Mid Term Study Guide

The Mid Term is a 200 point test. It is comprehensive meaning that it covers everything we have
covered up to this point in class. You will be required to know the following for the Mid Term.
Mid Term Dates
3rd and 4th Block Mid Terms will be March 10th
2nd Block Mid Terms will be March 11th
Open Range: a period of time in US history between the extinction of the Buffalo and fencing
off the Great Plains by ranchers with barbwire. During this period the cowboy drove cattle
across the great plains along cattle trails to the railroads in a process called the Long Drive. The
most famous of these trails was the Chisholm Trail running from Texas to Kansas.
Dawes Act: Passed by Congress gave land on the reservations to the Native Americans for
farming. While it gave them land and farm supplies, it did not give them the right to vote.
Never mind that farming was completely foreign to the nomadic Native Americans
Monopoly: One company controls the entire market by eliminating competition. Many
monopolies developed during the late 1800's and early 1900's in America. The US Government
will sue Standard Oil for being a Monopoly beginning the end of the "Age of Monopolies"
Philanthropy: Is giving away of one's money for the betterment of society. Andrew Carnegie,
Cornelius Vanderbilt, and John D. Rockefeller gave away much of the fortunes they had amassed
during the later years of their life.
European Immigrants -- Ellis Island
Asian Immigrants -- Angel Island
Nativism: Is a philosophy adapted by many "old immigrants" (from Western Europe usually
spoke English and were Protestant) toward "new immigrants" (from Southern and Eastern
Europe, did not speak English, and were usually Catholic or Jewish) and came to the US because
of religious and political persecution, who were not like they were. One of the first groups of
Nativist targets who were the Irish who came because of a Potato famine Immigration reached
it's peak before WWI. During this peak of immigration, most immigrants settled in cities. Cities
developed neighborhoods based on ethniticity such as China Town or Little Italy in New York.
Political Machines took advantage of the immigrants needs by taking care of immigrants in
exchange for votes allowing them to control politics. After the war during the roaring twenties
because of competitions for jobs, fear of the red scare, and general mistrust of immigrants,
Nativists wanted to limit or cut off immigration completely, in response to this, the US set up
Quota systems to limit the number of immigrants. The Emergency Quota Act admission to the
US was based on ethic identity and national origin. Some groups like the Chinese were banned
from coming at all.
Transcontinental Railroad: Connected the East to the West Coast by connecting the Union
Pacific with the Central Pacific. Out of this came the Credit Mobilier Scandal the company

whose job was to build the railroad, but stole money from the government, showing the need for
the government to do something about the corruption. Built by at first Irish immigrants and then
Chinese who came from the West. Important in settling of the West. The first people to go out
west had been the miners and now they could be connected to the rest of the country. The miners
had made great progress because of the hydrolic drill.
Progressivism: Grew as a response to the many problems created by the Industrial Revolution
and Urbanization. Progressives wanted change in several areas such as governmental reforms,
business regulation, and social reforms. They believed it was governments job to 1. control big
business and 2. provide for the public welfare.
Populism = Farmers
Pendleton Act: People would gain jobs in government based on their performance on
examinations. This is the result of the Garfield Assasination
Interstate Commerce Act: Was created to lower excessive railroads rates and control commerce
that crossed state lines.
Teddy Roosevelt: Became president after the assassination of William McKinley. Was a war
hero from the Rough Riders in the Spanish American War. From the famous Roosevelt family
from New York. Changed his image from rich spoiled brat to rugged outdoors man. His wife
and mother died on the same day. Very progressive president. Famously took on Norther
Securities a company run by JP Morgan for being a trust. Gave him the reputation as a trust
buster. Strong in foreign policy. Issued the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, to
reinforce the principle that Europe should stay out of the Americas.
Tragedy at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company: Bad fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company that
killed many women who were working in the factory. Controlled access to the building, lack of
fire exits and escapes, and lack of sprinklers led to the worst workplace disaster in US history
until 9-11. This led to new building codes and safety regulations such as requiring fire escapes.
Muckrakers: crusading journalists who investigated social conditions and political corruption
during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. They exposed such things as Tenements where
immigrants lived in harsh conditions.
14 Points: At the end of WWI, the victorious Allied Leaders met at Versailles, France to come
up with a treaty to end WWI. US President Woodrow Wilson proposed a peace plan known as
the 14 points with the 14th point proposing a League of Nations that would work to maintain
peace. This group became the foundation for the United Nations.
Great Migration: During WWI there was a flow of African Americans moving from the South to
Northern Cities looking for work in the Northern factories.
WWI: Started by the assassination of heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, it was the first
modern war with the use of technology to fight the war. The machine gun, poison gas, gas mask,

tanks, and aircraft changed the face of war forever. The war was devastating to Europe and
produced unbelievable amounts of casualties leading some to believe that it was the "War to End
all Wars". One of the causes was Nationalism, because certain countries believed they were
superior to others. Another cause was the system of alliances that drew all of Europe into war
with these newly Militarized (Militarism) countries. The US entered this mess because of
Zimmerman Telegram, Imperialism, keep the world safe for democracy, and Propaganda. After
the US joined the war, it started the selective service in order to have enough soldiers to fight the
war. After fighting the war, most Ameicans wanted to stay our of European entanglements.
Allie -- Britain, France, Russia / US
Central Powers or Triple Alliance -- Germany, Austria Hungary, and Italy
Henry Ford: Used the innovation of the Assembly Line to produce automobiles at a cost the
common man could afford. His Assembly Line model became the driving force of Mass
Production.
John T Scopes: A Tennessee teacher put on trial for breaking a Tennessee law for teaching
evolution. Scopes was found guilty and fined. The bigger issue was that evolution was on trial
vs creationism (William Jennings Bryan) and drew national attention. The trial was nicknamed
the "Monkey Trial".
Great Plains: Once called the "Great American Desert" because of lack of rain and poor soil. It
was discovered that wheat grew well in the region and it became a strong agricultural region.
New technology like the harrow which made getting fields ready for planting, helped tame the
Great Plains.
Corporations: During the industrial revolutions, several large corporations developed in the US.
To raise large amounts of money and spread financial risk they would sell stock. This led to the
growth of the stock market.
Segregation: became the norm in the South. While it was also in the North, in the South it was
enforced by laws called the Jim Crow laws. The court case Plessy v Ferguson established a the
principle of "Separate But Equal". Groups like the KKK emerged using intimidation to keep
blacks from achieving equal rights. They were particularly popular in the 1920's due to fear of
not only blacks, but other immigrants, and communist.
Gilded Age: coined by Mark Twain and Charles Warner. Sounded an alarm that all was not well
in society during the period of the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800's. While things looked
good on the outside, a closer look revealed corruption, poverty, and discrimination.
Red Scare: Fear that the American way of life was in danger from foreigners who believed in the
concept of communism. They proposed that wealth be distributed equally and worked against
democracy and free enterprize. This fear was fueled by the Bolshevik revolution in Russia
during WWI which led to the Russians pulling out of the war and establishing a communist
government. Out of this fear came the Espionage Acts and Sedition Acts, making it illegal to
speak out against the government or the War during WWI. This was controversial as it violated

freedom of speech. The most famous case as a result of this was Sacco and Vanzetti who were
Italian immigrants and anarchists.
Titans of the American Industrial Era and their respective Industries. These men were often
called Robber Barons for the ways in which they got their wealth.
1. Cornelius Vanderbilt -- Built a fortune in Railroads controlling all the rail lines from Chicago
to New York
2. John D. Rockefeller -- Built a fortune in Oil. Creating a Monopoly of the oil industry with
Standard Oil.
3. Andrew Carnegie -- Built a fortune by using the Bessemer Process to mass produce steel.
4. JP Morgan -- became America's banker -- became a master at consolidating businesses including
General Electric and US Steel.
5. Pullman -- Luxury Railroad Sleeper Cars
6. Swift and Armour-- Famous for meat packing-- made possible by the refrigerator car.
7. Henry Ford -- Model T -- Assembly Line
8. Westinghouse -- The Electric Generator and Air Brakes.
Thomas Edison -- set up a research library at Menlo Park, NJ -- greatest inventor of his era.
Invented the light bulb and helped provide Electricity to New York City.
Charles Lindbergh -- First person to fly solo across the Atlantic non-stop.
Babe Ruth -- Best baseball player of his era. Led the NY Yankees to be the most dominant team
of the 1920's
Harlem Renaissance -- Time of the "flowering" of African American pop culture out of Harlem.
Jazz became the most popular music of the period because of this. The 1920's was even referred
to as the "Jazz Age". Artist Zora Neale Hurston, Louis Armstrong, and Langston Hughes.
1920's -- Time of economic prosperity (unless you were a farmer) and cultural change. The
economy boomed because of Laissez Faire politics where the government stayed out of
business. Many people during this time used installment plans to buy on credit. The culture saw
changes is media (radio and the Motion picture with sound (Jazz Singer) first released in 1927),
music (jazz), prohibition (speak easies -- leading the Volstead Act to enforce Prohibition), and
women's role (flappers).
Atlanta Compromise: Meeting where Booker T Washington proposed that the best way for
African Americans to make gains was for them to concentrate on education and
entrepreneurship. Washington focused on African Americans gaining rights by hard work.
Alexander Graham Bell: Invented the Telephone.
Sherman Anti Trust Act -- is a landmark federal statute in the history of United States antitrust
law (or "competition law") passed by Congress in 1890. It prohibits certain business activities
that federal government regulators deem to be anti-competitive, and requires the federal

government to investigate and pursue trusts. It was not very effective at first because its
enforcers were not sufficiently funded to do their jobs.
Spanish American War: 1898, the Americans easily defeated the Spanish in a war over the
independence of Cuba after the USS Maine incident. One of the reasons people supported this is
the US sugar interest on the island. The war was also fought in the Philippines, another Spanish
Colony as the US sent in Commodore George Dewey on May 1 1898 into Manilla Bay. When
the war ended, the US justified keeping the Philippines because we must educate and
Christianize the people. The war was referred to as a splendid little war and set American on a
path to becoming an Empire with new territories in the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
Imperialism: When a stronger country controls a weaker nation politically, socially, and
economically. The US gained several territories in this manner. For instance, In Hawaii they
took the islands because it was a cheap source of Sugar and land. Even if the US didn't take
land, it used its strength to establish "spheres of influence" where they could control trade. In
China this was referred to as the Open Door Policy.
Initiative: Vote on a bill put on the ballot by the people
Yellow Journalism: sensationalist reporting with exageration of fact to swing public opinion
16th Amendment: Federal Income Tax
17th Amendment: Direct election of Senators
18th Amendment: Prohibition of Alcohol
19th Amendment: Womens right to vote