Key Concepts from the Gilded Age Lecture

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on the Gilded Age.

Gilded Age

A term coined by Mark Twain signifying a period of great economic growth masked by widespread corruption and social issues.

Election of 1872

Ulysses S. Grant was re-elected as President amidst growing public corruption concerns.

Tweed Ring

Infamous political organization led by Boss Tweed known for bribery and corruption in New York City.

Panic of 1873

An economic depression triggered by over-speculation and poor banking practices.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

U.S. law barring Chinese laborers from entering the United States due to racial tensions.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States after Reconstruction.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

A Supreme Court case that upheld the legality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Pendleton Act of 1883

Legislation that established a merit-based system for federal employment, reducing political patronage.

Populist Party

A political party formed in the 1890s representing farmers and advocating for economic reforms.

Gerrymandering

Manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another.

Boss Tweed

William Marcy Tweed, a powerful New York City politician known for his corrupt practices.

Credit Mobilier

A scandal involving the Union Pacific Railroad and bribes taken by Congress members.

Whiskey Ring (1875)

A scandal wherein government officials, including Grant's secretary, embezzled tax revenues from whiskey.

Compromise of 1877

An agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 presidential election, leading to the end of Reconstruction.

Honest Graft

A term used by George Washington Plunkitt to describe legal opportunities for profiting from political connections.

Labor Strikes of 1877

Major strikes caused by wage cuts amidst economic troubles, resulting in violent confrontations.

Resumption Act of 1875

Legislation aimed at withdrawing greenbacks and redeeming paper money in gold.

Social Darwinism

A belief that social progress resulted from the survival of the fittest, often used to justify inequality.

Laissez-faire capitalism

An economic system where government minimizes its involvement in economic affairs.

McKinley Tariff Act of 1890

Legislation that raised tariffs to the highest peacetime level and affected American consumers.