Life in America 1860-1920. The American Government and the Natives had conflicts over: Land ...

Life in America 1860-1920

The American Government and the Natives had conflicts over: Land Culture Killing off of the Buffalo for sport (starvation)

The Fight for the West

The Significance of the Battle of Big Horn was that is was a huge victory for the Sioux Indians and an embarrassment to the U.S. Army.

The significance of Wounded Knee Massacre is that the U.S. Army was caught shooting defenseless people, Native Americans. Some Americans were outraged that some Army officials received metals of Honor over the battle.


Americanization is an attack on Native American beliefs and practices, that made them give up their culture in order to be accepted into American society. (Bureau of Indian Affairs)

The Dawes Act broke up Reservations and gave Native Americans land, but gave them the poorest parts of the “old” reservation and no resources to use the land.


The effects of building the Railroad and expansion westward was: Promoted Trade Provided jobs Boosted steel production Sped up settlement of the west Adoption of Standard Time

Industry, Railroad and

Invention

The railroad was able to expand rapidly due to: Steel was made stronger and more easily. The Government gave away land to RR

Companies.

Industry, Railroad and Invention

Advances in Transportation at this time were made due to oil becoming a popular means for energy.

There were also advances in: Railroad Mass Transit: Street cars and subways Automobiles Airplanes


Advancements in Communications: Telegraph expansion westward Telephone typewriters


Thomas Edison was an inventor at the time of: Telegraph improvements Phonograph (record player) Telephone transmitter Electrical lighting Electrical supplies (switches, fuses, sockets,

meters, generators) Motion picture camera Projector Improvements in batteries


Entrepreneur: risk takers that use their own money and talents to launch new ventures

Capitalism: economic system where private businesses run most industries

Laissez-faire: allows companies to do business without government intervention

Monopoly: complete control of an industry, no competition

Big Business and Labor Unions

Industrial Tycoons are people who used industry to become “filthy rich”. Rockefeller: oil Carnegie: steel Vanderbilt: Railroad/shipping


Unions were needed at this time as workers were easily replaced, therefore not valuable, so if they were hurt or sick, they were fired. Work environments were bad and wages were low. Blacklist: list of names of workers that were

fired for trying to form unions, this list went to other factories and these workers could not get hired.

Scabs: people who worked in place of Union workers on strike (refusing to work until conditions change)


Workers went on strike, and had riots, but conditions did not improve until the early 1900’s when workers became more valuable, and trusts (monopolies) were broken up under T. Roosevelt.


Most immigrants from this time were from Southern and Eastern Europe (Catholic and Jewish, not Christian)

Some immigrants were arriving on the west coast from Asian countries.

Immigration and City Life

Ellis Island is in New York Harbor where the Statue of Liberty stands as a welcoming sign to people coming to the United States.

Angel Island is the comparison on the west coast. Immigrants had to pass health inspections,

provide identification and pay and entrance fee. Often this was expensive, embarrassing, and split apart families.

Nativists: People born in the U.S. who saw immigrants as a threat to society and often discriminated against them.


There were many changes in cities at this time:

Cities in America at this time were growing in population and also began to develop a small middle class from “skilled” workers.

Skyscrapers, suburbs, and city parks were developed in many cities.


Living conditions for the “working” class: Crowded Unsanitary Pollution and filth Lack sufficient light and ventilation No indoor plumbing


Political Machines were an informal group of politicians who controlled local government trading votes for favors.

President Garfield was assassinated because he refused to appoint a strong Republican to a cabinet position (Guiteau) and angered many business owners.

Politics and Segregation

“Jim Crow” laws were designed to enforce segregation Examples are separate facilities for black and whites:

railway cars, schools, and public places

The significance of Plessey vs. Ferguson is that the Supreme Court of the U.S. agreed that separate facilities were legal as long as they were “separate but equal”. (1896) not overturned until 1954! Brown vs. Board of Education


Prominent African Americans: Booker T. Washington: born into slavery,

believed that Blacks should accept segregation for the moment.

WEB DuBois: Harvard professor that spoke out against discrimination and thought African Americans should strive for equality now!


NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Formed by WEB DuBois and still exists today.

Others were discriminated against at this time in history as well: Mexican Americans: didn’t speak English well Asian Americans: limited immigration, not allowed to

marry whites Native Americans: injustices to culture, some not citizens

yet Women: no vote


Life in America 1860-1920. The American Government and the Natives had conflicts over: Land ...

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