Progressivism

The social, political, and economic trends in American life that I think caused the reform impulse during the Progressive Era are the protection of social welfare through the softening of the harsh conditions of industrialisation, the creation of the YMCA, and the inspiration of women by settlement homes. Also the promoting of moral improvement, which was considered the key to improving lives by some reformers, through prohibition and a fear that alcohol under mined morals and the efforts of the WCTU, but sometimes the prohibitionists efforts led to trouble with immigrant groups. The creation of economic reform prompted by the panic in 1893 and leading to the growth in the idea of socialism led by Deb's critical remarks led to the creation of muckrakers who dug up dirt on big businesses and showed it to the public. Finally fostering efficiency led to more efficient workplaces through assembly lines, these improvements in efficiency were important to industry and government, except for the fact they required people to work like machines.

Important reform movement

I learned the reform movements were to improve the morals and living/ working conditions of Americans. I think the sanitation and labor conditions were the most important because they both endangered the health of Americans. The sanitation of cities was practically nonexistent before the reform. Disease and illness swept through city after city as sewage and garbage piled up in the streets. Thanks to the reform a sewage system was installed and other organised methods of waste disposal. The poor ventilation, cramped quarters, dangerous machinery and long hours were the plagues of the factories. The poor ventilation and limited exits made entire factories fire hazards as well as electrical machinery which cost many employees more than a finger or a toe while long hours for little pay exhausted workers. After reforms, a minimum number of vents and out swinging exits were setup and workers had limited work weeks. Both of these reforms saved many lives.

Puerto-Rico(1)

Puerto Rico's relationship to the U.S. was very similar to that of a colony or protectorate because of our claim on it through the Treaty of Paris. Though many Amricans questioned the descision of the U.S.'s interference, the U.S. tried to control Puerto Rico's affairs to maintain a presence in the Caribbean and be near where we planned to build a canal through Panama. A law/policy that affected its relationship with the U.S. was the instillation of a civil government. Under the Foraker Act, the U.S. appointed Puerto Rico's Governor and upper house. Puerto Rico Became an important territory following the Spanish-American War.

Spanish-American War

1. The consequences of the war for Spain and the United States were that Spain gave the U.S. Cuba,Guam, and the for $20 million the Philippines.
2. The Treaty of Paris caused such debate among Americans because the American people were unsure if it was our right too annex the Philippines because of the Declaration of Independence's law of self-government of newly acquired territories. Also, that our problems with racism and competition for jobs made the new citizens an unwelcome bunch.

Jane Adams

1. What kind of programs do you think helped immigrants the most?

The kindergarten and English classes gave immigrants the social tools they'd need in an American way of life and job skills were definitely important for survival in a city

2. On what basis do you think Addams qualified for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Not only did their work set a new standard of help to the poor but also in the specialising of skills and education of women at younger ages, she also was an organiser of efforts to improve sensitization and child labor laws as well as helping convince the state of Illinois to require safety inspections in factories and to create the first court system for juveniles. She was an especially strong supporter of and spokes[person for opportunities for women and ,"She became president of the Woman’s International League for Peace and Freedom in 1919 and was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union the next year. For her peace efforts, she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931."

Trade Unions

5. The lives of workers might have been different because the unions would have then had the power to influence the employers to a far greater extent thus being able to improve the harsh working conditions and even influence the market flow. They could demand pay raises or benefits and fight the dangerously high prices of certain monopolies.
7. Workers formed unions in the late 19th century as a way to fight for their rights as laborers through strikes, picket lines, and boycotts.
8. Factors that limited the success of unions were the refusal of recognition from manegment, employers forbade unios, union members were fired, new employees were forced to sign "yellow-dog contracts" swearing that they would not join a union, industrial leaders turned the Sherman Antitrust Act against labor, and legal limitations.

Answers 14-3

1. The difference between vertical integration and horizontal integration is that vertical integration is a company's taking over its suppliers and distributors and transportation systems to gain total control over the quality and costs of it product but, horizontal integration is the merging of companies that make similar products.
2. The theory of Social Darwinism advocates that a system of unrestrained competition will ensure the survival of the fittest.
3. The conditions many factory workers faced in the late 19Th century were 6-7 day workweeks, 12 hours of work or more a day, no benefits in any way shape or form, injuries were common, dirty and poorly ventilated factories, low wages, and child laborers forced to give up school.
4. Labor unions advocated equal pay for equal work.

1. If the last 30 years of the nineteenth century is considered the Age of the Railroads, the present age would be called the age of computers because we use them in everything we do.

2. I have an objection to big gas guzzling cars. People buy them because they think they look all big and powerful but they're really bad for the environment. They use up too much gas and send off too much exhaust into the atmosphere. Fortunately there are other cars like the ones that run on electricity or bio diesel. These are the best kinds of environmentally aware cars and in the long run you'll save hundreds of dollars on gas.
3. Computer technology exerts the most amount of influence on Americans daily lives because we use it for transportation,keeping the time, exploring space and all other frontiers, communication, entertainment and to get information, in houses and businesses for every function imaginable, in hospitals and war, and in schools.

ch.14-1 questions 1-5

1. Three factors that allowed the United States to rapidly industrialise were a wealth of natural resources, government support for business, and growing urban population that provided both cheap labor and markets for new products.
2. The invention that provided architects with the ability to build skyscrapers was steel.
3. The weight of large buildings being supported entirely by walls or by iron frames had hampered a building's height previously.
4. The harnessing of electricity transformed American business by allowing machines to be run by electric power (such as fans or printing presses), because it was inexpensive and convenient it became available in homes and spurred the invention of time-saving appliances, electric streetcars made cheap and efficient and also promoted the outward spread of cities, electricity allowed manufacturers to locate their plants where ever they wanted.
5. Women were affected by the inventions of the typewriter and the telephone because they were provided with new jobs as secretaries or operators.

History

There are several main reasons the federal government's policy of assimilation failed. One reason is that the government was continualy changing its reservation limits. For example, in 1834, the entire Great Plains was all one reservation but, inthe 1850s the government changed its policies to create specific boundaries for each tribe. The Indians continued to hunt on there original lands and clashes started with the settlers and miners who now occopied the surrouding areas. Another reason is the US Army's attitude toward Native Americans and evcents like the Massacer at Sand Creek. Native Americans who had returned peaceably to Sand Creek (500 women and children and 200 warriors) were attacked by the US Army's John Chivington under the orders of General S.R.Curtis to "make them suffer more". 150 Native Americans, mostly women and children, were killed on November 29, 1864. A third reason the policy failed was the Native Americans own retaliations. At the Fetterman Masssacer, over 80 US soldiers were killed in an ambush led by Crazy Horse in December, 1866. These are just three of many reasons why the federa governments policy of assimilation failed.