CIVIL RIGHTS INTERPRETATIONS REVISION
The Gilded Age (1875-1900)
African Americans
During the Gilded Age, African Americans’ rights declined, as segregation under the Jim
Crow laws limited their freedom and equality.
Compromise of 1877 - fed troops withdrawn from the south
Plessy v Ferguson (1896) - separate but equal
Civil Rights act 1875 - guaranteed aa equal access to public accommodations and jury
service - repealed in 1883
1901 - Teddy Roosevelt invited Booker T Washington to the white house - helped
raise the profile of the AA issue
Native Americans
During the Gilded Age, Native Americans’ rights declined significantly, as policies like the
Dawes Act reduced their land and independence.
Battle of Little Bighorn (1876) - big military victory for Lakota and Cheyenne but
devastated sovereign rights
Naz Pearce war (1877) - led to shift in opinion and future advocacy for citizenship +
land rights
Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) - US army kills hundreds of Lakota in South Dakota
Dawes Act (1887) - divided tribal lands into individual allotments to encourage
assimilation
Curtis Act (1898) - took away the right to self govt from 5 civilised tribes
by 1900, 100,000 native americans lived on the great plains
by 1900, the Navajo tribe had a population of 22,000
Indian Rights Association (1882) - formed in Philadelphia, aimed to help NA
assimilate into white american society
Trade union and labour
During the Gilded Age, trade union rights developed but remained limited, as unions grew
but faced strong opposition from employers and the government.
National Negro Labour Union Formed 1869
Great Railroad Strike (1877) - demonstrated power of collective action leading to
increased union organisation
Haymarket Riot (1886) - labour protest in Chicago turned violent after a bomb is
thrown
Homestead Strike (1892) - led to widespread refusal by employers to negotiate with
unions
Pullman Strike (1894) - nationwide railroad strike led by american railway union -
legitimised federal injunctions against strikes, which crippled union power
formation of the AFL (1886) - skilled workers union
Sherman anti trust act (1890) - used to restrict trade unions
in 1889, 200 railway workers were killed by industrial accidents
, by 1890, unskilled workers made up 35% of all industrial workers
by 1890, an unskilled labourer earnt $1.30 a day
by 1890, the average wage in southern mills was 84 cents a day
by 1900, 70% of immigration came from the middle east and europe
Women
During the Gilded Age, women’s rights improved slightly, as activism grew but most still
lacked political and economic equality.
Married Women’s Property acts (late 1800s)
by 1900, the WTCU had 7000 branches across the USA
1889 - Jane Addams established the Hull House in Chicago
by 1895, there were 50 Hull houses across the USA
1899 - the national consumer’s league set up
by 1900, 50% of women were delaying marriage to pursue careers in teaching and
social work
divorce rate in 1900 - 1 in 12 from 1 in 21 in 1880
1890s - 50% of high school graduates were female
1900 - birth rate at 3.56
by 1870, 13% of all unmarried women already worked in domestic work or
factories
by 1900, women could earn $7 a week, with 949,000 working in white collar jobs
by 1900, 17% of total workforce was women
1890 - AWSA and NWSA formed to make National American Woman Suffrage
Association NAWSA
1900 - Carrie Chapman Catt became leader of NAWSA
1883 - the women’s national Indian association for native american rights formed
by 1880, the WTCU had a membership of 27,000
The Gilded Age (1875-1900)
African Americans
During the Gilded Age, African Americans’ rights declined, as segregation under the Jim
Crow laws limited their freedom and equality.
Compromise of 1877 - fed troops withdrawn from the south
Plessy v Ferguson (1896) - separate but equal
Civil Rights act 1875 - guaranteed aa equal access to public accommodations and jury
service - repealed in 1883
1901 - Teddy Roosevelt invited Booker T Washington to the white house - helped
raise the profile of the AA issue
Native Americans
During the Gilded Age, Native Americans’ rights declined significantly, as policies like the
Dawes Act reduced their land and independence.
Battle of Little Bighorn (1876) - big military victory for Lakota and Cheyenne but
devastated sovereign rights
Naz Pearce war (1877) - led to shift in opinion and future advocacy for citizenship +
land rights
Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) - US army kills hundreds of Lakota in South Dakota
Dawes Act (1887) - divided tribal lands into individual allotments to encourage
assimilation
Curtis Act (1898) - took away the right to self govt from 5 civilised tribes
by 1900, 100,000 native americans lived on the great plains
by 1900, the Navajo tribe had a population of 22,000
Indian Rights Association (1882) - formed in Philadelphia, aimed to help NA
assimilate into white american society
Trade union and labour
During the Gilded Age, trade union rights developed but remained limited, as unions grew
but faced strong opposition from employers and the government.
National Negro Labour Union Formed 1869
Great Railroad Strike (1877) - demonstrated power of collective action leading to
increased union organisation
Haymarket Riot (1886) - labour protest in Chicago turned violent after a bomb is
thrown
Homestead Strike (1892) - led to widespread refusal by employers to negotiate with
unions
Pullman Strike (1894) - nationwide railroad strike led by american railway union -
legitimised federal injunctions against strikes, which crippled union power
formation of the AFL (1886) - skilled workers union
Sherman anti trust act (1890) - used to restrict trade unions
in 1889, 200 railway workers were killed by industrial accidents
, by 1890, unskilled workers made up 35% of all industrial workers
by 1890, an unskilled labourer earnt $1.30 a day
by 1890, the average wage in southern mills was 84 cents a day
by 1900, 70% of immigration came from the middle east and europe
Women
During the Gilded Age, women’s rights improved slightly, as activism grew but most still
lacked political and economic equality.
Married Women’s Property acts (late 1800s)
by 1900, the WTCU had 7000 branches across the USA
1889 - Jane Addams established the Hull House in Chicago
by 1895, there were 50 Hull houses across the USA
1899 - the national consumer’s league set up
by 1900, 50% of women were delaying marriage to pursue careers in teaching and
social work
divorce rate in 1900 - 1 in 12 from 1 in 21 in 1880
1890s - 50% of high school graduates were female
1900 - birth rate at 3.56
by 1870, 13% of all unmarried women already worked in domestic work or
factories
by 1900, women could earn $7 a week, with 949,000 working in white collar jobs
by 1900, 17% of total workforce was women
1890 - AWSA and NWSA formed to make National American Woman Suffrage
Association NAWSA
1900 - Carrie Chapman Catt became leader of NAWSA
1883 - the women’s national Indian association for native american rights formed
by 1880, the WTCU had a membership of 27,000
