American Industrialization and Culture in the Late 19th Century

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to industrialization, societal changes, and cultural phenomena in America during the late 19th century.

Gilded Age

A term for the late 19th century marked by rapid economic growth and stark social inequality.

Monopoly

The exclusive control of a commodity or service in a market, often leading to higher prices.

Social Darwinism

The belief that the fittest individuals in society are those who are the most successful; often used to justify inequality.

Labor Unions

Organizations formed by workers to advocate for better wages, hours, and working conditions.

Skyscrapers

Tall multi-storied buildings made possible by advancements in engineering and architecture during urbanization.

Public Schooling

State-funded education systems that led to increased literacy rates in America.

Immigration

The movement of people into a country, significantly impacting American demographics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

NCAA

National Collegiate Athletic Association, formed to oversee college sports, particularly in response to the dangers of football.

Telephone

An invention by Alexander Graham Bell in 1871 that revolutionized communication.

Typewriter

An early device for writing that became widely used in businesses in the late 19th century.

Phonograph

An early sound recording device invented by Thomas Edison, important in the history of music.

Eugenics

A movement aimed at improving the genetic composition of the human population, often linked to social and racial prejudices.

Ellis Island

The primary immigration station in the United States from 1892 to 1954, where millions of immigrants entered.

The Gospel of Wealth

An essay by Andrew Carnegie that argued the wealthy have an obligation to give back to society.

Who was Abner Doubleday?

Abner Doubleday was an American Union Army major general during the American Civil War, and is popularly, though incorrectly, credited with inventing baseball.

What is Social Darwinism?

Social Darwinism is a theory that applies biological concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to sociology and politics, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Monopoly

The exclusive control of a commodity or service in a market, often leading to higher prices.

Social Darwinism

The belief that the fittest individuals in society are those who are the most successful; often used to justify inequality.

Labor Unions

Organizations formed by workers to advocate for better wages, hours, and working conditions.

Knights of Labor

One of the largest and most important American labor organizations of the 19th century, advocating for broad social and economic reforms, including an eight-hour workday, and open to all workers regardless of skill, gender, or race (excluding Chinese immigrants).

Skyscrapers

Tall multi-storied buildings made possible by advancements in engineering and architecture during urbanization.

Public Schooling

State-funded education systems that led to increased literacy rates in America.

Immigration

The movement of people into a country, significantly impacting American demographics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

NCAA

National Collegiate Athletic Association, formed to oversee college sports, particularly in response to the dangers of football.

Telephone

An invention by Alexander Graham Bell in 1871 that revolutionized communication.

Typewriter

An early device for writing that became widely used in businesses in the late 19th century.

Phonograph

An early sound recording device invented by Thomas Edison, important in the history of music.

Eugenics

A movement aimed at improving the genetic composition of the human population, often linked to social and racial prejudices.

Ellis Island

The primary immigration station in the United States from 1892 to 1954, where millions of immigrants entered.

The Gospel of Wealth

An essay by Andrew Carnegie that argued the wealthy have an obligation to give back to society.

Push-Pull Factors

Conditions that drive people away from their home country (push) and those that attract them to a new country (pull).

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news reporting that exaggerated facts to attract readers, especially prominent in the late 1800s.

Who was John D. Rockefeller?

An American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Standard Oil Company, establishing a monopoly in the oil industry and becoming one of the wealthiest individuals in history.

Who was Andrew Carnegie?

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century. He was also one of the most important philanthropists of his era, donating the vast majority of his fortune to charities, foundations, and universities.

Who was Abner Doubleday?

Abner Doubleday was an American Union Army major general during the American Civil War, and is popularly, though incorrectly, credited with inventing baseball.

What is Social Darwinism?

Social Darwinism is a theory that applies biological concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest to sociology and politics, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

horatio seymour

wrote rag to riches beloved anyone could work to become rich