APUSH Period 6 Vocab

Second Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid industrialization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, driven by advances in technology like electricity, steel, and oil.

Gilded Age

A term coined by Mark Twain to describe the late 19th century in the U.S., marked by economic growth, political corruption, inequality, and social problems.

Panic of 1893

A severe economic panic triggered by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing, leading to widespread bank failures.

Union Pacific Railroad

One of the companies that built the first transcontinental railroad, extending westward from Omaha, Nebraska.

Central Pacific Railroad

The company involved in building the first transcontinental railroad, which started in California and moved eastward.

Pacific Railway Act of 1861

A law that authorized the construction of the transcontinental railroad, providing land and federal loans to railroad companies.

Homestead Act

A law passed in 1862 offering 160 acres of public land to settlers who would improve it by building a home and farming.

Dawes Severalty Act

An 1887 law aimed at assimilating Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual plots.

Assimilation

The process by which Native Americans were forced to adopt white American cultural norms.

Battle of Wounded Knee

An 1890 massacre of Sioux Native Americans by U.S. troops, marking the end of armed Native American resistance.

Cornelius Vanderbilt

A wealthy businessman known for his dominance in the railroad and shipping industries during the 19th century.

Jay Gould

A financier and railroad magnate known for manipulating railroads and stock markets in the late 19th century.

Alexander Graham Bell

The inventor of the telephone, which revolutionized communication in the late 19th century.

Thomas Edison

An inventor known for his work with electric power, particularly the electric light bulb.

Nikola Tesla

A Serbian-American inventor known for his contributions to the development of alternating current electrical systems.

John D. Rockefeller

The co-founder of Standard Oil, which became a monopoly in the oil industry.

Andrew Carnegie

A Scottish-American industrialist who led the expansion of the steel industry in the U.S.

J. Pierpont Morgan

A powerful financier and banker who helped consolidate railroads and steel industries.

Vertical Integration

A business model where a company controls all aspects of production from raw materials to final products.

Horizontal Integration

A strategy where a company acquires competitors to control part of the production process.

Bessemer Process

A method for producing steel by blowing air through molten iron to remove impurities.

Sears, Roebuck and Company

A mail-order company that became one of the largest retailers in the U.S. in the late 19th century.

Laissez-faire

An economic philosophy advocating minimal government intervention in business.

Protestant Work Ethic

A cultural belief that hard work and self-discipline are key to achieving success.

Great Railroad Strike of 1877

A nationwide strike by railroad workers protesting wage cuts and poor conditions.

National Labor Union

The first significant national labor organization founded in 1866 to improve workers' conditions.

Knights of Labor

A large labor organization that sought to unite all workers regardless of skill, race, or gender.

The Haymarket Affair

An 1886 labor protest in Chicago that turned violent after a bomb exploded.

Samuel Gompers

The founder of the American Federation of Labor focused on better wages and working conditions.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

A labor organization that focused on the needs of skilled workers, emphasizing practical gains.

Homestead Steel Strike of 1892

A violent labor strike at Carnegie's steel plant, ending in a defeat for the union.

Pullman Strike of 1894

A nationwide railroad strike led by Eugene V. Debs protesting wage cuts.

Eugene V. Debs

A labor leader and socialist key in the Pullman Strike and a presidential candidate.

George A. Custer

A U.S. Army officer known for his defeat and death at the Battle of Little Bighorn in the Great Sioux War.

Great Sioux War

A series of battles between the U.S. Army and the Sioux Nation, culminating in Custer's defeat.

Range Wars

Conflicts between farmers, ranchers, and landowners in the western U.S. over land use.

Ellis Island

The primary immigration station in New York Harbor for millions of immigrants.

Chinese Exclusion Act

An 1882 federal law prohibiting the immigration of Chinese laborers to the U.S.

Nativist

A person advocating for policies favoring native-born citizens over immigrants.

Social Darwinism

An ideology arguing that the wealthy and powerful are 'naturally' superior.

Pragmatism

A philosophical movement emphasizing practical consequences and real-world applications.

William James

An American philosopher known for his work in pragmatism.

Reform Darwinism

A theory believing human society could improve through collective action.

Political Machine

An organized group of politicians and supporters controlling local or state governments.

Tammany Hall

The most famous political machine in New York City during the 19th century.

William 'Boss' Tweed

The head of Tammany Hall known for controlling New York City's government.

Stalwarts

A faction of the Republican Party supporting political patronage and opposing civil service reform.

Mugwumps

Reform-minded Republicans who supported Grover Cleveland due to corruption concerns.

Grover Cleveland

The 22nd and 24th President known for his opposition to high tariffs and political corruption.

Election of 1888

A presidential election where Benjamin Harrison won despite losing the popular vote.

Granger Movement

A movement focused on farmers' rights, including railroad regulation.

Farmers’ Alliances

Regional organizations formed in the 1880s to address farmers' economic issues.

Populist Party

A political party emerging in the 1890s advocating for farmers and laborers.

Omaha Platform

The 1892 platform of the Populist Party calling for multiple reforms.

Gold Standard

A monetary system tied to a specific amount of gold.

Mary Elizabeth Lease

A leader of the Populist Party known for advocating farmers’ rights.

Depression of 1893

A severe economic depression triggered by the collapse of large railroad companies.

William McKinley

The 25th President known for his leadership during the Spanish-American War.

William Jennings Bryan

A Populist leader known for advocating free coinage of silver.

George Washington Carver

An African American agricultural scientist known for his work with peanuts.

Jim Crow Laws

Laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern U.S. from the late 19th century.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A landmark Supreme Court case upholding racial segregation under 'separate but equal.'

Separate but Equal

A legal doctrine allowing racial segregation as long as facilities were deemed equal.

Ida B. Wells

An African American journalist and activist against lynching.

Booker T. Washington

An African American educator emphasizing vocational training for progress.

WEB Du Bois

An African American scholar advocating for political and civil rights.

Dr. Walter Reed

A U.S. Army doctor who helped prove that mosquitoes transmit yellow fever.

De Lome Letter

A private letter inflaming anti-Spanish sentiment contributing to the Spanish-American War.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

A U.S. naval officer and strategist whose book "The Influence of Sea Power upon History" argued for the strategic importance of a strong navy.

Social Gospel

A religious movement seeking to apply Christian ethics to social problems.

Settlement House

Community centers providing services to poor immigrants in urban areas.

Jane Addams

A social reformer and co-founder of Hull House dedicated to urban poor improvement.

Gospel of Wealth

An idea promoting that wealthy individuals should improve society through philanthropy.

Spectator Sports

Entertainment activities like baseball and boxing that became popular in urban areas.

Barnum and Bailey

The famous circus known as 'The Greatest Show on Earth' symbolizing American culture.

Sherman Antitrust Act

An 1890 law preventing monopolies and promoting competition.

Greenback Party

A political party advocating for expanding the money supply with paper currency.