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| | On the SAT II, about 20% of the test concerns ''economic'' history. That's a big portion of the exam. This includes questions about unions, money standards (gold or silver or paper), inventions, trade, taxes, farming, court decisions about economic disputes, disputes over the size of pensions for Civil War veterans, government spending and anything else affecting the economy. Economic trends influence the course of human events more than students realize. | | On the SAT II, about 20% of the test concerns ''economic'' history. That's a big portion of the exam. This includes questions about unions, money standards (gold or silver or paper), inventions, trade, taxes, farming, court decisions about economic disputes, disputes over the size of pensions for Civil War veterans, government spending and anything else affecting the economy. Economic trends influence the course of human events more than students realize. |
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| − | In the time period after the end of Reconstruction (1877) until the key presidential election of 1896, economic issues were particularly important. Very little else was happening: the presidents were unremarkable and, frankly, entirely forgettable. Social disputes like slavery were resolved. And for the longest time in American history, there were no wars. America had no wars between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and the beginning of the Spanish-American War in 1898, a period of 33 years. Ask yourself: when was the second longest time of peace in American history?<ref>The second longest time period of peace in American history was between the end of the War of 1812 (in 1815) and the beginning of the Mexican War (in 1846), a period of 31 years. See http://americanhistory.about.com/library/timelines/bltimelineuswars.htm .</ref> | + | In the time period after the end of Reconstruction (1877) until the key presidential election of 1896, economic issues were particularly important. Very little else was happening: the presidents were unremarkable and, frankly, entirely forgettable. Social disputes like slavery were resolved. And for the longest time in American history, there were no wars. America had no wars between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and the beginning of the Spanish-American War in 1898, a period of 33 years. Ask yourself: when was the second longest time of peace in American history?<ref>The second longest time period of peace in American history was between the end of the War of 1812 (in 1815) and the beginning of the Mexican War (in 1846), a period of 31 years. See http://americanhistory.about.com/library/timelines/bltimelineuswars.htm</ref> |
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| | The Supreme Court ruled in 1883, in the Civil Rights Cases, that the Fourteenth Amendment was limited to prohibiting racial discrimination by government. These decisions held that the Fourteenth Amendment does not apply to racism by private groups. This ended the civil rights movement until the 1950s. So there is nothing to learn about civil rights concerning the late 1800s. | | The Supreme Court ruled in 1883, in the Civil Rights Cases, that the Fourteenth Amendment was limited to prohibiting racial discrimination by government. These decisions held that the Fourteenth Amendment does not apply to racism by private groups. This ended the civil rights movement until the 1950s. So there is nothing to learn about civil rights concerning the late 1800s. |
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| | * stock ticker for Wall Street | | * stock ticker for Wall Street |
| | * phonograph (record player) (1877) (Edison is shown with his phonograph in the picture above) | | * phonograph (record player) (1877) (Edison is shown with his phonograph in the picture above) |
| − | * a practical light bulb (1879)<ref>In 1879, Edison invented the light bulb in Menlo Park, New Jersey, where this is a monument to his honor and a small museum. By 1882, Edison was able to light up New York City, and by 1898 there were 3,000 electrical generators nationwide.</ref> | + | * a practical light bulb (1879)<ref>In 1879, Edison invented the light bulb in Menlo Park, New Jersey, where there is a monument to his honor and a small museum. By 1882, Edison was able to light up New York City, and by 1898 there were 3,000 electrical generators nationwide.</ref> |
| | * the electric power station (1882) | | * the electric power station (1882) |
| | * the industrial research laboratory | | * the industrial research laboratory |
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| | But the first modern oil well was in Pennsylvania, when Colonel Edwin L. Drake drilled down 72 feet near Titusville (just east of Pittsburgh) and struck "Oil Creek." Oil production there started in 1859. That oil sold for $40 a barrel (note that a dollar was worth far more then), so it was even more expensive to buy than oil is today! It was used for medicine, as there were no cars then.<ref name="Oil"/> | | But the first modern oil well was in Pennsylvania, when Colonel Edwin L. Drake drilled down 72 feet near Titusville (just east of Pittsburgh) and struck "Oil Creek." Oil production there started in 1859. That oil sold for $40 a barrel (note that a dollar was worth far more then), so it was even more expensive to buy than oil is today! It was used for medicine, as there were no cars then.<ref name="Oil"/> |
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| − | A devout Christian who abandoned public high school before finishing,<ref>When John D. Rockefeller later had children of his own, he and his wife homeschooled them until age ten. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/44035/john_d_rockefeller_jr.html .</ref> John D. Rockefeller, had just started his first job a few years earlier. He developed a tremendous work ethic, and was immediately attracted to the discovery of oil in 1859. He quickly entered the business and hooked up with an inventor who knew how to cheaply refine the oil into something usable. By 1870 Rockefeller founded Standard Oil Company, and then began pursuing highly aggressive business tactics to drive out competitors and consolidate his control (monopolize the industry).<ref name="Rockefeller">http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h957.html</ref> | + | A devout Christian who abandoned public high school before finishing,<ref>When John D. Rockefeller later had children of his own, he and his wife homeschooled them until age ten. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/44035/john_d_rockefeller_jr.html</ref> John D. Rockefeller, had just started his first job a few years earlier. He developed a tremendous work ethic, and was immediately attracted to the discovery of oil in 1859. He quickly entered the business and hooked up with an inventor who knew how to cheaply refine the oil into something usable. By 1870 Rockefeller founded Standard Oil Company, and then began pursuing highly aggressive business tactics to drive out competitors and consolidate his control (monopolize the industry).<ref name="Rockefeller">http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h957.html</ref> |
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| | In 1882, Rockefeller formed a new type of business entity called the "trust", and named it the Standard Oil Trust of Ohio. But ten years later a decision by the Ohio Supreme Court decision forced him to break up his Trust into 20 smaller businesses. In 1899 he formed a holding company for all his businesses in the name of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. By 1911 it controlled an astounding 95% of the entire oil industry, but then the U.S. Supreme Court forced Rockefeller to break up it up into smaller pieces and separately controlled companies, one of which became Exxon. Rockefeller then retired and devoted the remainder of his long life to philanthropy (giving away his money to charitable causes).<ref name="Rockefeller"/> | | In 1882, Rockefeller formed a new type of business entity called the "trust", and named it the Standard Oil Trust of Ohio. But ten years later a decision by the Ohio Supreme Court decision forced him to break up his Trust into 20 smaller businesses. In 1899 he formed a holding company for all his businesses in the name of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. By 1911 it controlled an astounding 95% of the entire oil industry, but then the U.S. Supreme Court forced Rockefeller to break up it up into smaller pieces and separately controlled companies, one of which became Exxon. Rockefeller then retired and devoted the remainder of his long life to philanthropy (giving away his money to charitable causes).<ref name="Rockefeller"/> |