Labor and Muckraking

Directions: You have chosen to learn about the Progressive Era by viewing videos and searching
for facts and answers. View the four videos that are linked to the webpage, Labor and
Muckraking. Then, use this workpage to record your answers. See the webpage for grading
parameters.
1. Why was the period from 1875-1915 nicknamed The Gilded Age?

2. Who coined the phrase, The Gilded Age?

3. What is gilding, and why was that term used to describe this time period?

4. What was the importance of railroads and, specifically, the Trans-continental railroads that
were built during the Gilded Age?

5. Explain what is meant by a business monopoly (also called a Trust).

6. What is urbanization, and how did this impact America during the late 1800s?

7. What was the Great Migration?

8. How did the building of the transcontinental railroads impact Native Americans?

9. Who was Geronimo?

10. What was the womens suffrage movement?

11. What is a labor union and how did these groups grow in power, influence, and importance
during the Gilded Age?

12. What similar events happened at the Homestead and Pullman strikes?

13. Define and explain the Interstate Commerce Act.

14. Define and explain the Sherman Anti-trust Act.

15. Who was Cornelius Vanderbilt and what industry did he build and then control in America
during the Gilded Age?

16. Who was Andrew Carnegie and what industry did he build and then control in America during
the Gilded Age?

17. Who was John D. Rockefeller and what industry did he build and then control in America
during the Gilded Age?

18. Who was Henry Ford and what industry did he build and then control in America during the
Gilded Age?

19. The men listed in questions 15-18 are sometimes collectively called robber barons. Whats
a robber baron?

20. What were the facts, who were the main players, and what was the outcome of the scandal
called credit mobilier?

21. The Gilded Age saw the rise of a third political party: the Populists. What did this party stand
for, explain any successes they had, and tell what eventually happened to the Populists.

22. Who was Tom Watson?

23. What role did the Granger Movement/Farmers Alliance have during the Gilded Age?

24. America grew in imperial influence during the Gilded Age. What is Imperialism?

25. How did America gain Hawaii?

26. How did America gain Cuba?

27. How did America gain Puerto Rico?

28. How did America gain the Philippines?

29. How did America gain Guam?

30. Explain how America came to build the Panama Canal and tell what the canal makes
possible.

31. Americans invented or improved many new and cool things during the Progressive Era.
Define patent.

32. Who improved and patented the light bulb?

33. Who invented and patented the motion picture camera?

34. Who invented and patented the telephone?

35. Who invented and patented the Model A?

36. What was the Triangle Tragedy?

37. How many deaths occurred because of #36?

38. List and explain three worker protections that could have easily prevented the tragedy.

39. What happened to the two men who owned the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory following the
tragedy?

40. What protections must be in place now because of that tragedy in workplaces?

41. What was The Jungle?

42. What is the basic plot of The Jungle?

43. Define muckraking. Is The Jungle an example of Muckraking? Explain your answer.

44. What happened in America because of The Jungle?

45. What is a government regulation? Can you give an example of one of those that America
has in place today?

46. What is a worker strike?

47. Explain what happened during the Homestead Strike.

48. Explain what happened during the Pullman Strike.

49. Because of actions like Homestead and Pullman, workers gained rights. Research and explain
3 rights that workers in the U.S.A. now have because of those early strikes.

50. Who was Samuel Gompers, and what is the AFL-CIO?