Gilded Age Politics, Westward Expansion, and Social Movements

Corrupt political boss

Corrupt political boss of New York City's Tammany Hall in the 1860s-1870s.

Tammany Hall

NYC's Democratic political machine.

Californios

Spanish-speaking Hispanic residents of California prior to U.S. takeover.

Homestead Act (1862)

Allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of western land for a small fee, if they lived on it and improved it for 5 years.

Conflict With American Indians

Land. Always land.

Ghost Dance Movement

A Native American spiritual revival predicting the disappearance of whites and the return of the buffalo.

Corruption in Politics

Corruption was everywhere during the Gilded Age.

Political Machines

Provided jobs, food, housing to immigrants.

Gospel of Wealth (Carnegie)

Wealthy should use their money to benefit society.

John Dewey (Education Reform)

John Dewey believed in progressive education, hands-on learning, and developing problem-solving skills.

Monopoly

One company controls an entire industry.

Trust

Group of companies managed by a single board to avoid competition.

Holding company

A corporation that buys stock in other companies to control them.

Patronage

Giving government jobs to supporters or friends rather than based on merit.

Assimilation

Process of forcing Native Americans to abandon their culture and adopt white American customs.

Social Darwinism

Survival of the fittest applied to society/economics.

Why Women & Children Were Hired Over Men

Paid less.

Technology vs. Craftsmen

Machines replaced skilled labor, weakening the craftsman ideal.

Who Formed the Bulk of the Factory Workforce?

Immigrants.

Why Labor Unions Were Growing

Terrible working conditions.

Where Did the New Wave of Immigrants Settle?

Mostly Eastern cities and Midwest industrial centers.

Nativists

Anti-immigrant.

How Were Chinese Laborers Viewed?

Seen as job competition.

Carlisle Indian School

Tried to eliminate Native American culture, languages, religion, clothing, and identity.

Why Could People Move to Suburbs?

Improved transportation: streetcars, elevated trains, subways.

What Allowed Railroads to Expand?

Federal subsidies.

Destruction of the Buffalo

U.S. military encouraged buffalo slaughter to destroy Native American food sources.