The West and Politics

Transcontinental Railroad

Connected the eastern and western U.S., helping people travel west and move raw materials.

Union Pacific and Central Pacific

Major railroad companies supported by the government.

Native American land conflict

Clash between communal land views of Native communities and private property views of settlers.

Great Sioux War (1876)

A conflict over land, including the Black Hills, involving leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.

Battle of Little Bighorn

Conflict where Native American forces defeated U.S. troops during the Great Sioux War.

Americanization

Efforts to force Native Americans to adopt white American culture and Christianity, often via boarding schools.

Dawes Act (1887)

Divided tribal land into individual allotments to encourage private property and assimilation.

Ghost Dance

A Native American religious movement associated with hope for renewal and restoration of their way of life.

Wounded Knee (1890)

A major tragedy in Native American history where U.S. soldiers killed many Lakota Sioux people.

Frontier Thesis (1893)

Associated with Frederick Jackson Turner; the idea that the frontier helped shape American identity.

Gilded Age (1877-1900)

A period characterized by rapid economic growth alongside corruption, inequality, and social problems.

Patronage (Spoils System)

The practice of giving government jobs to political supporters.

Pendleton Act (1883)

Created a merit-based system and civil service exams for government jobs to limit the spoils system.

Political Machines

Powerful city organizations that traded services or help for votes and political loyalty.

William "Boss" Tweed and Tammany Hall

Classic examples of a powerful city boss and a New York political machine.

Political Apathy

A lack of interest or concern where many people felt politics was something to ignore.

Progressive Movement (1900-1917)

Reform movement aimed at addressing problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and political corruption.

Muckrakers

Investigative journalists who exposed corruption and social problems.

The Jungle (Upton Sinclair)

A muckraking work that highlighted dangerous conditions in the meatpacking industry.

How the Other Half Lives (Jacob Riis)

A muckraking work that showed poor living conditions in urban areas.

Theodore Roosevelt

Progressive-era president who supported a stronger federal role in reform and conservation.

Standard Oil and Trusts

Large corporate combinations that could limit competition, prompting pushes for government regulation.