Gilded Age Study Guide

What is philanthropy?

Giving money to charity;

Andrew Carnegie was known for this.

What was the Transcontinental Railroad?

A railroad connecting the country and helping move goods and people.

What was the Bessemer Process?

A process that made steel production more efficient.

What does urban mean?

Relating to a city.

What does rural mean?

Relating to the countryside or a farm.

What is corruption?

Dishonest behavior, such as bribery or giving special privileges.

What is a nativist?

A person who wants to restrict immigrants from entering the United States.

What was the Chinese Exclusion Act?

A law that restricted Chinese immigrants from entering the United States because of job competition.

What were the Great Plains?

A region in the central United States where farmers and settlers moved west.

What was the Klondike Gold Rush?

A gold rush in Canada and Alaska.

What was the Dawes Act?

An act intended to assimilate American Indians into U.S. society.

What is laissez-faire?

The idea that government should not interfere in business; a hands-off approach.

What was limited in the West, leading people to build sod houses?

Timber.

Who were the New Immigrants?

Immigrants who came from Southern and Eastern Europe to the United States.

How did the light bulb affect businesses?

Businesses could stay open longer, and manufacturing became more efficient.

What is a monopoly?

A business or company that controls an industry.

What is assimilation?

Adopting the customs and culture of another society.

What was the Homestead Act?

An act that gave settlers access to free or inexpensive land.

Who was William "Boss" Tweed?

A political boss who controlled New York City politics and benefited from Irish immigrant votes.

Who was Andrew Carnegie?

A steel company owner and philanthropist.

Who was J.P. Morgan?

A banker who controlled a monopoly in the banking industry.

Who was John D. Rockefeller?

The owner of Standard Oil who used railroad discounts to gain an advantage over competitors.

What does the political cartoon about immigrants illustrate?

Nativism: opposition to immigrants entering the United States.

What is political corruption?

Dishonesty or abuse of political power, including bribery and special privileges.