Ch 3 Pt 2 Gilded Age Study Guide

How was the Gilded Age a time of economic disparity?

• Most people became very wealthy, but a few people were very poor.

• A few people became very wealthy, but most people were very poor.

• Almost everyone gained wealth and was able to buy new goods such as cars and TVs

• Wealth was redistributed so everyone had approximately the same amount of money to spend.

Mark Twain first used the name “Gilded Age” in a novel. Why was this name used to describe the United States?

Gilded: covered with a thin layer of gold

• The U.S. joined European countries in backing its currency with gold.

• U.S. society was in a Golden Era of new inventions and economic growth.

• Underneath its glittery growth and success, U.S. society was struggling with poverty and corruption.

• Many U.S. citizens were becoming wealthy as a result of new inventions fueling the rapidly growing U.S. economy.

George Washington Carver invented __________ that can be produced from peanuts and sweet potatoes.

• 2 products

• approximately 100 products

• more than 300 products

Which statement reflects the mistrust of wealthy industrialists that many people developed during the Gilded Age?

• Some industrialists were called “Robber Barons.”

• Some industrialists hurt society by joining labor unions.

• Some industrialists improved society by inventing new things.

• Some industrialists were called “Captains of Industry.

Why did George Washington Carver work so hard to invent ways to make products from peanuts and sweet potatoes?

• to increase profits for his farm where he grew these crops

• to decrease costs for everyday goods that Americans needed and wantedt

• to increase demand for new crops farmers could grow to replenish their soil

• to increase western settlement by finding ways to use crops that grew well on the Great Plains

How did Andrew Carnegie use vertical integration to succeed?

• He made sure he owned all the businesses needed to produce his product from start to finish.

• He made sure he owned different types of business, so he would still have businesses if one failed.

• He made sure he invented a lot of different things, so he would be wealthy even if one invention failed.

• He made sure he bought enough stock in a company that he would own it one day.

Determine whether each word or phrase describes Cornelius Vanderbilt, Henry Ford, or both.

Groups:

(a) Henry Ford

,

(b) Cornelius Vanderbilt

,

(c) Both

• entrepeneur

• created a coordinated railroad system across states

• brought innovation to an industry

• divided labor in his factory so that each task was specialized

• used the assembly line to produce automobiles

• worked in steamboat shipping industry first

Labor unions worked to ​ ​ (a)   wages and ​ (b)   working hours.

• increase
• decrease
• end

Labor unions tried to improve working conditions through __________ .

• collective bargaining

• skilled workers

• laissez-faire policies

If their preferred method to improve working conditions failed, labor unions would sometimes use __________ , which occasionally led to violence.

• collective bargaining

• strikes

• unskilled workers