Industrial Capitalism
Rapid expansion of industry and business, driven by technological advances, mass production, and the rise of corporations.
Trusts
Large business entities created by merging smaller companies, often monopolizing industries (e.g., Standard Oil).
Laissez-Faire
Minimal government intervention in the economy, allowing markets to regulate themselves.
Tenant Farming
A system where farmers rented land from owners, often trapping them in cycles of debt.
New South
Effort to modernize the Southern economy through industrialization and diversification, while maintaining racial segregation.
People's (Populist) Party
A political movement advocating for farmers' and laborers' rights, calling for reforms like free silver, regulation of railroads, and a progressive income tax.
Political Machines
Organizations controlling urban politics, often using corruption and patronage to maintain power (e.g., Tammany Hall).
Transcontinental Railroad(s)
Railroads connecting the U.S. coasts, facilitating westward expansion and economic growth.
Indian Wars/Reservations
Armed conflicts between U.S. forces and Native American tribes, leading to forced relocation to reservations.
Immigration/Chinese Exclusion Act
Massive immigration fueled industrial labor demand, but nativist sentiments led to restrictions like the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act.
Americanization
Efforts to assimilate immigrants and Native Americans into 'mainstream' American culture.
Social Darwinism
Application of 'survival of the fittest' to justify wealth inequality.
Gospel of Wealth
Andrew Carnegie's belief in the moral obligation of the wealthy to use their fortunes for the public good.
Social Gospel
Religious movement promoting social justice and welfare reforms.
Jane Addams/Settlement Houses
Community centers providing education, healthcare, and aid to urban poor and immigrants.
Progressive Era Reforms/Reformers
Early efforts to address economic and social inequities through government intervention.
Plessy v. Ferguson
1896 Supreme Court case establishing the 'separate but equal' doctrine, reinforcing segregation.
Gilded Age
Term coined by Mark Twain to describe the era's superficial prosperity masking deep social and economic issues.