Life in the Western US & Black American Experience

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Questions and Answers

What was a significant difference in life for Native Americans compared to white settlers in the western United States during the mid-to-late nineteenth century?

White settlers experienced forced relocation.

Native Americans lived with fewer resources and land. (correct)

White settlers maintained traditional communal lifestyles.

Native Americans had better access to education.

Which issue primarily affected Black Americans in the late 1800s and early 1900s?

Racial segregation laws and discrimination. (correct)

Support from federal government programs.

Access to higher education and voting rights.

Increased employment opportunities in factories.

Which of the following was a major figure associated with the Progressive Era?

Woodrow Wilson

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt (correct)

Dwight D. Eisenhower

What was a key response of Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Great Depression?

Implementation of the New Deal policies. Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Plessy v. Ferguson case?

It upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine. Signup and view all the answers

What was life like for people living in the western United States in the mid-to-late nineteenth century?

Life was characterized by challenges such as harsh living conditions, conflicts with Native Americans, and economic opportunities related to mining and agriculture. Signup and view all the answers

How did life differ for Native Americans and white settlers in the western United States?

Native Americans experienced displacement, loss of land, and cultural disruption, while white settlers sought economic opportunities and expansion. Signup and view all the answers

What issues did Black Americans face in the late 1800s and early 1900s?

Issues included systemic racism, segregation laws, and economic inequality. Signup and view all the answers

What were some major issues of the Progressive Era?

Major issues included political corruption, women's suffrage, labor rights, and social justice reforms. Signup and view all the answers

What were some causes of the Great Depression?

Causes included stock market crash, bank failures, and reduction in consumer spending. Signup and view all the answers

What did Herbert Hoover do in response to the Great Depression?

Herbert Hoover implemented limited governmental interventions and promoted volunteerism and relief efforts. Signup and view all the answers

What did Franklin D. Roosevelt do in response to the Great Depression?

Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented New Deal programs aimed at economic recovery and social relief. Signup and view all the answers

What are some examples of New Deal policies?

Examples include the Social Security Act, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Works Progress Administration. Signup and view all the answers

Define Black Codes.

Laws enacted in the southern U.S. after the Civil War to restrict the rights of Black Americans. Signup and view all the answers

Define Carlisle Indian Industrial School.

A federally funded boarding school established to assimilate Native American children into Euro-American culture. Signup and view all the answers

Define Populist Party.

A political party founded in the 1890s that represented the interests of farmers and laborers. Signup and view all the answers

Define W.E.B. Du Bois.

An influential African American civil rights activist and co-founder of the NAACP. Signup and view all the answers

Define Booker T. Washington.

An African American educator and leader who advocated for vocational education and economic self-reliance. Signup and view all the answers

Define Plessy v. Ferguson.

A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine. Signup and view all the answers

Define Wilmington Massacre.

A violent overthrow of the elected government in Wilmington, North Carolina, by white supremacists in 1898. Signup and view all the answers

Define Social Gospel Movement.

A religious movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that applied Christian ethics to social problems. Signup and view all the answers

Define Second Ku Klux Klan.

A revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 20th century that targeted immigrants, Catholics, and Jews. Signup and view all the answers

Define United Daughters of the Confederacy.

A women's organization founded in the late 19th century to promote the ideals of the Confederacy. Signup and view all the answers

Define Eugenics.

A social philosophy advocating for the improvement of human genetic traits through selective breeding. Signup and view all the answers

Define Scopes Trial.

A famous legal case in 1925 that challenged the teaching of evolution in public schools in Tennessee. Signup and view all the answers

Define Japanese Internment Camps.

Detention centers where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated during World War II. Signup and view all the answers

Define Bonus Army.

A group of World War I veterans who marched to Washington, D.C. in 1932 to demand early payment of their war bonuses. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Life in the Western United States (Mid-to-Late 19th Century)

The western United States during this period was a place of significant change and hardship.
White settlers, driven by the promise of land and opportunity, faced challenging conditions, including harsh weather, disease, and conflict with Native Americans.
Native Americans, the original inhabitants of the region, were forced to contend with the loss of their land and traditional ways of life.
The westward expansion of the United States brought about significant cultural clashes, as settlers and Native Americans clashed over control of resources and territory.

The Black American Experience (Late 1800s & Early 1900s)

Despite the end of slavery, Black Americans continued to face rampant discrimination and segregation. Key issues included:
- Jim Crow Laws - State and local laws enacted in the South to disenfranchise and segregate African Americans.
- Lynching - Extrajudicial killings of Black people by white mobs, often without due process.
- Disenfranchisement - Strategies used to prevent Black people from voting, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses.

The Progressive Era

A period of social and political reform (1890-1920) that aimed to address problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and corruption.
Key issues included:
- Child Labor - Concerns about child exploitation in dangerous working environments.
- Working Conditions - Efforts to improve wages, hours, and safety for workers.
- Political Corruption - Moves to reform political processes and combat corporate influence.
Key Figures:
- Theodore Roosevelt - Championed conservation, trust-busting, and consumer protection.
- Woodrow Wilson - Pushed for progressive reforms, including the establishment of the Federal Reserve.
- Jane Addams - Social reformer who founded Hull House, a settlement house serving the poor and immigrants.

The Great Depression

Causes:
- Overproduction and underconsumption - Excessive manufacturing and consumer debt.
- Stock Market Crash of 1929 - A major factor that triggered the economic downturn.
- Bank Failures - Widespread bank runs and closures, leading to a loss of savings and investment.
President Herbert Hoover's Response:
- Limited Government Intervention - Believed in a hands-off approach, relying on private enterprise to recover.
- Public Works Projects - Focused on infrastructure projects, like the Hoover Dam, to create jobs.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Response:
- The New Deal - A series of government programs designed to address the Depression's impacts.
- Key Examples of New Deal Policies:
  - Social Security Act - Established a system of retirement benefits and unemployment insurance.
  - Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) - Aimed to improve the lives of residents of the Tennessee Valley by providing electricity, flood control, and promoting industry.
  - Works Progress Administration (WPA) - Created jobs in various sectors, such as construction, arts, and cultural projects.
  - Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) - Provided employment opportunities for young men in environmental conservation projects.

ID Terms

Black Codes: Laws enacted in the Southern states after the Civil War designed to restrict the civil rights of Black Americans, including limitations on voting, property ownership, and employment.
Carlisle Indian Industrial School: A boarding school for Native American children, founded in 1879 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The school promoted assimilation by attempting to eradicate Native cultures and instill white American values.
Populist Party: A third-party political movement that gained popularity in the 1890s, advocating for the interests of farmers and workers, particularly those in the South and West.
W.E.B. DuBois: A prominent African American sociologist, activist, and scholar who was a founding member of the NAACP. He argued for full social and political equality for Black Americans.
Booker T. Washington: A prominent African American educator and activist who emphasized economic self-reliance and vocational training for Black Americans. He founded the Tuskegee Institute, a historically black college.
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): A Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation laws, establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine.
Wilmington Massacre (1898): A racially motivated massacre in Wilmington, North Carolina, where white mobs killed dozens of Black people and forced others to flee.
Social Gospel Movement: A theological movement that promoted social justice and aimed to apply Christian principles to address issues of poverty, inequality, and labor exploitation.
Second Ku Klux Klan: A revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, known for its white supremacy, anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, and anti-Semitic ideologies.
United Daughters of the Confederacy: A women’s organization founded in 1894 to perpetuate the memory of the Confederacy, often promoting a romanticized and revisionist view of the Civil War.
Eugenics: A pseudoscientific belief in the improvement of the human race through controlled breeding, often used to justify racism and discrimination.
Scopes Trial (1925): A famous trial in Tennessee, where a high school teacher, John T. Scopes, was charged with teaching evolution, challenging state laws banning the teaching of the theory of evolution.
Japanese Internment Camps: Camps for Japanese Americans during World War II, authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt through Executive Order 9066. Approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated to these camps due to fears of espionage and sabotage.
Bonus Army (1932): A group of World War I veterans who marched on Washington D.C. demanding early payment of a promised bonus. President Hoover authorized the military to clear the encampment, which resulted in a violent confrontation.

Life in the Western United States

Life in the western US during the mid to late 19th century was vastly different for Native Americans and white settlers.
White settlers faced harsh living conditions, scarce resources, and dangerous environments.
They sought land and opportunity, often displacing Native Americans through forced removal and violence.
Native Americans faced displacement, the destruction of their cultures and traditions, and the loss of their lands and way of life.
The US government implemented policies of assimilation, attempting to force Native Americans to abandon their cultures and adopt white American ways.

Black Americans in the Late 1800s and Early 1900s

Black Americans faced systematic oppression, discrimination, and violence in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
They faced segregation and disenfranchisement through Jim Crow laws and the suppression of voting rights.
Lynching, a form of extrajudicial murder, was a common occurrence, terrorizing Black communities.
The rise of the Second Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s added to the terror, and its racist ideologies fueled violence and intimidation against Black Americans.

Progressive Era Issues and Figures

The Progressive Era was a period of social and political reform in the early 20th century, responding to problems stemming from rapid industrialization and the Gilded Age.
Major issues: Urbanization, labor exploitation, corruption in government, poverty, and social inequality.
Key figures: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Jane Addams, who advocated for change.
The Era saw the rise of social movements and reforms aimed at improving working conditions, protecting the environment, and promoting social justice.

Causes of the Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted through the 1930s.
Causes: Overproduction, speculation, and uneven distribution of wealth.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929, triggered by panic and speculation, marked the beginning of the collapse.
Herbert Hoover's response: Initially employed a hands-off approach.
Franklin D.Roosevelt's response: Implemented the New Deal, a series of programs to provide relief, recovery, and reform.

Defining Terms

Black Codes: Laws enacted in the South after the Civil War to restrict the rights of freed slaves.
Carlise Indian Industrial School: A boarding school established in Pennsylvania in 1879 with the goal of assimilating Native American children into white society.
Populist Party: A third party formed in the 1890s, advocating for the interests of farmers and laborers, opposing corporate monopolies and advocating for government intervention in the economy.
W.E.B. DuBois: Leading figure in the civil rights movement, critical of Booker T. Washington's accommodationist approach, advocating for immediate social and political equality for African Americans.
Booker T. Washington: Prominent African American leader, known for his "Atlanta Compromise", advocating for economic self-reliance and gradual social and political equality for African Americans.
Plessy v. Ferguson: A landmark Supreme Court case in 1896, upholding the constitutionality of "separate but equal" racial segregation laws.
Wilmington Massacre: A violent racial massacre in 1898 in Wilmington, North Carolina, targeting Black communities and leading to the overthrow of an interracial city government.
Social Gospel Movement: A religious movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, seeking to apply Christian principles to social problems such as poverty and inequality.
Second Ku Klux Klan: A revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, fueled by anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, and anti-Black sentiment, using intimidation and violence to advance its agenda.
United Daughters of the Confederacy: An organization formed after the Civil War, dedicated to preserving the Confederate memory and promoting the Lost Cause narrative.
Eugenics: A movement advocating for selective breeding and the improvement of the human race, often used to justify racism and discrimination.
Scopes Trial: A famous trial in 1925, challenging the teaching of evolution in public schools
Japanese Internment Camps: Detention centers established in the US during World War II, where Japanese Americans were confined without due process.
Bonus Army: A group of World War I veterans who marched on Washington D.C. in 1932, demanding early payment of the bonuses promised to them.

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Description

Explore the transformative periods in the western United States during the mid-to-late 19th century and the continued struggles of Black Americans in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This quiz examines the challenges faced by settlers and Native Americans, as well as the impact of Jim Crow laws and lynching on African American life. Test your knowledge on these significant historical events and their consequences.