Questions and Answers
What was the ruling of the Wabash Case?
Who was John D. Rockefeller?
Oil industry tycoon who established the Standard Oil Company of Ohio.
What is Social Darwinism?
The application of natural selection and survival of the fittest to human society.
What did the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 do?
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The Sherman Anti-Trust Act was enacted in ___ (year).
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The National Labor Union lasted from 1866 to 1872.
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What is collective bargaining?
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What did the term 'Company Town' refer to?
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Who was Eugene Debs?
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Match the following labor organizations with their descriptions:
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Study Notes
Wabash Case
- Supreme Court ruling (1886) stating only the federal government can regulate interstate commerce.
- Overturned Munn v. Illinois precedent, leading to the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 and the creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC).
John D. Rockefeller
- Established the Standard Oil Company of Ohio.
- Became one of the wealthiest figures in the oil industry.
Andrew Carnegie
- Founded Carnegie Steel, which was later merged into U.S. Steel (USX).
- Sold his steel business for $4.5 million and engaged in significant philanthropic efforts, especially libraries.
- Advocated that "A man who dies rich dies disgraced."
J.P. Morgan
- Prominent banker during the Gilded Age, instrumental in financing and consolidating industries.
- Known for using interlocking directorates to influence multiple companies simultaneously.
- Acquired Carnegie Steel Corporation.
Cornelius Vanderbilt
- Railroad magnate who built a network from New York to Chicago and across Nicaragua post-Gold Rush.
- Known for a notoriously arrogant attitude towards law and societal norms.
Leland Stanford
- Wealthy railroad builder and Governor of California.
- Promoted the Pacific Railroad Act (1862) and founded the Central Pacific Railroad and Stanford University.
Pacific Railroad Act
- Enacted in 1862, it authorized federal funding for transcontinental railroads by providing land and financial aid to companies.
- Significant for its timing during the Civil War when Southern opposition was absent.
Promontory Summit
- Site of the "Wedding of the Rails" on May 10, 1869, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.
Social Darwinism
- Application of Darwin's theory of natural selection to human society, asserting that wealth and success are signs of fitness.
- Used to justify the lack of aid for the poor, suggesting their plight was due to unfitness.
Gospel of Wealth
- Ethical philosophy asserting that wealth is a sign of righteousness and that the poor are poor due to their own sinfulness.
- Used to rationalize the lack of philanthropic assistance to the needy.
Laissez faire
- A French term representing minimal government intervention in business practices, prevalent in the late 19th century U.S.
Trusts - Vertical
- A strategy where a company controls all stages of production from raw materials to final product delivery.
- Notably used by Andrew Carnegie in the steel industry.
Trusts - Horizontal
- Strategy used by John D. Rockefeller that involves the acquisition of similar companies to create a monopoly in a specific industry.
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
- Passed in 1890, this was the first federal legislation aimed at curbing monopolies by prohibiting trade restraining agreements.
- Initially misused against labor unions more than corporations.
Scab
- A term for workers hired to replace strike participants during labor disputes.
Lockout
- Employers' tactic of shutting down operations to compel workers to accept terms, effectively reversing a strike.
Yellow Dog Contract
- An agreement wherein employees sign stipulating they will not join a union during their employment.
Company Town
- Industrial towns controlled by a single employer, where workers are bound by debt and housing dependencies, limiting their independence.
Blacklist
- A list of workers banned from employment due to perceived misconduct, significantly impacting their job opportunities.
Terence Powderly
- Leader of the Knights of Labor who championed the eight-hour workday, leading a major labor organization that aimed for inclusive worker representation.
Samuel Gompers
- Founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), promoting practical unionism focused on skilled labor rights and better working conditions without threatening businesses.
Eugene Debs
- Organizer of the American Railway Union and leader of the Pullman Strike, jailed for defying a court order. Later became an influential socialist politician.
Socialism
- Political and economic system where the government owns and regulates industries to ensure equitable distribution and management of resources.
National Labor Union
- The first significant nationwide labor organization, reaching 600,000 members and advocating for arbitration of labor disputes and the eight-hour workday from 1866 to 1872.
Knights of Labor
- An inclusive labor organization that attempted to unite all workers but lost influence after the violent backlash from the Haymarket Square incident.
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
- Established in 1886, this organization represented various unions, focusing on skilled workers to indirectly improve conditions for unskilled laborers.
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)
- Formed in 1935 and merged with the AFL in 1955, becoming a major U.S. labor organization.
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
- A radical labor union advocating for worker control over industries and class struggle, known colloquially as "Wobblies."
Collective Bargaining
- A negotiation process where employees collectively discuss conditions with employers rather than negotiating individually.
B&O Railroad Strike
- The first major strike of the Gilded Age (1877) against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, leading to federal troops' intervention and showcasing government support for business interests.
Haymarket Square Strike
- A significant event (1886) where a rally for workers' rights led to a violent bombing in Chicago, tarnishing the reputation of labor movements and the Knights of Labor.
Pullman Strike
- The 1892 strike against the Pullman Company due to exploitative practices in the company town, resulting in violence and extensive labor unrest with Eugene Debs as a leader.
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Description
Test your knowledge on key terms from Chapter 24 of AP U.S. History. This quiz focuses on important cases and decisions that shaped American law and commerce, specifically the Wabash Case and its implications. Perfect for reviewing essential concepts for the APUSH exam.
