Overview
This lecture covers Periods 6 and 7 of AP U.S. History, focusing on industrialization, immigration, populism, imperialism, the Progressive Era, World War I, the 1920s, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and World War II, with key exam tips and strategies included.
Period 6: Industrialization, Immigration & Populism
- Industrial Revolution spurred by technological advances, new markets, and pro-growth government policies.
- The Transcontinental Railroad, enabled by the Pacific Railroad Act (1862), connected the country and fueled economic growth.
- Westward expansion led to conflicts with Native Americans (Sand Creek Massacre 1864, Wounded Knee 1890) and closure of the frontier.
- The Gilded Age (1870s–1890s) was marked by industrialization, emergence of big business, and rise of 'robber barons' like Carnegie (vertical integration), Rockefeller (horizontal integration), and Vanderbilt.
- Innovations: telegraph, telephone, light bulb, electricity (Westinghouse/Tesla).
- Laissez-faire capitalism and Social Darwinism promoted limited government regulation.
- Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) aimed to curb monopolies; labor unions like Knights of Labor and AFL formed to fight for workers' rights.
- Major strikes: Great Railroad Strike (1877), Haymarket Riot (1886), Homestead Strike (1892), Pullman Strike (1894), all largely unsuccessful due to government-business alliance.
- Panic of 1893: severe economic depression due to bank failures and unemployment.
Immigration & Urbanization
- Massive immigration from Asia, Southern, and Eastern Europe; led to urban growth and cultural tensions (nativism).
- Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) and Tenement House Act (1870) sought to control immigration and improve living conditions.
- Settlement houses (e.g., Hull House by Jane Addams) provided support for immigrants.
- Ethnic enclaves, muckrakers, and restrictive laws (e.g., Immigration Restriction League) shaped urban life.
- Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) established "separate but equal," legalizing segregation.
Farmers and Populists
- Homestead Act (1862) encouraged Western farming but led to overproduction and falling prices.
- Farmers organized through the Grange (1867) and Farmers' Alliance, leading to the Populist Party.
- Populists advocated for direct election of Senators, regulation of railroad rates, and income tax (Ocala Platform, 1890).
- Interstate Commerce Act (1887) aimed to regulate railroads, but was weakly enforced.
- Dawes Act (1887) forced Native assimilation; "New South" remained agricultural with tenant farming and sharecropping.
Multiple Choice & Exam Strategies
- Read questions before the source to focus your reading.
- Pay attention to timelines, key terms, and figures.
- Highlight/underline main ideas to quickly reference during timed questions.
- Use elimination to narrow down answers—remove those that don't fit the era or context.
Period 7: Imperialism, Progressivism & World Wars
- U.S. transformed into a world power via imperialism (Spanish-American War, acquisition of Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, Hawaii).
- Debates over imperialism: pro (economic, strategic, 'civilizing') vs. anti (self-determination, racism, isolationism).
- Progressive Era: muckrakers exposed corruption; reforms included Pure Food & Drug Act, national parks, direct election of Senators (17th Amendment), income tax (16th), Prohibition (18th), women's suffrage (19th).
- Presidents: Roosevelt (Square Deal, trust-busting, conservation), Taft (dollar diplomacy), Wilson (moral diplomacy, New Freedom).
- World War I: U.S. joined Allies after Lusitania, Zimmerman Telegram; led to homefront mobilization, Espionage/Sedition Acts, and increased unionization.
- Treaty of Versailles ended war; League of Nations proposed but U.S. did not join.
The 1920s & Great Depression
- Roaring Twenties: economic boom, consumerism, assembly line, mass media, Harlem Renaissance, and conflicts over modernity (Scopes Trial, Prohibition).
- Nativism rose (National Origins Act, Sacco and Vanzetti trial).
- Stock Market Crash (1929) and Great Depression caused by bank failures, overproduction, declining demand, and government missteps (Hawley-Smoot Tariff).
- Hoover’s policies failed to ease the crisis; FDR’s New Deal (Relief, Recovery, Reform) created Social Security, labor rights, and regulatory agencies.
World War II & Aftermath
- Initial U.S. isolationism ended with Pearl Harbor; mobilization included war production, women's and minorities' roles (Rosie the Riveter, Tuskegee Airmen, Navajo Code Talkers, Bracero Program).
- Internment of Japanese Americans upheld by Korematsu v. United States.
- Allied victory achieved through total war, atomic bombings, and postwar diplomacy (Yalta, United Nations, Bretton Woods).
- U.S. emerged as a global superpower.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Vertical Integration — Control over all stages of production within one company (Carnegie).
- Horizontal Integration — Merging with competitors to form a monopoly (Rockefeller).
- Social Darwinism — Application of "survival of the fittest" to justify social inequality.
- Gospel of Wealth — Carnegie’s idea that the rich should use their wealth for societal good.
- Populist Party — Farmers’ political movement for economic reforms.
- Muckraker — Journalist exposing corruption.
- Harlem Renaissance — African-American cultural movement in the 1920s.
- New Deal — FDR’s programs to combat the Great Depression.
- Laissez-faire — Economic policy of minimal government intervention.
- Nativism — Opposition to immigration, favoring native-born citizens.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review slides, study guides, and replay materials online.
- Practice multiple choice questions using the strategies discussed.
- Prepare for next lecture covering Periods 8 and 9.
- Create a study to-do list and highlight main concepts from these periods.