U.S. Westward Expansion & Political Corruption: Key Terms & Figures Save

Homestead Act

The 1862 law that offered 160 acres of free land to settlers in the West who would live on and improve the land for at least five years.

Deflation

A decrease in the general price level of goods and services, increasing the value of money—often hurt farmers and debtors.

Boss Tweed

Corrupt leader of New York City's Tammany Hall political machine; used graft and bribery to control city politics.

Thomas Nast

A political cartoonist who exposed the corruption of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall through powerful illustrations.

Populist Party

A political movement of farmers and laborers in the late 1800s pushing for economic reforms like free silver and direct election of senators.

Surveying

The science of measuring land; used to map out new territories and settlements during westward expansion.

Inflation

An increase in prices and a decrease in the purchasing power of money; favored by farmers to reduce debt burdens.

Exodusters

African Americans who migrated west, especially to Kansas, after the Civil War in search of freedom and land.

William J. Bryan

Populist and Democratic presidential candidate famous for the “Cross of Gold” speech supporting free silver.

Big Little Horn

The 1876 battle where Native American forces defeated U.S. troops led by General George Custer; also known as the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Nitroglycerin

A powerful explosive used in blasting through mountains for railroad construction; extremely dangerous to handle.

Cowboys

Cattle herders who worked on long drives across the open range, iconic figures of the American West.

The Grange

A farmers' organization founded in 1867 to promote economic and political well-being of agricultural communities.

Chinese Immigration

Mass immigration of Chinese laborers, many of whom worked on the Transcontinental Railroad and faced severe discrimination.

Civil Service

A reform movement that replaced the patronage system with hiring based on merit and exams for government jobs.

Transcontinental Railroad

The railroad completed in 1869 that connected the eastern U.S. with the Pacific Coast, revolutionizing travel and commerce.

Dawes Act

An 1887 law that broke up Native American communal lands and gave individuals plots, aiming to assimilate them into U.S. society.

William McKinley

25th president of the U.S.; supported the gold standard and defeated Bryan in 1896, ending the Populist movement.

Reservations

Areas of land where Native American tribes were forcibly relocated, often with poor living conditions and loss of culture.

Gold Standard

A monetary system where currency is backed by a fixed amount of gold; supported by bankers and industrialists.

Chief Joseph

Nez Perce leader who resisted forced relocation; known for his surrender speech, “I will fight no more forever.”

Political Machines

Powerful organizations that controlled city politics through corruption, patronage, and support from immigrant communities.