APUSH Period 6 SFI's

Andrew Carnegie

most well-known for revolutionizing the steel industry in the US; he used vertical integration and the Bessemer Process to lower the cost of making steel; he wrote The Gospel of Wealth

U.S. Steel

was a major steel company and the first billion-dollar corporation in the United States. It was formed in 1901 when JP Morgan merged several steel companies, including Andrew Carnegie's Carnegie Steel Company.

Vertical Integration

when a company owns all of the needed means to produce a final product; for example, Carnegie needed coal and iron ore to make steel, so he bought coal and iron ore mines...now he could get coal and iron ore at the lowest possible cost; therefore he could produce steel at a lower cost

John D. Rockefeller

an American industrialist who founded the Standard Oil Company, effectively dominating the oil industry through aggressive business tactics like horizontal integration, becoming a symbol of the immense wealth and power concentrated during the Gilded Age

Standard Oil Trust

a group of oil companies that worked together to control the oil industry and limit competition; founded by John D. Rockefeller; the trust's business practices included lowering prices to drive out competitors and making deals with railroads to ship oil at low rates.

Horizontal Integration

refers to a business strategy where a company acquires or merges with its competitors at the same stage of production within an industry, effectively reducing competition and dominating a particular market; for example, Rockefeller's Standard Oil controlled 90% of all of the oil refineries in the US

J. P. Morgan

major figure in RRs, banking, and the steel industry; he bought Carnegie Steel and merged it with other steel companies to make US Steel; his Northern Securities RR Holding Company was the first monopoly broken up using the Sherman Antitrust Act (by TR)

Causes of Labor Discontent

the various factors that led to worker dissatisfaction and unrest during the Industrial Revolution, including long working hours, low wages, unsafe working conditions, lack of job security, poor treatment by employers, which frequently resulted in labor strikes

"Iron law of wages"

Essentially, this suggests that workers will always be paid just enough to survive and reproduce, preventing significant wage growth

Anti-union Tactics

refers to various strategies used by employers to prevent or weaken labor unions by discouraging worker organization and membership, often through intimidation, legal maneuvering, and manipulation of public opinion; examples include yellow-dog contracts, blacklisting, hiring strikebreakers, and using private security to disrupt union activities.

Great RR Strike of 1877

a nationwide strike by railroad workers across the United States, triggered by significant wage cuts, which rapidly spread throughout the country due to poor working conditions and the lack of strong labor unions during the Gilded Age; it was one of the first major labor protests in American history, often resulting in violent clashes with authorities as workers attempted to disrupt rail operations through strikes and blockades. Started when the B & O RR cut wages.

Knights of Labor

1st major nationwide labor union in the US...founded in 1869. Terrence Powderly was the founder and leader. Membership collapsed after the Haymarket Square bombing when it turned out several union members were anarchists.

Haymarket Square Riot

the site of a bombing in Chicago, IL. Knights of Labor members were protesting for an eight-hour workday, when anarchists threw bombs at police. The police opened fire...several people were killed and wounded. Some Knights of Labor union members were anarchists with ties to the bombing.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

a labor union founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers, primarily focused on organizing skilled workers and advocating for better wages, working conditions, and hours through collective bargaining, considered a key player in the labor movement during the Gilded Age

Samuel Gompers

a prominent labor leader and the founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), a significant labor organization during the Gilded Age, who advocated for collective bargaining, and improving wages and working conditions, and reducing work hours.

Pullman Strike

a nationwide railroad strike that took place in 1894, where workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest significant wage cuts while still being forced to pay high rents in the company-owned town of Pullman...Grover Cleveland ordered Pullman cars to be connected to mail cars, so if workers refused to attach Pullman cars, they were interfering with the delivery of the mail...this effectively killed the strike and destroyed the ARU.

Eugene V. Debs

founder/leader of the American Railway Union (ARU)...he organized the Pullman Strike...he later formed the American Socialist Party and ran for president several times

Federal Treaty Policies

set of treaties made between the US Government and Native American tribes in the 1800s...these treaties dealt with land rights, reservations, and native rights. These treaties were violated again and again by the US Gov't

Causes of Indian Wars

Conflicts between Native American tribes and settlers, primarily centered around the desire for land expansion by settlers, treaty violations, forced removal from traditional territories, cultural clashes, and competition for resources, leading to violent resistance from Native American tribes.

Little Big Horn

a significant conflict (1876) where a coalition of Native American tribes, primarily Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne, decisively defeated the U.S. Army led by General George Custer, marking a major moment of resistance against westward expansion and often called "Custer's Last Stand" due to Custer's death in the battle; this event is considered a symbolic victory for Native Americans, although it ultimately led to increased efforts to suppress them onto reservations

Assimilationists

individuals or groups who advocate for the process of integrating minority cultures into the dominant culture, often by encouraging them to adopt the customs, language, and values of the majority population, essentially "melting" into the mainstream society; this was particularly applied to policies aimed at Native American tribes in the late 19th century, for example: the Dawes Act.

Helen Hunt Jackson

a prominent 19th-century American author and activist who is most recognized for her book, A Century of Dishonor, which exposed the injustices and brutal treatment faced by Native Americans at the hands of the U.S. government, significantly contributing to the movement for Native American rights.

Dawes Act

a federal law that aimed to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream society by dividing tribal lands into individual plots, essentially forcing them to adopt a white American lifestyle by becoming farmers on their own allotments of land, this policy resulted in the loss of large portions of Native American land to white settlers.

Ghost Dance Movement

a late 19th century Native American spiritual revival, primarily among Plains tribes, where participants believed that by performing a ritual dance they could bring back deceased ancestors, restore their traditional way of life, and ultimately drive out white settlers... the US Gov't banned these ceremonies

Battle of Wounded Knee

a massacre (1890), where U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of innocent Lakota Sioux men, women, and children...the last major conflict between the US Gov't and Native Americans

Indian Reorganization Act of 1934

a federal law that aimed to reverse the assimilation policies of the Dawes Act, allowing Native American tribes to regain some degree of self-governance and control over their land, marking a shift towards tribal sovereignty and away from forced assimilation

Crop Price Deflation

a significant decrease in the market price of agricultural crops, often caused by an oversupply of produce due to factors like new farming technologies or increased production, leading to financial hardship for farmers as they struggle to sell their crops at a profitable price

The Grange/the national grange movement

a late 19th century farmers' organization, officially called the "Patrons of Husbandry," that aimed to improve the social and economic conditions of farmers by advocating for reforms like regulating railroad rates and promoting cooperative practices, essentially acting as a collective voice for farmers facing challenges during rapid industrialization and westward expansion

Railroads and Middlemen

When large railroad companies and intermediary traders often exploited farmers and small businesses by controlling transportation costs and taking a large cut of profits, leaving producers with significantly reduced returns, leading to widespread discontent among agricultural communities and fueling movements like the Grange movement

Farmer's Cooperatives

an organization formed by farmers where they collectively purchase supplies, market their products, and work together to improve their economic standing by essentially bypassing middlemen and gaining greater bargaining power, often through bulk buying and selling...many times they would try to hold their crops off the market to try and drive prices up before selling

Munn v. Illinois

When an Illinois grain warehouse company argued that an Illinois law that set maximum rates for grain storage violated their property rights. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Illinois, upholding the state's right to regulate the grain elevator industry. This decision established the principle that the government can regulate businesses that operate in areas of public interest, even if it means interfering with private property rights.

Wabash v. Illinois

an 1886 Supreme Court case that limited the ability of states to regulate railroads and other commerce that crossed state lines (interstate commerce). Led to the creation of the ICC; overturned the Munn v. Illinois decision.

Interstate Commerce Commission

created by the Interstate Commerce Act (1887); it allowed the federal gov't to regulate railroads; it was a weak law at first, but was strengthened later. It eventually forced RRs to lower rates.

Populism

a political movement, often associated with the People's Party, (1880s-1890s), primarily advocating for the interests of farmers and workers against big business and powerful RRs, called for gov't intervention to regulate the economy and protect the common people

William Jennings Bryan

a Democratic politician in the late 1800s, known for his passionate advocacy of "free silver" (bimetallism) during the 1896 presidential election, when he delivered the famous "Cross of Gold" speech against the gold standard, supported the interests of farmers and laborers -vs- big business & banks; ran for president three times

Realism

a literary movement that aimed to depict everyday life and society as it truly was, focusing on ordinary characters and their struggles, rather than idealized or romanticized portrayals.

Mark Twain

American author from the late 1800s, known for his satirical and often humorous writings that critically examined American society, particularly focusing on the issues of the American South and the Mississippi River culture...Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn

Jack London

American novelist from the early 1900s, well-known for his works exploring themes of survival, naturalism, and often harsh realities of life; The Call of the Wild & White Fang

Impressionism

a late 19th-century art movement characterized by a focus on capturing the fleeting effects of light and color through loose brushwork, often depicting everyday scenes outdoors. e.g.: Monet & Renoir

Ashcan School

American realist artists active in the early 20th century...depicted the gritty realities of everyday life in urban areas, particularly the workers and immigrants, often portraying scenes of poverty and social issues in a realistic style

Abstract Art

a style of art that does not attempt to accurately represent a visual reality, instead using shapes, colors, lines, and forms to convey emotions and ideas, allowing for personal interpretation by the viewer... e.g: Jackson Pollock

Growth of Leisure Time

refers to the increasing amount of free time available to Americans, particularly within the middle class, due to factors like shorter work hours, higher wages, and technological advancements, leading to a rise in recreational activities and consumer culture

Vaudeville

popular theatrical entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that featured a variety of acts including songs, dances, comedy sketches, magic tricks, and acrobatics, the forerunner to modern variety shows.

Spectator Sports

athletic events where large audiences watch; sports that are primarily designed for people to observe rather than participate in, like baseball, football, or boxing; became popular during the late 1800s as a form of leisure activity

Second Industrial Revolution

the late 1800s & early 1900s, marked by rapid industrial growth, technological advancements, and the expansion of industries like steel, electricity, and chemicals, leading to significant changes in the workforce, urbanization, and societal structure; often associated with the development of mass production techniques

Bessemer Process

a method for mass-producing steel by blowing air through molten iron to remove impurities, significantly lowering the cost of steel production; a key innovation in the Second Industrial Revolution; brought to the US by Andrew Carnegie

Transatlantic Cable

an underwater cable laid across the Atlantic Ocean, enabling near-instantaneous telegraphic communication between the US & Europe; significantly reduced the time it took to send messages across the Atlantic; Cyrus Field did this

Alexander Graham Bell

a Scottish-born inventor most famous for patenting the telephone in 1876, which significantly revolutionized communication technology in the late 19th century and led to more business.

Telephone

a communication device that allowed people to transmit voice conversations over long distances through electrical signals; considered a major technological advancement during the Industrial Revolution.

Thomas Edison

a prominent American inventor, most recognized for developing the practical incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, which significantly impacted industrialization and daily life during the Gilded Age

Menlo Park Research Laboratory

a research facility established by Thomas Edison in New Jersey; considered a landmark in American innovation history as it pioneered the concept of a dedicated, organized space for collaborative invention and rapid prototyping, setting a precedent for future research labs

Puritan Ethic

also known as the Protestant work ethic, is the belief that hard work and frugality are important values; it was a key element of the American path to economic mobility and independence.

Adam Smith

18th-century Scottish philosopher and economist, most famous for his book The Wealth of Nations, which advocated for free markets, minimal government intervention, and the concept of the "invisible hand," where individuals pursuing their self-interest unintentionally benefit the overall economy

Laissez-faire

an economic philosophy advocating for minimal government intervention in the marketplace, allowing supply and demand to dictate prices and production

Concentration of Wealth

a situation where a significant portion of a society's total wealth is held by a small group of individuals, typically large industrialists and entrepreneurs, leading to a vast disparity between the rich and the working class, particularly during the Gilded Age due to rapid industrialization; essentially, a large gap between the wealthy elite and the majority population with limited economic means.

Social Darwinism

the application of Darwin's theory of evolution to human society, arguing that social and economic inequalities are natural and justified, essentially claiming that the wealthy and powerful are "superior" due to their success in a "survival of the fittest" competition, often used to justify class divisions, racism, and imperialism during the Gilded Age.

Herbert Spencer

created the term "Social Darwinism," essentially argued that the "survival of the fittest" should dictate social dynamics, often used to justify laissez-faire economics and oppose social welfare programs

"Survival of the Fittest"

refers to a phrase associated with Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, meaning that organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, essentially signifying the idea that only the "fittest" individuals within a species will pass on their traits to future generations. This concept was often misused in the late 19th century to justify social inequalities, with the idea that the wealthy and powerful were simply "more fit" to succeed in society.

The Gospel of Wealth

a book written by Andrew Carnegie, which argued that the wealthy have a duty to give back to society and teach others how to be successful...he influenced others to do the same.

Horatio Alger

a very popular author of the Gilded Age; he wrote "rags to riches" novels which showed that anyone could rise to the top and be successful through hard work, determination, and good moral values.

"Self-made Man"

refers to an individual who achieved success and wealth through their own hard work and determination, typically rising from humble beginnings without inherited privilege, embodying the American ideal of social mobility

Deforestation

the large-scale clearing of forests by humans, often for agricultural expansion, logging, or urban development; this was happening all over the US in the late 1800s

National Parks

land set aside to protect natural landscapes and wildlife for public enjoyment and conservation purposes; signifying a significant shift towards environmental preservation in the country.

Yellowstone

Considered the first national park in the world, located primarily in Wyoming, renowned for its geothermal features like geysers and hot springs.

Yosemite

one of the earliest national parks in the US; it is situated in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, famous for its dramatic granite cliffs, waterfalls, and giant sequoia trees.

Department of the Interior

a U.S. government agency established in 1849, primarily responsible for managing public lands, national parks, overseeing the conservation and protection of natural resources within the United States

Forest Reserve Act

a federal law that granted the President the power to set aside public land as "forest reserves," essentially establishing the foundation for the modern national forest system by allowing the government to protect large tracts of forested land from logging companies

Forest Management Act

a law that authorized the establishment of National Forest Reserves, allowing the federal government to manage and protect forested lands while also ensuring a sustainable supply of timber for public use

John Muir

Naturalist and conservationist, often called the "Father of the National Parks" and advocated for the preservation of wilderness areas, particularly in California, significantly influencing the American conservation movement

Sierra Club

a prominent environmental organization that was founded in 1892 by John Muir. The Sierra Club's mission is to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.

Old Immigrants

immigrants who had come to the US before the 1880s primarily from Britain, Germany, Ireland, and Scandinavia (Northern/Western Europe)

New Immigrants

immigrants who came to the US after the 1880s; primarily from Southern and Eastern Europe

Statue of Liberty

a statue (a gift from France to the US) located in New York Harbor, representing freedom and opportunity, which served as a symbolic welcome to immigrants arriving in the United States, particularly due to its association with Ellis Island and Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus"

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

a federal law that prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States, marking the first significant restriction on immigration based on nationality, driven by anti-Chinese sentiment and economic anxieties about job competition

American Protective Association

Nativist organization that attacked "New Immigrants" and Catholics in the 1880s and 1890s; primarily located on the East Coast of the US; focused their hatred against Catholic immigrants to the US

Ellis Island

the primary immigration station in the United States from 1892 to 1954, where most European immigrants were processed and inspected before being allowed entry into the country; located in New York Harbor

Angel Island

The immigration station on the west coast (off the coast of San Francisco) where Asian immigrants, mostly Chinese, tried to gain admission to the U.S.; harsh conditions; most were denied entry

Melting Pot

refers to the idea that different cultures coming to America blend together to form a single, unified American culture, often implying a loss of distinct cultural identities (assimilation)

Cultural Diversity

suggests a society where multiple cultures coexist and maintain their unique characteristics, emphasizing the value of different perspectives within a community

Causes of Migration

the factors that drive people to move from one place to another within a country, often including: job opportunities, escaping poverty, natural disasters, political persecution, religious intolerance, or social issues like family reunification, seeking better quality of life, or fleeing violence

Steel-framed Buildings

allowed building of skyscrapers and expansion of buildings in crowded cities , by going upwards not out

Tenements

multi-story urban dwelling, often poorly constructed and overcrowded, that primarily housed immigrants and working-class families during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by poor sanitation, and inadequate ventilation due to rapid urbanization

Poverty

when an individual or family lacks sufficient financial resources to meet basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter

Ethnic Neighborhoods

section of a city where there is a concentrated population of people from a specific ethnic group reside, often maintaining their own cultural practices, language, and social networks

Political Machine

an organized criminal group that maintained political control through a system of patronage, bribery, and manipulation; they often exchanged services and resources for votes, creating a stronghold on local government.

Party Boss

the person in control of a political machine

Tammany Hall

the powerful political machine that controlled New York City, primarily associated with the Democratic Party, notorious for its corrupt practices and significant influence over immigrant communities, particularly during the Gilded Age

Settlement Houses

community centers established in poor urban neighborhoods; provided social services, education, and support to immigrant families and the poor, often including English classes, childcare, and healthcare, with the goal of improving their living conditions and integrating them into American society

Jane Addams

Founder of Settlement House Movement. Founded Hull House in Chicago. First American Woman to earn Nobel Peace Prize (1931).

Social Gospel

a religious reform movement that emerged in the late 1800s, advocating for the application of Christian ethics to social problems like poverty, inequality, and poor working conditions, to improve society (e.g.: YMCA and Salvation Army)

Salvation Army

This welfare organization came to the US from England in 1880 and sought to provide food, shelter, and employment to the urban poor while preaching temperance and morality.

Frank Lloyd Wright

a prominent American architect, most famous for pioneering the concept of "organic architecture," where buildings were designed to seamlessly integrate with their natural environment, often characterized by open floor plans and horizontal lines; he is considered one of the most influential figures in modern architecture.

Louis Sullivan

a prominent late 19th-century architect who significantly contributed to the design of skyscrapers, particularly known for his concept of "form follows function," meaning that a building's design should be primarily dictated by its intended use and function, rather than for just looks

Cornelius Vanderbilt

amassed a large fortune in the steamboat industry (known as "The Commodore"), he moved into RRs and connected the RRs between NY and Chicago, which led to an explosion of trade/business; known as a Robber Baron

Transcontinental Railroads

the railway lines that connected the eastern United States to the Pacific Coast, essentially linking the country from coast to coast and significantly facilitating westward expansion and economic growth through faster transportation of people and goods; 1st one was completed in 1869, coming together in Utah

Union Pacific RR

one of the companies to construct the first transcontinental RR; started in Omaha, NE and built westward towards California

Central Pacific RR

one of the companies to construct the first transcontinental RR; started in Sacramento, CA and built eastward towards Nebraska;

Speculation

the act of buying stocks or other assets with the expectation that their price will rapidly increase in value in the near future, often based on market trends rather than the asset's true worth, which can lead to inflated prices and market instability. Railroad stocks were wildly overvalued in the late 1800s due to this.

Overbuilding of Railroads

too many railroads and too much track led to low profits, RR bankruptcies, and financial panics in the late 1800s

Rebates

refer to secret discounts or refunds given by railroad companies to large shippers, essentially favoring big businesses with lower prices