Studied by 31 people
Ordeal
a painful, horrific, or extremely severe experience, trial, or test
Pardon
document that grants forgiveness for a serious crime/offense
Posthumous
occurring, appearing, or awarded after one’s death
Freedmen’s Bureau
the first social welfare or relief agency in US history, designed to help former slaves adjust to freedom by providing clothing, housing, medical supplies, job training, and educationg
Reconstruction
the period after the Civil War during which the states that had seceded were readmitted to the Union, and failed efforts were made to ensure political and social equality for freed blacks
Peonage
condition of servitude or partial slavery, as to work off a debt or to serve a penal sentence
Pittance
meager wage; very small amount
Carpetbaggers
Northerners who moved to the South after the Civil War for economic and political opportunities; often depicted as dishonest crooks
Scalawags
White Southerners who joined the Republican Party Coalition during Reconstruction (often hated more than carpetbaggers)
Redeemers
Southern Democrats during Reconstruction who sought to oust the Republican coalition of carpet-baggers, scalawags, and free blacks
Segregate
to separate or isolate from others, or from the main body or group, often with force, according to race, ethnicity, or religion
Terrorism
the use of violence, or threats of violence, to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political reasons
New South
post-Civil War vision of the South, promoted by journalist Henry Grady of Atlanta, which urged the abandonment of dependency on agriculture; to compete with Northern industry, the South would use its cheap labor, natural resources, and economically diversify
Impeach
to accuse a public official of misconduct in office by presenting formal charges before an appropriate tribunal; in the bicameral US Congress, the official is charged by the House of Reps., while the trial takes place in the Senate
Gilded
covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint; the “Gilded Age” in US History (1870-1900) was a period marked by the massive growth of industry and wealth but also unchecked materialism and political corruption
Political Machine
organization headed by a “boss” or small group that controls the activities of a political party (politicians, campaign workers) in exchange for rewards or graft (evolved from spoils system)
Graft
acquiring money or advantage by dishonest, unfair, or illegal means, esp. by abusing one’s power, position, or influence in politics or business
Nepotism
patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationships, as usually seen in business or politics
Crony
close friend, companion, or accomplice: most often used in a derogatory context
Pension
fixed amount, other than wages, that a gov’t or a company pays at regular intervals to a person (or their surviving dependents) in consideration of past service, age, merit, injury, or loss sustained
Filibuster
an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures
Pork-barrel
gov’t bill or policy that supplies funds to benefit a particular district, whose legislator thereby wins favor with local voters; implies wasteful gov’t project
Subsidy
grant of gift by a gov’t to a private person or company to assist an enterprise deemed advantageous to the public
Entrepreneur
person who organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a business, usually with considerate initiative and personal financial risk
Philanthropy
“love of mankind”; an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes/generosity
Vertical Integration
when one company expands its businesses into areas that are at different points of the same production path; when a company controls its own supply chain, or multiple processes or stages of production
Horizontal Integration
when a company expands its business into different products that are similar to current lines, via internal expansion, or merger/acquisition, often leading to a monopoly
Robber Baron
scornful term implying that powerful US capitalists/industrialists of the late 19th century earned their wealth by ruthlessly exploiting natural resources, corrupting legislators to interpret laws in their favor, ruining competitors, and generally stealing from their workers and the public by various unethical means
Captain of Industry
respectful term suggesting that big business leaders served the nation positively by increasing the supply of goods, raising productivity, creating new industries and jobs, and supporting philanthropies (such as founding libraries, museums, and universities)
Sweatshop
workplace or factory in which employees work long hours at low wages, often under poor or unsafe conditions
Glut
an excessively abundant supply
Lobbyist
person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest, segment of the community, or group of voters; any member of such a lobby
Injunction
court order prohibiting, or commanding, an action
Yellow Dog Contract
contract between a worker and an employer in which, as a condition of employment, the worker agrees not to join or remain in a labor union
Scab
a worker who accepts employment during a strike, esp. one who “crosses the picket line” and replaces a union laborer during a strike
Panacea
a remedy for all diseases or ills; a cure-all
Utilitarian
pertaining to the ethical doctrine that virtue is based on usefulness, and that conduct should be directed toward promoting the greatest happiness/good for the greatest number of people
Pragmatism
character or conduct that emphasizes practicality; reasonable and logical way of doing things and/or thinking about problems, based on specific situations rather than grand theories or dogma
Social Gospel
religious movement in the late 19th early 20th centuries founded on the idea that Christians have a responsibility to reform society; encouraged believers to put Jesus’s teachings to work in their daily lives by actively promoting social justice
Accomadationist
any person who adapts to or compromises with an opposing point of view, but esp. any African-American who adapted to the idea and attitudes of the white majority during the late 10th/early 20th centuries
Note
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