Unit 6: The Industrial Revolution - IB History Terms

The Gilded Age (1870-1890)

Rise of Steel

* this metal alloy became important as railroad production grew post Civil-War
* America soon became the world’s leading producer
* changed American lifestyle forever (i.e. businessmen profited off of steel, railroads and transportation improved, sturdier taller structures could now be built leading to skyscrapers, etc.)
* main reason for the expanding domestic market

The Corporation

* once laws were changed in the 1830s it allowed people to sell stock and raise funds for their ventures
* selling stock was the only way for corporations to raise the capital needed to fund great projects
* limited liability for investments = get rich quick
* reason why America was able to undergo the Industrial Revolution and City Beautiful Movement
* also the reason for capitalism

Andrew Carnegie

* was able to build a large steel empire by controlling production from mine to market (vertical integration)
* finally sold his company to J. Pierpont Morgan for 450 million
* politically committed to democracy and social equality; believed the rich had a moral obligation to promote the advancement of society
* a hypocrite; donated to development of public libraries but ran 2 12-hour shifts
* an example of the rags to riches businessman that fueled the American dream

J. Pierpont Morgan

* Carnegie sold his steel empire to him
* created the U.S. Steel Corporation which controlled over 2/3rds of the nations steel supply

John D. Rockefeller

* the greatest corporate empire
* was able to grow his business both vertically and horizontally
* at some point owned 90% of the refined oil in the U.S.
* essentially a monopoly on oil production and distribution
* a hypocrite; donated to development of towns but abused his workers
* example of the rags to riches businessman; like all of them, cheated his way to the top

Horizontal and Vertical Integration

* First one involves consolidating a number of similar firms (i.e. oil refineries)
* Second one involves controlling all the means of production (i.e. Carnegie Steel)

Trusts

* An economic combination where stockholders in individual corporations transferred their stocks to a small group of trustees in exchange for shares in the combo itself
* maximizes profits and supports if the business fails/has setbacks
* an attempt to avoid cutthroat competition and monopolize over industries

Cartels

* an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and __restricting__ competition.
* a method for companies to work together to stabilize rates and divide profits
* an attempt to avoid cutthroat competition and monopolize over industries

Myth of the Self-Made Man

* most viewed their success as being created by themselves
* pulled themselves up by “their bootstraps”
* most made money (i.e. rockefeller) through ruthlessness, arrogance, and corruption

Social Darwinism

* “Survival of the Fittest”; millionaires believed that they received their wealth because they deserved their success for good works and those that did not were made poor by their own shortcomings
* businessmen liked this because it make their actions seem legitimate and part of American ideals

The Gospel of Wealth

* Andrew Carnegie wrote a book in 1901
* said that all revenues in excess should be put into a trust fund that would be used for the good of the community
* wanted to go to heaven; distorted view of capitalism

Horatio Alger

* wrote a series of popular “rags to riches” stories that reinforced the Social Darwinist philosophies
* tied American ideals of self-reliance and determination to people’s own fates

Wages and Working Conditions

* average income of the American worker was $400-$500; below $600 needed for level of comfort
* workers also didn’t have job security or sick days, and were always vulnerable to the boom and bust cycle of the industrial economy
* worked 10 hour shifts six days a week
* little money for those who were injured on the job
* excuse: social darwinism; the poor were responsible for their own fate

Women and Children at Work

* Skilled workers were in decline, so factory owners would hire women and children because they could do the work for much cheaper
* caused reformers to complain that women were vulnerable to the rough environment of factory life
* textile industry was the industry that most women worked in; paid poorly
* average wage for women was less than half what men made
* endangered with unsafe working conditions but opened women to opportunities outside of private spheres

The Great Railroad Strike

* example of unionization against higher social classes, solidarity, and close ties between Republican party and industrialists
* (1887) eastern railway companies announced a 10% wage cut
* strikes disrupted rail service from Baltimore to St. Louis and workers destroyed equipment and rioted in the streets
* state militia opened fire on thousands of workers and their families
* shift from slavery to “the overwhelming labor question”
* national power would be used not to protect former slaves but guarantee the rights of poverty (shift in who they’re trying to “support”)

The American Federation of Labor

* (1886) founded as a skilled labor union
* Samuel Gompers was the leader; believed that women drove down wages and it was up to the men to provide for their families
* didn’t want gov helping improving workers rights and instead focus on the relationship between labor and management
* grounded in a patriarchal society (beliefs formulate our actions)

Haymarket Square

* Chicago was at the center of radical movement
* police started harassing strikers so labor leaders called a protest meeting at Haymarket Square
* someone threw a bomb that killed 7 officers and injured 67 other people
* public charged 8 anarchists for inciting the bomb thrower
* 7 were sentenced to death (1 killed himself, 4 were executed, and the rest changed to life in prison)
* employers painted the event as dangerous and un-American
* motivations of this event ranged but it brought together immigrant and native workers

The Homestead Strike

* Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Carnegie believed that the Amalgamated Assoc. of Iron and Steel Workers needed to be eliminated at Homestead
* 2-year battle to cut wages and force the union to fall in line
* (1892) Frick passed a cut and union was given 2 days to accept it, but they called for a strike
* Frick called in 300 Pinkerton security guards but workers struck back
* Governer sent in National Guard to break the union
* example of unionization against higher social classes and solidarity

The Pullman Strike

* cut wages by 25% and refused to lower rents
* unionizers asked Eugene V. Debs to help with the strike and he convinced railway workers to not handle Pullman cars
* Grover Cleveland called out the National Guard despite Illinois governor objecting
* example of unionization against higher social classes and solidarity

Eugene V. Debs

* Eugene Debs was the founder of the Industrial Workers of the World (the IWW, or "Wobblies"), and a prominent American socialist.
* played an important role in popularizing socialistic ideas and ideals which were denounced as radical or even un-American in the early part of the 20th century.
* He also was part of the Pullman Company strike and was eventually imprisoned.

Ethnic Enclaves

* part of the city where people of the same language, cultures and traditions lived
* explains why there are so many Chinatowns, Korea Towns, etc
* includes ghettos; explains why specific neighborhoods are in poverty based on their race
* millions of people passed through Ellis Island where they would eventually make it to America
* IMMIGRATION IS THE BACKBONE OF AMERICAN INDUSTRIALIZATION/ADVANCEMENT

Americanization

* created to make immigrants “acceptable” to society
* schools taught children English because employers would demand English on the job
* American goods forced immigrants to change their diets and adapt to American norms
* manipulated their dreams of becoming “true” Americans by discriminating them despite holding the ideas of assimilation being possible
* the only way you can be a “true” American is if you’re not an immigrant

nativism

* many older Americans were scared about how these new groups would change America
* workers were angry that immigrants would take jobs at lower wages than American workers
* people fear change, but most Americans were ok with immigration (for good and bad reasons)

City Beautiful Projects

* the ability to make the city into a great place
* goal was to make life better for those living in the city (i.e. the Columbian Exposition)
* an attempt to leave an impression; copying Europe and how their architecture leaves a story of power and advancement

Tenements

* immigrants were forced to rent living homes in the city; most were on the verge of catching fire
* dumbbell shape to maximize space
* prime example of terrible living conditions for immigrants; shows how unwelcomed they were and how uncared for they were
* leads to wealth disparities among races with immigrants being poorer
* continues today; successful people in other countries have difficulties finding a good job in America because some don’t speak English well

Jacob Riis

* wrote *How the Other Half Lives*
* tells the story of tenement style living
* BOOKS ARE IMPORTANT !! example of how people realized that we should take steps toward basic human needs

Skyscrapers

* cities were forced to grow up to handle the number of people moving into the city
* Steel-Girder buildings made it capable for cities to build tall buildings
* i.e. Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright influenced modern American architecture
* shows progress !! (more room = more people)

Pollution and Poverty in the American City

* large groups of people, plus limited city support led to high crime, fire, disease, and pollution
* “great fires” of Chicago and Boston devastated wooden buildings
* 1906 Earthquake flattened San Francisco
* little knowledge of sanitation or working clean led to pollution of the air and water
* poverty contributes to pollution and poor environment; consequences of the government not caring about ALL people

Boss Rule

* to help non-English speaking immigrants adjust and find work many turned to the political machine (political parties finding and generating votes and keeping votes legal)
* started by the demands of the new city, building tings and finding workers
* used immigrants to provide a new source of votes
* system was run by a boss who would coordinate his connections to make sure that immigrants would vote the way they wanted
* example of corruption in the city

George Washington Plunkett

* wrote honest graft; talked about the way a politician could make money “honestly”
* quite literally a pro-stealing and pro-corruption argument
* shows how businessmen and politicians don’t and still don’t care about you and your values nor what’s best for society; they just want power for themselves

Baseball

* the most important sport in the U.S.
* Cincinnati Red Stockings was formed in 1869
* example of typical American life for everyone

College Football

* another important sport in the US
* appealed to a more elite segment of the population
* example of elite American life

Vaudeville

* a theatrical genre of variety entertainment popular in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s.
* critical for performers to gain respect in the community.
* It was symbolic of the cultural diversity of early twentieth century America.

The Birth of a Nation

* first widely popular movies
* extremely racist message; shows the “American" values that Americans so greatly upheld for equality and freedom

Ashcan School

* art movement portraying daily life
* shift from the fantastical ideas of life to reality (i.e. the poor, the hurt, etc)
* more open-minded to immigrants and their lives

Rise of Public Education

* high schools became important to train people for new industrial jobs
* native american schools were created to teach them skills to make it in modern American society
* didn’t have large amount of success (i.e. resistance and inadequate funding)
* don’t forget the abuse and murders of missing native children because of these schools that were often ignored
* forced to forget the cultures they grew up in

Women’s Colleges

* education for women expanded to colleges
* i.e. Vassar, Wellesley, Smith, etc
* created a distinct women’s culture that helped continue the push for women’s suffrage

Half-Breeds

* the liberal faction of the Republican Party from the 1870s to 1890s, rivalling the conservative "Stalwarts"
* supporters of President Rutherford B. Hayes - were so-called for their support for a lenient treatment of the American South and an end to Reconstruction
* they were seen as traitors to the party and allies of the Democrats due to their opposition to Reconstruction, their ambivalence towards African-American civil rights, and their opposition to the powerful Republican machines. 
* supported civil reform and a merit system

Stalwarts

* a conservative faction of the Republican Party which existed from 1877 to 1890.
* They consisted of supporters of President Ulysses S. Grant's administration, and they were in opposition to President Rutherford B. Hayes' attempts to reconcile with the South, opposed civil service reform, supported the protective tariff, supported the patronage system led by Grant, Roscoe Conkling, and Chester A. Arthur, and supported a third term for Grant.
* Essentially, they kept the Radical Republican flame on Reconstruction policy and black civil rights, hoping that the Democratic resurgence in the South could be reversed
* opposed the efforts of the reformist "Half-Breeds" to establish a meritocracy and put an end to Radical Reconstruction.

Garfield assassinated

* Garfield tried to create civil service reform by defying Stalwarts, but was shot twice by Charles T. Guiteau and lingered for 3 months before he died
* led to a massive decline in support for machine politics, rise in Stalwart and Half-Breeds rivalry, and even new President Arthur supported civil service reform

Pendleton Act

* required use of examinations for people seeking federal jobs rather than use of patronage
* people who worked a job were now specialized to do it
* changed how gov was organized

Election of 1884

* Cleveland won this election
* James Blaine had a terrible reputation with the Catholics and liberal Republicans
* Cleveland was a defender of free trade and party politics
* It saw the first Democrat elected President of the United States since James Buchanan in 1856, and the first Democratic president to hold office since Andrew Johnson,

Sherman Antitrust Act

* remained a largely symbolic gesture
* cracked down on monopolies
* outlaws "every contract, combination, or conspiracy in restraint of trade," and any "monopolization, attempted monopolization, or conspiracy or combination to monopolize.
* not successfully; Ironically, its only effective use for a number of years was against labor unions, which were held by the courts to be illegal combinations.
* established precedent that national government could regulate the economy to promote the public good

Interstate Commerce Act

* regulated the railroad industry
* Western farmers called the railroad companies corrupt, benefiting at their expense and for urban interests.
* The ICC eliminated such corruption, helping farmers to benefit economically and financially.
* established precedent that national government could regulate the economy to promote the public good

The Grangers

* political action committee; effort for farmers to collectivize after Civil War
* turn from economic to political possibilities
* attempt to change industrial-focused society towards agrarian culture

Populism

* supports the rights and power of the people in their struggle against the upper class
* increased farmers’ political power
* followers were mainly farmers who were losing their jobs to modern farming practices
* expanded money supply by having money backed with silver and gold
* people fear change

Panic of 1893

* Philadelphia and Reading Railroad declared bankruptcy
* National Cordage Company failed
* decline of the stock market
* many NY banks were heavily invested in the stock market + lack of purchasing power of farmers, over-expansion of railroads, etc
* shows how important railroads were to the economy and how fragile the economy was

William Jennings Bryan

* part of the Democratic Party
* showed no restraint during his presidential campaign
* lost the election of 1896
* made the “Cross of Gold” speech; believed in silver as currency

“Cross of Gold” Speech

* The most famous speech in American political history delivered by William Jennings Bryan
* He wanted silver and not gold to be America's bullion standard.
* It was his goal to create inflation to help those in debt.
* like Andrew Jackson; appealed to Populist farmers and the poor

William McKinley

* part of the Republican Party
* showed restraint during his presidential campaign
* won the election of 1896
* believed in gold currency
* his win led industrial America to turn solidly Republican

Imperialism

* the US took control of Hawaii, the Philippines, and Cuba despite claiming that their foundation is built on freedom from the colonizers (the british)
* imperialism is based on social darwinism; pushed America into looking overseas to maximize power
* American foreign trade increased after imperialism

Alfred Thayer Mahan

argued that:

* Our increasing production demanded we expanded overseas and gain new markets.
* We must make sure that no nation owns islands within three thousand miles of San Francisco. This meant we had to gain control of Hawaii.
* A powerful navy must be built.
* essentially inspired American imperialism

Takeover of Hawaii

* (1810) King Kamehameha I was able to welcome white traders and consolidate power within the Hawaiian islands
* However the whites wanted more than trade, missionaries wanted to “civilize” Hawaiian society
* In 1887 the US got a permanent base at Pearl Harbor
* It allowed increased trade with the natives and increased trade with China
* American planters established large sugar plantations in Hawaii
* Hawaiians began to protest, in 1891, Queen Liliuokalani challenged white rule
* However whites needed to be part of the US to avoid paying tariffs on sugar and began taking power
* When Hawaiians rebelled, the whites called in the US marines for protection in 1893
* Hawaii became a protectorate in the 1898
* essentially did the same thing they did to Texas except with sugar plantations

Yellow Journalism

* American newspaper publishers used the conflict to sell papers
* Hearst and Pulitzer used Yellow Journalism to keep the American public interested

USS Maine

* With the excitement over the de Lome letter still high, the U.S.S. Maine blew up in Havana harbor killing 260 people
* War hysteria swept the country and Congress approved $50 million for military preparation
* “Remember the Maine!” became a national slogan
* McKinley tried to avoid war, however many including Theodore Roosevelt wanted it
* When Spain refused to agree to all of the American demands, the US declared war on April 25th 1898
* reminder that the only reason why Americans are constantly looking for war is because they haven't had a foreign country invade America

Spanish-American War

* Secretary of State John Hay called it “A splendid little war” since the war started in April and ended in August of 1898
* Only 460 Americans were killed in battle, however 5200 died of disease in Cuba and preparing for battle
* Since America had greatly scaled back its military after the Civil War, the American military preparations were incredibly inefficient
* There were also racial conflicts between segregated black soldiers and their treatment in the south and how they saw white and black Cubans fight along side each other
* Battle at San Juan Hill and attack on the Philippines
* Spain recognized the independent of Cuba, ceded Puerto Rico and Guam to the US and accepted the continued American occupation of Manila pending the final disposition of the Philippines
* used struggle for Cuban independence as a reason to imperialize

The Rough Riders

* a cavalry unit let by Theodore Roosevelt, who demanded that his group move so it can get into the fighting before the war ended (cowboys, lone riders, etc)
* He led a reckless charge up Kettle Hill directly into the Spanish guns where he was unscathed but 100 of his soldiers were killed and wounded
* made Roosevelt a national hero for “uniting groups of American society” even though it was still segregated

Puerto Rico

* Even though this country was also pushing for independence the Americans remained in control till 1900 when it set up a colonial government
* An American governor, a two chamber legislature that had an upper house picked by the US and a lower house voted on by the people
* The sugar industry also thrived because of access to American markets
* American planters also began instituting plantations like they did in Hawaii
* still part of the US today; economic and political imperialism

Platt Amendment

* Where some of America’s land holdings provided opportunity (Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico) other such as Cuba proved difficult to control
* To keep Cuba in line without seeming like they were preventing independence, America made Cuba pass this
* It barred Cuba from making treaties with other countries, gave the US the right to intervene and “protect” Cuban independence, permitted the US to hold a naval base on the island and said that debts had to be kept low to keep foreign countries from enforcing payment
* Cuba became an economic colony of the Americans
* American investors took charge of wealth
* didn’t want to go against their american values of freedom but was freely willing to manipulate and exploit an entire country into economic imperialism

Emilio Aguinaldo

* The leader of the independence movement
* American General Arthur MacArthur began to find that more and more people were loyal to Aguinaldo
* The American military began to use concentration camps, while American troops destroyed their villages, farm, crops, and livestock
* Over 15 Filipinos were killed for every one wounded, in the American Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in US one person had died for every five wounded
* (1901) Americans captured Aguinaldo and the rebellion faltered

Open Door Policy

* Now that the US held the Philippines, interest in trade with China had increased
* However the China trade was competitive with England, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan eager to carve up China
* John Hay wrote this which wanted each sphere of influence
* attempt to control China economically instead of directly
* America now became interested in going further West