24/25 American History 1st Semester Final

1. “. . . [The] said Cooper Hughs Freedman with his wife . . . are to work on said farm and to cultivate forty acres in corn and twenty acres in cotton, to assist in putting the fences on said farm in good order and to keep them so and to do all other work on said farm necessary to be done to keep the same in good order and to raise a good crop and to be under the control and directions of said IG Bailey and to receive for their said services one half of the cotton and one third of the corn and fodder raised by them on said farm in said year 1867. . . . And the said IG Bailey party of the first part, agrees and binds himself to furnish necessary Mules and farming implements to cultivate said crop . . .”

—Contract, Marshall County, Mississippi, 1867

What kind of arrangement is agreed to in this contract?

• indentured labor

• share-tenancy

• tenant farming

• Sharecropping

Answer explanation

The contract outlines a sharecropping arrangement where Cooper Hughs Freedman and his wife will cultivate crops and receive a share of the harvest, specifically half of the cotton and a third of the corn, in exchange for their labor.

Based on this infographic, which of the following events most likely contributed to the trend in Congress during the 1870s?

• the growing influence of the Redeemers

• the election of Rutherford Hayes

• 1. the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment

• 1. the establishment of the Freedmen’s Bureau

Answer explanation

The growing influence of the Redeemers in the 1870s led to the restoration of white Democratic control in the South, impacting Congress and contributing to the trend of increased segregation and disenfranchisement of African Americans.

Which of the following was a result of the Compromise of 1877?

• the election of Rutherford Hayes

• the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment

• the establishment of the Freedmen’s Bureau

• the Civil War was officially over

Answer explanation

The Compromise of 1877 resulted in the election of Rutherford Hayes as president. This agreement resolved the disputed 1876 election and led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.

Based on the excerpt, which of the following was a priority for Lincoln after the Civil War? “With malice toward none, and charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds . . . to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, 1865

• regaining a sense of national unity

• placing limits on states’ rights

• making the United States a world power

• recognizing the South’s secession

Answer explanation

Lincoln's focus on "binding up the nation’s wounds" and achieving a "just and lasting peace" indicates that regaining a sense of national unity was a priority for him after the Civil War.

Why did Congress pass legislation creating the effects shown in the map?

• to revise state laws to improve freedmen’s land rights

• to reduce the number of Southern Democrats in Congress

• to demonstrate support for President Johnson’s policies

• to counteract increasing violence against African Americans

Answer explanation

Congress passed legislation to demonstrate support for President Johnson’s policies, which aimed to integrate Southern states back into the Union and promote his vision for Reconstruction.

Which of the following farming systems did not require any exchange of cash between farmer and landowner?

• tenant farming

• tenant farming and share-tenancy

• sharecropping

• sharecropping and share-tenancy

Answer explanation

Sharecropping does not involve cash exchange; instead, farmers work the land and pay the landowner with a share of the crop produced. In contrast, tenant farming and share-tenancy typically require cash payments.

How did the U.S. government encourage American industry in the late 1800s?

• by enforcing the Fourteenth Amendment

• by enacting protective tariffs

• by subsidizing the steel industry

• by passing laws to protect workers

Answer explanation

The U.S. government encouraged American industry in the late 1800s primarily by enacting protective tariffs, which raised the cost of imported goods, making domestic products more competitive in the market.

Compare the statistics for Austria-Hungary and France in the chart and consider where each country was located. What larger trend in immigration do the statistics show?

• French immigration slowed while Austro-Hungarian immigration grew. Immigration from Eastern Europe outpaced immigration from
  Western Europe

• 1. French immigration grew faster than Austro-Hungarian immigration. More immigrants at this time came from Europe than from Asia.

• 1. French immigration and Austro-Hungarian immigration grew at similar rates. Most immigrants at this time were skilled workers.

• 1. French immigration grew while Austro-Hungarian immigration slowed. Restrictive laws limited emigration from Eastern Europe at this time.

Answer explanation

The correct choice highlights that French immigration slowed while Austro-Hungarian immigration grew, indicating a trend where immigration from Eastern Europe increased more than from Western Europe during this period.

“This, then, is held to be the duty of the man of Wealth: First, to set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or extravagance; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him; and after doing so to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he is called upon to administer, and strictly bound as a matter of duty to administer in the manner which, in his judgment, is best calculated to produce the most beneficial result for the community—the man of wealth thus becoming the sole agent and trustee for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer—doing for them better than they would or could do for themselves.”

—Andrew Carnegie, “Wealth,” 1889

Carnegie, Andrew. 1901. The Gospel of Wealth, and Other Timely Essays.
The Century Company.

What is Carnegie’s message in this passage?

• People who are wealthy deserve the money that they have.

• It is the responsibility of wealthy people to give back to society.

• Regardless of social class, everyone should accept their place in society.

• America is a land of opportunity, where anyone can work to make a fortune.

Answer explanation

Carnegie emphasizes that wealthy individuals have a duty to use their surplus wealth for the benefit of society, acting as trustees for the less fortunate. This aligns with the idea that it is their responsibility to give back.

What can you infer from this photo of an immigrant family sharing a meal?

• The nation was experiencing a demographic shift from urban to rural areas.

• City planners gave great attention to parks and recreational spaces.

• The middle classes lived primarily in tenements.

• Overcrowding in tenements was a social issue related to urbanization.

Answer explanation

The photo of an immigrant family sharing a meal suggests a close-knit community, often found in overcrowded tenements, highlighting the social issues related to urbanization during that period.