Political Perspectives in American History

The cartoon below is by Thomas Nast in 1871 and is titled “The Brains That Achieved the Tammany Victory at the Rochester Democratic Convention.” What is the artist’s intended message?

• The government exercised too much control over urban populations.

• Political machines provided important services for immigrants.

• Political machines were sometimes led by corrupt politicians.

• The government should regulate the business activities of banks.

The quote below describes an American viewpoint at the turn of the 20th century. “So they gladly gave us their ‘masses’ and now we find ourselves ‘tired’ of their alien customs, ‘poor’ and out of work due to their cheapening of the labor market, and ‘huddled’ with our backs against the wall trying desperately to preserve the wholesome American culture.” Which idea is expressed in this quotation?

• imperialism

• nativism

• multiculturalism

• pluralism

The graph below displays immigration data in the U.S. from 1861-1900. What contributed most to the immigration trend shown in the graph?

• the development of large scale production

• the growth of family owned farms

• the rise of political machines

• the abolition of slavery

Which ideology promotes the ideas that the economy should be run for the benefit of all citizens and there should be no private property ownership?

• capitalism

• communism

• anarchy

• socialism

The cartoon below was published in 1870. Based on this cartoon, what conclusion can be made about the time period?

• The Know-Nothing Party was formed to help gain rights for minorities.

• Very few Chinese were interested in coming to the United States.

• A movement existed in the United States to prevent the immigration of Chinese.

• Chinese laborers were welcomed to the United States with open arms.

What did holding companies and trusts reduce during the late 1800s?

• competition

• small business

• monopolies

• corruption

The headline below represents an event from the 1870s. How did the relationship between political machines and urban immigrants impact the event described in the headline?

• Political machines discouraged new immigrants from participating in civic affairs.

• Political machines provided essential services to the immigrants.

• Political machines reminded immigrants of political practices in their homelands.

• Political machines were usually supported by urban reformers.

Which statement accurately describes Thomas Nast?

• He developed business monopolies.

• He publicly opposed political machines.

• He improved steel technologies.

• He publicly promoted nativism.

How did the Sherman Antitrust Act attempt to reform U.S. business practices in the late 1800s?

• The act allowed the federal government the right to seize certain private businesses and place them under public control.

• The legislation made business monopolies illegal, though enforcement of the law proved ineffective until later.

• The act prevented U.S. businesses from expanding to foreign countries.

• The legislation created a bimetallic standard based on gold and silver.

What was one major similarity between the First and Second Industrial Revolutions?

• Trade decreased and the economy suffered.

• New technologies were developed.

• Working conditions improved for unskilled laborers.

• Fewer immigrants came to the U.S.