Unit 5/6 APUSH- The Gilded Age, Industrialization, and U.S. Expansion

Gilded Age

Period of wealth and corruption in the U.S. from Reconstruction to 1900.

Industrialization

Introduction of faster machines, leading to increased efficiency and production.

Thomas A. Edison

Inventor of the light bulb and pioneer in electric power plant development.

Light Bulb

Edison's most famous invention that extended the workday beyond sundown.

Assembly Line Production

Manufacturing process where workers perform repetitive tasks, increasing efficiency.

Economies of Scale

Cost advantages that enterprises obtain due to their scale of operation.

Monopoly

Market structure where a single seller controls the entire supply of a product.

Horizontal Integration

Business strategy involving the acquisition of competitors in the same industry.

Vertical Integration

Business strategy where a company controls all stages of production.

Sherman Antitrust Act

1890 law that banned restraints of trade and was initially vague favoring big business.

Andrew Carnegie

Steel magnate who promoted the Gospel of Wealth and used vertical integration.

Gospel of Wealth

Carnegie's belief that the wealthy should use their riches to aid society.

Labor Unions

Organizations formed by workers to advocate for better working conditions.

Knights of Labor

One of the first national labor unions, founded in 1869.

Homestead Steel Strike

Labor strike marked by violence over wage cuts and anti-union policies.

Pullman Strike

Nationwide railroad strike led by the American Railway Union.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

National federation of labor unions representing skilled workers.

Urbanization

Growth of cities due to increased industrial jobs.

Jane Addams

Social reformer who founded Hull House for community support.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local statutes that legalized racial segregation.

Nativism

Ideology favoring native-born Americans over immigrants.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

First law banning immigration based on nationality.

Populist Party (People's Party)

Political party that represented the interests of farmers and workers.

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

First federal regulatory law for railroads, establishing the ICC.

William Jennings Bryan

Democratic and Populist candidate advocating for free silver.

Munn v. Illinois (1877)

Supreme Court case ruling that states could regulate businesses within their borders.

Social Darwinism

Philosophy suggesting that competition ensures the survival of the fittest.

American Protective Association

Nativist organization aimed at opposing Catholic immigration.

Credit Mobilier

Corrupt construction company involved in stealing government funds.

Meat Inspection Act (1906)

Law that authorized federal inspections of meat processing plants.

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Legislation to prevent contamination of food and medicines.

Trust-Busting

Government action aimed at breaking up monopolies.

Tariff

Tax imposed on imported goods; a major political issue post-Civil War.

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad connecting the eastern and western U.S., completed in 1869.

Standard Oil

Monopoly founded by John D. Rockefeller to dominate the oil refining industry.

Credit Mobilier Scandal

Political scandal involving railroad construction and bribery of officials.

Bull Moose Party

Progressive Party formed by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.

Woodrow Wilson

Progressive president known for his 'New Freedom' policies.

Federal Reserve System

Central banking system established to regulate the U.S. monetary system.

Turner’s Frontier Thesis

Theory that the American frontier shaped democracy and character.

Dillingham Commission

Commission that studied immigration and promoted restriction.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalist newspaper reporting that influenced public opinion.

Immigration Restriction League

Advocated for limits on immigration based on nationality.

National Origins Act (1924)

Set strict immigration quotas favoring northern Europeans.

Haymarket Riot

Labor protest that led to violence and backlash against unions.

Closed Shop

A workplace requiring union membership for employment.

Social Justice

The concept advocating for fair and just relations within society.

Underwood Tariff (1913)

Significantly lowered tariffs for the first time since the Civil War.

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)

Strengthened antitrust laws and allowed labor unions.