Immigration, Labor, and Progressivism
Immigration
- Where did immigrants settle? Why did they leave their home countries?
- Immigrant experience in America — How did they get to America, what was their experience when they did arrive? (depends on where they are from, when they are coming)
- Who came from what countries and when? 1790s? 1840s-1880s? 1880s-1900s?
- “Old Immigrants” vs. “New Immigrants” [1880s as turning point]
- What type of work did immigrants do?
- Nativism — What is it, who supported it and why?
- Know-Nothing/American Party
- Why were some nativists anti-Catholic?
- Significant Immigration Legislation (from notes)
- Which groups were targeted for exclusion and why?
- Professor Kennedy’s speech on immigration: How does immigration today differ from immigration from 1820-1920?
- What was the highest % of foreign born population at any given time? When was this?
- Today, what is the foreign born %?
- In 2010, what were the major sources of immigration (countries)?
Rise of Big Business
- Factors that led to rapid industrialization?
- Uneven distribution of wealth during “Gilded Age” — Mark Twain
- Defenses of Gilded Age? Criticisms of Gilded Age? Robber Barons vs. Captain/Titans of Industry
- Gospel of Wealth — Who wrote it and what did it argue?
- What were the major industries and who led them? (Carnegie-Steel, etc.)
- What were the first modern corporations? Why?
- Incorporation and “limited liability.” What were they and why did they stimulate investment?
- Trusts — What were they and which ones were regulated?
- Holding companies — What were they and how did they differ from trusts?
- Monopolies
- Welfare capitalism — What was it and did it work? Why or why not?
- Horizontal and Vertical Integration/Consolidation
- Scientific Management — What was it, what were its effects?
- Social Darwinism
- Horatio Alger’s Stories — What myths did they reinforce?
- Women and child workers — Fields and conditions/how did they differ from men?
- In 2010 dollars, who was the richest American ever?
Labor
- Terminology — organize, strike, scab, arbitration, picket, collective bargaining, binding arbitration, etc.
- Major strikes and incidents (RR strike, McCormick/Haymarket, Homestead Strike, Pullman Strike, Flint, Air Traffic Controllers)
- Shifts in public perception of labor union activity
- Molly Maguires
- Wagner Act
- Fair Labor Standards Act
- CIO, AFL-CIO
- Major Unions over time — Knights of Labor (Uriah Stephens), American Federation of Labor (Sam Gompers), Industrial Workers of the World, Congress of Industrial Organizations — What was unique/radical about each? How successful were they?
- Union membership % over time
Progressivism
- What was it, when did it peak?
- Four commonalities between most progressives?
- Personal Responsibility vs. Social Baseline — be able to explain what this means
- Socialism — What is it, when did socialist activity peak in the U.S.?
- Working Conditions in cities during the late 19th century
- Living Conditions in cities during the late 19th century
- Political Machines — What were they and how did they work? (Boss Tweed, Tammany Hall)
- Triangle Fire — Causes, effects beyond immediate casualties
- Muckraking — What is it and who were the leading muckrakers during this period?
- President Theodore Roosevelt — Policies? “Square Deal”
- Progressive Legislation (Sherman Antitrust Act, ICC, Pure Food and Drug, Meat Inspection)
- T.R. and Conservation — National Reclamation Act, U.S. Forest Service (Pinchot)
- Progressive Amendments (#’s, years, and what they were)
- Populism and legislation that gave more power to people (direct primaries, popular vote of senators, initiative, referendum, recall, women’s suffrage)
- Settlement Movement — What was it, where did idea come from, who began it?