Woodrow Wilson Fights for Peace

Read Chapter 19-4 about Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points and the Treaty of Versailles. As you read about President Wilson’s idealistic plan for world peace, make notes to answer the following questions. Please post your answer to your blog by 8:20 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17.

1. What was Wilson's 14th Point? The creation of the League of Nations, which would provide a forum for nations to discuss and settle their grievences without having to resort to war.

2. What terms of the treaty specifically affected Germany? The treaty of Versailles barred Germany from maintaining an army. It also required Germany to return to the region of Alsace-Lorraine to France and to pay reparations, war damages, which were $33 billion, to the allies.

3. What were the weaknesses of the treaty? With Germany being treated this way, this weakened the ablility of the Treaty of Versailles to provide a lasting peace in Europe. The treaty contained a war-guilt clause, which forced Germany to admit sole responsibilty for starting World War I. In reality, other nations were also responsible. Also, Germany couldn't pay the reparations. Germany was stripped of its colonial posessions in the Pacific, which may have helped them repay the reparations. Also, since Russia (now called the Soviet Union) was excluded from the peace conference, they lost more territory than Germany did. They were determined to get back their lost land. The treaty ignored claims of colonized people for self-determination.

4. Why did Henry Cabot Lodge object to the treaty? He was suspicious of the provision for joint economic and military action against aggression, even thought it was voluntary. They wanted the constitutional right of Congress to declare war included in the treaty.

5. How did Wilson help bring about the Senate's rejection of the treaty? Wilson ignored the Republican majority in the Senate when he chose the members of the American delegation. If he had been more willing to accept a compromise on the League, it would have been more likely that the Senate would have approved the treaty.

6. What circumstances at this time would eventually lead many Germans to support Adolf Hitler? Hitler was an angry veteran of WWI and he demanded vengeance. People who felt the same way supported him.

7. Who is George Clemenceau? He was the french premier who was determined to prevent future invasions.

8. Who is David Lloyd George? He was the British prime minister. He wanted to "make Germany pay."

9. Describe the participation of Russia at the peace conference. Russia was excluded from the peace conference and because of this, they lost more territory than Germany did. They became determined to regain their former territory.

WWI - The War at Home

Please read Chapter 19-3 - The War at Home and post your answer to the following questions.

What were some things accomplished by the following wartime agencies and laws?

1. War Industries Board-encouraged companies to use mass production techniques to increase efficiency, urged them to eliminate waste by standardizing products like making only 5 colors of typewriter ribbons. They set production quotas and allocated raw materials.
2. Railroad Administration-controlled railroads
3. Fuel Administration-monitored coal supplies and rationed gasoline and heating oil. "Gasless Sundays" and "lightless nights" were practiced to save fuel. They created daylight savings time in order to take advantage of the longer days of summer.
4. National War Labor Board-to handle disputes between management and labor. Workers who refused to obey board decisions could lose their draft exemptions. The board also worked to improve factory conditions and pushed for an eight hour workday, promoted safety inspections, and enforced the child labor ban.
5. Food Administration-to help produce and conserve food, families practiced "the gospel of the clean plate" and one day a week meatless, another sweetless, two days wheatless and two days porkless. Homeowners planted "victory gardens" in their yards to grow some of their own food in stead of buying it all.
6. Committee on Public Information-the nation's first propaganda agency. This was created to popularize the war and influence people's thoughts and actions.
7. Espionage and Sedition Acts-a person could be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced to 20 years in jail for interfering with the war effort of for saying anything disloyal, profane or abusive about the government or war effort. Clearly violated the sprit of the First Amendment.

Briefly explain why Bernard M. Baruch and George Creel are significant historical figures.

Bernard M. Baruch- leader of the War Industries Board (WIB), a prosperous businessman.

George Creel-the head of the Committee on Public Information (CPI). He persuaded the nation's advertising agencies to create thousands of painting, posters, cartoons, and sculptures promoting the war. He recruited men to serve as "Four Minute Men" who spoke about everything relating to the war. Also he distributed pamphlets, booklets and leaflets about the war. His propaganda was highly effective.

The U.S. enters World War I

19-2
1. How did the United States raise an army?
Men were required to register with the government under the Selective Service Act in May 1917 and they were randomly selected for the army. There was an eight month training period where the men were put in 17-hour days on target practice, bayonet drill, kitchen duty, and cleaning. Soldiers often drilled with fake weapons since there was a shortage. Also the U.S. had to find a way to transport men, food, and equipment over the ocean. This led to a great demand of U.S. warships.

2. How did U.S. soldiers help win the war?

The U.S. soldiers were enthusiastic about fighting in the war. They helped the allied war effort because the allied forces were exhausted and demoralized after years of fighting. The U.S. soldiers brought a freshness to the fighting.

3. What were the estimated economic costs of the war?

$338 Billion

4. What did the war cost in terms of the number of civilian deaths; military deaths?; injuries?; and refugees?
There were 22 million deaths, more thank half of them civilians. Also 20 million people were wounded. 10 million more became refugees.

5. Define armistice.

Armistice is a truce.

World War I Begins

Chapter 19-1

1. What are the four main causes of World War I? Give an example for each as to why it was a cause.
Militarism-all the European countries were building up their armies and navies, and it became a competition. Also weapons were becoming more advanced, causing more destruction.

Alliance System-if one country declared war on another country, the countries in alliance with that one has to back it up and declare war also. This creates a domino effect and soon many countries are fighting against each other.

Imperialism-the race to gain overseas colonies, countries competed for them

Nationalism-ethnic groups banded together and demanded their own independent nations, this was a problem because sometimes the ruler of the nation is a different ethnic group than most of the people living in the nation.

2. How did the June 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand become the spark for WWI?
Since the man who assassinated the Archduke was Serbian, it gave Austria-Hungary a reason to declare war against Serbia instead of doing it randomly. After Austria-Hungary declared war, many countries were pulled into the fighting because they were involved in alliances with these countries, and had to back them up in war.

3. What happened within the first few months of fighting?
Millions of people were being killed and the war wasn't heading in any particular direction. In some cases both sides had machine guns, and there were many casualties on both sides. This made many battles pretty even.

4. Generally, why did the United States want to stay out of the war?
Many Americans believed that they didn't need to be involved because the war didn't threaten American lives or property.

5. Specifically, Why did the following groups of Americans tend to oppose U.S. participation in the war? Naturalized citizens; socialists; pacifists; parents.

-Naturalized citizens followed the war closely because they had ties to the countries they had emigrated from.

-Socialists opposed U.S. participation in the war because they thought it was a capitalist and imperialist struggle between Germany and England to control markets and colonies in various countries.

-Pacifists believed that war was evil and that the United States should set an example of peace to the rest of the world.

-Parents didn't want their sons to experience the horrors of war.

6. How did Germany respond to the British naval blockade of Germany’s ports? What was the U.S. response?
American ships carrying goods for Germany refused to challanged the blockade. Germany found it increasingly difficult to import things for their crops. Germany responded to the British blockade with a counter blockade by U-boats. This means that any British or allied ship found in the water around Britain would be sunk. Americans became outraged with Germany and the public opinion of America turned against Germany and the Central powers.

7. What forced the United States into the war?

German U-Boats had sunk many American and British submarines and ships and killed many Americans.

America as a World Power

Read America as a World Power (pps. 565 - 571) Answer the following questions and post them to your blog. They are due Wed., Nov. 16 by 3:30 p.m.

1. What role did President Roosevelt play in ending the Russo-Japanese War?
Japanese officials asked Roosevelt to mediate peace negotiations and he agreed. The Japanese wanted a russian island along with a large sum of money from Russia. Roosevelt helped work out this conflict. Japan got half of the island, and gave up on the money.

2. What events led to the building of the Panama Canal? What happened regarding Columbia? (Be specific)
A canal would greatly reduce travel time by providing a short cut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In The Hay-Pouncefote treaty of 1901, Britain gave the U.S. the right to build a canal through central america. In the late 1800's the French tried to build a canal in Panama but gave up after 10 years. The U.S. bought the French's route for $40 million. The U.S. had to get permission from Colombia, which was ruling Panama at the time. Panama rebelled and declared its independence from Colombia in 1903. The U.S. and panama signed a treaty which said that the U.S. would pay Panama $10 million plus and annual rent of $250,000 for the Canal Zone.

3. What did the Roosevelt Corollary state?

The Roosevelt Corollary was an extension of the Monroe Doctrine and stated that the U.S. claimed the right to protect its economic interests by means of military intervention in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere's nations.

4. How did Taft use Dollar Diplomacy to enforce the Roosevelt Colollary on Nicaragua? (Be specfic)
Dollar Diplomacy means to exert influence over other countries. When a rebellion in Nicaragua left them near bankruptcy, Taft arranged for American bankers to loan Nicaragua enough money to pay off its debts. The bankers were given the right to recover their money by collecting Nicaragua's customs duties. The U.S. bankers also gained control of Nicaragua's state owned railroad system and its national bank. Nicaraguan citizens revolted and U.S. marines were sent.

5. Why did Woodrow Wilson invade Mexico?

Wilson added a moral component to the Monroe Doctrine. According to his missionary diplomacy, the U.S. had a moral responsibility to deny recognition to any Latin American govt. it viewed as oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to U.S. interests. This pressured nations in the Western Hemisphere to establish democratic govts.

Mexico was ruled by a military dictator. In 1911, Mexican peasants and workers overthrew the military dictator. The leader of the rebellion promised democratic reforms but he was unable to satisfy the conflicting demands of landowners, peasants, factory workers and the urban middle class. Then a general took over and he was murdered. Wilson refused to recognize the governments and he called it a "government of butchers."

Wilson started looking for an opportunity to intervene in Mexico. When a small group of American soldiers were arrested, Wilson used the incident as an excuse to intervene. He ordered U.S. marines to occupy a Mexican port.

6. What were three major foriegn policy goals achieved by the United States in the early 20th century. Be sure to provide an example or two of each.

1)The US expanded its access to foreign markets in order to ensure the continued growth of the domestic economy (Philippines, Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico)

2)The US built a modern navy to protects its interests abroad (navy could back open door notes in china)

3)The US exercised its international police power to ensure dominance in Latin America (Columbia, Nicaragua, Mexico)

Imperialism's Bitter Fruit

Questions for Epilogue: Imperialism’s Bitter Fruit (pages 32-37)

1. a. After the Spanish were forced out of the Philippines, why did fighting break out between American and Filipino forces?  

An American soldier fired on a Filipino patrol that refused to halt.  Within hours, fighting had spread around Manila.

b. How was this a different kind of warfare for American forces?
U.S. soldiers faced a quick striking guerilla movement.  The rules of war that were followed by Western nations were ignored and both sides tortured and executed prisoners and other horrible things.

2. Why were many African-Americans strong critics of the war against Filipino nationalists?
The African-Americans were critical of racist views that the military had of the Filipinos.  The African-Americans in the Philippines were harassed by the Filipino nationalists.

3. Explain two reasons why the United States lost some of its enthusiasm for imperialism in the early 1900s.

a.There were legal complications that came with the new territories.  The U.S. had to decide the legal status of the Filipinos under the constitution.  

b.Many American soldiers were dying.  The United States were just trying to gain more land and power, and then there were revolts in the countries they were taking over.  In suppressing these revolts, many soldiers were killed.


4. What were the positive effects of American occupation in Puerto Rico and Cuba?
American technology contributed to rapid development on the islands.  Roads and telegraph lines were built, finances were recognized, schools were opened and sanitation was improved.

5. After the Spanish-American War, the United States insisted that Cuba only receive independence after agreeing to several limitations set forth in the Platt Amendment. Four restrictions on Cuban independence set forth in the Platt Amendment were:

a.The U.S. had the right to oversee the Cuban economy


b.The U.S. had the right to exercise veto power over Cuban foreign policy 


c.The U.S. had the right to intervene whenever necessary "for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty."


d.The U.S. was allowed to build a naval base on the southeastern tip of the island at Guantanamo Bay

Was the United States justified in making these demands? Explain your reasoning.
I think that the U.S. was justified in making these demands since they won the Spanish-American War and Cuba was theirs.  They could have totally took over Cuba, but they decided to give it independence on a few conditions.  On the other hand, the U.S. didn't want to give Cuba total independence, they wanted to make sure they got something out of it.  I think the conditions were just because they did not demand much, and they were trying to help the Cubans, along with helping themselves.  

6. Do you believe the United States was imperialist? Why or why not?

I think that the United States was imperialist because they were taking over other countries.  Even though they didn't take over Cuba entirely, they had partial control over it.

Part II: Spanish-American War

Questions for Part II—The Spanish-American War

1. What connections did the U.S. have to Cuba in the late 1800s? List at least two.
The U.S. was a large consumer of Cuban sugar. Also there were U.S. military connections in Cuba.

2. What were the Spanish “reconcentration camps”?
General Valeriano Weyler herded hundreds of thousands Cuban peasants into towns policed by Spanish troops called reconcentration camps. They lacked food, housing and sanitiation. There was disease and starvation, which killed thousands of people.


3. List reasons why the United States went to war with Spain in Cuba.
a.To protect their sugar plantations because that was important to the U.S.

b.The Monroe Doctrine said that Spain had no business in the Western Hemisphere. Spain was going against this and the U.S. wanted to stop it.

c.A future Central American canal would be more profitable if the U.S. controlled nearby Cuba.

d.Also some believed that American should help ease suffering abroad, which was tied to a religious conviction.

e.The de Lome letter and The U.S.S. Maine,and how newspapers portrayed these events, with "yellow journalism"

f.the end of the western frontier

g.If the U.S. won a war with Spain it would gain control over many strategic ports which would increase trade with Asia. (Not just Cuba and Puerto rico in the Caribean, but Guam and the Philippines.)

4. Which do you believe was the most important reason? Why?
I think that "yellow journalism" was an important reason because it made many Americans gain sympathy for Cuba. It also made them angry at Spain.
Also the end of the Wester frontier was a very important reason because this made the U.S. want to gain other land like islands. This is a reason why the U.S. was interested in Cuba in the first place.

5. What did the Teller Amendment say?
The Teller Amendment said that the U.S. didn't have an interest in controlling Cuba in the future and promised to leave their government and control of the island to its people once peace was restored.

6. Why was a portion of the Spanish-American War fought in the Philippines?
The Philippines was controlled by Spain and the U.S. wanted it. Spain thought that they were going to invade Cuba first and they weren't prepared for fighting in the Phillippines.


7. Dewey’s victory in the Phllippines sparked an outpouring of pride in the United States.



8. Why did Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders want to fight in Cuba?
They were proud of what happened in the Phillippines and wanted to help their country.

9. a. Why were many African-Americans eager to serve in the Spanish-American War?
They saw it as an opportunity to elevate the status of blacks in the U.S. They hoped that thier participation on the fighting would win the African-American community new respect.

b. What forms of discrimination and prejudice did they encounter?
They were denied promotion into the officer crops. Black volunteers were not given the chance to fight in Cuba.

10. How did racism influence American perceptions of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines? Give two examples of events where racism affected U.S. policy after the war.

a.After the war, many Americans believed that the Cubans needed guidance in managing all of their affairs.  They Cuban rebels were ignored by the U.S.

b.Congress interpreted the teller amendment to mean that the U.S. forces would stay in Cuba until a stable government could be formed.  This made American business return to Cuba, which took over land and railroads and dominated the economy.

Imperialism: The Origins of a Global Power

Questions for Introduction and Part I - The Origins of a Global Power

1. Why did American plantation owners and U.S. Marines topple Hawaii’s queen in 1893? Why was Hawaii considered to be a valuable prize? What was President Grover Cleveland’s reaction? Do you agree or disagree with his quote on page 1?

Since Hawaii was in the middle of the Pacific ocean, it offered a crucial stopping point for American ships traveling to East Asia. Also Hawaii had rich volcanic soil that was ideal for growing crops such as sugar, pineapples and coffee. This made Hawaii a valuable prize. American plantation owners wanted the islands officially under U.S. control and with the help of U.S. marines, this became a reality. But Grover Cleveland withdrew the treaty that allowed the U.S. to annex Hawaii. He believed that annexation would corrupt traditional American values of freedom and equality. I agree with his quote on page 1 because I don't think that taking over Hawaii was right. Hawaii was a happy, sovereign nation and the U.S. shouldn't have come in and toppled the Queen. The U.S. didn't have the right to invade like that.

2. Identify five important changes that transformed America in the nineteenth century. How did these five changes affect Americans?

1)Population Growth-Immigration to America was very high during this time. Many people living in America at this time were immigrants, which changed and broadened America's ethnic diversity.

2)Economic Expansion-Since many immigrants were coming into the country, and many of them most likely didn't have much money, the economy changed a lot. There was an increasing lower/working class.

3)Urban Growth-Many immigrants settled in cities where there were job opportunities. Cities grew tremendously. This made quite a few problems such as transportation issues, housing issues and diseases. This also affected the agriculture in the country, making it decrease.

4)Trade-The increase of manufactured goods made trade more important. Advances in transportation made trade easier. Since there were many European tariffs (taxes on imported goods), U.S. exporters looked towards less developed countries of Latin America and Asia to expand their sales. They were especially interested in China. This changed the selection of items Americans could buy since the country was trading with different countries who traded different products.

5)The 1893 Depression-When two major railroads went bankrupt, the New York Stock Exchange tumbled. Many banks and businesses went bankrupt. Prices declines and millions of Americans lost their jobs. This made many workers realize how vulnerable they were in an economy based on industry and manufacturing. This depression made many people concerned that the United States wouldn't be able to compete globally and that all of the changes during this century might not have been good for America.

3. How did the economic depression that began in 1893 deepen the divisions in American society? Which groups suffered the most during the depression?

The economic depression deepened the divisions in American society. There were two groups of Americans, those who favored "cheap" money and those who favored "tight" money. This had to do with their views on how to fix the country's economic problems. Those who favored cheap money, who were mostly farmers in debt, believed that an increase in the money supply to lower interest rates which they thought would ease their debt burden and raise crop prices. Those who favored tight money said that increasing the money supply would cause unstoppable inflation and cripple the national economy. Since the depression caused many Americans to lose their jobs, the working class suffered a large amount. Workers raliezed how vulnerable they were in an economy based on industry and manufacturing.

4. What were the values many Americans attached to the frontier? Why did many Americans fear that the closing of the frontier would harm America’s national character?

The Americans looked at the frontier as being abundent of fertile land and other natural resources. They also attached words like bravery, individualism and patriotism. Many Americans feared that the closing of the frontier would harm America's national character because the frontier defined what America was all about. Some people thought that America wouldn't survive without this abundance of land to draw immigrants to the U.S. and westward in the country.

5. Why did some Americans suggest greater involvement overseas?
They believed that this would fuel economic growth. Overseas there were many people who where potential customers of American trade (this would help control the surplus of American products).

6. What policy did expansionists say would ensure the economic success of the United States? What did imperialists say?

Expansionalists said that trading with other foreign nations would ensure the economis success of the U.S. Imperialists believed that the U.S. should build a sizable overseas empire which would rule over foreign territories. This would enable the U.S. to secure export markets, raw materials, and cheap labor.

7. How did the theories of social Darwinism and scientific racism lend support to the cause of American imperialism? How were these pseudo-scientific theories used to justify racist policies and imperialism? Are they still used today?
They believed in social Darwinism and thought that the cultures of western Europe had shown their superiority by taking over most of the world. They believed that imperialism reflected the "survival of the fittest." Scientific racism (the belief that certain races were more intelligent than others), was based on a foundation of false biological research. These pseudo-scientific theories backed up the idea that the U.S. and some European nations were destined by nature to dominate the world.  

These pseudo-scientific theories are not still used today because they have been proven wrong.

8. What did many Protestant churches say was America’s role in the world?

Many Protestant churches said that America's role was to civilize the world.  Missionaries were sent overseas to civilize other nations.

9. Why did the United States become involved in several Latin American nations in the nineteenth century? Summarize why the United States became involved in Samoa, Hawaii, and other Latin American nations.
The U.S. became involved with Samoa because is ensured a permanent, secure resting and refueling point for American ships on their way to Australia, where they could trade.  Hawaii had many sugar plantations and it provided a stopping point in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for ships heading to East Asia.  This made the U.S. interested in Hawaii.  Hawaii became a colony of the U.S. in 1898.

10. Why was the United States concerned about British involvement in Venezuela? What concept did U.S. Secretary of State Richard Olney invoke in response?

The U.S. was concerned that Britain was bullying Venezuela.  If Britain made Venezuela a colony, the U.S. couldn't expand it's commercial ties to Latin America.  Richard Only invoked the Monroe Doctrine, which tried to prevent Britain from doing this.

Spanish-American War (1898)

Causes: How did each of the following help to cause the outbreak of the Spanish-American War?

1. American business owners-They invested millions if dollars in sugar cane plantations in Cuba, they wanted the government to support Spain in order to protect their investments.

2. José Martí-A Cuban poet and journalist, living in New York, launched a revolution in 1895 and organized Cuban resistance against Spain.  Deliberately destroyed property (Guerilla campaign), especially American owned sugar plantations.

3. Valeriano Weyler-Spanish General sent to Cuba in 1896 to restore order.  He herded the rural population of central and western Cuba into concentration camps so the civilians couldn't help rebels.  An estimated 300,000 Cubans were in these camps, and thousands died from hunger and disease.

4. Yellow journalism-when newspapers exaggerate things to catch readers' attention, this made Americans more sympathetic for the Cubans

5. De Lôme letter-a letter sent by the Spanish Minister to the United States.  It was stolen and published in the New York Journal.  He called President McKinley "weak" and "a bidder for the admiration of the crowd," the minister resigned.  This made Americans mad and want to go to war with Spain.

6. U.S.S. Maine-McKinley sent the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to get Americans who were in danger from the fighting.  It blew up and more than 260 men were killed.  Although no one knew why the ship blew up, American newspapers said that the Spanish blew it up.  This further made the Americans want to go to war with Spain.

Effects: What happened to each of the following territories as a result of the Spanish-American War?

7. Cuba was freed.

8. Puerto Rico was given to the U.S. by Spain.

9. Guam was given to the U.S. by Spain.

10. Philippine Islands were sold to U.S. for $20 million by Spain.

U.S. Imperialism Begins

1. Name at least five factors that fueled American Imperialism.

-Global Competition

-Manifest Destiny

-Desire for Military Strength

-Thirst for new Markets

-Belief in Cultural Superiority

2. Choose two of the above five factors and describe them in your own words.

-The leaders of the United States thought it would be a good idea to create a strong military because other countries' militaries were growing in presence.

-There was an overproduction of agricultural and manufactured goods because technology was advancing.  Imperialists though that foreign trade would help fix this.

3. What was known as “Seward’s Folly” and why?

A folly is an act of foolishness or an expensive thing with no purpose.  William Seward wanted to bye Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.  The house of representatives called Alaska "Seward's Icebox" and "Seward's Folly."

4. What plantation-based product accounted for three-quarters of Hawaii’s wealth in the mid-19^th century and who controlled this product? 

Sugar Cane, Yankee Missionaries' children and grandchildren were in charge of the crops.

5. Using as much detail as possible, outline the sequence of events that led to America gaining possession of Hawaii? In other words, why was the United States interested in these Pacific islands?

-The Hawaiian Islands were economically important to the United States because merchants stopped there on their way to China and East India.  Sugar planters sold most of their crops to the U.S.

-The American planters in Hawaii wanted it to be annexed because they were unhappy with the McKinley Tariff of 1890 which eliminated duty-free trade of sugar.

-If Hawaii was annexed, the sugar would be duty-free again.

-The king of Hawaii died and then his sister became queen.  She was going to remove the property owning requirements for voting, but business groups, the ambassador and the marines overthrew her and set up a government run by Sanford B. Dole.

-Cleveland directed that the queen be put back into power, but Dole refused.  Cleveland formally recognized the Republic of Hawaii but didn't want to annex it unless the majority of the Hawaiians were in favor.

-In 1898 McKinley made Hawaii a U.S. territory

-In 1959 Hawaii became a U.S. state 

Child Labor Reform Photographs

Objective Assessment


As you view each photograph take note about what you see. (note people, background, objects) Pretend you were describing the image to someone who could not see it. Try to avoid making judgments.

Where are these children? List any clues relating to their surroundings.
Describe any tools or objects you see.
Describe their clothing. What do their clothes reveal about their work?

Subjective Assessment


What questions do you have about each of these photographs?
Based on your observations, list three things you might infer about the lives of these children. (Be sure to consider Hine's notes about the photographs when considering this.


Photograph A
-A girl in a factory (cotton mill)
-dirty clothing
-Since she works a lot and sometimes nights, she is probably very tired.
-48 cents a day
-not getting proper education because she is working

Photograph B
-5 young women
-dirty, tattered clothing
-they look extremely tired and overworked
-their hair is back so it wouldn't get caught in the machines they were working with

Photograph C
-a very young girl standing in the factory
-dirty clothing, no shoes
-the caption says the overseer told the photographer apologetically "she just happened in" and there were many children who "are helping sister"
-probably dangerous work, looking at the equiptment

Photograph D
-young "newsie", a small boy selling newspapers in the city
-he looks sad
-dirty
-he is spending his time selling newspapers instead of getting an education


Photograph E
-many boys working at a coal factory
-caption says and picture shows the dense dust that filled the air
-extremely dirty
-the boys are probably very unhealthy from breathing in the dust all day
-the caption says that there was a person who overlooked their work and prodded them to keep working when they weren't
-boys working when they should be at school

Photograph F
-young boys and teenagers working around multiple pipes, some coming out of the cieling
-very dirty
-many boys cluttered into a small space
-towards the left of the photograph, there are long metal pipes which is what the glass is spun on
-if it's a glass factory, the glass would have to be heated up so it would melt and this would be dangerous

Photograph G
-parents along with children working
-mothers had to bring even their babies to work
-there was a pit to throw the waste in and the children could slip and fall into it, very dangerous
-caption says that work started at 3:30 a.m. and ended at 5 p.m.
-no time for the children to get educated


Photograph H
-children outside waiting for their night shift to start- 6 p.m.-6 a.m.
-caption says that there are children working to supply thier family when thier father says he is not well enough to work, but he just hangs around at the country store
-caption also says that it had been raining, and it was December so it probably was extremely cold and they didn't have any "wraps"

Progressive Era Presidents (Taft and Wilson)

Read Chapter 17-4 (Progressivism Under Taft) and Chapter 17-5 (Wilson's New Freedom)

1. How did William Howard Taft get selected to run for president?

Teddy Roosevelt selected him. He was the secretary of war at the time.

2. How did Teddy Roosevelt come to oppose Taft for the presidency in 1912?

Taft changed some of the things that TR did during his presidency and TR was mad about those changes.

Teddy Roosevelt went to Africa when his term ended. When he came back, he decided to run for a third term against Taft.  

3. What events helped Woodrow Wilson win the election in 1912?
There was a division in the Republican party and Republican progressives formed a third part names the Progressive Party, or the Bull Moose Party. This split created an opportunity for the Democrats. Woodrow Wilson was the candidate.

4. What legislation (body of laws) did Wilson use to attack trusts and monopolies?

Congress passed the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 which was intended to support the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. This act prohibited corporations from acquiring the stock of another if doing so would create a monopoly. It also said that labor unions and farm organizations would not be subject to antitrust laws. This meant that strikes became legal.

The Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914 set us the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This Commission was given the power to investigate, to require reports from corporations, and stop unfair business practices.

5. What was the Nineteenth Amendment?

In 1919, congress passed The Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

6. How did America's entry into World War I affect the reform movement?

The country became distracted by the war and the progressive era came to an end.

TR's Square Deal

1. How did Roosevelt create the modern presidency?

He was a good leader.  He believed that the federal government should have power in a situation where the states were incapable of dealing with the problem.

2. How did Roosevelt's intervention in a coal strike set a precedent for federal arbitration?

Roosevelt's intervention set a precedent for federal government and from then on, when a strike threatened the public welfare, the federal government was expected to intervene.  Roosevelt believed that disputes could be settled in a organized way, for example the arbitration commission. 

3. What did Roosevelt do to the trusts and railroads? 

He was a "trustbuster" and wanted to change the actions of the trusts that hurt the public interest.  The Hepburn Act of 1906 limited the distribution of free railroad passes which were often used as bribes.  The Interstate Commerce Commission gained the power of setting maximum railroad rates.

4. What legislation passed during Roosevelt's presidency protected citizens?

The Meat Inspection Act of 1906, which made factories clean up and become healthier.  This protected citizens against disease.  However, this act didn't make companies tell consumers the ingredients or expiration dates.  The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 addressed this and required labels to be put on food and drugs.

5. What did Roosevelt do to protect the environment? 

He set aside 148 million acres of forest reserves, 1.5 million acres of water-power sites and 80 million acres of land to explore for mineral and water sources.  He was a conservationist, which meant he believed in preserving some land and using the natural resources the rest had to offer.   He established more than 50 wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.  The Newlands act of 1902 stated that the money earned from the sale of public land in the west would fund large-scale irrigation projects. 

Urbanization

1. What is Urbanization?

Urbanization is the growth of cities.

2. For what reasons did a number of Americans move from the country to the cities?

The technological boom in the 19th century made many people want to move into the cities.  Certain devices, such as the McCormick reaper and the steel plow, made farming more efficient and fewer laborers were needed.  These laborers went to the city to look for work.

Also, many immigrants went to the cities because it didn't cost much to live there and jobs and opportunities were all around.

3. What were the housing problems that many poor city dwellers faced?

People in the cities had two options for housing: they could live outside the city and commute, or they could rent small rooms in a boardinghouse within the city.  Tenements, where many families lived in small spaces, were overcrowded and unsanitary.

Immigration

Read Chapter 15-1: The New Immigrants, pgs. 460-465.

1. Describe the causes of the immigration of Southern and Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Some immigrants came to America to get escape famine, land shortages, and religious and political persecution.  Some came to earn money and then go back to their homeland.  Most Europeans came to get away from religious persecution.  There weren't many jobs in Europe, and so they came to America where there were more opportunities.  Many Chinese and Japanese people came to America because they were interested in gold.

2. Describe the journey immigrants endured and their experiences at United States immigration stations.

Most immigrants traveled in steamship, which had bad conditions.  They were piled together and couldn't get exercise or even fresh air.  Because of the close quarters between the passengers and the poor hygiene, there were diseases and some passengers died before reaching America.

All of the immigrants had to pass many inspections before being allowed to enter the United States.  

At Ellis Island in New York: First they were examined by a doctor.  If they had a serious health condition, they were not allowed in.  Then the immigrants were inspected by a government inspector who examined their documents.  The immigrants had to prove they had never been been convicted of a felony,  prove they were able to work, and have at least a small amount of money.

At Angel Island in San Fransisco: Immigrants were harshly questioned and detained in horrible conditions for long periods of time before they were accepted or rejected into America.

Big Business and Labor Quiz

The ideologies of Laissez Faire and Social darwinism had a negative effect on laborers.  Laissez Faire is an ideology that means "to leave alone."  This means that the market just happens, the government can't interfere.  Social Darwinism is based on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.  Under this ideology, natural selection happened in business, with the Rich versus the Poor.  Eventually the poor, weak workers perish and the rich upper class survive and spread.  Laborers didn't agree with these ideologies because they believed they were just as good as the upper class.  Workers went on strikes to convey their unhappiness.  One specific incident was the Pullman Strike, where workers were unhappy with their pay cuts.  They weren't being payed enough for how many hours they were working, and could barely afford the rent of their apartments and the cost of everyday needs.

Labor Unions & Big Business

the Knights of Labor

a. Identification-founded by Philadelphia garment cutters in 1860, opened to other workers in the 1870s.  Terence V. Powderly was elected grand master.

b. Significance-These laborers formed a Union because they were unhappy with their working conditions.  Unlike other unions, the Knights welcomed women, African-Americans, immigrants and unskilled and semiskilled workers.  Powderly said the goal of the Knights was to “eventually make every man his own master- every man his own employer.”  Technological changes were preventing this from happening.  Most Knights opposed striking because strikes took away attention from the larger goal and workers usually lost them.  On the other hand, some Knights did support aggressive action.  Eventually the ones who did support violence broke away, thinking they could achieve more on their own.  The membership of the Knights lowered significantly, and their goal of labor unity disappeared.  

the Haymarket riot

a. Identification-On May 4, 1886 in Haymarket Square, near downtown Chicago, labor groups joined and protested police violence.  A bomb went off, killing seven and injuring sixty-seven.

b. Significance-Radicals protested police violence because they thought that it was unnecessary and brutal.  The day before, the police had killed two unionists and wounded several others.  Eight of the people who had protested were tried and convicted of the bombing.  Four were executed; one committed suicide; and the governor of Illinois pardoned the remaining three.  This riot drew attention to the unhappiness of laborers and brought back the fear of radicalism in the middle class.  There was a sense of crisis and police forces and armories throughout the country were strengthened.  Employer associations tried to prevent labor aggressiveness by agreeing to resist strikes and by purchasing strike insurance.

the American Federation of Labor (AFL)

a. Identification-The major workers’ organization in 1886, led by Samuel Gompers.  It was an alliance of national craft unions and most of the members were native-born workers.  

b. Significance-Unlike other associations, they had no ultimate goals and just wanted immediate results that would be seen within a few years.  They accepted industrialism and wanted to improve conditions within the wage and hours system, instead of changing everything completely.  

Samuel Gompers

a. Identification-Led the American Federation of Labor, headed the Cigar Makers’ Union.

b. Significance-He was an important leader when laborers needed one.  He helped earn recognition for workers.

the Homestead strike

a. Identification-In July 1892 the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steelworkers weren’t happy with pay cuts and went on strike in Homestead, PA.  The president of the Carnegie Steel Company, Henry C. Frick, shut down the plant and hired three hundred guards.  On their way there, the guards were attacked by workers.  It took five months for the workers to give in to the pay cuts.

b. Significance-Public opinion turned against strikes because a young anarchist tried to kill Henry C. Frick.

the Pullman strike

a. Identification-George Pullman owned a town of the workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company.  He owned everything in the town, and there were many rules for the residents in the town.  In 1893, when hard times were threatening his business, he cut wages 25 to 40 percent while keeping the rent and products in the town the same prices.  Workers were unhappy and called a strike.  

b. Significance-The cause of this was George Pullman was not willing to negotiate with the unhappy workers. When workers went on strike, Pullman closed the plant. Troops were sent to stop the strike, and within a month the strikers gave in.

Eugene V. Debs

a. Identification-The leader of the American Railway Union

b. Significance-He voted to help the strikers involved in the Pullman Strike, by refusing to handle Pullman cars.  He was jailed because he was “obstructing the railways and holding up the mails.”  He was kept in prison for six months because the government had the power to “remove obstacles to interstate commerce.”

the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

a. Identification-A labor organization established in 1905 by Colorado miners.

b. Significance-Unlike the AFL, the IWW wanted to unify all laborers, skilled and unskilled.  Its motto was “One Big Union.”  The IWW supported socialism and acts of violence.  They believed that workers should take over and run the nations’ industries.  The IWW collapsed during the First World War when many of its leaders were sent to jail.

14.3 Names

Andrew Carnegie-example of the American success story, went from poor to rich, owned Carnegie Steel Company which manufactured steel

Social Darwinism-from Charles Darwin's theory about natural selection, survival of the fittest, money is a sign of God's favor, the government shouldn't interfere with business

John D. Rockefeller-established Standard Oil Company, used trust to gain control of the country's oil industry, payed employees low wages and sold oil at lower prices than it could be made, which drove competitors out of business.  Once he controlled the market, he made oil cost more.  Was called a "robber baron."  Established the Rockefeller Foundation which provided college funds.

Sherman Antitrust Act-made it illegal to form a trust interfering with free trade between states and other countries, wasn't easily enforced, the government gave up and it continued

Samuel Gompers-led the Cigar Makers Union to join with other craft unions in 1886, president of AFL

American Federation of Labor (AFL)-used negotiation between reps and labor-management to reach written agreements on wages, hours and work conditions

Eugene V. Debs-formed the American Railway Union (ARU), was not very successful

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)-"Wobblies," led by WIlliam "Big Bill" Haywood, included minors, lumberers, cannery and dockworkers, welcomed African-Americans (unlike the ARU)

Mary Harris Jones-organized the United Mine Workers of America (UMW), fought for equal pay and and end to child labor

Railroad Development

The federal government gave land and made loans to the railroad companies. Why was the government so eager to promote the growth of railroads?

The Government was eager to promote the growth of the railroads because they were very important in settling the west and developing the country.  The transcontinental railroad (which spanned across the U.S.), was completed in 1869 and was very helpful in settling the west.  Many immigrants were hired to work on the railroad because they were willing to work for a very small amount of money.  Even though they worked under horrible conditions, they didn't have any better opportunities.  The railroads helped develop the west by assisting in making towns, markets and created many opportunities.

Expansion of Industry

What were the three major factors that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War? Explain how two of these factors helped to bring about this technological boom.

One major factor that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the U.S. after the Civil War was a wealth of natural resources.  There was an abundance of oil.  The Americans processed the oil into kerosene, and before the automobile industry, gasoline was thrown away.  Also, there were many coal and iron deposits in the U.S.  Removing carbon from iron results in steel, which was used for railroad tracks, barbed wire, farm machinery, buildings and bridges.

Another was that there was government support for business.

A third factor was that there was a growing urban population that provided cheap labor and markets for new products.  People thought that the mechanical aspect of labor was taking away human's values as laborers.  When markets became popular, laborers regained their value by working in the market.

Westward Expansion Questions

Westward Expansion Questions (13.1, 13.2)

September 9, 2009

1. What are some of the main reasons that the federal government's policy of assimilation failed? 

One reason that the federal government’s policy of assimilation failed is because the Native Americans were not willing to give up their history.  They didn’t want to change their traditions.  The government wanted them to start dressing, acting and speaking like Americans.  The whites saw the Native American’s as uncivilized and thought they needed to become civilized, which meant wear appropriate clothing, be a farmer, live in a house and own private property, along with many other things.The government split up the land from the reservations and gave it to individual Native Americans in the Dawes Act.  The government told the Indians that the money they earned from the sales of the extra land would go to them, but they didn’t give it to them.

2. How successful were government efforts to promote settlement of the Great Plains? Give examples to support your answer.

At first, government efforts to promote settlement of the Great Plains with the Homestead Act were not very successful.  Families that were supposed to be there settled only about 10 percent of the land; cattlemen and miners interfered.  Also, all of the plots of land didn’t have the same soil quality.  Then, the Homestead Act was strengthened and there was a rush of settlers to Oklahoma.  Railroads that were made across the country in the 1860’s helped settlers move west.  The settlers of the west started having trouble maintaining their large farms, so the Morrill Act (1862) and the Hatch Act (1887) were acts that created and funded agriculture colleges and experiment stations.