Gilded Age and Progressive Era

What was the main reason for the increase in immigration to the United States between 1840 and 1860?

• The gold rush and the promise of wealth

• The industrial revolution and the need for skilled labor

• The expansion of the railroad system

• The economic success of the United States and the many immigrants coming from Ireland and Germany

What was the role of railroad barons in the late 1800s?

• They provided affordable transportation for all customers

• They controlled the nation's rail traffic and built grand estates

• They reduced the cost of goods by lowering train fares

• They worked to ensure fair competition among railroad companies

Which invention by George Westinghouse improved the railroad system?

• The electric light bulb

• The phonograph

• Air brakes

• The motion picture projector

What was the impact of Cyrus Field's transatlantic telegraph cable?

• It allowed for instant communication across the Atlantic Ocean

• It made telegraph communication more expensive

• It reduced the need for telegraph communication

• It was the first wireless communication method

Which of the following was NOT an invention of Thomas Edison?

• The phonograph

• The electric light bulb

• The motion picture projector

• The air brake

What did Granville Woods invent that improved the efficiency of the electric railway system?

• An electric incubator

• A shoe-making machine

• A system for safely transporting oil

• A telegraph system that allowed train stations to communicate

What was the significance of Henry Ford's Model T?

• It was the first car invented

• It was the first affordable car for the masses

• It was the first car to use an electric starter

• It was the first car to be manufactured by robots

Which of the following was a result of the Wright brothers' experimentation with flight?

• The invention of the jet engine

• The first airplane capable of sustained flight

• The first transatlantic flight

• The first flight lasting more than an hour

What was the main purpose of the Sherman Antitrust Act?

• To promote philanthropy among big businesses

• To prevent the formation of monopolies and promote fair competition

• To establish labor unions

• To regulate the prices of consumer goods

What was one of the major changes in labor conditions by 1900?

• Workers were guaranteed a minimum wage

• More than one million women had joined the industrial workforce

• Child labor was completely abolished

• The average workweek was reduced to 40 hours