Title: Politics in the Gilded Age, 1870–1900
Course: Marie's Demo Course

Q: What characterized the era known as the Gilded Age?
- great economic diversity
- sweeping economic changes
- unequaled economic prosperity
A: sweeping economic changes

Q: Why was the period towards the end of the nineteenth century known as the Gilded Age?
- It was characterized by pretense and fraud.
- It was a time when most American prospered financially.
- It was the period in which the United States adopted the gold standard.
A: It was characterized by pretense and fraud.

Q: What is the era towards the end of the nineteenth century, characterized by great transformation, commonly called today?
- the Gilded Age
- Reconstruction
- the Age of Reason
A: the Gilded Age

Q: Why did the Republican Party lose political dominance in the 1870s and 1880s?
- Several third parties that opposed Republican policies were formed.
- Republicans were criticized for granting government assistance to settlers.
- Americans were disappointed by the failure of Reconstruction-era policies.
A: Americans were disappointed by the failure of Reconstruction-era policies.

Q: What was an unintended result of the failure of Reconstruction-era policies?
- The Republican Party lost its political dominance.
- Settlers in the Western territories suffered economically.
- Railroads and telegraphs were transferred into public ownership.
A: The Republican Party lost its political dominance.

Q: Which American third party’s membership included mostly farmers and laborers?
- the Populist Party
- the Greenback Party
- the Prohibitionist Party
A: the Populist Party

Q: Farmers and laborers who were displeased with the actions of the Republicans and Democrats in the 1890s formed which party as a response?
- the Populist Party
- the Greenback Party
- the Prohibitionist Party
A: the Populist Party

Q: In the 1890s, the Populist Party had the greatest appeal among which types of people?
- farmers and laborers
- women and former slaves
- urban workers and immigrants
A: farmers and laborers

Q: Which position did the Republicans of the nineteenth century but not the Democrats support?
- A non-interventionist, laissez-faire economic policy should be followed.
- Government should play a major role in the lives of the American people.
- Utilities such as railroads and telegraph lines should be publically owned.
A: Government should play a major role in the lives of the American people.

Q: Which position did the Democrats of the nineteenth century but not the Republicans support?
- A non-interventionist, laissez-faire economic policy should be followed.
- Government should play a major role in the lives of the American people.
- Utilities such as railroads and telegraph lines should be publically owned.
A: A non-interventionist, laissez-faire economic policy should be followed.

Q: The Populist Party’s demands for reform included which of the following?
- more direct elections
- freer immigration policies
- the elimination of the income tax
A: more direct elections

Q: What position did the Populist Party support?
- Congressmen should be appointed by governors instead of directly elected.
- The federal income tax should be eliminated in favor of local and sales taxes.
- The government should own all railroads and telephone and telegraph lines.
A: The government should own all railroads and telephone and telegraph lines.

Q: Which of the following was most responsible for the economic difficulties in the 1890s?
- perceived instability of the U.S. currency
- over-speculation in the American stock market
- droughts and dust storms in the Western territories
A: perceived instability of the U.S. currency

Q: What was most responsible for causing the Depression of 1893?
- People invested more in the stock market than they could afford to.
- The use of silver for coinage made foreign investors wary about the U.S. currency.
- A series of droughts and dust storms threatened agriculture in the new territories.
A: The use of silver for coinage made foreign investors wary about the U.S. currency.

Q: Which Populist positions did the Democrats and Republicans adopt after the election of 1896?
- the direct election of senators
- the elimination of the income tax
- the government regulation of industry
A: the direct election of senators

Q: In the late nineteenth century, how did business owners typically respond to periods of economic stagnation?
- by increasing workers’ hours and responsibilities while cutting wages
- by seeking new methods for production while producing similar goods
- by reducing the quality of goods produced while maintaining their quantity
A: by increasing workers’ hours and responsibilities while cutting wages

Q: How did American workers most often protest unfair labor conditions before the onset of labor unions?
- by using violence
- by organizing strikes
- by performing poor work
A: by performing poor work

Q: What led some businesses in the early twentieth century to accept unions rather than resist them?
- The most qualified workers were union members who would only work for “closed shops.”
- They hoped that accepting unions would be an effective way to prevent strikes and other labor problems.
- The elected leaders of unions were usually more conducive to the businesses’ interests than their workers.
A: They hoped that accepting unions would be an effective way to prevent strikes and other labor problems.