HIST 2112

Notes taken from class

Reconstruction

The process of rebuilding and reuniting the United States after the Civil War.

Presidential Reconstruction

The approach to Reconstruction led by the President, which aimed for a quick and easy restoration of the Union.

Radical Reconstruction

The approach to Reconstruction led by Congress, which sought to make significant political and economic changes in the South.

Freedmen

The 4 million recently enslaved people who were freed after the Civil War.

Political Rights

The rights to vote and participate in the political process.

Economic Rights

The rights to own property, pursue economic opportunities, and be free from economic exploitation.

Sharecropping

A system in which freedmen worked on land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crops they produced.

Homestead Act of 1862

A law that provided cheap land to settlers in the West, encouraging westward expansion and farming.

Assimilation

The process of taking someone who is not American and turning them into an American, often by erasing their native culture.

Dawes Severalty Act of 1887

A law that divided Native American land into individual plots and aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society.

Industrialism

The rise of large-scale industrial production and the transformation of society and the economy that accompanied it.

Child Labor

The employment of children in factories and mines, often in dangerous conditions.

Labor Movement

The collective efforts of workers to improve their working conditions, wages, and rights.

Unionization

The formation of labor unions to represent and advocate for the rights and interests of workers.

Strikes

Organized work stoppages by workers to demand better conditions or rights from their employers.

Knights of Labor

A labor union led by Terrance Powderly that was open to women, African American members (although segregated), and business people. The only people banned were Chinese immigrants.

Eight Hour Movement

A movement in 1896 that advocated for an eight-hour workday, with eight hours for rest and eight hours for personal activities.

Haymarket Square Riots

A riot that took place in Chicago in the summer of 1886 during a Knights of Labor rally. It resulted in the arrest and hanging of seven people, marking the end of the Knights of Labor.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

A labor union founded in 1886 that was more moderate and mainstream compared to the Knights of Labor. Led by Sam Gompers, the AFL focused on negotiating with employers rather than going on strike.

United Mine Workers of America

A radical labor union, also known as the Wobblies, that included socialists, communists, and anarchists. Led by Big Bill Haywood, they were known for their militant tactics and anti-capitalist views.

Homestead Steel Strike

A strike in 1892 led by factory women organizing collectively for better working conditions. It was one of the few strikes where women and children actively participated.

Populist Party

A political party formed in 1892 that aimed to represent the interests of farmers and the working class. They advocated for government ownership of railroads, direct election of senators, and the free coinage of silver.

Third Wave of Immigration

The period between 1880 and 1920 when approximately 20 to 28 million people immigrated to the United States. Push factors included religious persecution and famine, while pull factors included industrial job opportunities and religious freedom.

Ellis Island

The primary immigration processing center in New York City where the majority of immigrants arriving on the East Coast went through. Only a small percentage of immigrants were rejected.

Tenements

Cheap and crowded housing units where many immigrants lived in major cities. Living conditions were often poor, with issues such as crowding, poverty, and disease.