UnitFour

**"Far West" - West of the Mississippi River - Not just the west coast.**
Very Diverse - Regions, Natural Resources, People, Deserts, Plains, Mountains, Various Temperatures, Different Climates.

=﻿The Frontier= An idea/myth/concept. A land of opportunities. An imaginary line/place where it is full of opportunities, resources, challenges, etc. Once it is settled in, it is no longer a frontier. You have to make the opportunities yourself. Once all the lands are all settled in, there would be no more frontier. Fresh beginnings - individualism.

=﻿Development of the West Through.. :=

The Chinese.

 * Made up 80% of the work force when building the Transcontinental Railroad.
 * Were hardworking - made up the majority of the labor force in the West.
 * Chinatowns were formed.
 * In these towns, Chinese culture was expressed.
 * Racism/Navtivism was shown.
 * Laws were passed to restrict rights of the Chinese.
 * Chinese Exclusion Act.
 * Whites saw them as a threat - Anti-Coolie Clubs were formed to go against the Chinese.Acquired many jobs because they were willing to accept low wages and did not make many demands.
 * Different languages/cultures.

The Railroads.[[image:TranscontinentalRailroad.jpg width="356" height="258" align="right"]]

 * The railroads provided a more modern and advanced method of transportation for the westerners.
 * Provided easier method of transportation for those who wished to migrate to the West.
 * Those who did migrate, contributed to the development of the lands.
 * Started businesses, farms, etc.
 * Less complex and less time consuming method of transporting western goods to the East.

The Buffalo. [[image:Buffaloes.jpg width="418" height="270" align="right"]]

 * Hunted by the majority of Americans - material for clothes/machinery.
 * Took away the Indians' key/main food/material source.
 * Used by the Plains Indians'
 * All parts of the buffalo were pretty much used.
 * Ate the meat - major food source.
 * Used the Skin - Clothing, shoes, tepees, blankets, robes, utensils.
 * Bones - Knives, arrow tips.
 * Dried Manure - "Buffalo Chips" = fuel.
 * Tendons - Strings for the bows they used.
 * The buffalo symbolizes how the Americans were taking over/overpowering the Native American life/culture and just doing what they want to do without any consideration for the Native Americans.

Government Policies

 * Homestead Act - Subsidized land purchases - Land granted for a very low price to encourage Westward Expansion to help develop the west and help the econonmy in the west to grow.
 * Pushes the idea of the American Dream - their own homes.
 * This is WELFARE CAPITALISM. - Government intervention in the economy.

Myth V. Reality

 * ===Myth=== || ===Reality=== ||
 * The West is uninhabited land. || The Western lands were already diversly inhabited by Indians, Mexicans, and other spanish people. ||
 * Farming life is full of excitement and fun. || Farming life is difficult and often lonely. ||
 * Cowboys are powerful heros - lead exciting lifestyle. || Cowboys are low-waged workers. ||
 * More Opportunities || There was limited social mobility - people who were already of a higher class usually stayed at the same class or moved up because they had an advantage over the poorer class. Though there were many opportunities to be had for people. ||
 * Everyone can get rich from mining for silver and gold. || Only a few people got wealthy from mining gold and silver though thousands attempt it. ||
 * Empty Lands. || Land was very diverse - different climates, mountains, deserts. ||
 * Independent Farming - Subsistence Farming (Farming for food --> to feed family.) || Commercial Farming - Farmers were growing crops to sell for money - cash crops. Trying to make a profit. ||

Chapter Seventeen - Industrial Supremacy (The Second Industrial Revolution)

 * Petroleum Industry rose.
 * Education was becoming more of an importance - there were more colleges/universities.
 * Corporate research as well as development laboratories were established after the government stopped supporting research.
 * The railroad expanded to allow access to more parts the country.
 * Capitalism rising.
 * Monopolies
 * Businesses were coming to gether to establish corporations through horizontal and vertical integration.
 * Horizontal - Corporations took over competition businesses.
 * Vertical - Taking over businesses that relate to your business such as the businesses that supply your base company with the supplies, etc.
 * Business administration techniques were introduced.
 * Social Darwinism - The idea of survival of the fittest. - Supporting individualism.
 * New ethnic classes - being treated worse and worse. Irish had risen in the social class - being paid better.
 * Working places - centralized control.
 * Widespread unemployment and middle-class resentment.
 * Push for labor union.
 * Working conditions/wages became worse.
 * More women and children were working and had the lowest wages.
 * No adequate/effective children-labor laws.
 * Skilled workers -> left to start new companies - can easily fire workers and hire new workers so were scared of rebellion.
 * were many strikes
 * Homestead Strike
 * Pullman Strike
 * Great Railroad Strike

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Capitalism:
Different systems of loaning were introduced - loan companies, bank loans, etc. which promoted interaction between people and companies. There were competition amongst business owners in the same business. The idea of supply and demand was present in the time where if a particular item was in high demand, many people would be more inclined to join that particular business field.

Social Darwinism:
Some people during this time period believed that the idea of survival of the fittest should apply to humans too. They supported indepedence and were against a Welfare Capitalist nation where the government would provide aid and financial help to those who really need it. The strongest people will be the wealthiest.

Gospel of Wealth:
Some people thought that the rich should help the poor. Since they are rich, it is somewhat their duty or their responsibility to help the poor people help themselves. Helping others for your own benefit. If you're responsible, you can eventually get wealthy. The wealthy have to make society better by using their money and creating opportunities such as giving money to build schools and libraries or setting up a scholarship fund. They can also make start art programs, music programs, etc.

Inequality:
Immigrants, women, and children often worked long hours and only got paid a little. Men would be paid more than women for working the same jobs which is highly unfair. Monopolies were unfair because there were corporations who would take over an entire business field which would eliminate opportunities for some entrepreneurs.

Chapter Eighteen - The Age of the City Review

 * Increase of immigrants.
 * Different ethnic communities.
 * More cities and expansion of sities.
 * Nativism
 * Immigration Restriction League.
 * Skyscrapers
 * Professional Fire Departments.
 * Public Transit Systems
 * Crime rates rise.
 * Air pollution
 * Salvation Army
 * Boss Rule
 * Chain stores/Catalogs/Department stores.
 * Sports
 * Entertainment - Leisure Activities

The Age of the City
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Chapter Twenty - The Imperial Republic
Imperialism:
 * Expansion through **colonization**.
 * **Territorial acquisition.**
 * Acquiring control over foreign lands.
 * Extending a nation's influence abroad.
 * Expanding international power.
 * "New Manifest Destiny" - No longer applies only to the U.S. territory --> applies to other countries/lands too.
 * **Economic and Political influence.**
 * **Annexation**
 * **Colonization**
 * Industrialized nations exerting power and influence over underdeveloped nations.

Protectorat - Protecting/looking out for territory and gaining influence. Sphere of Influence - Area in which you have influence over. Example of Territorial Acquisition. Example of Economic and Political Influence
 * U.S. annexation of Hawaii.
 * Venezuelan Dispute

"ism" - A practice (Something you do), or a belief.

Imperialism is the belief in or practice of expanding power and influence internationally. Imperialist is a person who believes in this or practices the expanding of power and influence internationally.

__﻿Motivations for Imperialism__

 * Competition with other nations.
 * Loss of the frontier.
 * Expansion of the foreign market.
 * Economic expansion.
 * New markets and customers.
 * Natural resources
 * Sugar canes.
 * Oil.
 * Military needs.
 * Strategic locations for military bases.
 * Refueling on long trips.
 * To spread Christianity and Democracy
 * If people did not practice things their way = uncivilized.
 * New Manifest Destiny

Justification for Imperialism --> Social Darwinism, "Surivival of the fittest".

__﻿Examples of American Imperialism__

 * Hawaii - Resources (Sugar Cane) and Location
 * Puerto Rico - Resources (Coffee, Sugar), Large work force.
 * Philippines - Educate and assimilate island natives taken over during the Spanish American War.
 * Liberia - A place where they would send freed African Americans.
 * Virgin Islands - Formed a military base there before other nations would get the chance to during World War I.
 * Samoa Islands - Trading Center locations with Asia. Naval bases.
 * Guano Islands - Used guano deposits as fertilizer for their soil; Used to make gunpowder.
 * Iraq War - Natural Resources (Oil), Spread democracy.
 * Panama - Building of the Panama Canal.

The Spanish-American War
Who: Spain, Cuban and Filipino Islanders under Spanish control and United States

What: War between Spain and United States where Americans tried to help natives gain independence from Spain.

When: April - August 1898

Where: Cuba Philippines Puerto Rico (Aftermath) Guam (Aftermath)

Why: Americans sympathized with the Cubans and wanted to he﻿lp them become independent of Spain. Yellow journalism helped to increase American interest and sympathy in the conflict between Cuba and Spain. The explosion of the Maine, an American battleship sent to Cuban for American protection, was falsely blamed on Spain which intensified support of war with Spain.

Thesis of United States History, 1781 - 1915
Between the years of 1781 and 1915, the United States had been driven by manifest destiny, nationalism, and the advancement as well as expansion of their economy in addition to their societies. America had developed their own cultures and became one of the more powerful nations in the world.

Livia's Thesis - From 1781 to 1915, the United States went from being a small, struggling nation to becoming a threatening power to even the most powerful nations. Americans had expanded their territory, become more of an interventionist nation, and developed their own culture independent of those of their European predecessors.

Annie's Thesis - From 1781 through 1915, America struggled to form itself as one nation of individual state and its own culture, then rapidly expand across the continent and launch into a major Capitalist world power.

Group Thesis: From 1781 to 1915, American history was characterized by constant shifts between nationalism and sectionalism, expansion of territory, interactions between different cultures, interpretation of the Constitution, and industrialization. The United States was becoming a powerful nation that was rapidly gaining worldwide influence.