Rise of Big Business

After the civil war, big corporations were created that could mass produce goods more efficiently. So the local retail stores starting advertising and using catalogs to intrigue and attract buyers.  By 1900 big businesses were dominating the economy; the number of factories and warehouses were growing rapidly.

These corporations were owned by numerous people that could sue or be sued. These businesses created a share of ownership called stock. Big businesses made it harder for the small corporations and businesses to compete and earn what they needed to stay in business. Many people disagreed with the idea of big business because they were unethically forcing mom and pop shops to go out of business.

Railroads

After the civil war ended, railroads in America were constructed rapidly. The construction of these railroads required a ton of capital investment and government land grants. Huge profits were made but unfortunately this lead to massive corruption in the business. The railroad boom began when President Lincoln agreed to sign the Pacific Railway Act which allowed the Transcontinental Railroad by the two major corporations.   
These two corporations were The Union Pacific and The Central Pacific. Working conditions were dirty and rough; men dealt with scorching heat through deserts, blizzards in the mountains, and angry Native Americans. Also men were hired from China to work horrible hours for about 1.00$ a day. The Transcontinental Railroad was done in 4 years despite the physical challenges the men faced daily.

New Industries

New inventions resulted in new industries and produced more wealth and jobs. Many inventions were created between 1870 and 1905, some of these inventions included Automatic lubricator for steams engines which allowed trains to run faster and less maintenance was required. This had a positive effect on society, other inventions were the typewriter, the telephone, the phonograph, carbon filament for a light bulb, automatic dishwashers, handheld camera, gas powered automobiles, and a powered flight! These inventions as well as others created a big impact on society and changed the way people lived also the way people communicated.

Free enterprise was a huge part of the success Americans had industrializing the nation. Americans adopted the French phrase Laissez-faire meaning “Let the people do as they choose.” Entrepreneurs were people who risk their capitol to organize and run businesses. These people were the ones who started new businesses and new ideas. They also were a big part of how free enterprise worked.

Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland; he was the son of a poor hand weaver who moved to the U.S 1848. He became the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad he became very successful. Thomas Scott was impressed by Carnegies’ energy and success so he became the superintendent; he began buying shares in iron mills and factories that produced sleeping cars and locomotives. By age 30 Carnegie was earning 50,000 dollars a year and decided to quit his job and focus on business investments. He opened a new steel company that mass produced steel more efficiently and cheaply. Carnegie used Vertical Integration to make his company more efficient; Vertical Integration is when a company owns all the different companies that it depends on for production. John D. Rockefeller began constructing oil refineries when others began drilling for oil. He used Horizontal Integration which is when a company buys companies that do the same thing as they do. By 1870 Rockefeller's Company was the largest oil refinery in the nation. He began buying out all of his competitors and by 1880 he controlled 90% of the nation’s
oil refining industry creating a monopoly. 

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of the most successful men in the railroad business. After the Transcontinental Railroad was finished Vanderbilt purchased and merged three New York railroads, this lead to him to extend his control out to Chicago within 4 years. In 1871 Vanderbilt began constructing The New York Grand Terminal. Before 1880 each community set their clocks by the position of the sun at noon. This lead to collisions and unsafe rides for passengers because two trains traveling on the same track could lead to collisions. So to keep this problem from happening again the American Railway Association divided the country into four time zones in 1883 which the government ratified in 1918. 

Alexander Graham Bell & Thomas Edison

Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish immigrant. In 1874 he suggested the idea of the telephone to a man named Thomas Watson who was his assistant. He began experimenting with ways to transmit sound through an electrical current. In 1876 he succeeded and in 1877 he created the Bell Telephone Company which eventually evolved into AT&T. Thomas Edison was an extraordinary inventor. He created the phonograph, the light bulb, the battery, the Dictaphone, and the motion picture! In 1889 several Edison companies merged to form the Edison General Electric Company which is known as GE in today’s society.

Thomas Edison was an extraordinary inventor. He created the phonograph, the light bulb, the battery, the Dictaphone, and the motion picture! In 1889 several Edison companies merged to form the Edison General Electric Company which is known as GE in today’s society.

Pan-America Conference

On October 2, 1889 there was the first Pan-America conference held in Washington, D.C. by Benjamin Harrison. The meaning of this conference was to meet between United States and other countries in Latin America. The purpose for this conference was to improve the economics and political relation participants. Blaine the secretary sent invitations to all nations in November 1881. The goal he tried to accomplish was to prevent wars with the nations.

Blaine took the lobby and continued the conference, and then he wrote the article called “The Foreign Policy of the Garfield Administration. Which lead to the second motive for the conference in pan-America. Plus it would have commercial relations with nations avoid war. Grover Cleveland thinks these ideas would work he, he thought it would have little impact. But Blaine didn't stop he keep with kept going with these ideas, so Benjamin Harrison told Blaine to back as Secretary of state and go on with the 
conference.

U.S. Declares War on Spain

In 1895 Spain took over Cuba, and Cuba needed help to gain their independents. So in 1898 United States declares war on Spain. Spain had a colony that rebellion in 1895.When they won the war, they now have the Philippines. When they possess the Philippines, United States had an interest on the politics of the pacific region. 

When they won the war and United States had possessions on the Philippines. The United States would have a conflict on the Japan. Because United States found itself with an insurgency, later on will have a conflict in Vietnam. An Anti-Spanish press enables America public opinion and raise to a war pitch. The war lasted approximately three months. 

Open Door Policy

The Open Door Policy is an equal trade to all countries. The purpose for this policy in 1899 was to have a treaty with china, so they didn't have a problem. All the countries have an equal amount of shares. But it took a year just to make way. It helped China economy, but America was afraid to lose their economy and political power over this. 

Japan did not agree with is absurd policy, they thought America shouldn't create this policy at all. The only reason why America created this policy was to not lose power in the east and would later gain power. Japan was upset with this policy because they had to abandon their trading to china because of this “Open Door Policy’. Japan was afraid to abandon their trading because their economy was going to be very bad and ruined to trade to other countries. But Japan economy didn't really get damage them as they thought it would of have.

Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes was born in Delaware October 4, 1822 and died January 7, 1893 in Fremont. He was President for one term; March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881. Rutherford reconstructed and restored the trust of government.  He was a successful businessman and lawyer during his lifetime. He was opposed to slavery and he was part of the Republican Party.  He volunteered his severs to Ohio when they were at war.   

William McKinley

William McKinley also known as “Idol of Ohio” was the 25th President 1897 through 1901. During his time of President he makes the decision to help out Cuba when Spain was ruling Cuba. When United States helped Cuba win their independents, they wanted to enter the 20th century with a strong and new “empire”. When McKinley was young and the Civil war started, he was a valiant soldier. He was one of the best; he was a private then got ranked Brevet Major on the staff of Colonel Rutherford Hayes. On September 14, 1901 he got killed by an assassin while he gave the first lady his full attention.

Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland was one of nine kids; he was a lawyer in Buffalo, New York. Three years after elected, he governed New York. Grover Cleveland was the President of the United States 1885 through 1889 and 1893 through 1897. In 1894 Sino-Japanese breaks out of war, but the United States did not get involved in the war. He vetoed many private pension bills to Civil Veterans. 

The Rise of Progressivism

Progressivism is exactly what it sounds like; the movement towards progress. Progressivism was a time in which people rose and protested against the government and society. They wanted change that was fair and just. This meant that many changes would have to be made in order to accomplish this. The government was corrupt and progressives wanted to change that. With the urbanization and industrialization both occurring at the same time, society was also crumbling on itself. The progressives began a movement that changed the rest of history in the United States forever.

Early progressives were known as muckrakers. These were people who were considered journalists or reporters who uncovered the dirty truths that all the big businesses and bosses were hiding. Among the major issues that muckrakers uncovered were, child labor and the meat packing industry. These two prominent issues lead to the endorsing of laws that prohibited or restricted certain issues that were considered harmful or unjustified. Progressives also wished to change the government. They believed that the government should run itself more efficiently and should really give an interest as to what businesses do and how they carry themselves. This lead to elections being anonymous and fair; limited power over corporations; and people were allowed to question leaders with no worry of being sanctioned for it. 

Reforming Society

Many of the progressives focused on changing the way politics were handled. But there was also another group of progressives that wanted to reform society. They focused on issues such as child labor, health and safety codes, prohibition of alcohol, and changing big business. They worked hard to change the way society views these subjects due to the fact that most people considered it normal. Many also depended that their kids went to work alongside them or for them. Businesses also did not want to change the way they managed their areas because they wanted to make more profit. Either way, progressives fought hard for what they believed would make a better society.

Child labor was considered almost normal in society during this time period. Migrant workers did not necessarily want to send their kids to schools because they feared they would become “Americanized” and would forget their roots and traditions. Progressives argued that all children should attend school and demonstrated how the children’s labor left the permanently disabled and scarred. With this evidence, states passed laws against child labor, setting age limits and the kinds of works children were allowed to do. Health and safety codes were an issue that stood out in factories, specifically in the meat packing industry. There were rats and insects crawling all over the grounds in meat industries that did not ever address the problems. There were also incidents of employees injuring themselves from faulty equipment. They would be fired from their jobs afterwards, not able to sustain themselves afterwards. The progressives worked hard to change this, giving workers’ pensions when dismissed from work due to accidents. There was also a laws passed about cleanliness in meat packing industries that included regulations. 

Conservation

While Roosevelt was in presidency, he noticed that our natural resources were being used up at an alarming rate and that something needed to be done. He wanted to make areas that were not open to exploitation of minors, hunters, or constructors. Roosevelt urged Americans to realize the natural beauty that the United States had and stop the destruction of it before it was too late. Roosevelt said, “Between the man that skins the land and the man who develops the country. I am going to work with, and only with, the man who develops the country. This means that Roosevelt’s best interest was to make the country a better place, not a place lacking its resources.

He began by allowing government money to pay for irrigation in western states that had scarcity of water. This made it possible for farmers to work the lands better, and therefore allow the country to grow as a whole. Roosevelt also believed that conserving forest areas was just as important due to the fact that forests were being wiped out too quick. Roosevelt then created over 100 million acres to protected national forests and created 5 new national parks, and 51 federal reservations. Roosevelt is the reason that today we have national parks that are not at the mercy of lumber companies. 

John Muir

John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of these adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is now one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. One of the most well-known hiking trails in the U.S., the 211-mile (350 km) John Muir Trail, was named in his honor. Other places named in his honor are Muir Woods National Monument, Mu  Ir Beach, John Muir College, Mount Muir, Camp Muir, and Muir Glacier. 

Elizabeth Cady

Elizabeth Cady was an American social activist, and leading figure of the early women’s rights movement. Her Declaration of Sentiments, presented at the first women’s rights convention held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. Cady is often credited with initiating the first organized women’s rights and women’s suffrage movements in the United States. Elizabeth Cady was formally educated. Stanton scandalized many supporters by suggesting that drunkenness be made sufficient cause for divorce. Stanton and Anthony’s focus, however, soon shifted to female suffrage and women’s rights. She did this very successfully, winning several academic awards and honors, including the award for Greek language. 

Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt was the 26^th president of the United States. He attended Harvard University, where he studied biology; he also developed an interest in naval affairs. He wrote numerous books on hunting, the outdoors, and current political issues, as well as frontier history. In 1884, his wife and his mother died on the same day. He left politics and went to the frontier, becoming a rancher in the “Badlands” in the Dakotas. Upon his return to New York City, he ran for mayor in 1886, finishing third with 60,000 votes. He later gained fame by taking vigorous charge of the city police.

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

On June 28^th, 1914, Franz Ferdinand and his wife were visiting the Bosnian capital of Saravejo. As they were driving, a revolutionary by the name of Gavrilo Princip shot and killed Ferdinand and his wife. Princip was part of the Serbian nationalist group called the “Black Hand”. The desired outcome was to start a war that would destroy the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Ferdinand’s assassination triggered instant tension between the Austro-Hungarian government and Serbia. This caused alliances to build with Germany and Austro-Hungaria as they prepared to attack Serbia, since they knew that Russia would help Serbia. The Russians had alliances with France, making them have a slight upper hand in the war to come. On July 28^th, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Afterwards, on August 1^st, Germany declared war on France. Thus, all due to the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, World War I began.

Germany was one of the first to be prepared for war against France and Russia. They began an invasion on France, believing that it would terminate them from the war so they could continue with Russia. Their plan was flawed though, since they had to travel through Belgium, which was neutral to the war. Belgium had been guaranteed neutrality by Britain, so when Germany proceeded through Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany. Those who fought for the Triple Entente were called the Allies (book). The main components of the Allies were France, Russia, and Great Britain. Afterwards, Germany and Austria-Hungary joined the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria to form the Central Powers. They had great success in the Eastern Front when it came to war. 

America Declares War

When the war began between the European countries, President Wilson had declared the neutrality of the United States of America. President Wilson said,” We must be impartial in thought as well as in action.” This was very difficult for the countries citizens though, considering all the immigration that had occurred prior to the outbreak of war. The different citizens residing in the U.S. supported their land of birth. The United States was able to remain neutral for more than 2 years. Both the British and German used propaganda to appeal to the United States. The most convincing propaganda came from the British, slightly swaying the U.S. towards them. Many government officials, such as Robert Lansing (chief advisor of the Secretary of State Jennings Bryan who had chosen neutrality), supported Britain. Britain also cut off the new feed between the U.S. and themselves; by doing so, Americans only knew what the Britain’s wanted them to know.

Tensions began to stir between the U.S. and Germany due to the fact that Germans where attacking U.S. cruise ships, specifically the Lusitania. This occurred on May 7^th, 1915; the German submarine killed almost 1,200 passengers, this action made the U.S. angry but not enough to declare war on them. Germany made the Sussex Pledge, which was the agreement of Germany to the U.S. to not sink anymore merchant ships without warning. Despite the peace efforts, on January 1917 the “Zimmerman telegram” was intercepted and reported to the U.S. It stated that Germany promised Mexico to give back the land the U.S. had taken from them. This made the United States angry but did not declare war at that moment. Germany continued to sink U.S. ships until Wilson requested that Congress to declare war on Germany on April 2^nd, 1917.

Military in Combat

In the beginning of World War I, many countries tried to use traditional methods of war to combat each other. They did not realize that this was not possible due to all the new technologies and firearms. These caused massive deaths and destruction throughout Europe, and continued until leaders realized those methods were no longer working. Machine guns cause a great deal of massive death due to their capacity to shoot many times in a short period of time without the need to necessarily move. In order to survive these combats, each side began to dig, creating trenches. This was beginning of trench warfare. Troops would dig their trenches, extending them for miles and miles. The area between the enemies was known as “no man’s-land” and was filled with barb wire and obstacle courses to get across. Troops would attempt to invade and overthrow each other’s trenches to gain an upper hand.

Trenches were often filthy and were filled with dead bodies and rats that carried diseases with them. This caused the troops to not only loose men in combat, but to also lose them to fatal diseases. At this point, it seemed like neither side was winning nor losing, they called this a stalemate, because almost equal losses of men were seen on each side. When Americans arrived with their allies, Germans spoke of having lost the war due to the fact that the new troops were fresh and eager to fight, whereas Germany had used up all it had by then. At the 11^th hour on the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1918, the war was declared over. 

Jeannette Rankin

Jeannette Rankin was born June 11^th, 1880 in Missoula County, Montana. She began her life as a pacifist and remained that way. Rankin did things most girls didn't and graduated from both college and high school. On November 7^th, 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first women congressional representative. This happened in Montana; it caused controversy and celebration in the political world, showing that women could have equal power compared to men. She explained her victory by stating that women “got the vote in Montana because the spirit of pioneer days was still alive.” This meant that Jeannette Rankin knew that women had a voice that was going to be heard either way, and she caused controversy but yet, was an inspiration to many more women. 

Alvin York

Alvin York was born on December 13^th, 1887, in Pall Mall, Tennessee. He was known for being on the most famous soldiers in World War I. He had grown up in poverty and had the skills of a crack marksman, a skill that he used to hunt for his family and himself. Although he was an amazing soldier with a great attitude towards winning, he declared himself a convinced pacifist. He was to have captured 132 prisoners, although he never took pride in this or his acts. York never claimed to have acted alone and did not want all the fame that was being given to him upon his return. Since he was considered a war hero, York was presented with an unfinished home and a farm by the Rotary Club of Nashville, along with other Tennessee clubs. York passed away on September 2^nd, 1964.

Eddie Rickenbacker

Eddie Rickenbacker was born in Columbus Ohio on October 8^th, 1890. He was a race car driver before World War I began. He was one of the best, especially because of his quick time to react during stressful situations. This helped him a lot when it came to becoming a pilot in the war. He is known as a war hero due to the fact that he shot down 26 air-crafts  Rickenbacker fought in 134 air battles and was declared the top American combat pilot after he fought seven German air-crafts on his own; this act of bravery awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor.