American Rebirth
Page 47
February 10, 1863—Alanson Crane patents the fire extinguisher.
May 28, 1863—The first African American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts, leaves Boston to fight for the Union.
June 20, 1863—West Virginia is admitted as the thirty-fifth state after seceding from Virginia in April 1861. It is the only state to be formed as a direct result of the Civil War.
November 19, 1863—President Abraham Lincoln gives the Gettysburg Address.
August 22, 1864—The International Red Cross is founded in Geneva, Switzerland.
1865—The U.S. Secret Service is established.
April 9, 1865—Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, bringing about the end of the Civil War. Other surrenders occur on April 26, June 2, and June 23.
April 14, 1865—President Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.
December 12, 1865—Several former Confederate soldiers form the Ku Klux Klan.
December 18, 1865—The thirteenth Constitutional Amendment is passed by the United States, abolishing slavery forever.
July 24, 1866—Tennessee becomes the first U.S. state to be readmitted to the Union following the Civil War.
July 28, 1866—Author Beatrix Potter (The Tale of Peter Rabbit) is born.
JANIE’S FREEDOM: AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE CIVIL WAR
VOCABULARY WORDS
bondage—the condition of being a slave
But at least the bondage was over, praise the Lord. She would never again be anyone’s slave.
chain gang—a group of slaves or prisoners who are chained together while they work
That day was a milestone in her life, like the day her father was sold to the chain gang.
Confederate—part of the Confederacy, the Southern states that declared themselves a new nation in the 1860s
They’d already been taken by Confederate soldiers for the war effort.
delirious—unable to think clearly, especially because of a fever or sickness
Blue eventually became delirious, talking nonsense and even laughing in his feverish state.
extricated—freed or removed from something, such as a trap or hard situation
Janie gently extricated herself from the sleeping tangle of the Rubyhill Five.
haunches—the upper part of a person’s legs
Janie sank down on her haunches and looked around, then up at the gaping hole in the roof.
hospitality—kind and generous treatment of guests and visitors
Each plantation’s slave quarters opened up to the couple and showed them the best hospitality.
knoll—a small, rounded hill
Janie propped the straw broom against the log wall of the cabin and trotted up the knoll toward seventeen-year-old Aleta.
pewter—a heavy gray metal containing tin and lead
She placed the chain around her neck, and the pewter cross dangled halfway down her chest.
plantation—a large farm, especially in the Southern states in the 1800s, that used slaves to plant and harvest crops
He was from Bailey Meadows, a plantation several miles away.
preserves—sweet food made from fruit cooked in sugar, often kept in a glass jar
Janie thought she remembered where she had buried a jar of preserves, and she set out with a large spoon for digging.
ramrod—a straight metal bar used to push explosives down the barrel of old-fashioned guns
The driver, a white man, sat ramrod straight, buggy whip in hand, eyes straight ahead.
Rebel—describes people of the Southern states, who rebelled against the United States by forming the Confederacy
“Rebel cash,” remarked Blue. “Ain’t worth a thing no more.”
saucers—small plates made to hold tea cups
Blue’s gaunt face made his eyes look big as saucers.
skirted—moved around the edges of something
The Rubyhill Five had skirted Atlanta and now found themselves close to Tennessee on this rainy third day of travel.
threadbare—shabby, thin, and in bad condition from being used too much
Everyone’s clothing was looking threadbare.
trundle bed—a low bed with rollers that can be slid under a higher bed when not in use
Lucy lay in the trundle bed next to the high-poster bed.
venturing—going somewhere new, unknown, and possibly dangerous
The five young former slaves had waited only until the second day after the burial before venturing out.
veranda—a long, open porch on a house or other building
The door to the front veranda was tied shut with baling twine.
water moccasin—a poisonous snake of the southern United States, also called a cottonmouth
Once they had stumbled upon a water moccasin while drawing water at a river, but it swam away without incident.
worrisome—upsetting, causing to worry
There was one more worrisome thing, the most worrisome thing of all. Blue was coughing.
IMPORTANT PEOPLE AND THINGS AROUND 1867
The Fourteenth Amendment
Adopted in July 1868, this addition to the United States Constitution (the “rule book” for our country) clarified that every American citizen—of whatever color—had to be treated equally under the laws of the nation and the states. The Fourteenth Amendment overruled a U.S. Supreme Court decision (Dred Scott v. Sandford) that said black people could not be citizens.
One of the “Reconstruction Amendments”—changes to the Constitution made in response to the Civil War—the Fourteenth Amendment did say that some people could be denied certain benefits of American citizenship: those who “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion … or given aid or comfort to the enemies” of the United States.
Andrew Johnson
The seventeenth president of the United States, Andrew Johnson took office in 1865, when Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth.
Johnson had been a senator from Tennessee when the Civil War began, but because he believed in the Union, he did not follow his state into the Confederacy. Known as a “War Democrat,” Johnson supported the policies of the Republican Lincoln—and was chosen as the vice president candidate for Lincoln’s 1864 reelection campaign.
As president, Johnson showed kindness toward the South in hopes of restoring the Union the Civil War had broken. But his policies angered many in Congress, who preferred to punish former Confederates. In 1868, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Johnson (that is, charging him with crimes against the country), but the U.S. Senate—by one vote—declared him not guilty.
Quakers
Many people recognize the name Quaker from a box of oatmeal—featuring a smiling, white-haired man in a black hat.
Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, are a Christian group that developed in the 1600s in England. They believe in the individual’s personal experience with Jesus and have often led efforts to change society for the better. Quakers were very active in the abolition (the ending) of slavery in the United States.
Though the Quakers worked to end slavery during the U.S. Civil War, their pacifist beliefs prevented them from actually fighting in the war.
HISTORY IN PERSPECTIVE TIMELINE
July 1, 1862—The U.S. Congress creates the Internal Revenue Service, to raise taxes for fighting the Confederacy in the Civil War.
January 1, 1863—President Abraham Lincoln delivers the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebellious states to be free.
February 17, 1864—The Confederate submarine Hunley becomes the first underwater craft to sink an enemy ship (the U.S.S. Housatonic). The Hunley sinks, as well.
April 9, 1865—Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders his troops to U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.
April 14, 1865—President Abraham Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes B
ooth at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. Lincoln dies the next morning.
December 29, 1865—The abolitionist magazine The Liberator publishes its final issue.
July 24, 1866—Tennessee becomes the first state of the Confederacy to rejoin the Union after the Civil War.
February 7, 1867—Children’s author Laura Ingalls Wilder is born in Wisconsin.
March 1, 1867—Nebraska becomes the thirty-seventh U.S. state.
March 30, 1867—The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.
July 1, 1867—Canada becomes a self-governing colony of Great Britain.
July 28, 1868—The Fourteenth Amendment becomes law, guaranteeing African Americans full citizenship and equal protection of U.S. law.
November 1, 1870—The U.S. Weather Bureau (later known as the National Weather Service) makes its first forecast, for high winds in Chicago and Milwaukee.
RACHEL AND THE RIOT: THE LABOR MOVEMENT DIVIDES A FAMILY
VOCABULARY WORDS
arbitration—the hearing of a case and the deciding of a conflict by a third party who is not involved
“He won’t even come to the arbitration table.”
beeline—the shortest and straightest route
But as soon as he was gone, Simon made a beeline for Sam.
bullhorn—a cone-shaped device held to the mouth that makes the voice louder
A man with a bullhorn leaned out the side of the car.
chaos—a state of being unorganized or confused
Sam and Rachel were not the only ones who had come to the hospital to escape the chaos of the streets.
cloak—a loose outer garment resembling a cape
She buttoned her new sapphire cloak under her neck.
contorted—twisted into a strained shape
His face was contorted and his cheeks puffed out as he tried not to spit out the bite of pie.
droned—talked in a dull and boring tone
Miss Martin droned, “We will begin our day with the mathematics assignment.”
exquisite—very fine and beautiful
They were only a few inches tall, but they were painted with exquisite detail in bright colors and a glossy finish.
fracas—a noisy quarrel
In their rush to join the fracas, people were stepping on him or stepping over him.
frock—a woman’s or girl’s dress
“Perhaps you should take an old frock along to play in later.”
grimaced—made a facial expression of disgust
Rachel grimaced at the picture Sam had created in her mind.
gurney—a wheeled stretcher
The man on the gurney before Papa began gasping for air.
heckling—making fun of loudly, bothering by saying annoying things
Even from down the block, Rachel could hear them heckling the driver.
humane—characterized by feelings of compassion and sympathy for others
“We are entering a more humane era.”
hypothesis—an assumption or good guess that’s made for the sake of argument
“I’ll make a hypothesis about what I think will happen, then I’ll try some ideas to see if the hypothesis is true.”
orderly—a hospital attendant who does routine jobs
“Here comes the next one,” the nurse responded, as an orderly wheeled in another patient.
principle—a guideline, code of conduct
“The strikers are standing on a principle, Ernest.”
propaganda—the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or harming an organization, cause, or person
“We don’t need someone coming in here and spreading union propaganda.”
retorted—answered in a short, sharp manner
“And their children are going hungry for the sake of that principle,” retorted Uncle Ernest.
simpleton—a person lacking common sense
“I do not understand why you are behaving like such a simpleton on this matter.”
tension—stress, heightened feelings of anger or anxiety
He could feel tension between his friends Jim Harrison and Simon Jones.
unison—done at the same time
“Yes, honey, happy birthday,” Rachel’s parents greeted her in unison.
IMPORTANT PEOPLE AROUND 1889
Jim Hill
James Jerome Hill was born in 1838. His dream was to establish a railroad extending across the United States, and in 1878, he bought a line in Minnesota called the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. He immediately began to expand its route west, insisting that each leg of the railroad expansion be profitable and meet the highest standards. Hill’s first goal was to reach the Canadian border. There he joined with the Canadian Pacific Railroad and continued west. In 1893 the railroad—now known as the Great Northern Railroad—reached Puget Sound in Everett, Washington. Along the way, Hill and the Great Northern Railroad encouraged immigrants to move west and settle along the railroad lines. This earned him the title of “Empire Builder.” After he reached the west, he bought more railroads and developed a highly profitable trading partnership with Japan. He arranged the export of cotton from the South to Japan. Jim Hill died in 1916.
Thomas Lowry
Thomas Lowry was born February 27, 1843, in Logan County, Illinois. After passing the bar examination, he moved to Minneapolis where he practiced law and became involved in real estate. He also was president and primary owner of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company. In an attempt to break the employee union, he lowered the wages of the streetcar drivers and posted notices in the car barns prohibiting membership in the unions. Almost fifteen hundred employees stopped working. They were replaced by inexperienced drivers wearing cowboy suits—complete with guns. After the Easter riots, many of the regular drivers returned to work, effectively ending the strike. Lowry’s transit company was the first of its kind in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. Although it provided a needed service, it was not welcomed throughout the area. Noisy and dangerous streetcars ran through the neighborhoods. The extension of the routes drove up the price of real estate, making it difficult for working families to afford homes. The company went bankrupt in December of 1889. Thomas Lowry died February 4, 1909, in Minneapolis.
Charles Pillsbury
Charles Alfred Pillsbury was born on December 3, 1842, in Warner, New Hampshire. With money he received from his father, George A., and uncle John S. Pillsbury, Charles spent ten thousand dollars to receive a third ownership of a flour mill. The money was spent on machinery that allowed the mill to process the hard spring wheat of the area into fine white flour. The business was very prosperous, and Minnesota became the center of the flour milling industry. By 1886, the C. A. Pillsbury Company was doing approximately fifteen million dollars in business per year. In 1889, the company was sold to an English financial firm and became the Pillsbury–Washburn Flour Mills. Charles Pillsbury remained as managing director, before dying September 17, 1889.
HISTORY IN PERSPECTIVE TIMELINE
May 8, 1886—Coca-Cola is invented.
February 22, 1889—President Grover Cleveland signs a bill admitting North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington into the United States. North and South Dakota are admitted on November 2, Montana on November 8, and Washington on November 11.
May 6, 1889—The Eiffel Tower opens in Paris, France.
November 14, 1889—Female journalist Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) begins her attempt to travel around the world in less than eighty days. She will end her journey on January 25, 1890, seventy-two days, six hours, and eleven minutes later.
November 23, 1889—The first jukebox is unveiled at the Palais Royal restaurant in San Francisco, California. It costs a nickel.
1890—The cardboard box is invented by Robert Gair.
January 2, 1890—Alice Sanger becomes the first female staff member at the White House.
July 3, 1890—Idaho becomes a state. July 10, 1890—Wyoming becomes a state.
January 9, 1903—Thomas Edison applies for a patent for an “electrical automobile.”
EMILY MAKES A DIFFERENCE: A TIME OF PROGRESS AND PROBLEMS
VOCABULARY WORDS
ambassador—a person sent to another country to represent his or her own country
“Mr. Douglass is the ambassador to Haiti,” Mother told him.
bankrupt—financially ruined
“The Northern Pacific Railroad has gone bankrupt.”
brocade—a rich, silky fabric with a raised silver and gold pattern
“They’d look wonderful against this purple brocade.”
dynamo—a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy
“What I want to see is much smaller than a dynamo.”
famished—extremely hungry
“I could use one of your mother’s doughnuts if you have any left. I’m famished.”
gondola—a long, narrow, flat-bottomed boat famous for its use on canals in Venice, Italy
Her spirits lifted when her father said they were going for a gondola ride before dinner.
hieroglyphics—pictures that represent words, syllables, or sounds, as used in ancient Egyptian writing
Emily was standing in the doorway, looking at the strange hieroglyphics that bordered the doorway.
hooligan—a young hoodlum or troublemaker
“I guess that won’t be necessary,” the man said. “You two look too well dressed to befriends with this hooligan.”
horticulture—the art of gardening
“I want to see the Woman’s Building,” Emily told her mother as they climbed the steps, “but I’d like to see the Horticulture Building, too.”
impulsive—acting without thinking
Her aunt never got as upset as her mother over the small scrapes Emily and Ted’s impulsive acts got them into.