SAT II US History : Facts and Details in U.S. Economic History from 1790 to 1898
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II US History
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Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Sat Subject Test In United States History
Who invented the cotton gin?
Eli Whitney
Samuel Morse
John Deeres
Robert Fulton
Elias Howe
Eli Whitney
The cotton gin was invented in 1793 by Eli Whitney. The invention of the cotton gin was important for a number of economic and social reasons. Firstly, it enabled for mechanized removal of seeds from cotton, a process that had previously been extremely labor intensive. This change allowed for rapid growth of cotton plantations throughout the South and the growth of the Southern agricultural system. Secondly, as a result of being extremely profitable, it provided a massive boost to the slave trade. Previous cash crops had been slowly growing less profitable due to the intensity of work required to harvest; however, the cotton gin instantly transformed the production of cotton into a profitable venture. Many historians contend that, without the invention of the cotton gin, the social and economic growth of the South would have been radically different.
Example Question #12 : Sat Subject Test In United States History
Which of the following statements best summarizes the concept of vertical integration?
A corporation creating a streamlined process in manufacturing to reduce costs
A corporation acquiring companies which are direct competitors to dominate market share
None of these answers are correct.
A corporation acquiring companies at every stage of the production process to streamline costs
A corporation creating products which are designed to become obsolete after a number of years
A corporation acquiring companies at every stage of the production process to streamline costs
Vertical integration describes the process by which a company seeks to acquire every element of the production chain to keep costs down. The practice was innovated by Carnegie Steel in the 1880s, which not only owned steel mills, but iron ore mines, distribution systems, and sales operations. Vertical integration became a key to the rise of many monopolies during the Gilded Age and remains a favored corporate tactic today.
Example Question #13 : Sat Subject Test In United States History
During the Civil War, what was the South's main source of income?
Cotton
Slaves
Molasses
Whiskey
Rum
Cotton
Cotton was the main source of income for the South during the Civil War. A major reason for Southern resistance to the abolition of slavery (aside from racism) was economic. Unpaid labor supported the Southern States most profitable economic activity.
Example Question #14 : Sat Subject Test In United States History
In 1890, the Western frontier was considered to no longer exist as a direct result of which of the following?
The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889
The Wounded Knee Massacre
The Dawes Severalty Act
The surrender of the last Apache tribes led by Geronimo
The US Census of 1890
The US Census of 1890
The 1890 Census declared that frontier was fully settled and no longer existed as it found that there was no longer any clear line of advancing settlement. The Dawes Act, the 1889 Oklahoma land rush, and the surrender of Geronimo were events of the 1880s that each concerned specific areas of the frontier and did not by themselves lead directly to the 1890 declaration that the frontier was fully settled. The Wounded Knee Massacre occurred in December 1890, concerned a small specific area of the frontier, and did not have a major impact on settlement.
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