AP U.S. History Exam Review - Time Period 6

Introduction

• Presenter: Dr. Rhonda Webb
• Topic: Review of Time Period 6, focusing on the Gilded Age
• Activities: Content review, practice questions (short answer, long essay, DBQ)
• Audience Interaction: Use Google Forms for questions/comments, no live chat

Understanding the Gilded Age

• Definition: Named for superficial prosperity masking deep social issues
• Positive Aspects:
  • Technological advancements
  • Economic growth
  • Increased immigration and job opportunities
• Underlying Issues:
  • Labor disputes
  • Racial tensions
  • Urban overcrowding and pollution
  • Political corruption tied to political machines (e.g., Tammany Hall)

Topics of Focus

Political Corruption

• Political machines, e.g., Tammany Hall and Boss Tweed
• Exposed by cartoonists like Thomas Nast

Rise of Big Business

• Strategies: Monopolies and trusts
• Impact: Labor disputes, exploitation vs. philanthropy
• Robber Barons vs. Captains of Industry
  • Robber Barons: Negative impact on smaller businesses
  • Captains of Industry: Positive contributions to society

Populism

• Origin: Midwestern farmers facing economic struggles
• Goals: Regulation of railroads, free silver (bimetallism)
• Impact on elections: Supported William Jennings Bryan in 1896

Exam Preparation

Short Answer Questions (SAQs)

• Types:
  • Secondary source passages
  • Image-based questions
• Strategies:
  • Identify differences/similarities in viewpoints
  • Tie responses to specific examples or images

Exam Format

• Paper Version: Multiple choice, short answer, DBQ, LEQ
• Digital Version: Similar structure, additional short answer in place of LEQ

Gilded Age Content in Detail

Labor Unions and Strikes

• Knights of Labor vs. American Federation of Labor
  • Knights: Inclusive of unskilled workers
  • AFL: Focused on skilled labor, funded strikes
• Notable Strikes: Haymarket Riot, Homestead Steel Strike, Pullman Strike

Economic Policies: Gold Standard vs. Free Silver

• Gold Standard: Less money in circulation, stable high value
• Free Silver: More money in circulation, lower value
• Political alignment: Republicans favored Gold Standard, Democrats and Populists favored Free Silver

Social Issues

Immigration

• Ellis Island: European immigrants
• Angel Island: Asian immigrants, affected by Chinese Exclusion Act

Reform Movements

• Settlement houses and social gospel movement
• Women's movement, increase in educational and job opportunities

Race Relations

• Leaders: Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B. Du Bois
  • Washington: Gradual equality through education
  • Du Bois: Immediate equality based on Reconstruction Amendments
• Legal Context: Plessy vs. Ferguson, "separate but equal"

Native American Relations

• Policies: Reservation system, Dawes Severalty Act
• Conflicts: Indian Wars, resistance movements (Ghost Dance)

Exam Strategies

DBQ and LEQ

• DBQ Structure: Contextualization, thesis, document grouping, use of evidence
• LEQ Planning: Brainstorm evidence, identify changes and continuities
• Complexity Point: Overall sophistication of argumentation

Next Steps

• Next session will cover the first part of Time Period 7
• Reminder to use Google Forms for questions

Dr. Rhonda Webb's presentation emphasizes understanding key historical themes and exam strategies for AP U.S. History, focusing on the complexities of the Gilded Age and how to effectively prepare for exam writing components.