Changes

In the late 1800s the United States was still admitting new states almost as fast as they could form.  For example, in 1896 Utah was admitted as a new state.  That was the territory settled by Mormons after they migrated from Illinois.  As a condition of admission to the United States, Utah agreed to accept only traditional marriage and to ban the practice of polygamy (multiple wives for one husband).

In the late 1800s the United States was still admitting new states almost as fast as they could form.  For example, in 1896 Utah was admitted as a new state.  That was the territory settled by Mormons after they migrated from Illinois.  As a condition of admission to the United States, Utah agreed to accept only traditional marriage and to ban the practice of polygamy (multiple wives for one husband).

Also in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court held that racial segregation in public facilities, schools, railroads, restaurants and elsewhere was fully constitutional, under the "separate but equal" doctrine.  This was the decision of ''Plessy v. Ferguson'', and it is considered one of the worst judicial decisions ever.  It remained the law until it was overturned in 1954 by another Supreme Court decision, ''Brown v. Board of Education'', which then began the process of integration in many public schools.  Hence from 1896 to 1954 many public schools, particularly in the South, were segregated by the skin color of the students such that most public schools in the South (and many in the North) were comprised of either all-white students, or all-black students.

Also in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court held that racial segregation in railroads, schools, and other public facilities was fully constitutional, under the "separate but equal" doctrine.  This was the decision of ''Plessy v. Ferguson'', and it is considered one of the worst judicial decisions ever.  It remained the law until it was overturned in 1954 by another Supreme Court decision, ''Brown v. Board of Education'', which then began the process of integration in many public schools.  Hence from 1896 to 1954 many public schools, particularly in the South, were segregated by the skin color of the students such that most public schools in the South (and many in the North) were comprised of either all-white or all-black students.

== Segregation ==

== Segregation ==

[[File:White Trade Only.jpg|300px|right|thumb|1938 sign in an Ohio restaurant window excluding blacks]]

[[File:White Trade Only.jpg|300px|right|thumb|1938 sign in an Ohio restaurant window excluding blacks]]

So-called "Jim Crow" laws were passed throughout the South after the Civil War to segregate (separate) blacks from whites in schools, restaurants, neighborhoods, theaters, transportation, and drinking fountains, and also to interfere with the right to vote by the former slaves.  The name "Jim Crow" comes from a show performed on stage in the 1800s whereby a white man pretended to be black by wearing "blackface" makeup and mocking blacks based on stereotypes of that time.  Today such performances and any use of "blackface" makeup to pretend to be black is considered offensive and racist.

So-called "Jim Crow" laws were passed throughout the South after the Civil War to segregate (separate) blacks from whites in schools, restaurants, neighborhoods, theaters, transportation, and drinking fountains, and also to interfere with the right to vote by the former slaves.  The name "Jim Crow" comes from a show performed on stage in the 1800s whereby a white man pretended to be black, by wearing "blackface" makeup and mocking blacks based on stereotypes of that time.  Today such performances and any use of "blackface" makeup to pretend to be black is considered offensive and racist.

Segregation by race was also common in the North, and it is incorrect to pretend that racism occurred only in the South.  The photo above shows a restaurant in Ohio which posted a sign in 1938 saying it wanted only white customers.  For roughly a century after the Civil War no federal law prohibited discrimination by private businesses, and it was unclear whether Congress even had authority under the Constitution to ban private discrimination.  It was not until 1964 that Congress passed a Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination by restaurants, hotels, transportation, employers, and other businesses which affect interstate commerce in any way.  Private clubs which are not businesses, such as country clubs, sometimes continued to discriminate in the North and the South, and are generally beyond the authority of Congress under the Constitution.

Segregation by race was also common in the North, and it is incorrect to pretend that racism occurred only in the South.  The photo to the right shows a restaurant in Ohio which posted a sign in 1938 saying it wanted only white customers.  For roughly a century after the Civil War no federal law prohibited discrimination by private businesses, and it was unclear whether Congress even had authority under the Constitution to ban private discrimination.  It was not until 1964 that Congress passed a Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination by restaurants, hotels, transportation, employers, and other businesses which affect interstate commerce in any way.  Private clubs which are not businesses, such as country clubs, sometimes continued to discriminate in the North and the South, and are still generally beyond the authority of Congress under the Constitution.

== Railroads ==

== Railroads ==

Once the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, the Eads bridge was completed in 1874, and the prosperity of the United States skyrocketed in this post-Civil War era, enormous wealth was created by the railroads in transporting goods and people nationwide.

Once the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, the Eads bridge was completed in 1874, and the prosperity of the United States skyrocketed in this post-Civil War era, enormous wealth was created by the railroads in transporting goods and people nationwide.

Vanderbilt became the second richest man in world history, after John D. Rockefeller (discussed below).  Many decades earlier, beginning at the age of only 11, Vanderbilt quit school in order to work with his father to transport cargo and people by ferry boat between Staten Island and Manhattan.  Through tremendous hard work and shrewd business practices he amassed a fortune which culminated in his acquisition and management of several railroad lines.  He built Grand Central Station in Manhattan, which is a railroad terminal for millions of travelers today.

Cornelius Vanderbilt became the second richest man in world history, after John D. Rockefeller (discussed below).  Many decades earlier, beginning at the age of only 11, Vanderbilt quit school in order to work with his father to transport cargo and people by ferry boat between Staten Island and Manhattan.  Through tremendous hard work and shrewd business practices he amassed a fortune which culminated in his ownership and management of several railroad lines.  He built Grand Central Station in Manhattan, which is a railroad terminal for millions of travelers today.

It was not until the age of 70 that Vanderbilt greatly expanded his fortune by focusing heavily on the growing importance of the railroads.  First he acquired the New York & Harlem and Hudson Line, and then obtained control of the New York Central Railroad through the kind of uncharitable business tactic that was common both then and today. A very cold winter had frozen the Erie Canal, and Vanderbilt refused to accept passengers or freight from New York Central Railroad, which severed its connection to the West. Stuck, that railroad capitulated to Vanderbilt's demands that he be allowed to buy a controlling interest in New York Central Railroad, and from that position he was able to control much of railroad transportation from New York City to Chicago.  

It was not until the age of 70 that Vanderbilt expanded his fortune by focusing heavily on the growing importance of the railroads.  First he acquired the New York & Harlem and Hudson Line, and then obtained control of the New York Central Railroad through the kind of ruthless business tactic that was common in that era when there were almost no regulations. A very cold winter had frozen the Erie Canal, and Vanderbilt refused to accept passengers or freight from New York Central Railroad, which severed its connection to the West. Stuck, that railroad then capitulated to Vanderbilt's demands that he be allowed to buy a controlling interest in New York Central Railroad, and from that position he was able to control much of railroad transportation from New York City to Chicago.  

[[File:Biltmore Estate.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Biltmore Estate of the Vanderbilt family in North Carolina, still the largest private home in the United States having 250 rooms and nearly 179,000 square feet]]

[[File:Biltmore Estate.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Biltmore Estate of the Vanderbilt family in North Carolina, still the largest private home in the United States having 250 rooms and nearly 179,000 square feet]]

Vanderbilt himself was a crude, unrefined man who was never accepted by the elite in high society.  He donated relatively little to charity, with the exception of his donation to the Methodist Church in Tennessee which was used to build Vanderbilt University.  Instead Vanderbilt left almost his entire fortune to his eldest son, giving relatively little to the rest of his many children.

Vanderbilt himself was a crude, unrefined man who was never accepted by the elite in high society.  He donated relatively little to charity, with the exception of his donation to the Methodist Church in Tennessee which was used to build Vanderbilt University.  Instead Vanderbilt left almost his entire fortune to his eldest son, giving relatively little even to the rest of his many children.

But Vanderbilt is credited with establishing the foundation for modern transportation today, with trains that ran on time and served the public both in carrying freight and passengers.  He used new technologies in a shrewd and sometimes ruthless way, while devising methods of business organization which are still being used succcessfully.

But Vanderbilt is credited with establishing the foundation for modern transportation today, with trains that ran on time and served the public both in carrying freight and passengers.  He used new technologies in a shrewd and sometimes merciless way, while devising methods of business organization which are still being used successfully.

== Big Business and Big Oil ==

== Big Business and Big Oil ==

== Unions and Immigrant Workers ==

== Unions and Immigrant Workers ==

As the American economy grew, and businesses became more profitable, workers began to band together and "unionize" (create "unions").  A union is a group of workers at a factory or business who join together in order to negotiate better wages and working conditions.  They acquire power through their collective action, by threatening to strike if the owner does not give in to their demands.  In the early 1800s there were no unions and no strikes, but by the late 1800s workers began to see that they could increase their wages and improve their conditions by forming unions and threatening to strike.  Today, Wal-Mart does everything it can to keep its workers from unionizing, and union organizations despise it for that reason.

As the American economy grew, and businesses became more profitable, workers began to band together and "unionize" (create "unions").  A union is a group of workers at a factory or business who join together in order to negotiate better wages and working conditions.  They acquire power through their collective action, by threatening to strike if the owner does not give in to their demands.  In the early 1800s there were no unions and no strikes, but by the late 1800s workers began to see that they could increase their wages and improve their conditions by forming unions and threatening to strike.  Today, Walmart does everything it can to keep its workers from unionizing, and union organizations despise it for that reason.

Factory owners responded by hiring Chinese workers at lower wages, and unions objected to that.  Factory owners would also import Chinese workers to "break a strike," and keep the factory operating despite the refusal of the regular employees to work.  So quickly the unions became opposed to immigration from China.

Factory owners responded by hiring Chinese workers at lower wages, and unions objected to that.  Factory owners would also import Chinese workers to "break a strike," and keep the factory operating despite the refusal of the regular employees to work.  So quickly the unions became opposed to immigration from China.

== References ==

== References ==

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[[Category:American History lectures]]

[[Category:American History lectures]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:American History Lecture 10}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:American History Lecture 10}}