Title: Industrialization and Urbanization (1870-1900)
Course: Question Banks

Q: While many technological advancements were produced in the nineteenth century, in what three areas did inventions make the most impact?
- Domestic appliances, communication, steel production (Incorrect. Inventions related to communication (telephone) and steel production (Bessemer Process) were majorly impactful. Even though new household inventions changed the lives of women, they were not as significant as another type of invention.)
- Steel production, electric power, transportation. (Incorrect. Inventions related to steel production (Bessemer Process) and electric power (lights) were majorly impactful. Transportation had changed in the early nineteenth century with the railroads and would again in the early twentieth century with the automobile, but late nineteenth century inventions focused in other areas.)
- Electric power, domestic appliances, communication (Incorrect. Inventions related to electric power (lights) and communication (telephone) were majorly impactful. Yet, even though new household inventions changed the lives of women, they were not as significant as another type of invention.)
- Communication, steel production, electric power (Correct! Each of these three areas saw major advancements. Communication saw the advent of the telephone. Steel production increased due to the newly developed Bessemer Process, and thanks to Thomas Edison, the electric lighting was born.)
A: Communication, steel production, electric power

Q: Rachel is a housewife in Boston during the 1890s. She takes you on a tour of her home to show you the latest technologies that have altered the domestic lives of women like here in the late nineteenth century. Which of the following might she show you on the tour?
- an adjustable broom (Incorrect. Rachel likely would have upgraded her floor cleaning appliance to a vacuum, one of the main household inventions of the time period.)
- an extra wide outhouse (Incorrect. Rachel instead, would have shown you her new flushing toilet, whose invention improved sanitation and convenience for many American families.)
- a four-door car (Incorrect. While the end of the 1800s proved a major boon for inventions, the automobile would not be invented until the next century. So Rachel would not have one to show off just yet.)
- a freezer full of pre-packaged food (Correct! The end of the 1800s saw the rise of prepared foods that could be frozen thanks to experiments by Clarence Birdseye. For Rachel and others who could afford such foods it reduced the time they spent cooking meals, granting them chances to use this time to work, learn, and pursue)
A: a freezer full of pre-packaged food

Q: Which of the following statements best characterizes the relationship between inventions and cities during the late nineteenth century?
- New inventions allowed workers to seek agricultural jobs away from cities. (Incorrect. New inventions, especially electric lighting, pulled people closer to cities. They led to greater efficiency which in turn led factories and their workers to move closer to urban centers. Industrial work and likewise cities expanded during the late-nineteenth century.)
- New inventions limited the need for industrial workers, stalling urban growth. (Incorrect. New inventions caused a greater need for employees in factories, and as these factories moved closer to cities, so did those who worked them.)
- There was no strong correlation between late-nineteenth inventions and cities. (Incorrect. There was indeed a direct relationship between inventions and cities. As new inventions brought factories to cities, they also brought workers, and the urban populations rose greatly.)
- New inventions led to urban growth. (Correct! New inventions, especially electric lighting, led to greater efficiency which in turn led factories and their workers to move closer to cities. The rise of inventions spurred urban growth in America during the late-nineteenth century.)
A: New inventions led to urban growth.

Q: Fredrick Taylor developed a scientific management theory to improve factory work. The main principle of his theory, named Taylorism, claimed the following to be true:
- Workers should be assigned a specific task to perform along an assembly line, dictating the speed of labor by the speed of the belt. (Incorrect. The use of an assembly line would come later from Henry Ford and his automobile factories, although he did build off of Taylor’s idea of subdivision of tasks among workers.)
- Each employee should oversee the creation of a product from beginning to end. (Incorrect. This was a process that Taylor tried to get away from. Taylorism expressed that rather than have one worker complete twenty steps to make an item, have twenty workers each in charge of a single task in production.)
- Factories should increase scale and scope of operations to mass produce goods. (Incorrect. Taylorism would lead to mass production but his theory was centered around how to assign labor tasks to individual workers.)
- The subdivision of labor tasks speeds up production and increases efficiency of manufacturing. (Correct! Taylor correctly asserted that by assigning workers individual jobs, both they and the parts became interchangeable, which allows for production increase and overall business growth.)
A: The subdivision of labor tasks speeds up production and increases efficiency of manufacturing.

Q: How would you best characterize the relationship between industrial labor and profits in the late nineteenth century?
- Labor became more skilled; profits decreased (Incorrect. The exact opposite happened. With more efficient means of production, labor became unskilled. This allowed companies to pay their employees less and make greater profits.)
- The nature of labor and profits did not change during this era (Incorrect. New inventions, models and production ideas created unskilled work. This had an effect on the way workers were paid.)
- Labor became less skilled; profits decreased (Incorrect. It is true that labor became less skilled during this time period, but it did not decrease profits.)
- Labor became less skilled; profits increased (Correct! As work became unskilled, so did workers who could then be paid very little. This allowed profit margins to increase and contributed to the rise of big business.)
A: Labor became less skilled; profits increased

Q: Who were the Robber Barons of the late-nineteenth century?
- Wealthy men who inherited vast fortunes from European aristocrats (Incorrect. While their lifestyles did mirror that of European elites, the Robber Barons were American men who came to their riches through their businesses.)
- Titled aristocrats who immigrated to America and invested their fortunes in the U.S. economy. (Incorrect. While their lifestyles did mirror that of European elites, the Robber Barons were American men who came to their riches through their businesses.)
- Gang of thieves who robbed rich American businessmen. (Incorrect. The term Robber is figurative, and describes growing social inequality of the times, as rich business owners grew extremely wealthy while their workers largely remained impoverished.)
- Titans of finance and industry who built vast fortunes through industrial capitalism (Correct! The Gilded Age gave rise to big business and big business owners. While these elite became extremely rich, the era also saw massive social and financial inequalities, with poverty increasing as well. Hence the negative term “robber baron” which implied that they used shady and manipulative business practices to grow their corporations.)
A: Titans of finance and industry who built vast fortunes through industrial capitalism

Q: Freddy’s Fries owns potato farms in Idaho. They also own a share of the railroad company that transports their potatoes to their factories in Pittsburgh. There they are cut, preserved, packaged and shipped to their fry carts around the northeast. There they are cooked and sold to customers. This company is an example of which business model:
- Taylorism. (Incorrect. This business theory concerns the subdivision of labor tasks between individual workers in order to increase efficiency. Freddy’s may have this in their factory, but overall they show a different kind of business model.)
- Horizontal integration. (Incorrect. Horizontal integration is the process of a company increasing production of goods or services at the same part of the supply chain. Freddy’s instead exemplifies a different kind of business model where a company controls all parts of a product’s lifecycle.)
- Corporate merger. (Incorrect. If Freddy’s acquired or joined Forest’s Fry Company this would be a merger. Instead, the example above shows us a different kind of business model.)
- Vertical integration. (Correct! Freddy’s shows this business model wherein a company handles all aspects of a product’s lifecycle, from the creation of raw materials through the production process to the delivery of the final product.)
A: Vertical integration.

Q: The U.S. government passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in 1890 to combat which issue:
- Mass production. (Incorrect. Products were able to be produced at a faster rate and larger quantity than ever before, but the act did not attempt to limit this business model.)
- Rising poverty. (Incorrect. While poverty certainly was on the rise during the late 1800s, the act did not address that problem but another problem created by companies in certain industries.)
- Vertical integration. (Incorrect. However, many of the impacted businesses did practice vertical integration in their quest to control all aspects of product development and to crush any competition.)
- Monopolies. (Correct! Around the time of the act only 1% of companies controlled 40% of the American economy. Titans like John D. Rockefeller had shrewdly formed monopolies in certain industries, crushing any competition and controlling all aspects of a products lifecycle.)
A: Monopolies.

Q: Mary owns a flower shop on main street. Sarah owns a shrubbery one block over. Mary and Sarah decide to unite their horticultural businesses into one entity: “M&S Greenery.” This is an example of:
- Horizontal integration (Incorrect. Horizontal integration is the process of a company increasing production of goods or services at the same part of the supply chain. “M&S Greenery” instead is an example of something else.)
- Trust (Incorrect. A trust is formed when a small group of “trustees” possess legal ownership of a business that they operate for the benefit of other investors. “M&S Greenery” is an example of something else.)
- Holding Company (Incorrect. Mary and Sarah did not form a holding company, which is when a central corporate entity controlled the operations of multiple companies by holding the majority of stock for each enterprise.)
- Corporate merger (Correct! Mary and Sarah combining their separate shops entities into a single company is an example of a business merger.)
A: Corporate merger

Q: The wives of the wealthy businessmen of the Gilded Age notably pursued which of the following activities:
- Starting the Second Great Awakening (Incorrect. Many of these wives were Christian churchgoers, but the Second Great Awakening ended before the middle of the 1800s.)
- Demonstrating feminine virtues. (Incorrect. While they did portray many such virtues - grace, compassion, selflessness - it was not really an activity.)
- Signing prenuptial agreements. (Incorrect. Some wives did, but the notable pursuit they engaged in was philanthropic and involved using their husband’s fortunes.)
- Contributing to charities. (Correct! Many spouses of the captains of industry took charge in using some of their vast wealth towards philanthropic causes.)
A: Contributing to charities.

Q: Andrew Carnegie wrote The Gospel of Wealth to describe how those made rich through capitalism should behave. What was his main point in his essay?
- Because society evolved to allow the most fit and talented to rise to the top, those on bottom only had themselves to blame for their poverty. (Incorrect. Carnegie did utilize the theory of social darwinism in his essay, but concluded that meant those at the top should be kind, and use their fortunes to help the lower classes.)
- Through hard work and a determined attitude any man in America could rise in the business world and make a fortune for himself. (Incorrect. This idea of the “self-made man” was popular at the time, but Carnegie did not focus on the rags-to-riches story in his essay. His thesis was about how those who had already made it should help those who had not.)
- The wealthy elite in America should secure and increase their fortunes in order to ensure that future generations of their families would continue to remain at the top echelons of society. (Incorrect. Carnegie actually wrote that on the contrary, the wealthy should be involved in helping the poor, not hoarding their fortunes for future generations.)
- Those whose abilities allowed them great success should act benevolently and share their wealth with the less fortunate masses. (Correct! Carnegie had grown up poor and knew what it was like to be “on bottom,” and so he encouraged the wealthy to use their riches to bless the lives of the poorer public.)
A: Those whose abilities allowed them great success should act benevolently and share their wealth with the less fortunate masses.

Q: Which of the following statements is true of the banking empire built by J.P. Morgan?
- It was lauded by the American people, who had no critiques of him, but rather became an example of what savvy business acumen can achieve. (Incorrect. Morgan’s success and business practices had plenty of detractors who distrusted large banks and who would come to blame him for the Great Depression.)
- It was the epitome of a rags-to-riches story that showed America through grit and vision you could become wealthy. (Incorrect. Morgan did not rise through the social ranks as he was born into a wealthy London family. He was born into money and just became even richer through his own investments.)
- His greatest investment came with purchasing Standard Oil and buying out fellow big businessman John D. Rockefeller. (Incorrect. Morgan did notably buy out a fellow “robber baron,” but it was Andrew Carnegie’s steel company not Rockefeller, eventually turning into a billion dollar company.)
- His empire grew so large he was able to bail out the U.S. government by loaning them tens of millions of dollars worth of gold. (Correct! In 1895, the federal government’s gold reserves ran dangerously low. Morgan met with President Cleveland to negotiate a loan of $65 million in gold, saving the U.S. Treasury from financial ruin.)
A: His empire grew so large he was able to bail out the U.S. government by loaning them tens of millions of dollars worth of gold.

Q: America experienced a massive rise in urbanization during the later part of the 1800s. Choose the statement below that best summarizes why this happened:
- New designs in architecture made cities an attractive place to live. The aesthetic of urban centers led many Americans to leave the farmland for a new life in the city. (Incorrect. The end of the nineteenth century did see a rise in skyscrapers and other building designs, but this was not the main reason people flocked to cities.)
- Wealthy families flocked to cities - increasing urban populations - so they could live apart from middle and lower class Americans, who largely remained in rural settings, working agricultural trades. (Incorrect. Urban centers drew in people from all socioeconomic classes, especially those from lower classes who came in droves from rural areas of the U.S. seeking new jobs.)
- Cities came to be a place of segregation, where White, native-born Americans could live and work while immigrants and Black Americans tended to settle and labor in rural settings. (Incorrect. United States cities did not separate groups but rather brought people of all races, cultures, birthplaces, and economic statuses together. Immigrants and Black Americans largely contributed to the rise of urbanization, and did not only remain in rural areas.)
- Technological advancements lead to increased industrialization near cities which in turn created employment needs in factories. To fill this need, workers moved to cities in unprecedented numbers, either from rural areas or from other countries. (Correct! New innovations, such as electric lighting and steam power, allowed factories to move closer to cities. This increase in factories created a massive need for workers and as they arrived, cities increased in population.)
A: Technological advancements lead to increased industrialization near cities which in turn created employment needs in factories. To fill this need, workers moved to cities in unprecedented numbers, either from rural areas or from other countries.

Q: How did American cities in the East overcome the increasing need for more space to handle their drastically increased populations?
- by expanding outward geographically to become sprawling urban centers (Incorrect. Eastern cities were limited geographically, by cost, and by the need to keep people and businesses physically close. Growing outward was not a viable option.)
- by passing laws that limited the number of employees factories could hire to curb urbanization (Incorrect. Curbing population growth would have cost businesses workers and therefore profit so that was not the solution. Instead, Eastern cities turned to certain architectural practices to accommodate their rising populations.)
- by using the innovations in electric lighting throughout the city streets and public spaces (Incorrect. Cities did use new lighting inventions but this did not help them create more space for residential and commercial needs.)
- by building skyscrapers which created upward space for both residential and commercial use (Correct! The architectural innovation of the skyscraper, along with the invention of the elevator, created a structure that solved the problem of space in cities. Unlike rural cities, which had land to expand outward upon, cities learned to create vertical space to accommodate growth.)
A: by building skyscrapers which created upward space for both residential and commercial use

Q: Also known as a “city of homes,” what new entity arose as a middle ground between the crowded cities and the countryside?
- Chicago (Incorrect. The “Windy City” was not new and was a classic example of an American city.)
- Country Life Movement (Incorrect. This movement, the brainchild of Liberty Hyde Bailey, sought to bring new innovations and methods to rural areas in order to keep them populated and avoid what he saw as the moral decay of cities.)
- Protestant communes (Incorrect. To many rural leaders, cities corrupted their Protestant ethos, yet they did not create religious communities as the solution. Instead they hoped that a middle path would allow for a mixing of morals and urban innovation.)
- Suburbia (Correct! The rise of these communities on the outskirts of cities came from the hope of keeping the amenities of the cities without their crowds and what some saw as moral decay.)
A: Suburbia

Q: A young German father hears about new steel factories paying higher wages in America and decides to immigrate with his family to Pittsburgh in search of a better financial situation. Historians would call his reason for immigrating:
- An asset (Incorrect. The notion of an asset in regards to immigration concerned any factor that might make life easier for the immigrant once in America such as ability to speak English, skills, education, or church community. This example is not about this but about the reason for moving.)
- A push factor (Incorrect. Reasons immigrants left their homelands to come to America are known as push and pull factors. In this example, the lure of a better paying job in America encouraged the father to make the move. A push factor would have been a negative condition in Germany that caused him to leave.)
- A mosaic (Incorrect. In regards to immigration, historians use mosaic to refer to the distinct national communities immigrants formed in America, as counterpoint to the famous melting pot analogy that implies more mixing of cultures.)
- A pull factor (Correct! Reasons immigrants left their homelands to come to America are known as push and pull factors. In this example, the lure of a better paying job in America pulled the father to make the move.)
A: A pull factor

Q: Luka immigrated from Poland to Boston. He writes to his brother Antoni, telling him to join him working in the textile industry. Antoni and his family moved to Boston the following year. Later, Antoni’s best friend moves to America after learning of the opportunities there. This illustrates which of the following processes related to immigration?
- ethnic enclaves (Incorrect. If Luka and his relatives clustered together in the same neighborhood it would be an example of an ethnic enclave.)
- push factors (Incorrect. Push factors are the reasons that cause immigrants to leave their home countries and move to a new one.)
- settlement patterns (Incorrect. The places where immigrants moved to and the reasons they moved are known as settlement patterns.)
- chain migration (Correct! When immigrants come to a new country, and then persuade others from their homeland to join them and they do this is an example of chain migration.)
A: chain migration

Q: Issues such as war, discrimination, and poverty encouraged many people to immigrate to the United States at the end of the nineteenth century. Where did the majority of these immigrants come from?
- Eastern Asia (Incorrect. Earlier in the century Chinese immigrants did come to the U.S. but in the late 1800s the immigration stream primarily came from somewhere else.)
- Northern and western Europe (Incorrect. While earlier in the 19th century these regions had been the main sources of immigrants to the U.S., beginning in the 1880s different countries in the European nations provided the largest number of immigrants to the U.S. Immigrants still came from England, Ireland, Germany, and the nordic countries however.)
- Central America (Incorrect. The 20th and 21st centuries would see a large influx of migrants from this region, but in the late 1800s the immigration stream primarily came from somewhere else.)
- Eastern and southern Europe (Correct! Beginning in the 1880s eastern and southern European nations such as Italy, Greece, and several Slavic countries including Russia, provided the largest number of immigrants to the U.S.)
A: Eastern and southern Europe

Q: Ruth and her family are the only Jewish family in their town in Italy, and are struggling with religious persecution there. She and her children make the decision to move to Baltimore to escape the discrimination. Their story is an example of a
- worship factor. (Incorrect. While a more peaceful setting to worship is the reason Ruth and her family choose to leave Italy, “worship factor” is not a term used to describe immigration processes.)
- pull factor. (Incorrect. A pull factor is something that draws one to immigrate to a new country. Ruth’s story shows something that pushes one to leave their native land.)
- leaving factor. (Incorrect. While religious persecution is the reason Ruth and her family leave their home country, it is not called a leaving factor.)
- push factor. (Correct! A reason that motivates one to move away from one’s homeland and migrate to another country is a push factor. Religious persecution is a major example of a push factor.)
A: push factor.

Q: Johann immigrated from Stockholm to Philadelphia, where he settled into a Swedish neighborhood near the center of the city. There he can speak in his native tongue and enjoy food from his homeland. Johann lives in what can be described as a(n)
- settlement pattern. (Incorrect. Settlement patterns describe the places where immigrants moved to and the reasons they moved because they were fairly predictable based on where someone immigrated from and what types of skills they brought with them. Johann’s story typifies something else.)
- suburban community. (Incorrect. These communities were on the outskirts of cities and were not called suburban communities.)
- melting pot. (Incorrect. This term is used to describe not distinct immigrant communities, but the mixing of ethnicities and cultures in America.)
- ethnic enclave. (Correct! Enclaves were neighborhoods or towns where large numbers of immigrants from a specific country or region gathered and lived together, opening up businesses that catered to other immigrants, speaking their native language freely, and practicing their cultural traditions.)
A: ethnic enclave.

Q: Issues such as war, discrimination, and poverty encouraged many people to immigrate to the United States at the end of the nineteenth century. Where did the majority of these immigrants come from?
- China (Incorrect. Earlier in the century Chinese immigrants did come to the U.S. but in the late 1800s the immigration stream primarily came from somewhere else.)
- Ireland (Incorrect. While people did move to the U.S. from this country, beginning in the 1880s nations from a different part of Europe provided the largest number of immigrants to the U.S.)
- Mexico (Incorrect. The 20th and 21st centuries would see a large influx of migrants from this nation, but in the late 1800s the immigration stream primarily came from Europe.)
- Italy (Correct! Beginning in the 1880s eastern and southern European nations such as Italy, Greece, and several Slavic countries including Russia, provided the largest number of immigrants to the U.S.)
A: Italy

Q: The findings of the Dillingham Commission, created by Congress in 1907 to report on the nature of immigration in the United States, can best be described by which summary:
- Recent immigrants to the U.S. came from eastern and southern Europe, and these immigrants had no problem assimilating into mainstream American culture. (Incorrect. The commission found the opposite to be true, that these immigrants acted and looked different from those born in the U.S. Their findings would help fuel discrimination against the immigrants.)
- Newer immigrants to the U.S. mostly came from northern and western European nations, and due to their Christian backgrounds and ability to speak English, adapted into American society smoothly. (Incorrect. While earlier in the 19th century these regions had been the main sources of immigrants to the U.S., beginning in the 1880s eastern and southern European nations provided the largest number of immigrants to the U.S. The report confirmed this demographic shift.)
- Recent immigrants to the U.S. hailed from northern and western Europe, and were very different from native born citizens in language, culture, and religion. (Incorrect. A shift had occurred where most immigrants were from different regions of Europe. These immigrants did have a hard time adapting due to discrimination by natives against any differences they saw in the newcomers.)
- Newer immigrants to the U.S. mostly hailed from eastern and southern European nations, and were vastly different in skin tone, language, culture, and religion than native born Americans. (Correct! The commission’s exhaustive report basically claimed these immigrants acted and looked different from those born in the U.S. Their findings would help fuel discrimination against the immigrants.)
A: Newer immigrants to the U.S. mostly hailed from eastern and southern European nations, and were vastly different in skin tone, language, culture, and religion than native born Americans.

Q: Founded in 1904, the main objective of the National Child Labor Committee was to
- lobby for more children to join the workforce. (Incorrect. The committee formed in order to reduce the children working in unsafe working conditions and to improve the safety of those who were working in industries.)
- to legislate overtime pay for juvenile workers. (Incorrect. The committee was interested in less work for children, not overtime work, even lobbying to ban the employment of very young kids.)
- create businesses that only allowed for child labor. (Incorrect. The committee formed to lobby against increased child labor and to improve safety conditions in businesses that did employee children.)
- improve the working conditions and safety of children laborers. (Correct! Children were easily exploited and underpaid as industrial workers, and the committee hoped to lobby politicians to protect these underage employees.)
A: improve the working conditions and safety of children laborers.

Q: Life for industrial workers living in cities differed from wealthier Americans and from those who lived in rural areas. Select the sentence below that describes such differences.
- Laborers who lived and worked in the city had longer life spans and better health (Incorrect. Unsafe and unsanitary conditions at work and at home did not increase the life spans and better the health of industrial workers.)
- Industrial laborers experienced shorter life spans and better health (Incorrect. Unsafe and unsanitary conditions at work and at home did mean shorter lifespans for industrial workers but along with that they had poorer health than rural dwellers and higher class Americans.)
- Industrial workers on average could expect to live longer but have poorer health (Incorrect. These workers did have poorer health but this led to shorter, not longer life expectancy. Unsafe and unsanitary conditions at work and at home took their toll on industrial laborers compared to rural dwellers and higher class Americans.)
- Industrial laborers on average had poorer health and shorter lifespans. (Correct! Working in unregulated factories and living in crowded, unsanitary parts of cities took a toll on lower class industrial workers. Their jobs and living conditions made for a hard life for many.)
A: Industrial laborers on average had poorer health and shorter lifespans.

Q: How did Fredrick Taylor’s “stop-watch management” principle affect the lives of industrial workers in the late nineteenth century?
- It allowed their individual skills to be efficiently utilized. (Incorrect. Taylor’s method did allow for efficiency of production, but that was achieved by deskilling labor, not by allowing individual talents to shine. Stop-watch management divided manufacturing into short, repetitive tasks so workers performed a single task over-and-over all day.)
- It helped create a sense of community on the factory floor. (Incorrect. Stop-watch management divided manufacturing into short, repetitive tasks so workers performed a single task over-and-over all day. It made them into cogs in a machine, with little interaction or camaraderie between employees.)
- It allowed each workers’ strength to contribute to production. (Incorrect. Stop-watch management divided manufacturing into short, repetitive tasks so workers performed a single task over-and-over all day. It made them interchangeable as the parts they worked with, with no value placed on individual talents or skills.)
- It dehumanized and deskilled the nature of their work. (Correct! Stop-watch management divided manufacturing into short, repetitive tasks so workers performed a single task over-and-over all day. It made them into cogs in a machine, as interchangeable as the parts they worked with.)
A: It dehumanized and deskilled the nature of their work.

Q: How would you categorize the response of railroad owners and government officials to strikers during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877?
- diplomatic (Incorrect. Rather than negotiate or even talk with workers, owners and political leaders called on police and state militias to violently break up the strikes.)
- indifferent (Incorrect. With major disruptions to the railways - the economic lifeline of the nation - indifference was not an option. Business and government leaders chose a swift, violent reaction to the strikes.)
- conciliatory (Incorrect. With major disruptions to the railways - the economic lifeline of the nation - business and government leaders chose a swift, violent reaction to the strikes. They would not give into workers’ demands.)
- violent (Correct! Business and government leaders swiftly called on local police forces to stop the strikes, and then turned to state militias to forcibly handle the strikers. Nearly 100 Americans were killed.)
A: violent

Q: What is one main reason organized labor unions did not develop before the later half of the nineteenth century?
- Business owners had too much control over workers to allow of any type of organization (Incorrect. Before the 1880s and the rise of industrialism, there were not large businesses with large numbers of workers, and most laborers worked independently, not in groups.)
- Americans were largely against unions, seeing them as socialist in nature (Incorrect. While it is true these sentiments would develop in the early twentieth century, in the century prior unions did not develop because workers labored in rural settings and usually alone or in small groups.)
- Laborers had little to complain about as conditions were safe and wages good (Incorrect. Industrial labor was not an occupation until the rise of the industrial age towards the later half of the nineteenth century. The boom in factories brought poor wages and unsafe conditions, which would help spur the notion of organized labor.)
- Before the end of the nineteenth century most workers labored independently and in rural settings (Correct! Prior to the Civil War, the very idea of organized labor was not common. Workers did not work together in large groups, and the unsafe, underpaid conditions of industrial labor did not yet exist.)
A: Before the end of the nineteenth century most workers labored independently and in rural settings

Q: One of the early attempts at creating a labor union was the National Labor Union, which comprised representatives from seventy-seven different occupations. While they argued for many reforms, which did they successfully persuade Congress to pass?
- establishment of a minimum wage (Incorrect. The NLU did lobby for better wages for workers in most industries, but the organization did not last long enough to see this or most of their reforms become a reality.)
- equal pay for Black laborers (Incorrect. The NLU did have ambitious ideas concerning equal rights for African American workers (and for female workers), but this did not become legislation.)
- required safety inspections in factories (Incorrect. The NLU did lobby for improved conditions in factories, but the organization did not last long enough to see this or most of their reforms become a reality.)
- an eight-hour workday for federal employees (Correct! While this was the only headway the NLU made, it was a significant achievement to get limits placed on the number of hours for government workers.)
A: an eight-hour workday for federal employees

Q: One of the largest and most successful labor unions was the Knights of Labor. What idea made them stand out from other unions?
- They limited membership to white-collar trades such as doctors, lawyers and bankers. (Incorrect. These were actually the only trades not included in the KOL. The Knights centered on the idea of “one big union”, and this broad vision set them apart from many unions, which were often trade specific and had limits on who could join.)
- They did not believe in using strikes to advance their agenda. (Incorrect. The KOL did utilize strikes as a tactic, including a major nation-wide strike of hundreds of thousands of workers against Jay Gould’s railroads in 1886.)
- They only allowed White, male workers who had been born in the United States as members. (Incorrect. The KOL centered on the idea of “one big union”, and this broad vision set them apart from many unions, which were often trade specific and had limits on who could join. The Knights allowed women, immigrants, Native Americans, and Black Americans to join them.)
- They did not discriminate on membership, welcoming workers without limits on occupation, gender, race, or skill level. (Correct! The KOL centered on the idea of “one big union”, and this broad vision set them apart from many unions, which were often trade specific and had limits on who could join.)
A: They did not discriminate on membership, welcoming workers without limits on occupation, gender, race, or skill level.

Q: What was the name of a more conservative craft labor union for skilled workers that tried to avoid “radical” actions like strikes?
- Molly Maguires (Incorrect. This was a secret organization made up of Pennsylvania coal miners, named for the famous Irish patriot, which worked through a series of scare tactics to bring the plight of the miners to public attention.)
- Knights of Labor (Incorrect. The KOL was based on a philosophy of openness; the KOL welcomed all workers, and hoped to create a cooperative, producer-centered society that rewarded labor and not capital.)
- National Labor Union (Incorrect. The NLU was an early attempt at labor organization, but was short-lived.)
- American Federation of Labor (Correct! The AFL was more conservative than the KOL, aiming for practical gains through organization into craft unions.)
A: American Federation of Labor

Q: The Haymarket Riots of May 1886 were a major event in the history of nineteenth century organized labor. Why were the riots so consequential?
- The riots found support across the nation, and organized labor - especially the Knights of Labor - experienced a boon in membership and favor. (Incorrect. In fact, the opposite happened. The violence and chaos surrounding the riots, caused public backlash towards organized labor, and they blamed the KOL even though they did not have anything to do with the riots. The Knights membership dropped to 100,000 members down from a high of about 700,000 in the 1870s.)
- The riots signaled the end of organized labor in the United States, as afterwards most major trade unions dissolved including the Knights of Labor. (Incorrect. While the American public largely condemned the actions of the riots and they were a major blow to union membership, unions continued to exist and workers continued to join organizations to advocate on their behalf. The Knights lost hundreds of thousands of members but did not fold.)
- The riots were successful in lobbying for an eight-hour workday, and allowed such a reform measure to gain traction in Congress and among industrial business owners. (Incorrect. While the riots began as a peaceful rally advocating for such a reform they did not in the end help their cause. The violence and disruption of the riots soured the chances of successful legislation for an eight-hour workday.)
- The riots caused public opinion to turn even more against labor unions, and led to a dramatic decline in membership of one of the main national unions, the Knights of Labor. (Correct! The violence and chaos surrounding the riots, caused public backlash towards organized labor, and they blamed the KOL even though they did not have anything to do with the riots. The Knights membership dropped to 100,000 members down from a high of about 700,000 in the 1870s.)
A: The riots caused public opinion to turn even more against labor unions, and led to a dramatic decline in membership of one of the main national unions, the Knights of Labor.

Q: Describe the purpose of the system of machine politics that developed towards the end of the nineteenth century.
- To keep the political control of cities in the hands of white, native-born Americans amidst the rise in immigrantion (Incorrect. Political machines offered representation to all citizens of the city, regardless of race, origin or ethnicity. Many members of the machines were working-class immigrants.)
- To provide a means for urban development projects to be proposed and completed (Incorrect. While improvement of infrastructure did sometimes happen through machine politics, that was not the reason they were created.)
- To create a means by which political bosses could take advantage of working class citizens through a system of favors and bribery (Incorrect. This did indeed happen, but was a symptom of the machines and not the reason they were originally developed.)
- To provide every citizen in a city speedy representation through an alderman who spoke on their behalf at city hall. (Correct! This was the main reason for political machines at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The alderman is in charge of a ward, with every citizen regardless of race or ethnicity belonging to a ward. The goal was to create a mutually beneficial process for political leaders and citizens, although the reality included corruption and inefficiency.)
A: To provide every citizen in a city speedy representation through an alderman who spoke on their behalf at city hall.

Q: Leaders of political machine, often known as bosses, helped address problems of citizens in their neighborhoods in exchange for
- money. (Incorrect. While bosses did enjoy kickbacks from publicly funded projects, they wanted something else from their citizens to keep them in power.)
- real estate. (Incorrect. Bosses wanted something else from their citizens to keep them in power. Besides, the working class people they served did not often own any property.)
- graft. (Incorrect. Graft is not a commodity but is a term that describes what happened when the bosses received monetary kickbacks in return for political favors. While they did get money, they sought something else from the citizens under their care.)
- votes. (Correct! Bosses stayed in power through control of the ballot box. While they received other perks from their leadership, often illegally, they needed votes to remain in charge or to see to it their preferred candidates were elected.)
A: votes.

Q: Despite being notorious for its corruption, Tammany Hall’s political machine in New York City made positive contributions to the city. How so?
- It increased the income of their working class constituents. (Incorrect. While the machine did help their citizens with public works projects, increased wages was not part of their agenda. Leaders of the machine saw increased income via graft but not the working class poor.)
- It established trade alliances with other cities. (Incorrect. Tammany Hall and its leader William Tweed were focused on the neighborhoods they oversaw within New York, not on other urban areas around the country.)
- It spread the social gospel. (Incorrect. This philosophy that secular life should be reformed and improved for the masses came from churches, not from political machines.)
- It provided needed infrastructure and public services. (Correct! Even if it was done via illegal means, Tammany Hall under the direction of boss William Tweed, got things done. They helped build roads, parks, bridges, museums, hospitals, schools, sewer lines and more.)
A: It provided needed infrastructure and public services.

Q: John and Sarah live with their six children in tenement housing in Boston. What is one challenge they likely faced due to their living conditions?
- isolation from neighbors (Incorrect. Tenements were by their very nature overcrowded, with families living nearly on-top of one another in small apartments with poor insulation from other residents.)
- expensive utilities (Incorrect. They would not have had access to many utilities as tenaments suffered from poor plumbing, inadequate access to clean water, and unreliable electricity.)
- surcharge for fireproofing their apartment (Incorrect. On the contrary, tenements were notorious fire hazards with slums and their wooden structures very vulnerable to flames.)
- disease (Correct! Due to improper ventilation, plumbing and terrible sanitation, tenements were known for the spread of disease, especially cholera and typhoid.)
A: disease

Q: What did the concept of the social gospel motivate churches and civic organizations to do?
- It motivated them to increase the outreach of their sermons by inviting industrial workers to special Sunday services. (Incorrect. The goal of social gospel was not to increase religious outreach, though that may have been a side effect of religious leaders offering goods and services to their congregations. The social gospel encouraged churches and civic organizations to improve the life of workers by doing more than just preaching.)
- It motivated them to rely on government and industry leaders to take the lead on social reform. (Incorrect. Through the idea of a social gospel, church leaders sought to take an active role in bettering the lives of the urban poor, and to care as much for the welfare of the mortal body as that of the eternal soul. It advocated churches taking the lead in reform and not relying on other institutions.)
- It motivated them to focus on teaching that each individual was responsible for his or her own improvement. (Incorrect. Social gospel encouraged people from all classes to come together to help one another and practice the Christian ethos of “love thy neighbor.” It was not about the individual but about the power of the community to improve the lives of the urban masses.)
- It motivated them to help improve the lives of the working class through community service. (Correct! The idea of the social gospel motivated churches to better the lives of society in the real world and not just preach sermons from the pulpit about life beyond earth. Churches began to provide gyms, libraries, classes and health care to the poor masses.)
A: It motivated them to help improve the lives of the working class through community service.

Q: The settlement housing movement was a precursor to what larger reform movement?
- The Tenement Reform Movement (Incorrect. While the settlement housing movement did seek to improve living conditions for the poor, this was not the name of an actual reform movement.)
- The Hull House Movement (Incorrect. Hull House was not a movement but was the name of the most famous settlement houses. Jane Addams founded Hull House in Chicago.)
- The William Tweed Movement (Incorrect. No such movement existed. William Tweed is the name of the most famous of the bosses of the political machines that dominated urban politics at the end of the nineteenth century.)
- The Progressive Movement (Correct! The settlement housing movement’s aim to aid the working class, especially women and newly arrived immigrants, sowed the seeds for this larger social reform movement of the twentieth century.)
A: The Progressive Movement

Q: Why did advertising and marketing become such prominent practices at the end of the nineteenth century?
- Professional advertising agencies had always existed and grew to meet the increased demand of consumers. (Incorrect. These agencies did not come into being until the 1880s, when the new consumer culture in the U.S. demanded businesses to pursue new advertising and marketing strategies.)
- Waves of new immigrants arrived with finances to spare and sought to purchase new goods to being their life in America. (Incorrect. New immigrants did arrive, but not often with cash to spend. Rather it was the overall rise in consumer culture (of which immigrants could be part of) that created a need for business to promote themselves as never before.)
- New developments in printing techniques allowed for full page advertisements not just columns. (Incorrect. Newspapers did begin to print full page ads but as a result of the rise in consumerism that dictated a need for increased advertising and marketing.)
- Customers had increasing options of goods and shops to choose from so companies had to compete for business. (Correct! The rise of the new consumer culture in America forced businesses to fully compete and use advertisements and marketing strategies to set themselves apart.)
A: Customers had increasing options of goods and shops to choose from so companies had to compete for business.

Q: Margaret works at a textile factory, earning low wages. Despite her lack of income she wants to stop at Marshall and Field’s on her way home to buy a few things. Which of the following practices of the consumer culture of the nineteenth century allows her to do such shopping?
- bartering and trading (Incorrect. Transactions at this time were mostly done with currency, moving beyond the bartering style of previous eras.)
- keeping prices inexpensive (Incorrect. While prices varied, most industrial workers garnished wages so low and often had such large families to take care of, even low priced items could be too expensive for them.)
- ordering through catalogs (Incorrect. Shopping via mail-order catalogs did become part of the new consumer culture, but in this example it was not how she shopped that mattered but how she paid.)
- buying on credit (Correct! This was a growing practice at the time. Stores allowed people to open accounts and purchase on credit, thus securing business and allowing consumers like Margaret to buy without ready cash.)
A: buying on credit

Q: How did the new consumer culture affect middle-class women at the end of the nineteenth century?
- The variety of products available spurred them to work more hours in order to have disposable income to spend. (Incorrect. What set middle class women above the working class was that they did not work, and had nannies, cooks and maids to help them. The disposable income came from their husband’s paychecks, not from their own.)
- The new consumer culture did not affect them much, as it was the middle class men who primarily partook in spending and shopping. (Incorrect. As women were responsible for spending their husband’s disposable income, they fully participated in the new consumer culture. Advertisements of the era often targeted them specifically as they were the main customers of the era.)
- Rather than participate in consumerism most middle-class women chose to donate more money to charitable causes. (Incorrect. While before the rise of consumerism middle-class women would have been frugal and saved their money or used it for charity, they now fully participated in the new consumer culture. Advertisements of the era often targeted them specifically as they were the main customers of the era.)
- They became responsible for spending their household’s disposable income on luxury goods to showcase their lifestyle. (Correct! Middle=class wives were in charge of spending their husband’s earnings on goods that would reflect and maintain their status. Advertisements often targeted them specifically.)
A: They became responsible for spending their household’s disposable income on luxury goods to showcase their lifestyle.

Q: How did the rise of industrialization and urbanization affect the concept of masculinity during the Gilded Age?
- It increased the perception of men as strong and vigorous (Incorrect. Concerns were present about the decrease in masculinity during the period. Fears abounded that industrial capitalism had weakened the physical strength and health of men.)
- It created an atmosphere were women were often seen as masculine (Incorrect. During the era it was not feared that women were becoming more manlike, but that men had become weak like women. Fears abounded that industrial capitalism had weakened the physical strength and health of men.)
- It brought on an an increase in male participation in churches (Incorrect. Religious leaders worried about the effeminization of religion, with women attending church more than men and exerting more influence there. They tried to promote the concept of muscular Christianity where men would be outdoors, and pursue physical activities to strengthen their bodies.)
- It brought on concerns that America was becoming a nation of emasculated men (Correct! There were concerns that industrial capitalism withered American masculinity. Men no longer did hard physical labor or spent much time outdoors, making doctors and philosophers worried about the feminization of U.S. culture.)
A: It brought on concerns that America was becoming a nation of emasculated men

Q: Why did Thomas Edison conceive of and invent the phonograph?
- to provide a new form of entertainment for the masses (Incorrect. The phonograph did become a form of leisure both in the parlors and then in homes, but its original intention was for commercial uses.)
- to allow homes across America to listen to music (Incorrect. The phonograph did become a way for Americans to listen to music both in the parlors and then in homes, but its original intention was for other uses.)
- for use in the home as a recording device of family stories (Incorrect. The phonograph did become used in homes, mostly for entertainment purposes, but its original intention was for other uses.)
- for use in various commercial settings (Correct! Edison invented it to help record speeches, teach elocution, preserve speeches, or capture diction. He did not foresee how it would become such a popular tool for entertainment.)
A: for use in various commercial settings

Q: Baseball became a favorite form of leisure for the American public during the turn of the twentieth century, the classic American pastime. What other major importance did baseball serve for the country?
- It provided an athletic endeavor for men to enjoy outdoors. (Incorrect. The larger purpose of baseball was to bring newly relocated and immigrant Americans together, helping them come together by rooting for the home team despite diverse backgrounds.)
- It created an inexpensive means of entertainment and dining for American families. (Incorrect. While attending baseball games did do this, the larger effect was to bring newly relocated and immigrant Americans together, helping them come together by rooting for the home team despite diverse backgrounds.)
- It reinforced class and ethnic divisions through different tiers of seats at ballparks. (Incorrect. Attending baseball games achieved the opposite by bringing people from the same community together.)
- It provided a means for Americans to form a unified civic identity. (Correct! Ball parks brought newly relocated and immigrant Americans together, helping them unite in a civic identity rooting for the home team despite diverse backgrounds.)
A: It provided a means for Americans to form a unified civic identity.

Q: Why did cities appeal to upper class Americans?
- Because they could partake of leisure alongside fellow Americans of lower classes. (Incorrect. The wealthy created spaces of luxury, comfort and convenience for themselves within urban places, spaces apart from the leisure culture of lower classes.)
- Because they could find work of any type in the city. (Incorrect. The wealthy did not flock to cities in search of work as poorer groups did. What they sought in cities was a refined cultural experience of their own in galleries, museums, concerts and gatherings with fellow elites.)
- Because they could attend baseball games and amusement parks. (Incorrect. The wealthy created spaces of luxury, comfort and convenience for themselves within urban places, apart from the entertainment of the masses. Museums, fine art exhibits, music concerts and social gatherings all brought the rich to the city.)
- Because they offered places of elite culture even amidst the urban squalor. (Correct! The wealthy created spaces of luxury, comfort and convenience for themselves within urban places. Museums, fine art exhibits, music concerts and social gatherings all brought the rich to the city.)
A: Because they offered places of elite culture even amidst the urban squalor.

Q: Who comprised the “new middle class” at the end of the nineteenth century?
- wealthier citizens who attended concerts and museums (Incorrect. Wealthy citizens were above any type of middle class, new or otherwise. Middle class members still worked, but in more white-collar jobs than the working poor.)
- factory workers who had achieved seniority (Incorrect. The new middle class did not work on factory floors, but oversaw them. They held salaried, professional jobs that often required education.)
- uneducated workers who found favor with political bosses (Incorrect. The new middle class included the managers, salesmen, engineers, doctors, accountants, and other salaried professionals who still worked for a living, but were significantly better educated and compensated than the working-class poor)
- a group of salaried, but educated professionals (Correct! A new class emerged that included the managers, salesmen, engineers, doctors, accountants, and other salaried professionals who still worked for a living, but were significantly better educated and compensated than the working-class poor.)
A: a group of salaried, but educated professionals

Q: The urban planners who developed the City Beautiful movement had three main design elements to their vision. What was one of them?
- parks laid out around the city outskirts (Incorrect. Green spaces were a key design element for the City Beautiful idea but were meant to be at the heart of the city, not around the outside.)
- white-washed factory exteriors (Incorrect. This was not one of the three major City Beautiful elements, which focused more on improving residential and commercial areas of the city.)
- gas stations at regular intervals. (Incorrect. Gas stations would become part of cities but not yet. Cars had yet to be invented at the turn of the twentieth century.)
- wider streets to avoid congestion (Correct! Urban planners wished for their cities to be well spaced and thought out. Streets of larger width helped achieve this, and allowed for a safer, cleaner layout.)
A: wider streets to avoid congestion

Q: What is one positive aspect of Gilded Age political machines that historians have argued for?
- The corruption of political machines has been largely exaggerated and they did not often operate illegally. (Incorrect. The corruption of the machines and their boss leaders is not up for debate, but historians who see machines in a positive manner do argue their corruption at least helped immigrants rather than push them farther down.)
- Bosses of political machines gave immigrants a common villain to unite against. (Incorrect. Historians who argue the benefits of political machines see the good the bosses did, in helping immigrants assimilate and giving them a space for their concerns to be noticed and addressed)
- The power of political machines was not that strong and they did not last long. (Incorrect. Historians on either side of the argument both acknowledge the influence machine politics had in urban America during the Gilded Age. Some, like Tammany Hall, held power for decades.)
- Machines allowed immigrants to assimilate faster into society and take on leadership roles. (Correct! Because machine politics gave every citizen, regardless of ethnicity, representation in city government immigrants had access to power. They were treated as part of their wards, and could rise to positions of authority within them.)
A: Machines allowed immigrants to assimilate faster into society and take on leadership roles.

Q: Where in a paper or essay is the first iteration of the thesis usually located?
- The conclusion (Incorrect. While the thesis should be restated at the end of an essay, the reader should not have to wait until the conclusion to see it. The introduction is the best place to put it first.)
- In the third paragraph (Incorrect. As the main point and argument, a thesis should not be hard to find and the reader should encounter it soon - the introduction is the best spot to include it.)
- In the title (Incorrect. A title may hint at the thesis, but the thesis would be too long to encapsulate into a title. The best place to put a thesis is in the introduction.)
- The introduction (Correct! As the main point and argument, a thesis should not be hard to find and the reader should encounter it soon - the introduction is the best spot to include it.)
A: The introduction

Q: Some historians argue that political machines improved the urban centers in which they served. What is one piece of supporting evidence they could use to make this claim?
- They took bribes to influence ballot decisions (Incorrect. This evidence does not directly support the argument that political machines helped citizens under their jurisdiction. If it was more substantial, for example if it showed that those elected acted on behalf of their citizens then it could be used as good evidence.)
- They funded the cleaning of suburban streets (Incorrect. This sounds like a good piece of evidence, except suburban areas were outside of cities not in them so it does not directly coincide with the claim of helping “urban centers.”)
- They siphoned funds meant for public projects for their own wealth (Incorrect. This piece of evidence would not be useful as it contradicts the claim that machines improved urban centers.)
- They funded public parks, such as Central Park (Correct! Boss Tweed and his Tammany Hall machine helped get approval and money for public projects of all kinds, including parks. This evidence would be useful to support a claim that political machines helped their citizens.)
A: They funded public parks, such as Central Park

Q: When accessing arguments made concerning the pros and cons of political machines, one must always be mindful of the perspective from which those arguments come. With this and other historical topics it has often been said that “history is written by winners.” What does this mean?
- Athletes who do well in their chosen sports have left behind lots of primary sources. (Incorrect. The term “winners” is not related to sports, but refers to the winner of battles, the leaders, elites who have left behind more sources than others due to literacy, access, and circumstances. So perspective in analyzing historical sources is important as many primary sources are from one side of the event or story.)
- It means historians have chosen a profession that succeeds above others. (Incorrect. The quote concerns those who left historical records, not the historians who study them. It means that perspective in analyzing historical sources is important as many primary sources are from one side of the event or story. Historians must try to gather and study as many available sources as possible before making any conclusions.)
- It means that the primary sources historians have are often skewed to one side but there is little to be done about it. (Incorrect. While it is accurate that the winner of battles, the leaders, and elites have left behind more sources than others due to literacy, access, and circumstances, it does not mean historians must only show one side of every story. They must consider the perspective of their sources in analyzing historical sources and be diligent in gathering as many sources as possible.)
- It means that perspective is important when studying the past as it is the victors’ interpretation of event that often survive. (Correct! Perspective in analyzing historical sources is important as many primary sources are from one side of the event or story. Historians must try to gather and study as many available sources as possible before making any conclusions.)
A: It means that perspective is important when studying the past as it is the victors’ interpretation of event that often survive.

Q: Some historians argue the viewpoint that political machine bosses were mere villains, who never acted in the best interest of their constituents. What is a supporting claim they sometimes use to reinforce their claim?
- Machines fundraised for their urban wards, donating all the money to poor working families. (Incorrect. If this were true, it would be a major argument against such a viewpoint. Rather, this evidence would support the thesis that political machines acted heroically to improve the lives of their constituents.)
- Bosses of political machines did not seek payment for their services, but represented their constituents out of civic duty. (Incorrect. If this were true, it would be a major argument against such a viewpoint. Rather, this evidence would support the thesis that political machines acted heroically to improve the lives of their constituents.)
- Political machine bosses lobbied tirelessly for improvements to factory conditions on behalf of the industrial workers in their wards. (Incorrect. This statement would appear to contradict the viewpoint that political machine bosses were mere villains, who never acted in the best interest of their constituents.)
- Political bosses only used methods that lined their own pockets, even when there were other, less profitable ways to improve the lives of the poor. (Correct! Historians who see political machines as detriments to cities could use the fact that bosses got rich from their efforts as a counterargument to claims of their benevolence.)
A: Political bosses only used methods that lined their own pockets, even when there were other, less profitable ways to improve the lives of the poor.

Q: Historian Mark Summers wrote an essay taking the side that machine politicians were fully corrupt and manipulated the system only for their own gain. As part of his argument he writes how, “Detroit’s sewer system crumbled because the preferred contractors put too much sand in the concrete.” This sentence is an example of
- a counterargument. (Incorrect. This sentence is not an argument but a fact. Summers uses it as a piece of evidence to support his main thesis about political machines.)
- a thesis statement. (Incorrect. This sentence is not an argument, which is what a thesis is, but is a statement of fact. Such facts are marshaled by historians as evidence to substantiate their theses.)
- a conjecture. (Incorrect. A conjecture is an opinion of a fact. This sentence however, is just the fact. It is used by Summers as evidence to support his argument about political machines.)
- supporting evidence. (Correct! Summers lists this fact about Detroit’s sewers, among others, as a piece of evidence to back up his thesis that the corruption of political machines hurt the common people they pretended to serve.)
A: supporting evidence.