Dr. Brunet
HIST 1302 Study Guide for Midterm
You have an hour and twenty minutes for this exam, so WATCH YOUR TIME.
Part I. Identification: You will have to identify twenty of the following on the exam. I would
advise spending no more than 30 minutes on this portion of the midterm. 60 pts.
Dawes Act
Great American Desert/Eden
Mining/Cattle/Farm Boom
robber baron
captain of industry
corporation
trust
immigration figures
skyscraper
Middle Class
Panic of 1893
“crime of 1873”
Populism
Cross of Gold Speech
ethnic (immigrant) enclaves
Social Darwinism
Redeemer Nation
Frontier Thesis
Hawaii
Imperialism of Righteousness
Spanish-American War
yellow journalism
Alfred Mahan
Progressive Societies
Theodore Roosevelt
William Taft
Woodrow Wilson
Pure Food and Drug Act
Meat Inspection Act
Federal Reserve Act
Part II. Essay: Of the following, you will choose ONE to answer in a complete essay. I
would recommend spending at least 50 minutes on your essay. 40 pts.
Discuss the causes and justifications of Imperialism. In your opinion, how did Imperialism
impact both the Imperialist countries and their colonies? Was Imperialism positive or
negative force in both American and global history?
Following the Civil War, America experienced a great development of its industrial capacity.
Why was America uniquely situated at this time for an industrial revolution and what effects
did this growth have on the country? In your opinion, was the Industrial Revolution positive
or negative? Explain your answer.
Discuss everyday life in Victorian America (1870-1900), including culture and society of the
various classes of Americans during this time period. How did this time period shape our
modern views on gender and immigration? Explain.
How did the myth of the “frontier” affect American immigration into the Far West, shape
American stereotypes about the “Wild West”, and eventually lead to Imperialism? What
insights can you view about the American character and how Americans see themselves
from these stereotypes?
What were the roots of Progressivism? In your view, was Progressivism anti-Industrialism?
How much or how little did the Progressives accomplish?