US History Study Guide (Legnini)

A comprehensive review of key concepts, legislation, and figures in US history focusing on the 19th century, organized into flashcards for study.

Dawes Severalty Act

A law that allowed the federal government to break up Native American tribal lands into small rented plots, aiming to assimilate Native Americans into Euro-American society.

Helen Hunt Jackson

An advocate for Native Americans who fought Congress over broken treaties and authored 'A Century of Dishonor', exposing the US government's treatment of Native Americans.

Indian assimilation

The process by which Native Americans were integrated into the larger American population, often resulting in loss of tribal identity.

Transcontinental Railroad

A railroad that connected the eastern U.S. to the Pacific coast, built between 1863 and 1869, that facilitated national market growth and urbanization.

Homestead Act

Legislation passed by Lincoln that allowed citizens to claim 160 acres of land for a small fee, promoting westward expansion.

Gilded Age

A period marked by rapid industrialization, high wealth concentration, and widespread corruption in politics.

Carnegie Steel

A steel production company revolutionized by Andrew Carnegie, known for its massive scale and impact on the industrial economy.

Robber barons

Business magnates who gained large fortunes through monopolistic practices, often exploiting workers and corrupting politics.

Social Darwinism

The belief that the principles of natural selection apply to social and economic issues, justifying wealth disparities during the Gilded Age.

Populist Party

Political group formed by farmers aiming to represent their interests, advocating for reforms like bimetallism and a graduated income tax.

Bimetallism

An economic policy that advocated for the use of both gold and silver as currency to increase the money supply.

Cross of Gold Speech

A famous speech by William Jennings Bryan arguing that the gold standard harmed the lower class and advocating for bimetallism.

Pinkerton Detectives

Private agents hired by companies for labor disputes to protect property and suppress union activities.

Munn v. Illinois

A Supreme Court case that upheld state regulation of private businesses for the public good, particularly regarding railroads.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

The first federal law that banned monopolies and trusts, passed to promote competition.

Frontier Thesis

Frederick Jackson Turner's argument that the American frontier shaped national traits like independence and individualism.

Jim Crow laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

New South

The idea promoted by Henry Grady after the Civil War to modernize the South while maintaining racial inequalities.