Guilded Age Vocab

Chester A Arthur.

hester A. Arthur indeed served as the 21st president of the United States. While initially part of the patronage system, Arthur surprised many by supporting civil service reform. The Pendleton Act of 1883) was one of his key accomplishments, marking a significant shift toward merit-based hiring.

Boss Tweed

He was the head of the Tammany Hall political machine, which controlled much of the city's political landscape. Tweed was notorious for his corrupt practices, including overcharging the city for construction projects and pocketing the difference. His influence extended into many areas, and he used the patronage to maintain control, offering jobs and services to immigrants in exchange for political loyalty.Exposed by Nast

Thomas Nast

political cartoonist who played a crucial role in exposing Boss Tweed's corruption. At a time when many immigrants in New York City couldn’t read English, Nast’s powerful illustrations were a way to communicate complex political issues visually. His cartoons lampooned Tweed and Tammany Hall, making their corrupt practices widely known.

Tweed tried to bribe Nast into silence, but Nast refused. Inventedd Santa Claus based on Tweed’s big ass.

Andrew Carnegie

"King of Steel", and he used vertical integration to dominate the steel industry. By buying out the companies involved in every step of steel production. He eliminated competition and controlled the entire supply chain. His adoption of the Bessemer process helped revolutionize steel production, making it cheaper and more efficient,

Carnegie was also a well-known philanthropist. He wrote the "Gospel of Wealth," which argued that the rich had a moral obligation to give back to society. He famously funded over 2,500 libraries, particularly along the East Coast,

Social Darwinism

natural selection (survival of the fittest) to human society and business. It suggested that in the economic world, the strong would succeed and the weak would fail, much like in nature. Proponents of Social Darwinism believed that competition in business and society led to progress It was often used to justify wealth inequality and the harsh conditions of industrial capitalism, as well as to argue against government intervention in the economy, like welfare or labor protections.

American Federation of Labor

a labor union founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers. Its primary goal was to represent skilled workers and improve their working conditions, wages, and hours. Unlike earlier, more radical labor organizations, the AFL focused on practical, achievable goals, such as higher wages, shorter workdays, and better working conditions. It became one of the most important labor unions in the United States and helped shape the labor movement during the Gilded Age and beyond.

The Bessemer Process

it was a cheap way to make steal bought by Andrew Carnegie

Blacklisted

an individual was placed on a list of people to be avoided or not hired, typically because they were seen as troublemakers or untrustworthy. In the context of the Gilded Age, workers could be blacklisted for participating in labor strikes, joining unions, or speaking out against their employers.

Populist (people’s) party

poor farmers and working-class Americans who felt neglected by the major political parties (Democrats and Republicans). They were particularly concerned about economic inequality, high railroad rates

One of the key demands of the Populists was the free coinage of silver or printing more money, which they believed would inflate the currency, increase the money supply.

Interstate Commerce Act/Commission

1887 was a landmark piece of legislation, as it marked one of the first times the U.S. government intervened in regulating private businesses. It was primarily a response to widespread corruption and unfair practices by railroad companies, which often charged exorbitant rates and engaged in price discrimination—charging different rates to different customers without justification.

Vertical integration

a business strategy where a company buys or controls all the steps involved in the production of a product, from raw materials to the final sale. This strategy helped companies like Carnegie’s steel empire dominate the market, as they could cut costs, increase efficiency, and reduce competition. Used by Carnegie

Horizontal Integration

This strategy involves merging or acquiring companies at the same level of production in an industry, essentially eliminating competition by consolidating smaller companies into a single, larger one.

Scabs

replacement workers for when union members went on strike, their mascot was a rat

Ulysses Grant

18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. While he was a revered Civil War hero, his presidency was marred by a series of scandals and corruption. Grant was a political outsider and often trusted the wrong people to run his administration, leading to multiple scandals.NOT INVOLVED JUST GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION

Pendleton Act of 1883

passed during Chester A. Arthur’s presidency and was a significant reform aimed at ending the corrupt spoils system. Said that in order to get a job you needed Merit and Certification.

J.P Morgan

Important banker of the gilded age known for Interlocking Directorates: Morgan had a practice of placing his bank’s officers on the boards of directors of many large corporations, effectively controlling them. This practice, known as interlocking directorates, allowed him to wield significant power over various industries.TURNED U.S. STEEL INTO BILLION $ COMPANY

Interlocking Directorates

Directors or officers of one company sit on the boards of other companies, often in related industries. This created a web of influence where business leaders could use their power and connections to benefit multiple companies simultaneously. INVENTED BY J.P. MORGAN

Yellow Dog Contracts

an agreement between an employer and an employee in which the worker promised not to join a union or participate in a strike as a condition of employment.

Jim Crow Laws

laws were aimed at preventing African Americans from voting while still affecting poor white Southerners as well.

1)Literacy Tests

2)Poll Taxes

3)Land Ownership Requirement

Grandfather Clause-if your grandaddy could vote in 1860 (before the slaves were freed) you could vote too. The other laws didn’t last because they affected white people too

Homestead Strike

1892 at the Homestead Steel Works in PA Frick (Carnegie’s plant manager)announced wage cuts and imposed harsh working conditions, which angered the workers. The workers were already upset When the cuts were announced, their union went on strike. A violent confrontation occured between securiy and protestors.Made the Union look bad

The Gilded Age

Sarcastic Term coined by Mark Twain referring to how, on the surface, the U.S. appeared to be prospering—due to rapid industrialization, economic growth, and technological advancements—but beneath that shiny exterior, the country was suffering from political corruption, economic inequality, poor working conditions, and social unrest.

Sherman Anti Trust Act

1890 It was designed to prevent business practices that could lead to the formation of monopolies. Essentially, it made it illegal for companies to engage in activities that would limit competition, like price-fixing or controlling an entire industry.

Credit Mobiler Scandal

1872 Union Pacific Railroad and Credit Mobilier. Members of Congress and even people in the Grant administration were implicated in accepting bribes or stock in Credit Mobilier in exchange for helping the company get government contracts to build the Union Pacific Railroad. The company would then overcharge the government for the construction costs, pocketing the difference. Made Grant look bad

Plessy Vs. Ferguson

(1896), the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation was constitutional, as long as the facilities provided for both races were "separate but equal." They had to be

a) Equally funded

b) Equal in quality/look the same

Neither of Which never happened