Freedom’s Boundaries, At Home and Abroad

Populist Party

A political movement representing farmers and laborers, advocating for economic reforms like bimetallism and government regulation of railroads.

Bimetallism

The use of both gold and silver as currency, supported by Populists to increase the money supply and help debtors.

William Jennings Bryan

Populist-backed presidential candidate in 1896, known for his 'Cross of Gold' speech advocating for bimetallism.

Panic of 1893

A severe economic depression that led to widespread unemployment and labor unrest.

Pullman Strike (1894)

A nationwide railroad strike protesting wage cuts, which was crushed by federal intervention.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the South.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Disenfranchisement

The systematic denial of voting rights to African Americans through measures like literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses.

Lynching

The extrajudicial killing of African Americans, often by white mobs, as a tool of racial terror.

Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)

A women’s organization advocating for temperance and social reform.

Susan B. Anthony

A leading figure in the women’s suffrage movement.

Ida B. Wells

An African American journalist and activist who campaigned against lynching and for civil rights.

Spanish-American War (1898)

A conflict between the U.S. and Spain, leading to U.S. acquisition of territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalist news reporting that helped fuel public support for the Spanish-American War.

USS Maine

A U.S. battleship whose explosion in Havana Harbor was used to justify the Spanish-American War.

Treaty of Paris (1898)

The treaty ending the Spanish-American War, in which Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S.

Philippine-American War (1899–1902)

A conflict following the U.S. annexation of the Philippines, as Filipinos fought for independence.

Anti-Imperialist League

A group opposed to American expansionism, arguing that it violated democratic principles.

Open Door Policy

A U.S. policy advocating for equal trading rights in China and opposing the colonization of Chinese territory.

Annexation of Hawaii (1898)

The U.S. takeover of Hawaii, driven by economic and strategic interests.

World’s Columbian Exposition (1893)

A world’s fair in Chicago that showcased American progress but excluded African Americans.

Social Darwinism

The belief that wealth and power were signs of natural superiority, used to justify inequality.

Booker T. Washington

An African American leader who advocated for economic self-improvement and vocational education, as outlined in his Atlanta Compromise speech.

W.E.B. Du Bois

An African American intellectual and activist who opposed Booker T. Washington’s approach, advocating for full civil rights and higher education for African Americans.

Great Migration

The movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North, which began in the late 19th century.

Gold Standard

A monetary system in which currency is backed by gold, supported by bankers and industrialists but opposed by Populists.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

A law intended to break up monopolies, though it was initially used against labor unions.

Election of 1896

A pivotal election in which William Jennings Bryan (Populist/Democrat) lost to William McKinley (Republican), marking the decline of the Populist movement.

Gilded Age

The period of rapid industrialization and economic growth in the late 19th century, marked by stark social inequalities.

William McKinley

Republican president (1897–1901) who supported the gold standard and led the U.S. during the Spanish-American War.

Theodore Roosevelt

A rising political figure who gained fame during the Spanish-American War and later became president.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Filipino leader who fought for independence from Spain and later against U.S. annexation.

Mark Twain

A writer and critic of American imperialism, who coined the term 'Gilded Age' to describe the era’s superficial glitter and underlying corruption.

Freedom’s Boundaries

The chapter explores how the meaning of freedom was contested, with marginalized groups (African Americans, women, laborers) fighting for their rights while the U.S. expanded its influence abroad.

Manifest Destiny

The belief in the U.S.’s divine right to expand across the continent, which evolved into a justification for imperialism.

Social Reform

Efforts to address issues like poverty, inequality, and injustice, often led by women and African Americans.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a nation’s power and influence through colonization or military force, which the U.S. embraced in the late 19th century.