APUSH Units XI-XII Vocabulary

For ACHS

Urbanization

The process of population concentration in cities, accompanied by the growth and expansion of urban areas

Industrialization

The transition from agrarian and handcraft-based economies to economies dominated by industrial manufacturing and mechanized production

Old Immigrants

Immigrants who arrived in the United States before the Civil War, primarily from Northern and Western Europe

New Immigrants

Immigrants who arrived in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily from Southern and Eastern Europe

Andrew Carnegie

A prominent industrialist and philanthropist who led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century

John D. Rockefeller

A business magnate and philanthropist who played a major role in the development of the American petroleum industry and the creation of the Standard Oil Company

J. Pierpont Morgan

A powerful financier and banker who played a key role in the consolidation of major industries, including finance and railroads, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Thomas Edison

An American inventor and businessman known for his contributions to the development of the electric light bulb, phonograph, and motion pictures

Alexander Graham Bell

An inventor, scientist, and teacher best known for inventing the telephone

Pool

A business arrangement in which competing companies or producers cooperate to regulate production and set prices, often to control or manipulate markets

Trust

A legal arrangement where a board of trustees manages the affairs of a business or companies that have transferred their stocks to the trust

Vertical Integration

The control of all aspects of an industry from raw materials to the finished product by a single company

Horizontal Integration

The acquisition or merging of companies that are at the same stage of production in the same or similar industries

Social Darwinism

The application of Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to society, suggesting that certain individuals or groups are more fit for survival and success

Invisible Hand

A metaphor used by economist Adam Smith to describe the self-regulating nature of a free market economy where individuals pursuing their self-interest unintentionally contribute to the overall economic well-being

Gospel of Wealth

An idea promoted by Andrew Carnegie that wealthy individuals had a responsibility to use their fortunes to improve society through philanthropy

Haymarket Riot

A violent confrontation in 1886 between police and labor demonstrators in Chicago, marking a significant moment in the labor movement for workers' rights

Homestead Strike

A labor strike in 1892 at the Homestead Steel Works in Pennsylvania, where workers protested wage cuts, leading to a violent clash with Pinkerton agents

Pullman Strike

A nationwide railroad strike in 1894, led by the American Railway Union against the Pullman Company, resulting in federal intervention

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

A tragic fire in 1911 at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, highlighting unsafe working conditions and prompting labor reform efforts

Nativism

A policy or belief that favors the interests of native-born inhabitants over those of immigrants

Dumbbell Tenement

A style of tenement building with a narrow middle section and extended wings, creating a dumbbell shape, often associated with poor living conditions

George Washington Plunkett

A political figure known for his involvement in Tammany Hall politics and for the concept of "honest graft" in machine politics

Boss Tweed

A notorious political boss and leader of Tammany Hall in New York City during the 19th century

Tammany Hall

A political machine in New York City known for its control over Democratic Party politics and its influence on local elections

Thomas Nast

A political cartoonist known for his illustrations exposing corruption, particularly those targeting Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall

Pinkerton Agency

A private detective agency known for its involvement in strikebreaking and anti-labor activities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Knights of Labor

A labor union founded in 1869, advocating for workers' rights, including the eight-hour workday and better working conditions

American Federation of Labor

A federation of labor unions founded in 1886, focused on promoting the interests of skilled workers through collective bargaining

Eugene V. Debs

A labor leader and socialist who played a key role in the Pullman Strike and later ran for president multiple times as the Socialist Party candidate

Frederick Jackson Turner

A historian who presented the "Frontier Thesis," arguing that the closing of the American frontier in 1890 marked a crucial turning point in American history, shaping the nation's character and institutions

Turner Thesis

The historical theory put forth by Frederick Jackson Turner, suggesting that the existence of a continuously advancing frontier had a profound impact on American democracy, individualism, and the development of a distinct American identity

Comstock Lode

A significant silver deposit discovered in Nevada in 1859, leading to a mining boom and contributing to the economic development of the Western United States during the 19th century

Buffalo Bill Cody

A showman and frontiersman who created Buffalo Bill's Wild West, a traveling exhibition that romanticized the American West, featuring reenactments of cowboy life, Native American scenes, and the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley

Carlisle Indian School

A boarding school for Native American children in Pennsylvania, founded by Richard Henry Pratt, aimed at assimilating Native American students into Euro-American culture through education and vocational training

Tombstone, Az.

A mining town in Arizona that became famous for the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881, a confrontation between lawmen and outlaws symbolizing the Wild West

Plains Wars

A series of conflicts in the late 19th century between Native American tribes and the U.S. government, as Euro-American settlers and the military encroached on traditional Native American lands on the Great Plains

Pacific Railway Act

Legislation passed in 1862 that provided federal support for the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, connecting the East and West coasts of the United States

Sitting Bull

A Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux leader and chief who played a key role in the Battle of Little Bighorn, resisting U.S. government efforts to force Native Americans onto reservations

Crazy Horse

A prominent Oglala Lakota warrior and chief who fought against the U.S. government in the Plains Wars, notably at the Battle of Little Bighorn and during the Red Cloud's War

Geronimo

A prominent Apache leader who resisted U.S. and Mexican expansion into Apache tribal lands in the Southwest during the late 19th century

General Custer

a U.S. military officer known for his role in the Plains Wars, particularly the Battle of Little Bighorn where he and his troops were defeated by Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne warriors

Battle of Little Bighorn

A significant conflict in 1876 between the U.S. 7th Cavalry, led by General Custer, and Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors, resulting in a decisive Native American victory

Battle of Wounded Knee

The final major confrontation between U.S. government forces and the Lakota Sioux in 1890, marking the end of the Plains Wars, and tragically resulting in the massacre of hundreds of unarmed Native Americans

Ghost Dance

A spiritual movement among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, incorporating a dance ritual, believed by its practitioners to restore their traditional way of life and bring about a future without European-American influence

Dawes Act

Legislation passed in 1887 that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by breaking up reservations and allotting individual land plots to tribal members, with the goal of encouraging farming and private land ownership

Bureau of Indian Affairs

A federal agency within the Department of the Interior responsible for managing relations between the U.S. government and Native American tribes, overseeing reservations, and implementing policies related to Native American affairs

Homestead Act

Legislation passed in 1862 that provided 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee, provided they improve the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops, encouraging westward migration and settlement

Joseph F. Glidden

An American farmer and inventor who patented barbed wire in 1874, revolutionizing the cattle industry by facilitating the enclosure of land and controlling livestock

King Cattle

A term used to describe the dominance and economic significance of the cattle industry in the American West during the late 19th century, particularly in states like Texas and Kansas