (the more you make the more you pay).

-Passed as a result of the 16th

Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

b. The Federal Reserve Act (1913) established 12 Federal Reserve Bank, to serve as

“bankers bank.” These banks lend money to other banks. The bank regulated the

banking industry by fixing the amount of money banks could lend. (Regulate the

Economy). c. Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)- outlawed many of the actions being used by some

businesses to prevent competition (made monopolies illegal)

-Stronger than Sherman Anti-Trust Act).

- encourage business competition.

d. Federal Trade Commission- new federal agency created to enforce anti-trust laws and

to protect consumers against unfair practices by businesses.

*Compare Wilson’s background to Roosevelt’s.

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*Why were tariff reforms and the Federal Reserve System important?

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E. End of the Progressive Movement

1. In 1914, World War I begun in Europe. The U.S. entered the war in 1917. Women’s suffrage and

“Prohibition” of alcoholic drinks were both passed just after the war. These were the final

reforms of the Progressive Era. The war also made many people lose their faith in the ability of

government to solve social problems.

F. Summing Up

1. The Progressive Movement was formed by people who hoped to solve some the problems caused

by industrialization. Progressive writers and government leaders were effective in making people

more aware of conditions that needed to be corrected. Progressive Presidents, such as Theodore

Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, led the fight for the federal government to curb the abuses of

big business and to protect those who had suffered the most as a result of industrialization. The

Progressive Movement came to an end by 1920.

III. The Women’s Rights Movement – struggle for equality from the late 1840’s through the early 1900’s.

A. Role of Women Changes- In the mid 1800’s women had few rights and limited opportunities. Many

people believed women to be inferior in intelligence and ability. As a result of the Industrialization

revolution, several changes occurred in the status of women.

1. Women & Education- Since the mid 19th

century, free public elementary schools had been open

to both boys and girls.

a. By the late 19th

century, small number of women began to obtain a college education.

- Filled number of jobs created by industrialization.

2. Women & Cities- Many families moved to cities because of industrialization in search of jobs.

a. role of women the family and society led women to work outside the home.

- marry later in life.

- Smaller families

- New products such as washing machine and vacuum cleaner reduced housework.

B. The Struggle for Voting Rights, 1840-1870

1. Women leaders press for change

a. Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton- In 1848, helped organize a women’s right

meeting in Seneca Falls, New York.

- Seneca Falls Convention, which passed the Declaration of Sentiments declaring

that women were equal to men is seen as the beginning of the Women’s Right

Movement in the U.S.

- At the time a husband had the legal right to control all of his wife’s property,

earnings, and children. Goal was to end this.

b. Fight for birth control- the Women’s Right Movement in later years included a

campaign for family planning through birth control.

- led by Margaret Sanger.

- Birth Control League that would later be called Planned Parenthood Federation

2. Organizing to Get Voting Rights

a. Late 1800’s the chief goal of the Women’s Right Movement was to obtain suffrage (the

right to vote).

*By the 1860 the Women’s Rights Movement spilt over the best way achieve its goal.

*In 1890 the groups merged and formed the:

b. National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA)- under the leadership of

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

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- At first attempted state by state efforts for women’s suffrage, nine western states

passed by 1912.

- Efforts now concentrated achieving women’s suffrage through a constitutional

amendment.

*In what region of the nation did women first receive the right to vote?

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*In what region did they have partial suffrage?

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*What relationship is there between the pattern of suffrage and the pattern of migration and settlement

of the states? What explains the pattern?

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c. During World War I, millions of women filled jobs in factories, mills, and mines. It

became hard for opponents of women’s suffrage to deny that women were the equal of

men.

d. 19th

Amendment (1920)- no state could deny a citizen the right to vote on the basis of

gender.

-did not bring about economic equality between the sexes.

C. Struggle continues

1. By the 1960’ women demanded more job opportunities, equality of pay with men, and an end to

discrimination based on sex.

a. More women began to enter fields that men had traditionally (law, medicine & engineering)

2. Betty Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystic a book arguing that society had forced American women

out of a job market and back into the home after W.W.II.

a. Not all women were content with the role of homemaker and that more job opportunities should be

opened to women.

3. Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)- barred job discrimination on the basis of sex as well as race.

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4. The National Organization for Women (NOW)- formed in 1966 to push for legislation guaranteeing

equality for women.

a. Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)- In 1972 a proposed amendment stating “equality of rights

under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account if sex ”,

was defeated in 1982 when it fell 3 states short of ratification.

5. Equal Opportunity Act of 1972- required employers to pay equal wages for equal work.

6. Educational Act of 1972 (Title IX)- gave female college athletes the right to the same financial support

as male athletes.

7. Roe v. Wade (1973)- Supreme Court ruled that a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy is

constitutionally protected.

a. states could limit abortion after the first six months of pregnancy.

8. Vocabulary

a. Feminism- refers to the belief that women should have the same economic, social, and political

rights as a men.

-Women’s Right Movement is sometimes called the Feminist Movement.

b. Sexism- refers to beliefs or practices that discriminate against a person on the basis of sex.

- women’s movement was directed to removing sexist terminology, practices, and literature from

American business and education.

b. Glass ceiling- the obstacles women faced to getting to the top jobs in industry.

-Unspoken discrimination.

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Names & Terms

1. Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire (1911) - Fire in New York City garment factory in which 145

female workers were killed because they could not escape the building. The owners had locked the exit

doors so the workers could not get out during the workday and take a break.

2. Pullman Strike (1894) – A strike by the railway car maker in Illinois tied up the nation’s railway

traffic. President Grover Cleveland called in Federal troops to break up the strike. (U.S. mail

traveled by railroad and had to be delivered).

3. Philanthropist – a person who gives his/her wealth to help others and/or to benefit society. (Andrew

Carnegie – Carnegie Hall in N.Y.C).

4. Social Darwinism – an economic and social idea based on the ideas of the biologist Charles Darwin’s

theory of evolution (“survival of the fittest”). The rich get rich because they are the most talented.

5. Grange Movement- Reform Movement that attempted to help farmers by providing an educational

forum, eventually focused their time on fighting against railroads.

6. Progressive Movement- A Social reform movement in the early 20th

century that attempted to return

control of the government to the people, restore economic opportunities and to correct injustices in

American life.

7. Florence Kelley- Social reformer, helped end child labor and helped to limit a women’s working hours.

8. Muckraker- Writer who exposed wrongdoing of business and public life in the early 1900’s.

9. Initiative- A way for people to propose laws.

10. Referendum- A way for people to approve changes in laws by a vote.

11. Recall- A vote on whether to remove a public official from office.

12. Seventeenth Amendment- Amendment providing for senators to be elected directly.

13. Suffrage- the right to vote.

14. Susan B. Anthony- Leader of the woman suffrage movement, who helped to define the movement’s

goals and beliefs and to lead its actions.

15. Upton Sinclair- Novelist who exposed social problems in books such as The Jungle.

16. Blacklist-________________________________________________________________________

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17. Meat inspection Act -_____________________________________________________________

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18. Pure Food and Drug Act - _________________________________________________________

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19. Yellow Dog Contract -___________________________________________________________

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20. American Federation of Labor -_________________________________________________

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21. Knights of Labor -_______________________________________________________________

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22. Nineteenth Amendment -________________________________________________________

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23. Federal Trade Commission -_____________________________________________________

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24. Clayton Antitrust Act -__________________________________________________________

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25. Theodore Roosevelt -____________________________________________________________

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26. Federal Reserve System -________________________________________________________

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27. Sherman Anti- Trust Act -_______________________________________________________

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28. Assimilation -___________________________________________________________________

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29. Laissez Faire-______________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

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