HIS EXAM 1

Carpetbaggers

Northern individuals who moved to the South after the Civil War to seek economic or political opportunities during Reconstruction.

Gilded Age

The late 19th century period marked by rapid economic growth, industrialization, and political corruption.

Gospel of Wealth

A philosophy promoted by Andrew Carnegie that the wealthy have a moral obligation to distribute their wealth for the betterment of society.

Redemption

The term used by Southern Democrats to describe their return to power in the South, ending Reconstruction governments.

Scalawags

Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party after the Civil War.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery in the United States, except as punishment for a crime.

14th Amendment

Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and guaranteed equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment

Prohibited the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the United States who led the nation during the Civil War and was instrumental in the abolition of slavery.

Andrew Carnegie

Industrialist and philanthropist who led the expansion of the steel industry in the United States.

Black Codes

Laws passed in the South after the Civil War to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

A federal law that prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States.

Compromise of 1877/Bargain of 1877

An informal agreement that resolved the 1876 presidential election and ended Reconstruction by withdrawing federal troops from the South.

Department Stores

Large retail establishments that became popular in the late 19th century, offering a variety of goods under one roof.

Election of 1896

A pivotal election between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan, highlighting the divide between industrial and agricultural interests.

Eugene Debs

Labor leader and socialist who played a significant role in the labor movement, including the Pullman Strike.

Farmer’s Alliance

A movement that sought to improve the economic conditions for farmers through cooperatives and political advocacy.

Fredrick Jackson Turner

Historian who proposed the 'Frontier Thesis,' emphasizing the importance of the American frontier in shaping the nation's character.

Freedmen/Freedpeople

Former enslaved individuals who were emancipated after the Civil War.

Great Railroad Strike of 1877

A nationwide strike protesting wage cuts, poor working conditions, and economic hardships faced by railroad workers.

Haymarket Riot

A violent labor protest in Chicago in 1886 that heightened tensions between labor unions and law enforcement.

Homestead Strike

An industrial lockout and strike at Andrew Carnegie’s steel plant in 1892, resulting in a deadly clash between workers and private security.

J.P. Morgan

A powerful banker and financier who played a key role in industrial consolidation and the growth of the U.S. economy.

John D. Rockefeller

Founder of Standard Oil and one of the wealthiest individuals in history, known for his monopolistic practices.

Ku Klux Klan

A white supremacist group that emerged during Reconstruction, targeting African Americans and their allies through violence and intimidation.

Laissez-Faire

An economic philosophy advocating minimal government intervention in the economy.

Lincoln’s 10% Plan

Abraham Lincoln’s Reconstruction plan requiring 10% of a Confederate state’s voters to pledge loyalty to the Union for readmission.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

A Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Pullman Strike

A nationwide railroad strike in 1894 that disrupted rail traffic and led to federal intervention.

Radical Republicans

A faction of the Republican Party that advocated for the abolition of slavery and equal rights for African Americans during Reconstruction.

Scientific Management

A method developed by Frederick Taylor to improve industrial efficiency through time and motion studies.

Sharecropping

A system where farmers worked land owned by someone else in exchange for a share of the crops produced.

Social Darwinism

The application of Darwin’s theories of natural selection to human society, often used to justify economic inequality and imperialism.

Special Field Orders No. 15

Orders issued by General Sherman in 1865 to redistribute land to freed African American families, later reversed by the federal government.

The Dawes Act

A law aimed at assimilating Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual allotments.

The Ghost Dance

A spiritual movement among Native Americans that sought to restore their lands and way of life, seen as a threat by U.S. authorities.

The Homestead Act

A law passed in 1862 granting 160 acres of public land to settlers willing to cultivate it for at least five years.

The Knights of Labor

A labor organization that sought to unite workers across industries to advocate for better working conditions and rights.

The People’s Party/The Populists

A political party that represented the interests of farmers and laborers, advocating for monetary reform and government ownership of railroads.

William Jennings Bryan

A politician and orator who championed the free silver movement and represented the Populist cause in the Election of 1896.