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.

The immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe came to America in the lat 19th and early 20th centuries because the conditions in their own countries were a lot worse than those in America were supposed to be. So, those people obviously wanted to get to a place where work was easier to find and opportunity was plentiful, or at least supposed to be. Also, many people came to escape religious persecution. For example, whole villages of Jews came from Russia due to pogroms. The people in Asia thought that the United States was a land of opportunity and promise. The people from Asia, however usually weren't trying to escape religious persecution.

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

The immigrants had to endure a horrific journey to America on the boats they took to get there. They usually had to get the lowest class of tickets because they were so poor. They often slept in the bottom of the ship in close conditions with the other immigrants, sharing toilets, and sleeping on lice infested beds. This promoted the spread of disease. Once the immigrants got off the boats, they had to go through an immigration station. This took five hours minimum, but people often were detained to wait their turn. In the immigration station, a doctor examined them for disease, and the had other tests to pass. If they failed any of these they were sent back to the country they came from. However less than two percent of immigrants were turned back.

Big Business and Labor

Laissez Faire and Social Darwinism promoted the mistreatment of laborers. They were created as an excuse for business men to trample over their workers, For example according to Social Darwinism, the poor were naturally inferior to the rich and thus didn't deserve the government to intervene for them. The people that owned the businesses sad that because the government didn't have the right to regulate it. This was part of Laissez Faire, as was the right for business owners to do whatever they wanted without interference from people outside the government either. Therefore, because Social Darwinism and Laissez Faire prevented the government intervention and explained why people were poor with no fault to the rich, large business owners could take advantage of laborers by paying them little and treating them like dirt.

Labor Unions & Big Business

the Knights of Labor

a. Identification
A large group of laborers that tries to get improved working conditions in 1868. They specifically fought for an 8 hour work day.
b. Significance
They were one of the first national labor unions and gave the idea to several others.
the Haymarket riot

a. Identification
A riot in 1866 caused by anarchists and unionists because of terrible working conditions and worker injuries.
b. Significance
The Haymarket riot caused a revival of the middle class fear of radicalism as well as drawing attention to labor unions.
the American Federation of Labor

a. Identification
A conglomeration of labor unions lead by Samuel Gompers and used strikes to further its goals.
b. Significance
Helped to significantly lower work weeks and increase pay to workers.
Samuel Gompers

a. Identification
Samuel Gompers was the president of the American Federation of labor. He used strikes and collective bargaining to improve work conditions.
b. Significance
Samuel Gompers founded the AFL which was influential in several strikes and helped lower workdays and increase pay.
the Homestead strike

a. Identification

A strike by the steel workers at one of Carnage's factories that ended in violence and was quelled by the National Guard.
b. Significance
It was the last strike by steel workers for 45 years, a significant amount of time considering the frequency of other strikes.
the Pullman strike

a. Identification
A strike that lasted for a few months because of the cut in Pullman's workers wages and no cut in the expense of their houses.
b. Significance
Many workers got fired and nothing changed. It also exemplified the reality of the era.
Eugene V. Debs

a. Identification
Formed the ARU and was involved in the Pullman strike.
b. Significance
Formed one of the first mixed skilled labor union.
the Industrial Workers of the World

a. Identification
A group of radical unionists and socialists formed in the late 1800's.
b. Significance

Made a labor union that socialists were happy with and tried for the same goals as the other unions.

Andrew Carnegie: Andrew Carnegie was an innovative investor. With the money he gained through investments he started his own steel business. He invented and used horizontal integration- the buying out of competitors- and vertical integration- the buying out of suppliers and transportation methods, which were adopted by the other business men of the day.
Social Darwinism: Social Darwinism is the belief that human society behaves the same way natural selection does. Meaning that the the good things in society continue and the bad leave.
John D. Rockefeller: Rockefeller used corporations made of trusts to control almost the entire oil business. He also payed his employees little and sold his oil cheaply to drive away competition. Once the competition was gone, he raised prices.
Sherman Antitrust Act: The Sherman Antitrust act made it illegal to make trust between states or out of the county in response to the growing number of millionaires and to maintain free competition. However it couldn't be enforced and was ignored.
Samuel Gompers: Samuel Gompers was the president of the American Federation of labor. He used strikes and collective bargaining to improve work conditions.
American Federation of Labor (AFL): A conglomeration of labor unions that tried to improve workers conditions, wages and hours.
Eugene V. Debs: Debs tried to form a labor union of both skilled and non skilled workers. However, this failed after a major strike, but the idea would carry on.
Industrial Workers of the World: A socialist labor Union that failed, but gave a sense of unity to non skilled workers and helped further their cause.
Mary Harris Jones: Mary Harris Jones organized for the UMW and supported minors unions. She also marched children that worked in mills that had terrible injuries in front of Theodore Roosevelt's house which helped create 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 federal government gave land and made loans to the railroad companies for several reasons. One of these was the railroads provided a way to link the country. This was important because it provided the transportation needed for people to go out West and settle the land the government offered. Also, the railroad allowed for the transportation of beef and other goods to both coasts of the nation. This provided the food necessary to feed the growing number of immigrants in the country. Furthermore, the railroads provided a means to get the natural resources to the major cities that allowed for the production of electricity and the construction of skyscrapers. In addition, the railroads gave the means to create and support the economic boom in the country and the government liked the growing industrial power of the nation and did not want to hinder it. Moreover, railroads provided jobs for many people, even if the jobs were terrible and under paying. The railroads couldn't exist without the governments help, and the government needed them so its no surprise that the government provided the help needed.

Expansion of Industry

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.

Three major factors that contributes to the technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War were the discovery of Oil and coal, new and more efficient ways to make steel, and the many inventions that were made. With steel easier to make and thus more plentiful, large numbers of railroads were able to be made. This connected the country. Also, it allowed the construction of skyscrapers and bridges. This allowed for the creation of new jobs for people as well as more places for them to work without having to use a lot of ground space.

However more important than steel were the inventions made in this period. The most important of these inventions was the harnessing of electricity. This allowed for the creation of some of the most important inventions of the modern era, such as the telephone and the incandescent light bulb. Electricity also allowed for the creation of electric streetcars which made city travel cheap and allowed for the spread of cities. Furthermore, factories and plants no longer needed to be near sources of power to exist. Electricity powered everything from instead of local power. However, none of this could have been possible with out Thomas Edisons electrical distributing system.

Westward Expansion Questions

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

The government's policy of assimilation failed for several reasons. One was the tendency of settlers to ignore government treaties. This caused problems because the Native Americans attacked the settlers that did this forcing the U.S. government to retaliate. This trend was not helped by the American attitude that Native Americans were savages and thus dangerous. This caused settlers to attack Native Americans, and thus the Native Americans retaliated. All of the fighting prevented assimilation from effectively taking place. Also, the Native Americans did not believe in the American way of life. They were nomadic and hunted to get food. The Americans wanted them to live in houses and farm. This also was against the tribal nature of the Native Americans. Assimilation meant that the Native Americans had to do what the U.S. wanted, regardless of what they themselves wanted. In addition, the Native Americans were forced to live in ever-shrinking conservation lands. They had to leave their ancestral lands to go to the places the settlers didn't want. The government also broke many of its promises. However this is understandable considering the actions of settlers and what the U.S. had to do in order to protect its citizens.

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 government efforts to promote settlement on the Great Plains were very successful. Once the government began selling land to settlers, people flocked to the plains in order to acquire some of the land before it was all gone. In 1889 in Oklahoma, the government sold 2 million acres of land to settlers in two days. Furthermore,the government encouraged this movement with grants, land offers and legislation. One of these pieces of legislation was the homestead act, which offered 160 acres of free land to any head of household. Between 1862 and 1900, 6000,000 families took government offered land via the Homestead act. In addition, between 1850 and 1900, the percentage of people living on the Plains went from 1 percent to 30 percent. Railroads also were given land for each mile of track they made, some of which was sold to settlers. The railroads also provided a means for settlers to easily move to the land they bought from the government, as well as providing shipping for their crops.

Think about:

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

Conflict in Iraq Q & A

Directions: Read Part I (Pages 1 - 12) and answer the short answer and extended response questions below. Then, read Part II (Pages 13 - 29) and answer the questions that follow. All answers are due either on your blog (label the post Iraq) or you can submit them in writing on Tuesday. (NOTE: There are two graphic organizers at the end of the readings to help you organize your information for Part II.)

Part I Questions:

Short Response

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

Kurds: Most of the Kurds live in the North of Iraq.

Shi'a: Most of the Shi'a live in the east and south east of Iraq

Sunnis: Most of the Sunnis live in Western Iraq.

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

3. What is the main reason Britain become involved in Iraq?
Britain took interest in Iraq because there isn't much oil in Great Britain, and Iraq has a lot of oil.

4. What did pan-Arabists advocate after World War II?
Pan-Arabists advocated independence for the entire Middle East from the West.

5. How was Saddam Hussein able to gain power and popularity in the 1970s?
Sadam Hussein gained power and popularity in the 1970's because he was backed by the CIA, his political party gained power, and the increased price of oil gave him extra money to use for the people of Iraq.

6. Why did the United States become involved in the Iran-Iraq War?
The United States became involved in the Iran-Iraq war because the Government did not want the Islamic government of Iran to win the war. However, the United States did provide Iran with weapons in exchange for prisoners in Lebanon.

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. The U.S. didn't want to have to deal with a destabilized Iraq.

b. The U.S. wanted the Iraqi people to topple Hussein's regime, not the U.S. military.

Extended Response:

8. What are the different ethnic and religious groups in Iraq? Why is it important to understand these differences?

There are two different major ethnic groups in Iraq. These two groups are Kurds and Arabs. Most people in each of these groups practice Islam, however they belong to different branches of Islam. The Arabs are split into the Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam. It is important to understand these differences because if a country with that is dealing with Iraq as closely as the U.S. is, grouping all Iraqis into one group could have disastrous effects. The groups don't agree with each other and are very violent towards the other groups. For example, the Kurds want independence from Iraq. Also, both Shi'a and Kurds hate the Sunnis because they feel the Sunnis are their former oppressors. Therefore, if these differences are ignored, there will be unrest within the country if these groups are forced to do things with the other groups that they don't like.


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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. The Iraqi weapons program

b. Sponsorship of terrorism

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

a. End Hussein's regime

b. Find WMD

11. List two reasons violence continues in Iraq.

a. Some people are angry at the U.S.

b. Some people don't like 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 that are fighting are a militia fighting to prevent the Sunnis from regaining control of Iraq. The Shi'a also want regional governments. Furthermore the Shi'a want the U.S. out of Iraq and want more power inside Iraq.

Sunni: The Sunnis seem to be of a divided opinion. Some seem to think that the U.S. should leave Iraq and blame the U.S. for the Shi'a rise to power. However recently the SUnnis have been working with the U.S. military to fight terrorism and Al Qaeda.

Kurd: The Kurds are a militant group that want independence in order to form a Kurd state. They hate the Sunni feeling that the Sunni are their oppressors. Kurds are divided on wether Kurdistan should be fully independent of Iraq or part of a unified Iraq. This struggle is not new and has been going on for decades.

al Qaeda: Al Qaeda is a terrorist group that wants to drive the U.S. out of Iraq and wants Iraqi civil war. They use IEDs, car bombs and other types of terrorism to further their goals. They don't care about the best interest of Iraq, but just want to cause terror and overthrow the Iraqi government in order to form an Islamic state.