Key Inventions and Social Reforms in American History

Flashcards covering significant inventors, inventions, and social reform movements in American history.

Cyrus Field

Pioneer in paper manufacturing and the laying of the first transatlantic cable.

Charles Lindbergh

Pilot famous for the first solo transatlantic flight.

Alexander Graham Bell

Inventor of the telephone.

Elijah McCoy

Inventor of the steam engine lubricator used in trains and steamships.

Sarah Goode

Inventor of the folding bed.

Lewis Howard Latimer

Black inventor who contributed to the development of the light bulb.

Jan Ernst Matzeliger

Inventor of a machine that attaches shoe and sole, significantly increasing production.

Garrett Morgan

Inventor known for the three-position traffic light and safety hood for firefighters.

Madam C.J. Walker

Entrepreneur in cosmetics and founder of Black women's hair products; first African American millionaire.

Nicola Tesla

Inventor known for producing alternating current.

Henry Ford

Pioneer in automobile manufacturing and the assembly line.

George Westinghouse

Inventor of the air brake, enabling simultaneous stopping of all train cars.

Samuel Morse

Inventor of the telegraph, facilitating instant communication over long distances.

Thomas Alva Edison

Inventor of the phonograph and light bulb.

Wilbur and Orville Wright

Inventors of the first successful airplane.

Josephine Cochran

Inventor of the first automatic dishwasher.

John Albert Burr

Inventor known for improving the rotary blade lawnmower.

Granville T. Woods

Inventor who patented the multiplex telegraph for communication between stations and moving trains.

Industrialization

Process leading to pollution, overpopulation, sanitation issues, and an influx of immigrants.

Settlement Houses

Community centers founded by Jane Addams to help immigrants assimilate into American society.

Chinese Exclusion Act

Legislation that limited Chinese immigration and denied voting rights to Chinese immigrants.

Gentleman's Agreement

An agreement to limit Japanese immigration in exchange for non-segregation of Japanese children in schools.

Nativism

The belief in prioritizing native-born Americans, particularly White, European ancestry.

Marcus Garvey

Jamaican leader advocating for Black nationalism and the repatriation of African Americans to Africa.

Booker T. Washington

Educator who promoted vocational training for African Americans and gradual social integration.

W.E.B. Du Bois

Activist demanding immediate racial equality and the education of the 'Talented Tenth' of African Americans.

Keating-Owen Act

Child Labor Act of 1916 aimed at prohibiting interstate commerce of goods produced by child labor.

Elkins Act and Hepburn Act

Legislation aimed at reforming railroad practices.

Immigration Quota

Laws limiting the number of immigrants allowed in the U.S.

National Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA)

Organization that fought for women's right to vote, notably the 19th amendment.

Progressive movement

Social reform movement aiming to increase political power for citizens.

Social Gospel Movement

Religious movement advocating for social justice and aid to the poor.

Muckrakers

Journalists who exposed corruption and social issues.

Upton Sinclair

Muckraker who wrote 'The Jungle,' exposing unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Mary Harris 'Mother Jones'

Labor activist known for her work with miners and organizing a children's march against child labor.

Ida B. Wells

Muckraker focused on documenting the atrocities of lynching in the South.