During the period from 1877-1920, the United States experienced rapid industrialization and urbanization. Many Americans moved to cities where factories provided jobs, though workers often lived in poor conditions. New technologies like the assembly line boosted industrial output but also led to concerns about labor conditions. As cities grew, they faced issues with housing, infrastructure, and political corruption. In response, reform movements gained momentum through muckraking journalism and efforts to empower workers through organized labor and unions.

1. 1877 - 1920

2. 1865-1900

3. North? South? West?

4. Starts emerging as a powerful industrial
and urban center

5. Economically devastated the and entering
the era a “Jim Crow” and sharecropping

6. Due to technological advancements,
financial opportunities and government
assistance many Americans move west to
settle the rest of our country

8.  Completed on May 10,
1869 at Promontory
Point Utah
 Union Pacific built west
from Omaha
 Central Pacific built
east from Sacramento
 This linked the East
and West Coast
 This will help travel and
create a larger market
for goods and intensify
westward expansion

9. The Mechanical Reaper: Cyrus
McCormick
• Made farming large fields more efficient
Barbed Wire
• Allowed farmers to protect their lands

10. Opened new lands in the West for
settlement and made farming more
prosperous.
By the turn of the century, the Great Plains
and Rocky Mountain region of the
American West was no longer a mostly
unsettled frontier, but was fast becoming a
region of farms, ranches, and towns.

12.  Many Americans had to
rebuild their lives after the
Civil War
 Many moved west to take
advantage of the
Homestead Act of 1862,
which gave free public land
in the western territories to
settlers who would live on
and farm the land.
 Southerners and African
Americans, in particular,
moved west to seek new
opportunities after the Civil
War.

13.  The years immediately before and
after the Civil War were the era of
the American cowboy
 Marked by long cattle drives for
hundreds of miles over unfenced
open land in the West
 This was the only way to get
cattle to market.
 The goal was to get the cattle to
RR junctions where they were
then sent to Chicago to be
“processed”
 Today many are infatuated with
the cowboy lifestyle and the
lawless ruckus nature of the Wild
West

14.  Many moved west to
attempt to strike it
rich finding gold or
silver
 This leads to the
founding of “boom
towns”
 Bars, gambling,
prostitution, and
fighting
 Example: Denver
Colorado

16. As Americans moved West the encroached
on Native American Lands
Americans wanted Native lands-ranching,
gold etc
Tried to push them on to other reservations
Natives Americans did not want to move
any more, led to violent resistance

17.  Army was ordered to move
Sioux off land, found gold
 7th Cavalry unit, led by
George Armstrong Custer,
attacked the Sioux (Lakota)
 Sioux were led by Sitting Bull
& Crazy Horse
 On June 6, 1876 Custer and
all 264 of his men were
annihilated by the Sioux
warriors
 Greatest Indian triumph
 AKA: Battle of Little Big
Horn

18. December 29th, 1890
Soldiers (7th Cav.) were
sent to disarm the a
group Sioux Indians
Something happened
and the soldiers opened
fire
The soldiers killed and
estimated 300 men,
women, and children

19. As the population moved westward, many
new states in the Great Plains and Rocky
Mountains regions were added to the
United States. By the early twentieth
century, all the states that make up the
continental United States today, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, had been admitted.

21. 1877-1920

22. When 1607-1776
From English, Scottish, Irish, German, Dutch
Motives Political, Religious, Economic
Slavery
Settled Atlantic Coast – inland to Appalachian Mountains
Contributions European Culture: language, government etc
Problems Conflict with the Native Americans
New way of life in unfamiliar area

23. When 1776-1850
From Western Europe
Motives Political, Religious, Economic
Slavery
Settled NE Cities
West to start farms
Contributions New Technologies: Railroad,
farming
Educational Ideas: Kindergarten
Problems Religious conflict: Catholics vs.
Protestants

24. When 1877-1924
From S & E Europe Asia (China, Japan)
Motives Economic, political, religious
Settled Cities , Industrial Ports
Ghettos, West Coast
Contributions Sweat shop and industrial labor
Railroad construction
Problems Adjusting to new customs
Hostilities from Americans
Immigration Limitations

25.  Prior to 1871, most
immigrants to America
came from northern and
western Europe
 During the half-century
from 1871 until 1921,
most immigrants came
from southern and
eastern Europe (Italy,
Greece, Poland, Russia,
and present-day Hungary
and Yugoslavia), as well
as Asia (China and
Japan).

26.  Like earlier immigrants,
these immigrants came to
America seeking freedom
and better lives for their
families.
 During this period,
immigrants from Europe
entered America through
Ellis Island in New York
harbor. Their first view of
America was often the
Statue of Liberty, standing
nearby, as their ships
arrived following the
voyage across the Atlantic.

27. Chinese workers
helped to build the
Transcontinental
Railroad.
Immigrants worked in
textile and steel mills
in the Northeast; the
clothing industry in
New York City

28.  Slavs, Italians, and
Poles worked in the
coal mines of the
East.
 They often worked
for very low pay and
in dangerous
working conditions
to help build the
nation’s industrial
strength.

29. The process of
making them
Americans
Immigrants
began the
process of
assimilation into
what was termed
the American
“melting pot.”

30. While often settling in ethnic
neighborhoods in the growing cities, they
and their children worked hard to learn
English, adopt American customs, and
become American citizens.
The public schools served an essential
role in the process of assimilating
immigrants into American society.

31. Despite the valuable contributions
immigrants made to build America during
this period, immigrants often faced
hardship and hostility.
There was fear and resentment that
immigrants would take jobs for lower pay
than American workers, and there was
prejudice based on religious and cultural
differences

32.  Mounting resentment led
Congress to limit
immigration through the
Chinese Exclusion Act of
1882 and the Immigration
Restriction Act of 1921.
 These laws effectively cut
off most immigration to
America for the next
several decades;
however, the immigrants
of this period and their
descendants continued to
contribute immeasurably
to American society.

33. Not the red baron…they are scary and ruthless but with a ton more
money

34. Railroads
Bought and
merged numerous
railroads together

35. Oil industry
Standard Oil
Eliminated
competition
Controlled all
aspects of
production

36. Steel industry
Controlled all
aspects of
production
World’s largest
steel maker
US Steel

37.  Finance
 Profited by loaning
money to businesses
 Merged many large
corporation together
 Influenced railroads,
steel, insurance,
electric, and various
other industries

39. Limited Liability
Owned by shareholders
Raise money by selling stocks
After 1870 most new business were
corporations

40. Process for converting iron ore into steel
Increased steel output
Steel Producing Region-Rust Belt (PA)

41. Light bulb
Electricity as a source of power and light
Phonograph

42. Telephone

43. The Assembly Line
Workers preformed
specialized tasks
Items advanced
Increased amount
that could be
produced
Reduced cost to
consumers

44. Airplane
1903

46. As the nation’s industrial growth continued,
cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland,
Pittsburgh, and New York grew rapidly as
manufacturing and transportation centers.
Factories in the large cities provided jobs,
Workers’ families often lived in harsh
conditions, crowded into tenements and
slums.

48. The rapid growth of cities caused housing
shortages and the need for new public
services, such as sewage and water
systems and public transportation.
New York City began construction of the
world’s first subway system around the
turn of the twentieth century, and many
cities built trolley or streetcar lines

50. There were problems, now time to advance and get better

51. Excesses of the Gilded Age
Income disparity, lavish lifestyles
Practices of robber barons

52. Labor Conditions
Dangerous working
conditions
Child labor
Long hours, low
wages, no job
security, no benefits
Company towns
Employment of
women

53. Political Corruption
 Corruption Graft and Scandals were in every
level of government in the late 1800s
 Parties were controlled by party “bosses

54. Government controlled by the people
Guaranteed economic opportunities
through government regulation
Elimination of social injustices

55.  Muckrakers
• Helped bring reform
issues to the public
• Journalist, writers,
artist
• Investigated and
exposed corruption
 The Jungle
• Upton Sinclair
• Showed the working
conditions of the
meat packing
industry

69.  Changes were
needed to
eliminate the
influence of
political party
bosses
 New forms of
government
(commissioner-
style and city-
manager-style)
to meet needs
of increasing
urbanization

70. Referendums: voters decided whether a
bill or amendment should be passed
Initiative: allowed voters to petition the
legislator to consider a proposed law
Recall: a petition used to force elected
officials out of office

71. Primary: allowed
voters to select
candidates
Secret Ballots:
prevents anyone
from knowing who
you voted for
 17th Amendment:
direct election of U.S.
Senators

72. Sherman Anti-Trust Act: Prevents any
business structure that “restrains trade”
(monopolies)
Clayton Anti-Trust Act: Expands Sherman
Anti-Trust Act; outlaws price-fixing; exempts
unions from Sherman Act

73. States began passing and enforcing child
labor laws

76. All laborers
Led by Terrance Powderly
Equal wages
Better work conditions
Eliminate gap between labor and capital
Idealistic political reform

77.  Skilled laborers
 Samuel Gompers
 Move power
 benefits for workers
 Realistic short term
goals

78.  Railroad
 Eugene V. Debs
 Better conditions &
wages

79. Clothing, textiles
Better work conditions
No sweatshops

80. A result of the formation of these labor
unions was the idea of Labor Strikes
What is a labor strike?

82. 1886
All laborers
Demanding shorter workday
Turned violent
Decline of Knights of Labor

84. 1892
Steel
Wanted higher wages
Turned very bloody
National guard suppressed

85. 1894
Railroad
Protesting lay offs & company town
Turned Violent
President asked the army to suppress the
strike
Eugene Debs imprisoned

89. Even though many Americans did no t like
the labor unions and many of the strikes
turned violent, the Unions did produce
some beneficial results

90. Limited Work Hours
• 40 hour work week
Regulated Work Conditions
Minimum wages
Workers Compensation

91. By 1914 all but one state set minimum
ages for workers
Many established limits on child labor
Children’s Bureau was created to
investigate child labor violations

93. The first 3 Presidents of the 20th century
were known for their Progressive
Legislation
Teddy Roosevelt (R), William Taft, (R) &
Woodrow Wilson (D)

94. Teddy Roosevelt
Consumer Protections
 Pure Food and Drug Act
 Meat Inspection Act
Business Regulation
 Strengthen government
control
 Break up trusts
(monopolies)
 Improved labor
conditions

95. Woodrow Wilson
Finical Reform
 Lowered tariffs
 Graduated income
taxes
 Created the Federal
Reserve
Business Reforms
 Reduce unfair
competition
 Increase government
power to regulate
 Reduced labor hours

97.  Was a forerunner of
modern protest
movement
 Benefited from strong
leadership
 Susan B. Anthony
 Encouraged women to
enter the labor force
during World War I
 19th Amendment:
Women gain the right to
vote

99. Laws: Laws in the south that hindered
African-American advancement and
started segregation

100. Intimidation and crimes were directed
against African Americans (lynchings).

101. African Americans looked to the courts to
safeguard their rights.
The Supreme Court ruled that “separate
but equal” did not violate the 14th
Amendment, upholding the “Jim Crow”
laws

102. Many Southern African Americans moved
to Northern cities in search of jobs and to
escape poverty and discrimination in the
South

104. Led an anti-
lynching crusade
and called on the
federal
government to take
action.

105. Believed the way to
equality was
through vocational
education and
economic success;
he accepted social
separation.
Created the
Tuskegee Institute:
a vocational school

106.  Believed that
education was
meaningless without
equality.
 He supported political
equality for African
Americans by helping
to form the National
Association for the
Advancement of
Colored People
(NAACP).