Immigration

1. Describe the causes of the immigration of Southern and Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

There were many reasons that a new flock of immigrants form Eastern europe and different Asian countries came to America in the late 19th and 20th centuries. For some, there was the promise of making a better life, becoming a rich business man and being well respected. Some immigrant, who came from countries with job shortages,only wanted to make money in America and then return home. Many immigrants were escaping hardships like religious persecution, famine and land shortages. In many eastern European countries there was a rapidly growing  population that was leading to a shortage on farming land. There was also an overall feeling of rebellion in late 19th century Eastern Europe that motivated people to begin independent lives in America.

2. Describe the journey immigrants endured and their experiences at United States immigration stations.

Immigrants faced unique challenges when arriving in the United States. It usually began with the journey over, across the Atlantic Ocean took about a week, while across the Pacific Ocean took almost three weeks. Immigrants could usually only afford the very cheapest class and were crowded together beneath the deck in an environment that fostered disease and illness. Then upon arriving in the United States they had to meet certain legal requirements. They had to have at least a little money with them and could not have been convicted of a felony. At immgiration stations like Ellis Island and Angel Island, immigrants were sometimes detained and questioned. At ANgel Island, the questioning was much harsher and the detainment period could last for several days. If they were admitted into the country a whole new set of problems arose: how to fit into a foreign culture along with getting a job and settling into a life. Many immigrants, although they tried to blend into to the American culture, were reluctant to completely abandon their own culture. This is part of the reason that there became a rift between native born American citizens and immigrants. Nativism grew from this dislike and with it came the thinking that Anglo-Saxon races were superior to all other races. In the West, anti-chinese feelings grew when the chinese immigrants began to take jobs that were too low paying for the native workers to take. These feelings grew more intense with the depression  of  1873 and soon people were putting pressure on the government to stop chinese immigration, which it did with the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) which was not repealed until 1943. Immigrants coming into the United States had to overcome much prejudice on top of the daunting tasks of finding jobs, adapting to a new culture and learning a new language.

Labor Unions & Big Business

• Identify each of the following events or people. Give an explanation or description of the item. Answer the questionswho, what, where, and when.
• Explain the historical significance of each item in the space provided. Establish the historical context in which the item exists. Establish the item as the result of or as the cause of other factors existing in the society under study. Answer this question: What were the political, social, economic, and/or cultural consequences of this item?

the Knights of Labor

a. Identification-founded in 1860 by Philadelphia garment cutters. Only broad-based labor organization to survive depression of the 1870's. Membership reached 730,000. 

b. Significance-Welcomed women, African AMericans, immigrants and unskilled/semiskilled workers.

the Haymarket riot

a. Identification-largest spontaneous labor demonstration in the country's history. Took place on May 1, 1886. Rioters were radical anarchists and craft unionists.

b. Significance-Drew attention to the growing discontent of laborers and revived the middle-classes fear of radicalism.

the American Federation of Labor

a. Identification-became major worker's organization after the 1886 upheavals. It was an alliance of national craft unions and its members were native born skilled workers. It was headed by Samuel Gompers. Their goals were higher wages, shorter hours and the right to bargain collectively.

b. Significance-its peak membership was 2.5 million in 1917 and included 111 national unions and 27000 local unions. It accepted industrialism and worked to improve wage and hours system.

Samuel Gompers

a. Identification-Immigrant who had headed the Cigar Maker's Union. He later became the leader of the American Federation of Labor.

b. Significance-Under his leadership the AFL became its most influencial with 2.5 million members. His policy was to support labor's friends and oppose its enemies regardless of party.

the Homestead strike

a. Identification-Took place on July 2, 1892 when the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers decided to strike against paycuts. Henry C. Frick, the president of Carnegie Steel Company closed the plant.Frick hired 300 guards which the strikers attacked. After 5 months the strikers gave in. 

b. Significance-Public pinion turns against the strikers because of an anarchist's attempt to kill Frick, although he was not a striker.

the Pullman strike

a. Identification-1894. Residents in a rigidly the rigidly controlled town of Pullman near Chigaco call a strike after the town's founder Pullman cuts wages but refuses to lower living expenses in the town. Eugene V. Debs aids strikers by refusing to handle Pullman cars but ends up being jailed. Strikers give in within 1 month. 

b. Significance-President Cleveland sent troops down to crush the strike because it was "obstructing the railways and holding up the mails".

Eugene V. Debs

a. Identification-Led the American Railway Union. He was jailed for 6 months after he aided Pullman strikers.

b. Significance-The Supreme Court Upheld his prison sentence on the grounds that the federal government had the power to remove obstacles to interstate commerce.

the Industrial Workers of the World

a. Identification-New Labor organization formed in 1905 that wanted to unify all labors and form one big union. They used tactics of socialism, violence and sabotage. "Mother" Jones, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and William D. Haywood all led strikes in western mining and lumber towns. The organization never exceeded 15,000 members.

b. Significance-Attracted lots of attention through violent strikes.

14-3 Terms and Names

Read Chapter 14-3 and then identify the significance of each of the following terms / names:      (Post your answers in your blog before the beginning of class.) 

Andrew Carnegie- after gradually working his way up, Carnegie became an industrial mogul after his boss gave him the opportunity to buy stocks. With his money he supported many charities. He is an example of an American success story.
Social Darwinism- philosophy lading to beliefs that success and failure were governed by natural law and no outside force should have control over it.
John D. Rockefeller- Established the Standard Oil Company. The company went to processing about 3 percent of the countries oil to owning 90 percent of all oil refining companies within a decade. Rockefeller drove competitors out of business by lowering prices to less than t cost to make it and then hiking them up when the competition was gone. Despite this he had donated over 500 million dollars to charity.

Sherman Antitrust Act-in 1890 this act made it illegal to establish trust that interfered with free trade between states or between other countries.
Samuel Gompers- led the cigar market's international trade union to join with other craft unions in 1886. Was also president of The American Federation of Labor. 
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
Eugene V. Debs- attempted to form an industrial union, the American Railway Union. In 1894 the union won a strike for higher wages.
Industrial Workers of the World- was composed of miners, lumberers, cannery and dock workers. It welcomed african americans although it never became as big as the ARU. They one only one major strike in 1912. Also called the Wobblies.
Mary Harris Jones-supported the great strike of 1877 and later organized the UNited MIne Workers of America. She was in jail with coal miners and had had her life threatened by people before. In 1903 she took a group of 80 child mill workers who had been disfigured in their work to the white house to see president Rosevelt, which helped to pass child labor laws.

Railroad Development

The federal government gave land and made loans to the railroad companies. Why was the government so eager to promote the growth of railroads?

The growth of railroads was very beneficial to the United States. Railroads made westward expansion a reality for both private settlers and businesses. Railroads connected different regions of the country and made is possible for these regions and towns to specialize in a specific product and be able to trade efficiently and successfully with other parts of the country, which boosted the economy. These towns were able to ship much bigger quantities of their product around the country and therefore they became more prosperous. Iron, steel, lumber and glass industries expanded in the country because the supplies were needed to build more railroads. Railroads created job opportunities (although the conditions were brutal) for out of work veterans and immigrants, especially Chinese immigrants. Railroads allowed cities to grow and branch out, filling up with employees. For example the town of Pullman was created as a place for employees of the sleeper and other railroad car manufacturing factory to live in. The government was able to enjoy the success of all these new industries because of railroads and railroad companies.

Expansion of Industry

Question:
  

What were the three major factors that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War? Explain how two of these factors helped to bring about this technological boom.

The three major contributing factors of the technological boom that tool place in the United States after the Civil War were large quantities of natural resources (like oil), the government supporting businesses, and expanding populations in cities that would provide cheap labor and serve as a consumer market.

Natural resources that aided the technological boom were oil and iron and later other scrap metals that could be made into steal. Oil was purified into kerosene (used in lamps) and during the process, gasoline is released. With the invention of the automobile, gasolines became very important and fueled the automobiles. Iron was first transformed into steal through a process called the Bessemer process. Steel was important because it was both lightweight and durable and made it possible for architectural feats like the Brooklyn Bridge and the first skyscraper to be built.

Expanding urban populations were also very important in assisting the advancement of technology in the late 19th century. With new machines, there was a need for factory workers. The same workers were also buying the products, For example, women who would have previously been sewing clothing for their families at home were now buying the clothes made in factories where many of the workers manning the machines were women themselves. 

Westward Expansion Questions

1. What are some of the main reasons that the federal government's policy of assimilation failed? 

Part of the federal government's policy of assimilation involved setting aside land for native americans that they would be able to sell and make a profit from. However many white settlers completely ignored this and settled most of the land. The Native Americans did not make any profit from it. Also. part of assimilation meant that the Native Americans would be forced to give up their own spirituality and culture and adapt to the white way of life. Native Americans did not react well to this because their culture was extremely important to them. They were used to hunting and gathering while white people farmed. Native Americans were dependent on buffalo and white men shot huge amounts of buffalo until only one herd remained, Whites were also largely hostile toward Native Americans, with attacks like the Massacre at Sand Creek. The government had no real reason to keep its promises to Native Americans, they had been breaking deals with them for years and years.

Think About:

• Native Americans' way of life
• Cultural differences
• Attitude of whites toward Native Americans
• Government promises

2. How successful were government efforts to promote settlement of the Great Plains? Give examples to support your answer.
The Homestead Act promised 160 acres of land out west to head of households. Railroads provided jobs for many men and some of the companies offered farmers land. The promise of free, large amounts of land drew many people out west. However the land in the west was not as fertile as other farming lands and harder to work. Hundreds of thousands of people took up the government's offers only to be disappointed with the land they received. Still many farmers were moving out there so the government's effort to settle the land were successful. But still railroads and government state agents abused the law and used the land for themselves, most of it did not go to private settlers. But then the government amped up The Homestead Act and huge flocks of people began rapidly moving to present day Oklahoma.
Think about: 

• The growth in population on the Great Plains
• The role of railroads in the economy
• The Homestead Act

Iraq Q & A

Part I Questions: 

Short Response

1. Where do most Kurds, Shi'a, and Sunnis live in Iraq?

Kurds:        The Kurds live in the mountainous region of Iraq called Kurdistan.  They are the majority in the north.                                Shi'a:  The Shi'a live in the south where most of Iraq's oil reserves are.                                        Sunnis: The Sunnis usually live in area's with less oil. All groups mix in near Baghdad.

2. Which ethnic group(s) hold(s) power over the majority of oil reserves in Iraq?The Kurds and the Shi'a hold power over the majority of oil reserves in Iraq.

3. What is the main reason Britain become involved in Iraq?Iraq was thought to be rich in oil (important for military and civilian use) and Britain was a country poor in oil.

4. What did pan-Arabists advocate after World War II?
pan-Arabists advocated for independence from the middle-east and severed ties with Britain. Some of the extremists supported Germany.
5. How was Saddam Hussein able to gain power and popularity in the 1970s?Increase oil prices gave him money to provide free education, created a public health care system and reform the agricultural system. His organization of these changes made him more popular and powerful.

6. Why did the United States become involved in the Iran-Iraq War?During President Reagan's administration the U.S. remained neutral until in 1986 Iran became more aggressive in attacks against Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf.  The U.S. gave Iraq military intelligence and American weapons as well as allowing Kuwaiti ships to sail under protection of the American flag with military escorts.

7. Why did President George H.W. Bush (1989-93) bring the ground portion of the First Persian Gulf War to a halt? List two reasons. 

a. Concern about consequences that would come with being in control of an unstable Iraq.

b. Did not want to destroy Iraq's army and Saddam Hussein.

Extended Response: 

8. What are the different ethnic and religious groups in Iraq? Why is it important to understand these differences?  The three major ethnic and religious groups in Iraq are the Kurds, the Shi'a and the Sunnis. Kurds seek independence from Iraq. Shi'a and Sunnis are both Arab but they are divided due to religious debates. Sunnis were in control of Iraq for most of its history but more recently the Shi'a have gained power. Sunnis support strong government control while the Shi'a emphasize social justice and individual morals. It is important to understand these differences because it gives a better understanding of the groups' motivations for wanting to gain power. It also gives more insight into the ethnic cleansing that occurs in Iraq and why there is so much hatred between the groups. Also it is important to distinguish the groups because if one were to gain control the actions they would take would be very different from the actions of another group. For example, the Shi'a want to resist U.S. dominance while the Kurds only want to become independent. 
Part II Questions: 
 
Short Response

9. What dangers did President George W. Bush (2001-09) say Iraq posed to the region and the world? Name two.

a. 
Iraq's alleged weapons program
b. 

Iraq's sponsorship of terrorism

10. What were the U.S. government's declared goals in sending troops to Iraq?

a. To end Saddam Hussein's regime and to uncover weapons of mass destruction.

b. To establish democracy in Iraq and transform the Middle East.

11. List two reasons violence continues in Iraq.

a. Many Iraqis are upset about the U.S. army remaining in Iraq.

b. Many Iraqis are distrustful of the new government.

Extended Response: 

12. Describe the different groups involved in the ongoing conflict in Iraq. What are their goals? (Reasons for fighting)

Shi'a: 
The Shi'a aim to combat U.S. control as well as Sunni dominance as well as expand their own power as a political and military group in Iraq.
Sunni:

The Sunnis resist U.S. forces and fight for dominance with the Shi'a. Some join U.S. forces and combat al-Queda in Iraq. They are a purely military group.

Kurd:

The Kurd want to become a separate state from Iraq and gain Kurdish independence. They are a political/military group.

al Qaeda:

al-Queda is made up of both Sunnis and non-Iraqis. They are a military group focused on starting an Iraq civil war and ridding Iraq of the U.S.