Era Summary Characters Timeline Reading Assignments
The decades following the Civil War were peaceful and prosperous overall but involved a great deal of change and disruption. Economic booms were often followed by busts; large influxes of immigrants enabled a great expansion of industry while at the same time depressing wages, and new inventions created entire newly industries while displacing old ones. Although the overall standard of living of most Americans improved during the late 19th century, it improved more for some than others, and many large fortunes were concentrated in a few hands. Even worse, almost all the growth occurred in the North and West, leaving the post-confederate south still economically backward and segregated.
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1) Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, the movie camera, the lightbulb, the electrical grid system and many other familiar items. 2) James Eads built the first road and rail bridge across the Mississippi river. He later designed a jetty system for the Mississippi river. 3) Charles Goodyear invented a system to vulcanize, or toughen rubber. 4) Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone. 5) Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the Airplane. 6) George Eastman invented photographic film. 7) Cyrus Field layed the first transatlantic cable.
In addition to these heroes of invention, there were a great many fortunes made by titans of industry who came to dominate a growing field. Among the most famous industrialists and bankers of the late 19th century were these. 1) John Rockefeller controlled Standard Oil Co. 2) Andrew Carnegie dominated the Steel Industry. 3) Cornelius Vanderbilt built his empire on shipping and railroads. 4) Henry Ford built the first automotive empire. 5) J. P. Morgan made much of his fortune in Banking and Electrification projects.Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy—Late 19th century presidents included Rutherford Hayes, James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, and William McKinley. It was an era of party politics and political bosses, and one of the important issues of the days was "civil service" reform. This issue came to the forefront when James Garfield was assassinated by an office seeker. There was need of reform in many other areas of govenment as well, since the age of large fortunes and monopolies inevitably led to political corruption and backroom deals. Grover Cleveland, a Democrat, had a reputation for integrity and was elected for two terms with the help of Reform-minded Republicans.
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In the realm of foreign policy, the main conflict in the post Civil War era was the Spanish American War. The war was provoked by war-mongering journalists who favored Cuban independence from Spain. When the Maine exploded in the Havana harbor, Americans considered it an act of war, even though there was no proof of Spanish involvement. The war was one-sided, lasted only a few months, and ended with American possession of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
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Two famous reform movements of the early 20th century required amendments to the constitution. These were the prohibition of alcohol (18th amendment, passed 1917), and women's suffrage (19th amendment, passed 1919). Many other reform movements resulted in Acts of Congress. A few examples of this were Anti-trust Acts of 1890 and 1915 and the Civil Service reform act of 1883.
Social reform movements were popular across the political spectrum in the early twentieth century. Both Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican, and Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, were considered leaders of the "progressive movement". Roosevelt was a critic of business monopolies and known as a "trust buster". At the same time he was a conservationalist, and helped to establish the national park system. He was also a science and technology enthusiast, and promoted the building of the Panama canal, the most ambitious technological feat of the age. Wilson promoted laws that prohibited child labor, imposed an 8-hour work day, helped farmers get loans, and opposed business monopolies.
Character/Date | Short Biography |
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Invention and Industry | |
1847–1922 |
Inventor of the telephone, and also a founder of a school for the deaf. |
1847–1931 |
Prolific inventor, responsible for improvements in the light bulb, movies, phonograph, and many others. |
1871–1948 |
Inventors of the first practical airplane. The Wright brothers were self-educated bicycle shop owners. |
1835–1919 |
American Industrialist who gained his wealth in steel. He gave away most of his riches to libraries and schools. |
1836–1892 |
American Financier involved with gold speculation, railroad speculation, and Boss Tweed in New York |
1841–1914 |
Born in Ireland, Holland designed the first submarine used by the U.S. Navy. |
1856–1920 |
Artic explorer who claimed to have reached the North Pole. |
Political and Military | |
1831–1881 |
Elected President of the United states in 1880, but was assassinated only a few month after taking office. |
1837–1908 |
President of the United States, elected twice. He was a reformer, noted for his honesty. |
1843–1901 |
President of the United States during the Spanish American War. He was assassinated in office. |
1858–1919 |
Progressive Republican who served as the 26th President of the United States. |
1856–1924 |
United States President during the First World War. Founder of the League of Nations. |
1860–1948 |
Leader of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. |
1870–1937 |
Naval leader in the Spanish American war, who heroically attempted to sink a collier in Santiago harbor. |
1837–1917 |
Highest ranking Naval Officer in U.S. Hero of Battle of Manila Bay in Spanish American War. |
1887–1964 |
Great War veteran famous for his heroic exploits during the Battle of Argonne. |
Social Reform | |
1793–1880 |
Influential Quaker leader who advocated the rights of women. Held relatively conservative views among early feminists. |
1815–1902 |
Early leader in the female suffrage, and temperance movement. |
1820–1906 |
Leader of the female suffrage and temperence movements who traveled widely and became a full time advocate. |
1856–1915 |
Former slave who became an Important leader of newly freed negroes. Emphasised education, job training, clean-living, and self-help. |
1805–1844 |
Founder of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Killed before the Mormans moved to Utah. |
AD Year | Event |
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Politics and Statecraft | |
1865 | Beginning of "Reconstruction". Union troops occupy the south. |
1871 | "Alabama Claims" against Britain decided by arbitration. |
1877 | Last Union Troops are withdrawn from the South. |
1883 | Civil service reformed after office-seeker assassinated James Garfield. |
1884 | Reform-minded Republicans support anti-corruption Democrat, Grover Cleveland for president. |
1886 | Statue of Liberty, a gift to America from France, is dedicated at Liberty Island |
1889 | Johnstown Flood near Pittsburgh, kills thousands after a dam on the Conemaugh river bursts. |
1896 | William Jennings Bryan, a populist democrat, campaigns against the "gold-standard". |
1898 | U.S.S. Maine is sunk in Havana Harbor, triggering the Spanish American War. |
1898 | Admiral George Dewey defeats the Spanish at Manilla Bay, bringing the Philippines under U.S. control. |
1898 | Americans defeat the Spanish fleet at Santiago de Cuba, bringing Cuba under U.S. control. |
1901 | President William McKinley is assassinated by an anarchist; Theodore Roosevelt becomes president. |
1912 | Roosevelt splits Republicans by running on "Bull Moose" ticket, Democrat Wilson elected president. |
1913 | Sixteenth Amendment establishes a Federal Income Tax. |
1913 | Woodrow Wilson helps institue the Federal Reserve, a central banking system. |
1914 | The Panama canal, started in 1903 under Roosevelt's administration, is complete. |
1915 | Germany sinks the RMS Lusitania, killing over 2000 civilians, including Americans. |
1917 | The United States, under Woodrow Wilson, declares War on Germany. |
Social Reform | |
1848 | Seneca Falls Convention Women's Rights organized by Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. |
1874 | Francis Willard becomes the leader of the Women's Christian Temperence Union. |
1878 | Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton introduce amendment granting women the right to vote. |
1881 | Booker T. Washington becomes the leader of the Tuskagee Normal School in Alabama. |
1919 | Nineteenth Amendment grants women the right to vote in all states. |
1920 | Eighteenth Amendment prohibits the sale of alcoholic Beverages in the United States. |
Industry and Invention | |
1866 | Transatlantic cable laid by Cyrus Field Cyrus Field. |
1869 | First Transcontinental Railroad is completed between Council Bluff, Iowa and Oakland, California |
1873 | Railroad speculation and problems in Europe cause the financial "Panic of 1873" |
1874 | James B. Eads completes first steel bridge accross the Mississippi at St. Louis. |
1878 | Alexander Graham Bell exhibits telephone. |
1879 | Thomas Edison demonstrates first commercial lightbulb. |
1903 | Wilber and Orville test fly first airplane at kittyhawk. |
Core Reading Assignments | ||
---|---|---|
Guerber - Story of the Great Republic | The Atlantic Cable to Two Presidents (22) | |
Marshall - This Country of Ours | The President is Impeached to The Great War (8) | |
Supplemental Recommendations | ||
Evans - America First—100 Stories from Our History | Laying the Atlantic Cable to Sergeant York (11) | |
Meadowcroft - The Boys' Life of Edison | entire book | |
McSpadden - Theodore Roosevelt | entire book | |
Washington - Up From Slavery | entire book | |
Morris - True Stories of Our Presidents | Ulysses S. Grant to Theodore Roosevelt (8) | |
Morris - Heroes of Progress in America | Lucretia Mott to Booker T. Washington (16) | |
Morris - The Story of Mexico | entire book | |
Also Recommended | ||
Southworth - Builders of Our Country: Book II | Cyrus McCormick to Andrew Carnegie (5) | |
Fraser - Boys' Book of Sea Fights | Dewey at Manila Bay to Battle of Santiago Harbor (2) | |
Brawley - A Short History of the American Negro | entire book |
I: Introductory, II: Intermediate, C: College Prep