Unit 1: Western Expansion and Rural America

Accommodate

Adjusting to changes without significant resistance.

Resist

Opposing or fighting against changes imposed.

Migrate

Moving to a different location in response to change.

Homestead Act

1862 law opening Great Plains for settlers.

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad connecting East and West, completed in 1869.

Standard Time Act

1918 law establishing four time zones in the US.

Plains Wars

1860-1890 conflicts between US forces and Native Americans.

Battle of Little Big Horn

1876 battle, significant victory for Native Americans.

Wounded Knee

1890 massacre marking the end of Plains Wars.

Cultural Evolution Theory

Theory suggesting cultures evolve in stages.

Assimilation

Minority group adopts majority culture and values.

Helen Hunt Jackson

Author of 'A Century of Dishonor' on Indian mistreatment.

Carlisle Indian School

Founded in 1879 to Americanize Native children.

Dawes Act

1887 law dividing tribal lands into individual plots.

Indian Commissioner

Official advocating for Native American relocation policies.

Nomadic Culture

Lifestyle of Plains Indians centered around buffalo hunting.

Agriculture

Primary work of Native American women in tribes.

Guerilla Warfare

Tactics involving ambushes and surprise attacks.

Indian Population in 1900

Only 250,000, representing 0.003% of US population.

Speculators

Individuals exploiting land sales from Native Americans.

Ramona

1884 novel highlighting struggles of a mixed-heritage character.

Education for Assimilation

Goal to civilize Native Americans through schooling.

Indian Citizenship Act

1924 law granting citizenship to Indians.

Modernization Impact

Science and technology increased agricultural productivity by 40%.

Deflation

Decrease in agricultural prices due to increased supply.

National Grange

First successful national farm organization formed in 1867.

Granges

Local chapters of the National Grange for cooperation.

Interstate Commerce Act

1887 law regulating railroad shipping rates.

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)

First federal regulatory agency to oversee railroads.

Bimetallism

Monetary system using gold and silver to increase money supply.

Agrarian Revolt

Resistance movement among farmers in the 1870s.

Farmer's Alliance

Formed in the 1870s to educate and mobilize farmers.

Populist Party (People's Party)

Founded in 1892 from the Farmers' Alliance.

Mary Elizabeth Lease

Popular speaker and reformer for the Populist Party.

Foreclosures

Banks claiming farms due to unpaid debts.

Cooperatives

Collective farming organizations formed to buy and sell in bulk.

Economic Demands

List ratified at Ocala convention in 1890.

Tenant Farmers

Farmers who rent land instead of owning it.

Sharecroppers

Farmers who work land for a share of crops.

Railroads and Steamships

Key transportation methods for agricultural products.

Debt Accumulation

Increased borrowing for land and machinery by farmers.

Overproduction

Excessive supply leading to lower prices.

William Jennings Bryan

A key figure in the Democratic reform movement; Advocated for gov. support of farmers

Income Tax

2% tax on wealthy individuals' income.

Inflation

Increase in prices due to more money supply.

Debtors vs. Creditors

Debtors benefit from inflation; creditors lose wealth.

Farmers' Alliance

Formed in 1870s to educate and mobilize farmers.

James B. Weaver

Populist presidential candidate in the 1892 election; Born in Dayton, Ohio

Ocala Demands

Populist Party platform outlining economic and political goals.

Populist Electoral Success

Won over 1 million votes in 1892 election.

Migration of Farmers

Farmers moved to cities for factory jobs.

Urban Life Challenges

Adjustment difficulties: noise, pollution, and crowded living.

Rural Population Decline

1860: 80%; 2020: 17% rural population.

Jim Crow South

Period of racial segregation and discrimination (1877-1964).

Economic Discrimination

African Americans faced limited job opportunities.

Political Disenfranchisement

Voter suppression laws targeting African Americans.

Poll Tax

Fee restricting voting access for African Americans.

Literacy Test

Requirement to vote, often unfairly administered.

Grandfather Clause

Voting eligibility based on ancestry before 1867.

Mississippi Constitution 1890

Introduced voter suppression laws, drastically reducing black voters.

Segregation

Forced separation based on law or policy.

Jim Crow Laws

Policies enforcing racial segregation in the South.

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896 Supreme Court case establishing 'separate but equal'.

14th Amendment

Constitutional amendment ensuring equal protection under law.

Lynching

Public execution by mob, often racially motivated.

Convict Lease System

Prisoners leased to private businesses for labor.

Chain Gangs

Prisoners working on public projects like roads.

Frederick Douglass

Civil rights leader advocating for equality and opportunity.

Booker T. Washington

Educator promoting vocational training for African Americans.

Atlanta Compromise

Washington's speech advocating for economic cooperation and segregation.

National Negro Business League

Organization promoting black business and economic development.

Mary Church Terrell

Leader of National Association of Colored Women's Clubs.

Ida B. Wells

Journalist exposing lynching and advocating for civil rights.

Exodusters

African Americans migrating to Kansas in the 1870s.

Benjamin 'Pap' Singleton

Promoter of African American migration to Kansas.

Henry McNeal Turner

Bishop advocating for African emigration to Liberia.

American Colonization Society

Founded in 1816 to promote African emigration.

Racial Uplift

Efforts to improve African American social status.

Economic Survival

Focus on family and financial stability among African Americans.

Local Leadership

Black middle-class leaders organizing community support.

National Leadership

Prominent figures advocating for civil rights on a national level.

Mob Violence

Physical intimidation used to enforce Jim Crow laws.

Civil Rights Organizations

Groups formed to advocate for African American rights.

Southern Horrors

Wells' work documenting lynching and racial violence.

Migration Challenges

Difficulties faced by African Americans relocating westward.