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US History Key Concepts Flashcards
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1
Question
What was the primary purpose of the Union Army's occupation of the South during Reconstruction (1865-1877)?
Page 1
Answer
To enforce the abolition of slavery and rebuild the Southern states under federal authority.
2
Question
What was the Freedmen's Bureau established to do during Reconstruction?
Page 1
Answer
To provide food, clothing, medical care, and education to freed slaves and poor whites in the South.
3
Question
How did Reconstruction increase dependency on human capital in the South?
Page 1
Answer
By focusing on labor-intensive agriculture without significant capital investment, leading to reliance on freed labor.
4
Question
What advancements in higher education occurred during Reconstruction?
Page 1
Answer
Establishment of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to educate freed slaves.
5
Question
What was sharecropping during Reconstruction?
Page 1
Answer
A system where freed slaves farmed land owned by whites, sharing the crop as payment for rent and supplies.
6
Question
What was tenancy in the context of post-Reconstruction Southern agriculture?
Page 1
Answer
Renters who paid a fixed amount or share of crops to landowners, often leading to poverty.
7
Question
Describe the crop-lien system in the South after the Civil War.
Page 1
Answer
Farmers borrowed supplies from merchants against future crops, but high interest rates kept them in debt cycles.
8
Question
Why did the South remain economically stagnant during and after Reconstruction?
Page 1
Answer
Due to destruction from the war, lack of investment, reliance on cotton, and discriminatory policies.
9
Question
What characterized the shift during Industrialization in the Gilded Age (1870s-1900s)?
Page 2
Answer
Transition from an agrarian economy to one based on manufacturing and large-scale industry.
10
Question
What are economies of scale in the context of Gilded Age industrialization?
Page 2
Answer
Cost advantages gained by larger production volumes, allowing big firms to outcompete smaller ones.
11
Question
How did railroads contribute to Gilded Age economic growth?
Page 2
Answer
By connecting markets, reducing transport costs, and enabling national distribution of goods.
12
Question
What was Standard Oil Company an example of during the Gilded Age?
Page 2
Answer
A monopoly in oil refining, led by John D. Rockefeller, using horizontal integration.
13
Question
Who founded Carnegie Steel and what was its significance?
Page 2
Answer
Andrew Carnegie; it exemplified vertical integration, controlling all stages from mining to manufacturing.
14
Question
What innovation did railroads introduce in business structure during the Gilded Age?
Page 2
Answer
Large-scale corporations with professional management and bureaucracy.
15
Question
What was vertical integration in Gilded Age business?
Page 2
Answer
Controlling multiple stages of production to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
16
Question
How did railroads impact education in the late 19th century?
Page 3
Answer
By creating demand for trained professionals in engineering, accounting, and management.
17
Question
What role did railroads play in government and urban development?
Page 3
Answer
They influenced placement of cities without state capitals and spurred high population growth in those areas.
18
Question
How did railroads affect money and financial markets?
Page 3
Answer
They required massive capital, leading to stock markets and investment banking growth.
19
Question
What was public opinion on railroads during the Gilded Age?
Page 3
Answer
Mixed; seen as progress but criticized for monopolies, high rates, and corruption.
20
Question
What defined the Progressive Era (1890s-1920s)?
Page 3
Answer
A period of political and social reforms addressing corruption, inequality, and poor conditions.
21
Question
What were political machines in the Progressive Era?
Page 3
Answer
Corrupt urban organizations that controlled votes and government for personal gain.
22
Question
What is Initiative, Referendum, and Recall (IRR) in Progressive reforms?
Page 3
Answer
Tools for direct democracy: initiative to propose laws, referendum to vote on them, recall to remove officials.
23
Question
Who were the muckrakers during the Progressive Era?
Page 3
Answer
Journalists who exposed corruption in business and government, like Upton Sinclair and Ida Tarbell.
24
Question
What was the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890?
Page 3
Answer
A law to break up monopolies and promote competition by prohibiting trusts.
25
Question
What was the 16th Amendment (1913)?
Page 4
Answer
Allowed Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among states.
26
Question
What did the 17th Amendment (1913) accomplish?
Page 4
Answer
Established direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote, ending state legislature selection.
27
Question
What was the purpose of the Interstate Commerce Act (1887)?
Page 4
Answer
To regulate railroads, setting fair rates and prohibiting rebates to promote competition.
28
Question
What were company towns in the Progressive Era?
Page 4
Answer
Communities built and controlled by corporations for workers, often with poor living conditions.
29
Question
What challenges did labor unions face in the late 19th century?
Page 4
Answer
Opposition from employers, government, and court injunctions against strikes.
30
Question
What is the price of money in banking terms?
Page 4
Answer
The interest rate, which represents the cost of borrowing money.