Sammy Quiroz

Bell Ringers

● 1/17 Do you agree with Frederick Jackson Turner’s “Frontier Thesis”? Cite an
example that supports your position.
Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis emphasized the free-flowing movement of
the frontier. He argued that there was no longer a line that defined the West, and that American
democracy was shaped by the frontier. I agree with Turner’s thesis because the movement of
the frontier and settlement of the west posed a challenge to American democracy that the
country would go on to overcome. The strength of American democracy post-Civil War was
tested as the frontier continued to expand westward. The federal government had to continue to
maintain its strength and continue to function for the benefit of all the American people. The
natural resources found on the frontier would also lead to the creation of new markets and
require new sources of labor. The transcontinental railroad would be established to connect the
east and west, providing jobs and boosting the economy, therefore furthering American
democracy.

● 1/25 In what ways was the second industrial revolution more revolutionary than
the first?
The first industrial revolution in the United States was focused mainly around
technologies including steam power, interchangeable parts, the telegraph, and the steel plow.
This revolution would greatly influence the American market, specifically the process of
production and distribution to the market. The second industrial revolution would have a greater
effect on the creation of new industry than the first, and although both would boost the American
economy, the second would create multi-billion dollar industries in shipping, steel, railroads and
oil. The second industrial revolution brought about the popularization of the Bessemer Process
and Taylorism, resulting in increased efficiency in the production of not only steel, but many
other goods. The rise of robber barons and their wealthy corporations would contribute to the
American economy in a way that was unprecedented by the first American industrial revolution.

● 1/26 Thomas Nast political cartoon

The message that Thomas Nast is trying to convey through the political cartoon is that
the railroad industry is so focused on making sure that the railroad continues to operate and
generate revenue, they will ensure its operation at any cost, regardless of environmental
impacts or impacts on American citizens. After watching “Men Who Built America,” and learning
of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s involvement with the Erie Railroad and Gould and Fisk, it is now
apparent that Nast’s political cartoon actually portrays the debacle over the ownership of the
Erie Railroad ring. The function of the railroad is the top priority to those running it, and the
chaos that ensued in the court case between Vanderbilt and Gould and Fisk is portrayed by the
men falling into the cham, one of whom appears to be Gould.
 Sammy Quiroz

Short Answer Question: “The Trust Giants Point of View--What a Funny Little Government”
(1900)

a. Explain the point of view of of the cartoonist for one of the following:
i. American economy
ii. Corporations
iii. Federal Government
1. The cartoonist viewed the federal government as an institution completely
in the hands of robber barons, specifically John D. Rockefeller. He
conveys through his cartoon that the power of the robber barons and the
oil industry dominated American politics, and that oil giants viewed the
government as simply another entity for them to take over.
b. Explain one piece of evidence from 1865-1900 that supported the point of view
expressed by the cartoonist.
i. The creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1887, and later the
passage of the Interstate Commerce Act, exemplifies the power of the railroad
and oil giants over the federal government. The ICA was supposed to regulate
the power of the railroads, but was never enforced because of the heavy
influence the railroad giants had on the federal government. The oil industry also
had ties in the transportation of oil, and influenced the federal government to
keep from enforcing the ICA.
c. Explain another piece of evidence from 1865-1900 that supported the point of view
expressed by the cartoonist.
i. The ratification of the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 also demonstrates the heavy
influence of railroad and oil giants in the federal government. The Act was
intended to outlaw monopolies in the United States, but like the Interstate
Commerce Act, it was never enforced because of the influence the robber barons
had on the federal government. Robber barons would threaten government
officials’ positions and tell them that they would not be re-elected if they voted to
enforce the Antitrust Act, effectively stopping its enforcement.