Unit 2 Study Guide: The Gilded Age & Progressive Era

Based on the "Gospel of Wealth," how did Andrew Carnegie believe the wealthy should use their vast fortunes?

• By leaving all wealth to their children to maintain family power.

• By giving direct cash payments to the poor to solve immediate hunger.

• By acting as "trustees" for the community and building public institutions like libraries.

• By paying higher federal taxes so the government could manage welfare programs.

Which statement summarizes the "Social Darwinist" perspective on personal success in the late 1800s?

• A) The government must intervene to ensure every citizen has equal wealth.

• B) Success is primarily driven by individual effort and a willingness to "climb the ladder".

• C) The lack of quality public housing is the main reason people remain in poverty.

• D) Large corporations are harmful because they prevent small businesses from succeeding.

What was the primary impact of labor leaders like Samuel Gompers and the American Federation of Labor?

• They focused on attracting immigrant labor to work for lower wages.

• They organized workers to collectively bargain for better pay and safer conditions.

• They advocated for the government to take over ownership of the railroads.

• They encouraged workers to move to rural areas to escape factory life.

Based on events like the Pullman Strike and the Homestead Strike, how did the government usually respond to labor disputes?

• The government passed laws to protect the strikers' right to picket.

• The government remained neutral and refused to get involved in private business.

• The government often supported industry owners by using troops or injunctions to stop strikes.

• The government provided financial aid to workers during long-term strikes.

What significant change resulted from incidents like the "Trouble at Coal Creek" involving the use of convicts?

• Many states eventually passed laws banning the use of prison labor.

• The federal government banned the use of state militias to break strikes.

• The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was used to make labor unions illegal.

Look at the timeline of major strikes (1886–1902). What is a consistent theme regarding these events?

• Unions were consistently successful in winning every demand without violence.

• Strikes were often met with violence and government intervention against the workers.

• Public support for unions decreased because factory conditions were improving.

• The government only intervened when the owners asked for a reduction in taxes.

Which idea did BOTH Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois agree upon?

• A) African Americans must separate entirely from white society.

• B) African Americans must strive for economic progress and advancement.

• C) African Americans should wait patiently for decades for any civil rights.

• D) African Americans should focus only on returning to rural farming life.

What was the main objective of the Populist Party’s demands (e.g., free silver, railroad regulation)?

• To help prominent bankers control the national money supply.

• To support "Robber Barons" in pursuing higher profits.

• To assist small farmers struggling with debt and high shipping costs.

• To encourage more immigrants to move to urban areas.

Photographs of early 20th-century factories typically show that women and children faced:

• Comfortable and safe working environments.

• Unsafe, cramped, and often dangerous working conditions.

• No opportunities for work due to strict child labor laws.

• High wages and abundant benefits for their families.

Which statement explains a victory for the Granger Movement regarding transportation?

• A) Laws were passed requiring that railroad charges be "reasonable and just".

• B) The government banned the transportation of all intoxicating liquors.

• C) All Chinese laborers were suspended from working on railroads.