War, Wilson and Internationalism 1912-1920

War, Wilson and Internationalism, 1912-20

Chapter 14

The three super power governments at the time: Germany, Russia and France.

1.      Explain Angell’s “Europe’s Optical Illusion” and why he believed that war was a thing of the past. Pg. 492-493

       TR’s success at bringing the Russians and Japanese together with the Portsmouth Treaty, combined with the unprecedented affluence of the United States, fooled many into thinking that a new age had indeed dawned. A certain faith in technology and affluence buttressed these notions. “If only there was enough wealth to spread around, surely everyone would be happy” did not prevent the Civil War.

2.      Compare Ford’s entrepreneurial spirit with that of Carnegie’s pg. 495 Through trial and error, he developed 8 different models but lost money on most of those. He then concentrated only on the Model T. He wanted to provide an automobile for the masses and got the price down to $850. He sold 12,000 in 12 months. He figured for every dollar he could shave off the price, he would sell another 1,000 cars. Life Carnegie, his goal was monetary, but it wanted it to be available to everyone.

·        Ford was an anti-semite and supported and admired Hitler. He financed and anti-Jewish newspaper in Detroit.

3.      Samuel P. Langley was one of the first to experiment with aerodynamics and flying. Why do we not hear much about him? Pg. 496  During the Orville and Wilbur Wright days, Langley was funded by the government to experiment with flying. The Wright brothers succeeded whereas Langley crashed and burned embarrassing the government and nearly losing his funding.

·        SHOW WRIGHT BROTHERS VIDEO. http://www.history.com/topics/wright-brothers/videos#wright-brothers-are-first-in-flight Though they lived in Dayton, Ohio, they chose to fly from Kittyhawk, North Carolina because it had high winds and lots of sand to land in!

4.      Describe the Pentecostal belief in social justice vs. perfecting the inner self. Why is this a dangerous belief? P. endorsed minimum wage and child labor laws, favored a redistribution of wealth, and state regulation of business. This involved revisions of the Bible, and abandoned any claims about scripture’s literal accuracy. The Bible was a mere moral guidebook and nothing more.

5.      The Progressive Reform movement included women’s suffrage, food safety, safer laws, etc. All good causes, right? What, then, is the danger in the Progressive movement?  P. 498 The more popular these causes were, the more corrupt the politician that got involved.

6.      What modern-day “community organizations” come to mind when reading pg. 498-499? ACORN, SEIU, Center for American Progress, etc.

·        NOTE:   Progressive-era reformers tried to remedy such social ills and vices through education, their most valued weapon. Public education in such areas as hygiene, they contended, would solve the problems of venereal disease and alcoholism. Only a few groups, such as the Catholic Church, pointed out that a wide gap existed between education and morality, or that secular knowledge did not equate with spiritual wisdom. Reformers silenced those voices with ridicule and embarrassment. Reformers such as Jane Addams firmly believed that people of all social classes should conform to certain Progressive ideas and behave in a certain way. The fact that they were imposing what were, in reality, upper-class values on people who did not have the means to maintain them did not stop the reformers.

7.      Since there were no real fields of expertise to “claim superior understanding of urban issues”, what did reformers “create”? Who were some of the “experts” in these fields? pg. 500 Entirely new subjects in which they could claim mastery. “Social sciences” by their very name asserted scientific explanations for human behavior. They would invoke esoteric (understood by only a few) and virtually indecipherable theories, their claims to special insight became even more believable.

Thorston Veblen wrote “A Theory of the Leisure Class” (1899) anti-business and came up with the theory of “conspicuous consumption”.

8.      Why did Theodore Roosevelt decide to run for president again opposing Taft, the very man he chose as his successor? What happened? P 501. Taft had a poor public image, despite an activist agenda, had a negative relationship with the congress, and he was NOT Roosevelt. A group of republicans asked him to run. His strategy was to enter the primaries and get the nomination from Taft.  As incumbents generally have an advantage, Taft came out with the nomination upon which TR flipped out and started the “Progressive Party”. He moved to the left advocating an income tax, and further regulation of business. This allowed Woodrow Wilson to join the ranks and look like the moderate candidate.

9.      As always, America’s banking system had serious problems. Discuss how the ebb and flow of currency affects the nation’s economy in good times and bad. What causes a recession? P. 503-508

10.   What is the FED? What was its original intent? How has that evolved (or metastasized)? Pg.505

11.   What prompted the beginning of the income tax? By what means was the government funded up to this point? Why did they change it? Progressive Socialists loved this idea as it was one of the ten planks desired by the Communist Party in Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto. In 1894 Congress passed a 2% tax on all those with incomes above $4,000 but it was stuck down within a year by the Supreme Court because it was unconstitutional. Up to that point, the gov. was funded through the tariff and land sales

12.   Regarding the income tax, what does the author mean that it had “little to do with revenue and everything to do with reform”? This was a little “nudge” that was originally promised to target  a small group of wealthy individuals at a minimal number. Filing was supposed to be absurdly minor and “equalize tax burdens borne by the various classes.”   “the ratchet effect has grown government astronomically illustrating the grave danger inherent in the structure.”

13.   If federal income tax was unconstitutional, as the Supreme Court deemed in 1895, why does it still exist? Reformers gained support using three major strategies: 1) they emphasized the extremely low nature of the tax and the fact that many Americans would pay no tax at all; 2) they stressed its simplicity; and 3) they pointed to the problems and controversies surrounding tariffs. Most people did not feel it personally, so they didn’t really care and felt it was almost justified. It still exists because the structure was there for the gov to manipulate it. Government grew exponentially with each crisis or emergency.

14.   Who was Pancho Villa? What did he have to do with Wilson’s foreign policies in Mexico? Pg. 508-509

15.   What incident started World War I? pg. 519  The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. A Serbian Nationalist was blamed, and Austria and Germany set to retaliate. Within a few weeks, the armies of Europe were fully mobilized on enemy borders ready to fight but having no idea what they were fighting for.

16.   How did the Germans “misjudge” Britain and America? Pg. 510-511 Their ingenuity and their fortitude. They did not back down despite their terrible losses. They thought that the people who demand peace at any price or that other nations would rise up. None of that happened.

17.   What little “boo boo” did the Germans make with their deadly U-boats that should have forced Wilson to join the war? Pg. 511 Sunk the Luistania; a passenger liner, killing 1,198 including 128 Americans.

·        German U-boats were “Unterseaboot” under the sea boat which were developed to destroy commerce ships delivering supplies between the US and Britain. They were very devastating and did significant damage. Flying a white flag on a ship was supposed to signal neutrality, but the British often deceptively displayed the white flag. Also, the periscope on the U-boat often could not distinguish color.

18.   Wilson’s weak attempts at trying to persuade the Germans to stop sinking allied ships only made them more belligerent and daring. What two crucial mistakes did they make that rallied the Americans and demand retaliation?  Pg. 513-514 Despite constant empty threats by Wilson, the Germans resumed the barrage of U-boat attacks. They felt that even if it caused the U.S. to join the war, it would be over before they could deploy to Europe. 2) Alfred von Zimmerman sent a coded message to Carranza’s government in Mexico urging them to declare war on the U.S. In return, Germany would recognize Mexico’s reconquest of Arizona and New Mexico. It was intercepted and decoded, sent to the White House and made public which enraged the public which then demanded war.

·        Pg. 515 American propaganda against Germany spawned suspicion and attacks on Germans and other immigrants. Citizens were encouraged to report anyone engaging in antiwar behavior to the Justice Department. The Espionage, Sabotage and Sedition Acts of 1917 and 1918 included slandering the Constitution or the military. Socialist material was blocked by the postmaster general. Wilson vetoed the act, but people still enjoyed more freedom at this time than most of the rest of the world.

19.   Who was Bernard Baruch? What contribution did he make to the efficiency of the war effort? Pg. 516 He was a SC millionaire from the business sector who looked at supplying and financing the war from a business standpoint. He knew that business leaders needed to take control of athe production if it was to have any chance of succeeding.  He “permitted business to charge high priced for their products,” a feature that would be repeated with stunning success in the next world war. He convince the DOJ to call off the antitrust dogs and stop over-regulation. He also made sure that businesses complied with WIB reports.

20.   How did Wilson replenish the dwindling U.S. military? Pg. 516 He instituted the Selective Service – or draft. Three million were drafted, two million enlisted.

21.   How has technology contributed to the deadly outcome of this war? Pg. 518516-518 – A lot of different weapons were invented or perfected by farmers and frontiersmen who simply “made a better mousetrap.” To previous wars they added the flamethrower, poison gas, armored tanks, submachine guns, however, mobility was very limited.

22.   Of what significance was the “Western Front”? pg.519 http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/T_M14_WW1300g15.gif An area between Belgium and Luxembourg reaching almost to Switzerland. Neither side gained more than a few miles  from this area. Because of the lethal weapons introduced in this war, human loss was astronomical. After the Germans began losing ground to the French, they began to dig trenches all along this front for better protection. Most fatalities happened along the Western Front.

NEXT QUESTIONS ARE INCOMPLETE!!

23.   Who were the Bolsheviks? How was Communism viewed by Americans at this time? Pg. 521 Americans were pretty clueless and had no idea the evil that backed it. American intellectuals and academics supported the Communist movement but had to hide their beliefs and meet in secret. The ACLU complained the Communists were treated unfairly. J. Edgar Hoover successfully reduced the size of the party by 80%.

24.   What was Wilson’s “Fourteen Points”? What were the flaws known as “The Anglo-French” commentary? Pg. 523  A speech given to congress 10 months before the Armistice was even declared. It sounded amazingly like Lenin’s. Wilson felt competition with Lenin and wanted his to get out first. It contained 5 points relating to international relations, freedom of the seas, free trade, arms reductions, and review of colonial policies with an eye toward justice for the colonized peoples. Eight more points addressing territorial claims after the war, and League of Nations. Meanwhile, Germany had already been flying the red flag of revolution. Wilson put most if not all the blame on Germany whereas Britain played a big role.

25.   What was the controversy in congress over the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles? Pg. 525

26.   Why did the League of Nations fail? Pg 526

27.   Describe the legal battle fought by Coca Cola and the FDA. Pg. 527

28.   The Prohibition movement led by the Progressives was born out of a) their genuine concern about the evils of liquor and the health of their constituents, b) their superior elitist attitude toward the “little” people and their burning desire for reform.

29.   What was the “American Eugenics Society” and who was Margaret Sangar? Pg. 529-531

30.   And so… a happy ending (for a while at least) comes to Progressivism. Why was it widely rejected by the American people? Pg. 532

"Building Best, Building Greatly" 1896-1912 Chapter 13

“Building Best, Building Greatly” 1896-1912

Chapter 13

1.      Compare the average expenditures of the American family at the turn of the century to today:

http://www.economicadventure.org/family/ML1890.pdf 

2.      Why did Socialism never really catch on if it was so great? Because prosperity was great. The Average American lived much better than his European equivalent.

3.      Why were buzzwords of the day, “professionalism” and “scientific” somewhat ironic? Because the proponents, Marx, Freud, and Darwin never really proved anything! Professionalism and science were mated to attempt to convince the public that there was a solution to every problem.

4.      Discuss the following people and their “contributions” to the social reform movement: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Mary Baker Eddy, Charles Taze Russell. P.460 TR thought very much like a Progressive. He believed that Capitalism was evil, that big business was bad, and that only the elite could lead the government. WW believed the same but to a greater extent. Wilson brought us the progressive income tax, greater regulation on business, the draft, supported unions, and grew government. Mary Baker Eddy – started the Christian Scientist religion, Charles T. Russell – Jehovah’s Witnesses.

5.      With the movement of popular secularism, came proponents like Walter Lippman and William James. Describe their philosophy and the danger it imposes on society. P. 460 That

“man was in control. That there was no such thing as lasting truth. No value could last forever because it would evolve with time and place.

6.      Discuss the events that lead to the annexation of Hawaii. P.464-465 After King Kalakua dies, a new constitution is adopted. Queen Liliuokalani attempts to overthrow it. Eighteen Hawaiians assisted by U.S. Marines, revolt and form a new government. Sec. of State, Daniel Webster, declares that “no one should have control over these bounteous islands” but what he really meant was that he didn’t want the chance of another slave state to join the union.

7.      Why did the U.S. NOT annex Cuba at this time? P. 466 Because tensions were very high. Cuba was living under a terrible dictator, General Valeriano Weyler, whom they called “the butcher.” Do to so would have put America in the “cross hairs” of foreign conflict.

8.      Who said, “You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war”? Why? How has this affected American Journalism? P.466 William Randolph Hearst in his thirst for a “juicy” story. There was no war in Cuba, so he sent people down to create one so that he could sell papers.

9.      What incident finally made congress force McKinley into a declaration of war against Spain in 1898? An explosion off the coast of Havana that claimed the lives of 250 crewmen. It wasn’t until 1910 that it was proven that the blast was probably caused by a mine and not Spain after all.

10.   According to General John Pershing, how did the Spanish-American War help to heal some wounds from the Civil War? P. 469 General Pershing wrote his recollections of the attack: “White regiments, black regiments, regulars and Rough Riders, representing the young manhood of the North and the South, fought shoulder to shoulder, unmindful of race or color, unmindful of whether commanded by ex-confederate or not, and mindful of only their common duty as Americans.”

11.   How is the U.S. government still paying for the Spanish-American war? Though only 400 men were killed, thousands were involved but never saw battle. Nevertheless, the government is still paying $160 million annually in pensions.

12.   What lands did the U.S. acquire as a result of the Spanish-American War? Compare McKinley’s rationalization about “civilizing” these people with that of the Northern Carpetbaggers and their attempts at “educating” newly freed blacks. P.470-471 Cuba, Guam, Philippines, Puerto Rico. McKinley felt that the people were not capable of governing themselves; that they needed the elites to do it for them.

13.   What was William Jennings Bryan and the Anti-Imperialist League’s goal with the Philippines? What was their disagreement with McKinley? P.471 Bryan was an Progressive extremist who hated McKinley. He distributed leaflets encouraging the soldiers in the Philippines to not reinlist. He called McKinley a “mass murderer” for the occupation of the Philippines.

14.   How was the theory of American imperialism shattered? P. 472 When on July 4, 1898, Philippines were granted their freedom and autonomy.

15.   What happened to McKinley? p. 473 He was assassinated. The third president In 35 years.

16.   What were the positive and negative contributions of President Teddy Roosevelt? P. 475 He was a strong proponent of big government to alleviate all social ills. He believed that “no people were ever benefited by riches if their prosperity corrupted their virtue.” He added, “more important that we should show ourselves honest, brave, truthful, and intelligent than we should own al the railways and grain elevators in the world.” Does that mean, then, that if you don’t have money and success, you are somehow automatically humble, honest and virtuous?  He was successful at everything he tried except he never had to prove if capitalism and free enterprise worked. He was jealous of Carnegie and Rockefeller. His reform ideology seemed to get in the way of his propensity for “rugged individualism.” He regulated and penalized corporations and took away rebates offered to them by railroads.

17.   How did Roosevelt’s antitrust actions backfire and hurt the little guy (small business); the very people he was trying to protect?  P.477 By penalizing big business, it drove down profits for the entire industry.

18.   What similarities, if any, do you see in Roosevelt and Barack Obama. (Don’t believe me?? Read p. 487 paragraph 4!!) also p. 477-478   In Public, they both claim to support business, but all the regulation and legislative restrictions prove otherwise. After spending so much time vilifying business and offending those who have actually had to meet a payroll and produce a viable product for the public, they now have to concede and mend fences to prepare for the next election. During his second term, of course, he turned his back once again, on business; especially the railroads.

19.   How does government bureaucracy increase during TR’s second term? P. 478 Hepburn Act, federal control of private land; Interstate Commerce Act, regulate railroads; Pure Food and Drug Act, (FDA), and the Meat Inspection Act.

20.   Progressivism is off and running. What new agencies spring up to “save the environment”? U.S. Forest Service, Sierra Club.

21.   Discuss the process of building the Panama Canal. What is so miraculous about this endeavor? P. 481-482 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal

22. Describe Roosevelt’s mantra, “speak softly and carry a big stick.”  How did it apply toforeign policy? Was is “hot air” or did TR back it up? P. 480-483"Speak softly and carry a big stick" was the way Theodore Roosevelt described his approach to foreign policy. When he assumed the presidency in 1901, several Latin American countries were behind on debt payments to European nations. Concerned that other nations might follow Germany's example of threatening action against Venezuela in 1903, Roosevelt announced what became known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine in 1904. Roosevelt pledged to protect Latin American nations from military action, and he insisted that the United States assumed the right to intervene to ensure Latin American states met their financial responsibilities to other nations. After the U.S. Navy made an impressive showing in the Spanish-American War (1898), Roosevelt continued to expand it. In 1907, a "Great White Fleet" of American ships went on a world cruise to demonstrate the "big-stick" side of Roosevelt diplomacy.

23.   Plessy v. Ferguson, Guinn v. United States, Buchanan v. Worley all proved what about black/white relations at the turn of the century? P.483-484 Mostly dealt with “Jim Crow” laws or “Separate but Equal” legislation

24.   How did blacks combat the “Jim Crow” laws at this time? P. 485 Booker T. Washington and other black leaders worked tirelessly to make life better and more peaceful for the black community by developing universities, churches, political appointments and jobs, etc.

25.   What kind of a president was William Howard Taft? What unusual ending came to his presidency? Who took his place? Taft was almost a clone to Roosevelt, but he went on an even more trust-busting frenzy. He ended up being pretty weak. Though TR vowed that he would not run for a second term and therefore, hand-picked Taft to be his successor, TR came back from his safaris to Africa and ran again for president. Also in the mix was Woodrow Wilson, who beat both of them.

Another Great Day in History...

  Thanks again for a great discussion and insight of our nation's past! Today we talked about the great business tycoon that build this great nation: Carnegie, Rockefeller, Morgan, Schwab. We talked about social reform of the day and how... wait for it.... government STILL can't change human behavior! Or legislate it! Wow... that is weird! I wonder if our politicians could possibly look back through history and see that government takeovers NEVER, EVER, EVER work. Bailouts, gimmes, almost any freebie cripples the receiver and becomes fraught with corruption. If I'm wrong, I beg anyone to send me the name of the successful government program and legitimate references so that I can stand on the rooftop and beg forgiveness. I would love to know that besides the military, the government knows how to run anything efficiently. So... on to more fun. Chapter 13 next week. Study guide coming soon!

Sinews of Democracy, 1876-96 Chapter 12

  These chapters never cease to amaze me. They read like the news of 2011!! Unbelievable that politicians and we, unfortunately! Can't learn from our mistakes. Reading and understanding our past will definiately help. Please provide any insight you have to this material. Opposing views are always welcome. Keep us on our toes, Lefties! Come on... we'll play nice.

Chapter 12                                                                             

Sinews of Democracy, 1876-96

            

1.    Explain the pros and cons of the “spoils system”. The term was derived from the phrase "to the victor go the spoils," where the term "spoils" refers to luxury gains resulting from any kind of victory. Proponents of such a practice consider official positions as rewards which are given to loyal individual supporters. It was a contentious feature of Andrew Jackson, who introduced it as a democratic measure informed by his understanding of the nature of party politics and democracy. He considered that popular election gave the victorious party a "mandate" to select officials from its own ranks. The spoils system was closely linked to the new party system which he was instrumental in creating, generally known to scholars as the "second party system" (the first being the system which emerged in the aftermath of the ratification of the American Constitution). Proponents claimed that ordinary Americans were able to discharge the official duties of government offices - not just a special civil service elite. Opponents considered it vulnerable to incompetence and corruption, just like the systems it followed and preceded. Politicians like Abraham Lincoln and Grover Cleveland were widely seen as opposing a spoils system. In fact, Lincoln's nickname "Honest Abe" stemmed from the widespread belief he would not fill political offices with party officials as his predecessor James Buchanan had done.

2.    Though Hayes was a “lame duck” president almost from day one, what 3 things did he manage to achieve? P. 424 Avoided “Grantism” (or spoils), re-established decorum to the office of the presidency, demilitarized the South, and introduced civil service reform.

3.    What was contained in the “elegantly large book” of Record of the Statesmanship and Achievements of General Winfield Scott Hancock? P425 A bunch of blank pages! The Dems needed a viable candidate, so they attempted to prop him up with this “don’t judge a book by its cover” mess.

4.      Who won the election replacing Hayes? What event took place on July 2, 1881 to this man? James A. Garfield won the presidency and was assassinated by Charles Guiteau at the train station in Washington. Garfield served in Congress during the Gilded Age when corruption ran rampant in politics. He was implicated in a scandal that rocked the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872-1873, in which members of Congress were given shares in the Credit Mobilier construction company with the expectation that they would lend their political support to the company's railroad ventures. Although it was never proven, Garfield was accused of accepting a $329 bribe. (Later, during the presidential election of 1880, his opponents used the numbers "329" as part of their anti-Garfield campaign, scribbling the numbers on the sides of buildings and on streets.) Garfield was a personal friend of Grant's successor, President Rutherford B. Hayes, and sat on the Congressional commission that awarded Hayes the presidency after a contentious election in 1876. In 1880, he won a seat in the U.S. Senate. By that time, the taint of involvement with the Credit Mobilier scandal had faded and his association with the more well-respected Hayes contributed to his ascension to the presidency in 1881.

5.       What kind of president was Arthur? Was one of the first to actually cut taxes. Never took graft and reduced the tariff. Announced that he would not seek another term which made him lose power. He vetoed pork barrel spending, and actually adhered to the constitution. He had Bright’s disease ( a kidney disease).

6.       Why is the “negro problem” slowly losing its steam and importance with many people? First of all, most people were tired of trying to solve this never-ending, and often painful battle. Corruption had permeated so much of government. People had their own problems to worry about and felt victims themselves. Women wanted rights, workers felt threatened by management, activists crusaded to rid societal ills such as alcoholism, prostitution, pornography, drugs (that worked out well, huh?) Agrarians felt that the government was deliberately keeping them from improving their lives and that railroads, banks and grain elevator owners were “conspiring to steal their earnings”.

7.    What is a referendum, an initiative, and what is their intent? A referendum (also known as a plebiscite or a ballot question) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of direct democracy. The measure put to a vote is known in the U.S. as a ballot proposition or measure.

   The initiative (also known as popular or citizen's initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote (plebiscite) on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance, or, in its minimal form, to simply oblige the executive or legislative bodies to consider the subject by submitting it to the order of the day. It is a form of direct democracy.

8.    What were the two biggest enemies of safe cities in America during this time?  P. 427-28 Fire (largely because people still used gas lighting – Mrs. O’Leary’s cow…and disease (caused by contaminated drinking water)

9.    What were Carnegie’s business strategies? How did a depression affect him? He definitely put all his “eggs in one basket” and maintained a state-of-the-art operation. A depression to him was merely a buying opportunity.

10.  Name the four most wealthy and powerful men in America at this time and their industries. Andrew Carnegie, steel; J.P. Morgan, steel; John D. Rockefeller, oil and Charles Schwab, steel

11.  Discuss how Rockefeller’s genius in the oil industry benefitted the consumer. He slashed prices to accommodate the poorest of people. He commissioned his chemists to come up with 300 other useful by-products of oil for comsumers.

12.  How does the failure of the railroads which depended on government bailouts compare to the auto industry of today? Which railroad would be GM and Chrysler? Which would be Hill’s Great Northern railroad? Just like the railroads, the auto giants of today took bailouts and have failed miserably. Companies such as Ford have survived because they didn’t ask for handouts just as did Hill’s Northern Railroad which was privately subsidized. Those railroads that took government money ultimately failed while Hill’s privately owned entity was the only one that survived. Hill’s would be compared to the Ford corporation. GM and Chrysler – the government.

13.  Compare the “evil capitalists” of this period to today. What business ethics made so  many entrepreneurs wealthy? Though these industry giants made a ton of money, a big part of their goal was to make a useful product without waste and to sell a reusable product at a good price to consumers. They were as concerned about the consumer as they were about making a profit.

14.  How did government contribute to the failure of the Homestead Acts? P. 437. subsidies in the form of absurdly cheap and free land through the Homestead Acts encourages westward migration and farming by millions of American who were not good farmers. Just as the government stepped in and demanded that “all Americans own their own home” it just doesn’t work, nor should it.

15.  How was big business vilified through literature? P. 437 A popular and common theme of the day was evil big business and corporate monopolies. The down-trodden man and socialistic views were glamorized by Jack London, Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, etc.

16.  Describe the Haymarket Riot. P. 439 Organized labor group called “The Knights of Labor”, protested at the McCormick Reaper Works for an 8 hour shift. As the strikebreakers left the factory, angry strikers began to move in on them. Policemen jumped the gun and started clubbing them in anticipation of violence. Later, a call for “Revenge!” fomented the group. The next day a bomb exploded killing seven policemen and injuring sixty. Many of the “Knights” were indicted, 3 were pardoned, and the group was dismantled.

17.  What was the Bland-Allison Act? P. 442-43The Bland-Allison Act was an 1878 act of Congress requiring the U.S. Treasury to buy a certain amount of silver and put it into circulation as silver dollars. Though the bill was vetoed by President Rutherford B. Hayes, the Congress overrode Hayes' veto on February 28, 1878 to enact the law^[1].The five-year depression following the Panic of 1873 caused cheap-money advocates (led by U.S. Representative Richard P. Bland, a Democrat of Missouri), to join with silver-producing interests in urging a return to bimetallism, the use of both silver and gold as a monetary standard^[2].The controversial Coinage Act of 1873 (also called the Fourth Coinage Act or Mint Act) embraced the gold standard and de-monetized silver. Silver advocates, decrying the so-called "Crime of '73," demanded restoration of free coinage actually bought more than the $2 million minimum amount^{[citation needed]} and never circulated the silver dollars. The law was replaced in 1890 by the similar Sherman Silver Purchase Act, which in turn was repealed by Congress in 1893.^[3].

18.  What were common themes in literature from Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, Jack London, etc. Socialist reform, very secular – non-religious, down-trodden man, evil capitalists, evil big business, etc.

19.  Describe the evolving progressive worldview. What writings contributed to this thought? 19^th century, many intellectuals based their beliefs and writings on spirituality and religion, whereas 20^th century belief was based more on progressive thought: that your environment, rather than your soul and spiritual upbringing, shaped character. Darwinism, Marxism, social views became popular thereby excusing many and “freeing” people from a belief in God or adherence to moral values. This was much easier.

20.  Why is Grover Cleveland pretty much ignored as an effective president? What did he do right in your opinion? He adhered to the constitution, cut taxes, did not take graft. “Republicans ignored him because he was a democrat, and democrats didn’t trust him because he ruled like a republican.” He was loyal to the gold standard, and squelched any attempts by outside influences to influence his political policies.

21.  What was the Sherman Silver Purchase Act? Why was it repealed? Just another example of the government sticking it’s hands in to manipulate currency. As always, it became fraught with corruption and greed. it increased the amount of silver the government was required to purchase every month. The Sherman Silver Purchase Act had been passed in response to the growing complaints of farmers and mining interests. Farmers had immense debts that could not be paid off due to deflation caused by overproduction, and they urged the government to pass the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in order to boost the economy and cause inflation, allowing them to pay their debts with cheaper dollars.^[2] Mining companies, meanwhile, had extracted vast quantities of silver from western mines; the resulting oversupply drove down the price of their product, often to below the point where it was profitable to mine it. They hoped to enlist the government to artificially increase demand for, and thus the price of, silver.

Lighting Out for the Territories - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Lighting out for the Territories

1.      How did the settling of the west contribute to American uniqueness and exceptionalism according to Mark Twain and historian, Frederick Jackson Turner? Pg. 393 - Many groups migrated west in search of land, gold, industry or simply to live in peace. They did it without expecting the government or anyone else to save or help them. It was “rugged individualism” and basic “survival of the fittest” that made a man successful in this untamed land. …”The West made men democratic, egalitarian, nationalistic, pragmatic and adaptive….”

2.      Describe modes of communication in the untamed west. Include the stagecoach, steamboats, and trains. Pg. 395 Steamboats were vital common carriers – commercial transporters of mail, freight, and passengers. Butterfield Line – American Express, William Fargo – Wells Fargo line, Pony Express – telegraph came much later

3.      Describe the importance of locomotives to American life. Pg. 396 –Became cheaper than water transportation, and obviously more versatile. Public funds granted for the building of railroads, but private funds turned out to be more efficient. Railroad station became the hub of American life. People would gather around the station to hear news, presidential election returns, baseball scores, and contributed to the rise of national parks.

4.     What brought on the “Gold Rush”? How did it affect frontier life? Pg. 397-398 The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill, in Coloma, California.^[1] News of the discovery brought some 300,000 people to California from the rest of the United States and abroad.^[2] Of the 300,000, approximately half arrived by sea and half came overland.

The gold-seekers, called "Forty-niners" (as a reference to 1849), often faced substantial hardships on the trip. While most of the newly arrived were Americans, the Gold Rush attracted tens of thousands from Latin America, Europe, Australia, and China. At first, the prospectors retrieved the gold from streams and riverbeds using simple techniques, such as panning. More sophisticated methods of gold recovery developed which were later adopted around the world. At its peak, technological advances reached a point where significant financing was required, increasing the proportion of gold companies to individual miners. Gold worth tens of billions of today's dollars was recovered, which led to great wealth for a few. However, many returned home with little more than they had started with.

The effects of the Gold Rush were substantial. San Francisco grew from a small settlement to a boomtown, and roads, churches, schools and other towns were built throughout California. A state constitution was written and California became a state in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850.

** West’s natural resources: fur, fish, logging – quick depletion was said to be due to overharvesting and waste, but was mainly the result of over-regulation from the government, confiscating private land and claiming as public land.

5.      What did James J. Hill, Frederick Weyerhaeuser, Gustavus Swift have in common? How would their stories have been different had they lived today? Pg. 397-399  All were strong entrepreneurs. Hill developed the Canadian-American Railroad lines, Weyerhauser in the paper industry, Swift in the meat packing industry. Both were environmentalists and conscientious land managers. Today, there is no way they could start their businesses with all the government regulation, PETA and other left-wing groups and lobbies to stop them in their tracks.

6.      How was the west impacted by the cattle industry? Pg. 400-401 – With the development of railroads, the cattle industry boomed, and the price of beef came down. Cattle were herded by “cowboys” to the stockyards at railheads and shipped to Chicago slaughter houses. “Cow towns” popped up like Abilene, Kansas; Wichita, Dodge City where cowboys got paid, drunk and got in fights or worse.

7.      Joseph F. Glidden and Jacob Haish patented what product? Why was it so ingenious? Pg. 402 – The “Homestead Act” – 1862-1890 – made land available of 160,000 acres. Land was arid and difficult to harvest. Severe weather destroyed crops and livestock. Livestock would wander or worse, fall victim to predatory animals. Glidden and Haish patented barbed wire. Wood was scarce on the plains and these wire fences kept their livestock in check and protected farmer’s crops.

8.      How was the movement trans-Mississippi west like the Industrial Revolution? Pg. 403 Small producers declined and turned to manufacturing like in the Industrial Revolution. Necessity was indeed the mother of invention!

9.      If life was so difficult and foreboding in taming the west with most people never realizing their dreams, why did so many people attempt it? Pg. 403 – Despite in intense difficulty of settling and taming the land, those who made it had a much better opportunities to thrive and become successful than they ever would have in Europe. Life expectancy improved dramatically.

10.   What are some great truths about Indians? What are some great myths? Pg. 404 – They were mostly peaceful, conflicts over land which eventually led to wars that they always lost. Most were nomadic; following buffalo herds which they often wasted and were not the eco-environmentalists that they are often portrayed to be.

11.   What made the Plains Indians different than other tribes? Pg. 405 Completely dependent on the buffalo herd. They followed them around and used almost all parts of the buffalo. Those who lived in “villages” were almost decimated by the disease that Europeans spread whereas, the nomadic Indians stayed more healthy. “Of thee I Sing” about Sitting Bull was a Sioux Medicine Man from SD. He tried to heal broken hearts and broken promises. He tried to teach all people that it is fine that we are different. He Said, “For peace, it is not necessary for eagles to be crows.” Though he was imprisoned, his spirit soared free on the plains of the Dakotas and his wisdom touched generations and continues to do so. This was such a senseless tragedy that happened only an hour from our home.

12.   Discuss the failed U.S. Indian policy. How was it similar to most government agencies? Pg. 406 The government spent as much as $1 million and 25 cavalry members per Indian they killed. They tried to “civilize and Christianize” the Indian population which, of course, was met with great resistance.

13.   How did the government attempt to curtail hostile Indian tribes? Pg. 407 – BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) was to put them all on reservations, and “manage” them through U.S. army intervention. As always, money pours in from the government and corruption takes hold. Made the Indians even more hostile at times.

14.   Who was Crazy Horse? What made him an important part of history? Pg. 409 Treaties were made and broken with the Sioux. A road had been built through the heart of the Big Horn and Yellowstone. Wooden forts were built, and manned by small groups of cavalry and infantry.

15.   What role did General George Custer play in the American West? Pg. 410 A decorated Civil War veteran, often employed the media to follow his gallantry in war. DVD CLIP

16.   How did the government finally attempt to assimilate and civilize Indians into the white culture?

How successful were they? Pg. 411 Dawes Severalty Act (1887) gave Indians’ families 160 acre plots on which to live. Pres. Cleveland promoted this idea. He believed that the Indians needed “guardians” and that it was the government’s job to teach them English and fully assimilate them into white culture. The transition to modern capitalism and free market economy has been a terrible struggle for the Native Americans. Plus the government has given them so many handouts, it’s really crippled many of them.

17.   How did the territory of Washington become a state? How long did it take? Why? Pg. 414 Took 4 decades because of political bickering, anti-Chinese rhetoric, advocacy of women’s suffrage, etc.

18.   How did the “Edmunds Act” affect Utah statehood? Pg. 415 – Outlawed polygamy and denied voting rights to all participants, and any children born to polygamists declared illegitimate. After Brigham Young’s revelation reversing polygamy, Mormons adhered to the law abolishing polygamy and were then admitted to the union.

19.   Describe Alaska’s struggle to become a state. Pg. 416 – Remained neither a territory nor a state for a long time. Gold rushes in the Klondike and Nome brought thousands of people, but the isolation and mere distance proved daunting. Finally the “Alcan” highway was finished and with the onset of WWII, Alaska became a state in 1948.

20.   How did “capitalism’s creative destruction” lead to labor unions? Pg. 417 People became disillusioned with low pay, hazardous working environment, which lead to labor unions which also lead to violence, corruption, and socialism.

21.   What potentially devastating effect did the case of Munn vs. Illinois have on government regulation and business? Pg. 417 It stated “that private property in which the public has an interest must submit to public controls.” People lost interest in pushing it, because everyone made money.

22.   Describe the “Crime of ‘73.” Why does this sound familiar?? Pg. 419  It essentially wiped out the wealth of many Americans (short term, primarily western miners) while wiping out the United States’ wealth long term. (The United States at that point accepted both gold and silver as monetary equivalents). By not purchasing the silver at a slightly higher than market rate, the United States essentially went on the gold standard (although I don’t think it was until around 1900 that it was official).  Anyway, because of increased pressure from western mining states the united states eventually had to purchase the silver at higher than initially demanded rate. In 1890 the “Sherman Silver Purchase Act” was enacted (repealed 3 years later). This required the government to purchase 2-4MM of silver per month at TWICE the going rate. Silver in the meantime was being devalued as discovery of the metal increased (it was around 40-1 or so, don’t remember exactly) after 1900. The increase in silver discovery ultimately reduced the price of silver (law of supply and demand). This also forced silver to be used in more industrial applications. The bottom line of all that is the government was forced to buy silver at an inflated price increasing their silver reserves (that were decreasing in value), with gold that was increasing in value.

23.   What was the “Populist” party platform? What did it morph into?? Pg. 421 Progressivism! Lead by William Jennings Bryan