Must Know Terms Period 6 (1865-1898)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Period 6 of U.S. history.

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Merged local railroads into the New York Central Railroad, facilitating the transport of goods and promoting industrial growth.

Transcontinental Railroad

A railroad that reached from the East Coast to the West Coast, enabling mass movement of people and resources across the country.

Speculation

The buying and selling of stocks with the hope of quick profit; contributed to the panic of 1893.

Panic of 1893

A financial panic that devastated the railroad industry and led to widespread economic depression.

Vertical Integration

When a company controls all stages of production from raw materials to final product, exemplified by Andrew Carnegie in the steel industry.

Horizontal Integration

A strategy in which a company acquires its competitors to gain monopoly power in the industry.

Standard Oil Trust

John D. Rockefeller's company that managed assets of other companies to eliminate competition and establish a monopoly.

Interstate Commerce Act of 1886

A law aimed to regulate railroad rates and practices, marking the first federal attempt to regulate big businesses.

Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890

A federal law prohibiting trusts to maintain free competition in commerce.

Munn v Illinois

A landmark Supreme Court case establishing the right of states to regulate public businesses, including railroads.

Knights of Labor

An inclusive labor union that aimed for reforms like child labor abolition and worker ownership.

American Federation of Labor

A labor union focused on narrow economic goals, organized mainly by skilled workers.

Eugene Debs

Leader of the American Railway Union who promoted strikes for better working conditions and later founded the Socialist Party.

Gospel of Wealth

An idea promoted by Andrew Carnegie that the rich have a moral obligation to assist the less fortunate.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

A law that prohibited Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States, reflecting nativist sentiments.

Dawes Act of 1887

Legislation aiming to assimilate Native Americans by breaking up tribal lands into individual allotments.

Little Big Horn

The battle in which Sioux leaders defeated Colonel Custer, marking a significant point in the Indian Wars.

Social Darwinism

The belief that 'survival of the fittest' justifies social inequality and wealth concentration.

Jim Crow Laws

Legislation enforcing racial segregation and disenfranchisement in the South.

Granger Laws

Laws aimed at regulating the railroad industry in favor of farmers.

Frederick Jackson Turner

Historian known for his thesis on the significance of the frontier in American history.

New South

The idea promoted by some Southerners that the region would industrialize and diversify; often unsuccessful.

Political Machines

Organizations that controlled political parties in cities, often with a boss at the top and involved in corrupt activities.

Settlement Houses

Community centers in urban areas aimed at helping immigrants integrate and improve their living conditions.

Mass Circulation of Newspapers

The widespread distribution of newspapers that grew due to advancements in printing technology, enhancing communication.