APUSH Period 6 Vocab

Period 6 A.P. U.S. History APUSH Vocabulary

Plains Indians

Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains, heavily reliant on buffalo for sustenance and culture.

Dawes Act (1887)

Law aimed at assimilating Native Americans by distributing land to individuals, undermining tribal holdings.

Helen Hunt Jackson

Author and activist advocating for Native American rights, known for her book 'A Century of Dishonor'.

Booker T. Washington

Prominent African American leader advocating vocational education and economic self-reliance for Black Americans.

Ulysses S. Grant

Union general and 18th President focused on Reconstruction and civil rights.

Homesteaders

Settlers who claimed land under the Homestead Act, contributing to westward expansion.

Battle of Little Bighorn

1876 battle where Native Americans defeated U.S. Army forces, a reaction against U.S. encroachment.

Battle of Wounded Knee

1890 massacre of Lakota Sioux, ending armed Native American resistance.

Railroad Subsidies

Financial aid and land grants to promote railroad construction and economic growth.

John D. Rockefeller

Founder of Standard Oil and key figure in Gilded Age monopolies.

Andrew Carnegie

Industrialist who revolutionized steel production and advocated for philanthropy.

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Industrialist who expanded railroads and shipping, influencing national transportation.

W.C.T.U.

Women's Christian Temperance Union promoting temperance and social reforms from the 1870s.

Hull House

Settlement house founded by Jane Addams to aid immigrants and the urban poor.

Samuel Gompers

Founder of the American Federation of Labor advocating for labor rights and union strategy.

Blacklists

Lists of workers deemed undesirable by employers, used to suppress labor activism.

Yellow Dog Contracts

Agreements requiring workers to abstain from union membership as a job condition.

Closed/Open Shop

Closed shop requires union membership for employment; open shop does not.

Strikes

Organized work stoppages by labor unions demanding better wages and conditions.

Gilded Age

Period of rapid industrial growth and economic inequality from 1865 to 1898.

Laissez Faire

Economic philosophy advocating minimal government intervention in business.

Vertical Integration

Business strategy where a company controls multiple production stages.

Horizontal Integration

Business strategy of acquiring firms in the same industry to reduce competition.

Trusts

Large business entities formed to reduce competition and control market prices.

Gospel of Wealth

Belief that the wealthy should use their fortunes for societal good.

Social Darwinism

Application of Darwin's theory to justify social inequality and laissez-faire capitalism.

Munn v. Illinois

Supreme Court case affirming states' rights to regulate private industries.

Wabash v. Illinois

Supreme Court ruling limiting state regulation of interstate commerce.

Interstate Commerce Act

1887 law regulating railroads to ensure fair practices and rates.

Sherman Antitrust Act

1890 law prohibiting monopolistic business practices.

Tenements

Poorly constructed, overcrowded urban apartments housing working-class families.

Old vs New Immigrants

Old immigrants were primarily from northern/western Europe; new immigrants came from southern/eastern Europe.

IWW (Wobblies)

Radical labor organization promoting labor rights and socialist principles.

Pullman Strike

Nationwide railroad strike in 1894 protesting wage cuts and high rent.

Grangers

Farmers’ organization advocating for agricultural reforms and social issues.

Farmers’ Alliances

Regional organizations formed to address farmers' economic challenges.

Greenback Party

Political party advocating for inflation through the issuance of paper currency.

Populist Party

Political movement representing farmers and laborers advocating for economic reforms.

Bland-Allison Act

1878 law mandating silver purchases to increase the money supply.

Sherman Silver Purchase Act

1890 law requiring U.S. to purchase silver, aimed at expanding the money supply.

Gold Standard Act (1900)

Legislation establishing gold as the sole standard for U.S. currency.

Pendleton Act

1883 law reforming government jobs to a merit-based hiring system.

Boss Tweed

Leader of Tammany Hall notorious for political corruption in NYC.

Thomas Nast

Political cartoonist known for exposing corruption and shaping public opinion.

William Randolph Hearst

Media mogul known for yellow journalism and shaping political discourse.

Joseph Pulitzer

Newspaper publisher known for his role in establishing standards in journalism.

William Jennings Bryan

Populist leader and presidential candidate advocating for free silver.

Credit Mobilier Scandal

Fraudulent scheme involving railroad overcharging and government corruption.

Stalwarts/Half-Breeds

Factions within the Republican Party differing on patronage and civil service reforms.

Depression of 1893

Severe economic downturn affecting industries and labor, contributing to social unrest.

Coxey’s Army

Protest march for unemployment relief led by Jacob Coxey during the Depression of 1893.

2nd School of American Literature

Literary movement focusing on post-Civil War realism and social themes.

Mark Twain

Iconic American author known for addressing social issues in his works.