Reconstruction, Gilded Age, and Expansionism (1865-1902)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and U.S. expansionism in the late 19th century.

Reconstruction

The process of reintegrating Southern states into the Union after the Civil War and rebuilding the South’s economy and society, including debates over rights for Freed African Americans.

Ten Percent Plan

Lincoln’s plan that allowed readmission when 10% of voters swore allegiance; included broad pardons but excluded high-ranking officials.

Wade-Davis Bill

1864 Republican proposal requiring a majority of voters to pledge allegiance and favoring military rule; vetoed by Lincoln.

Radical Republicans

A faction demanding strict terms for readmission and strong protections for Freedmen during Reconstruction.

Moderate Republicans

Republicans who supported Lincoln’s 10% plan and a more lenient approach than the Radicals.

13th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the United States.

14th Amendment

Constitutional amendment granting citizenship to former slaves and guaranteeing equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment

Constitutional amendment prohibiting voting restrictions based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Black Codes

Early postwar Southern laws restricting freedoms and rights of African Americans.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

Federal act granting citizenship rights to the formerly enslaved; vetoed by Johnson and overridden by Congress.

Birthright Citizenship

Concept established/ensured by the 14th Amendment that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen.

Reconstruction Act of 1867 (Military Reconstruction)

Divided the South into five military districts; required ratification of the 14th Amendment and Black male suffrage for readmission.

Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

Johnson impeached by the House in 1868 for violating the Tenure of Office Act; acquitted by the Senate.

Tenure of Office Act

1984 law restricting the President’s ability to remove certain officeholders, used as the basis for Johnson’s impeachment.

Ulysses S. Grant

Civil War hero who became a Republican president and supported Reconstruction policies; won the 1868 election.

Redemption

White Southern Democrats’ effort to regain political control and end Reconstruction in the South.

Redeemers

White Southern elites who sought to restore prewar power and end federal Reconstruction policies.

Compromise of 1877

Agreement resolving the 1876 election that allowed Hayes to win the presidency in exchange for ending Reconstruction and removing troops from the South.

End of Reconstruction

Period after 1877 when federal troops left the South and civil rights protections for African Americans diminished.

Jim Crow Laws

State laws enforcing racial segregation in the South from the late 19th century into the 1960s.

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896 Supreme Court decision upholding “separate but equal” facilities for blacks and whites.

Separate but Equal

Doctrine that sanctioned legal segregation as long as facilities were allegedly equal.

Gilded Age

Era of rapid industrialization, wealth accumulation, and political corruption often masking social inequality.

Tariffs

Taxes on imported goods used to protect domestic industry and influence politics and prices.

Laissez-faire

Doctrine of minimal government intervention in business affairs.

Patronage/Spoils System

Rewarding political supporters with government jobs after elections.

Civil Service Reform

Efforts to move government hiring from nepotism/spoils to merit-based systems.

Half-Breeds

Faction of Republicans favoring reform and merit-based government hiring.

Stalwarts

Faction of Republicans opposing reform and supporting the spoils system.

Pendleton Act

1883 law establishing merit-based civil service exams and reducing patronage.

Rutherford B. Hayes

President whose election led to the Compromise of 1877 and end of Reconstruction.

James A. Garfield

President who advocated civil service reform and was assassinated in 1881.

Chester A. Arthur

Garfield’s successor who supported civil service reform and signed the Pendleton Act.

Expansionism

Policy of expanding a nation’s territory and influence overseas.

Imperialism

Policy of extending a nation’s power by acquiring colonies and controlling foreign lands.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

Naval strategist whose writings promoted sea power and a strong navy.

Two-ocean Navy

Concept of having a navy strong enough to project power in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Hawaii Annexation

Movement by American planters and interests to annex Hawaii; annexed officially in 1898 following earlier upheaval.

Pearl Harbor

Strategic naval base in Hawaii; later a focal point in World War II-era expansion and defense strategy.

Spanish-American War (1898）

War between the U.S. and Spain resulting in Cuban independence and U.S. acquisition of territories like Puerto Rico and Guam.

Teller Amendment

Legislation asserting the U.S. would not annex Cuba after the war with Spain.

Treaty of Paris (1898)

End of the Spanish-American War; Cuba independence acknowledged; the U.S. gained Puerto Rico and Guam; Philippines disputed.

George Dewey

American admiral who defeated the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay in 1898.

Rough Riders

Famous volunteer cavalry led by Theodore Roosevelt in the Battle of San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War.

San Juan Hill

Notable battle in Cuba during the Spanish-American War; symbolized American victory.

Philippine-American War

Conflict (1899-1902) over Philippine independence after initial annexation; Filipinos fought against U.S. control.

Monopoly

Market structure where a single entity dominates a market, limiting competition.

Trust

A group of companies managed by a single entity to control markets and prices.

Standard Oil/John D. Rockefeller

Rockefeller’s company that dominated oil refining and created major concerns about monopolies.

Carnegie/ Bessemer Converter

Carnegie led steel industry growth; Bessemer converter enabled faster, cheaper steel production.

J. P. Morgan

Financier who consolidated major industries and financed large-scale industrial projects.

Thomas Edison

Inventor of the light bulb and pioneer in electrical power and research labs.

Alexander Graham Bell

Inventor of the telephone, transforming long-distance communication.

Light Bulb

Electric incandescent lamp that spurred widespread use of electric power.

War of Currents (AC vs DC)

Rivalry over electrical power distribution; alternating current (AC) ultimately prevailed over direct current (DC).

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad system connecting the eastern and western United States, completed in 1869.

Pacific Railway Act (1862)

Law authorizing the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad by two companies.

Time Zones

Standardized time divisions created by railroad schedules to coordinate travel and commerce.

Limited Liability

Business protection allowing investors to lose only the amount invested, not personal assets.

Bonanza Farms

Large, highly productive farms run like factories, often using new technology and mass labor.

Chicago Meatpacking Industry

Rapid, large-scale meat production and processing hub in Chicago during the Gilded Age.

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

First federal regulation of railroads, creating the ICC to oversee rates and practices.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

Law aimed at curbing monopolies and restricting anti-competitive practices.

McKinley Administration (Expansionism era)

Presidency of William McKinley marked by aggressive overseas expansion and the Spanish-American War.

Hawaii Annexation (1898)

Formal incorporation of Hawaii into the United States as a U.S. territory.

Philippines and Asian markets

Expansionist drive to access Asian markets, influencing U.S. imperial policy.

Oscar-winning phrase: ‘Remember the Maine’

Cry used to rally support for the Spanish-American War after the Maine exploded in Havana harbor.

Teller Amendment (revisited)

Earmark stating the U.S. would not annex Cuba after the war with Spain.

Tidewater and industrial growth

Growing industries, capital accumulation, and global reach shaping the Gilded Age economy.