Political Corruption, Inventions, and Labor Movements

Tammany Hall

A political group in NYC known for corruption.

Boss Tweed

The leader of Tammany Hall, who used his power to control NYC politics and steal money.

Stalwarts

Republicans who supported giving government jobs to loyal supporters.

Graft

Using political power to make money in an illegal way, like bribing.

Charles Guiteau

The person who shot Garfield because he was upset about not being appointed for a government job.

Political machines

Groups that controlled city politics by helping people in exchange for their votes.

New York City

The city where Boss Tweed ran his operation.

Gilded Age

A term coined by Mark Twain to describe a period that looked good on the outside but was full of corruption and social problems.

Alexander Graham Bell

Inventor of the Telephone.

Thomas Edison

Inventor of the Lightbulb & phonograph.

Helen Hunt Jackson

A writer who advocated for Native American rights.

Henry Bessemer

Inventor of the Bessemer process for cheaper steel production.

Horatio Alger

A writer known for stories promoting hard work.

Mary Harris 'Mother Jones'

A labor activist fighting for workers' rights.

Samuel Gompers

Founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL).

Sooners

People who claimed land in Oklahoma before it officially opened.

William Cody (Buffalo Bill)

A Wild West showman.

William Jennings Bryan

A politician known for the 'Cross of Gold' speech.

Robber Barons 'Big Four'

Carnegie (Steel), Rockefeller (Oil), J.P. Morgan (Finance), Vanderbilt (Railroads).

Vertical Integration

Controlling every step of production, from raw materials to sales (ex: Carnegie Steel).

Horizontal Integration

Merging with or buying out competitors to control the market (Rockefeller's Standard Oil).

Monopolies

One company dominates an entire industry.

Trusts

Legal groups of companies controlled by a board to reduce competition.

Holding Companies

Companies that own shares in other companies to control them.

Gospel of Wealth

By Carnegie, the idea that the wealthy should use their riches to benefit society.

Sherman Antitrust Act

Banned monopolies & trusts to promote competition.

Interstate Commerce Act

Regulated railroads to prevent unfair practices and ensure fair rates.

Morrill Act

Provided land grants to states to fund colleges, leading to many public universities.

Company Town

A town where nearly all stores & housing were owned by one company, which also employed the residents.

Pullman Strike (1894)

Strike over wage cuts and high rents in Pullman's company town.

Haymarket Affair (1886)

Rally turned violent when a bomb exploded, killing police and protestors.

Collective Bargaining

Negotiation between unions and employers for better conditions.

Strikes

Workers refuse to work w/ a goal to pressure employers for higher demands.

Scabs

Workers hired to replace strikers.

Immigrants in the 1860s

Majority came from North and Western Europe.

Immigrants in the 1890s

Majority came from South and Eastern Europe.

Reasons for moving to cities

People moved to cities for factory jobs, housing, and better opportunities as the U.S. continued to industrialize.

Issues Americans had with immigrants

Some Americans feared job competition, cultural differences, and believed immigrants would never assimilate to Western culture.

Hull House

Founded by Jane Addams in Chicago to provide social services, education, and support to immigrants.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Banned Chinese immigration.

Americanization Movement

Promoted assimilating immigrants into American culture.

Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907

Japan agreed to limit emigration to the U.S.

Nativists and KKK

Groups opposed immigration, prioritized America, committed violent actions.

Tenements

Crowded, poorly built housing for immigrants & working poor.

Sanitation Issues

Issues regarding waste and diseases due to overcrowding and overpopulation.

Main ports for immigrants

New York City (Ellis Island), San Francisco (Angel Island).

Bimetallism

A system where both gold and silver were used as a currency.

William Jennings Bryan

Famously supported bimetallism with his 'Cross of Gold' speech.

Single Cash Crops

Many small farmers relied on one crop (like cotton), which made them vulnerable to price drops.

Impact of Railroads

Railroads often charged high shipping rates, putting small farmers at a disadvantage.

Time Zones

Created to standardize schedules across the country, making travel and commerce more efficient.

Grangers

Began as a group for farmers facing economic problems and high railroad rates.

Bimetallism

A monetary system that supports the use of both silver and gold to increase the money supply.

Populism

A political movement aimed to help farmers and laborers, advocating for bimetallism, a graduated income tax, and government ownership of railroads.

Farmers Alliance

A network of farmers' groups that pushed for changes to help farmers, such as lower interest rates and regulation of railroad rates.

Social Darwinism

The idea of 'survival of the fittest' applied to society and business, arguing that wealth and success were natural results of hard work.

Battle of Little Bighorn

A conflict in 1876 where the Sioux, led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, defeated General Custer.

Wounded Knee Massacre

An event in 1890 where U.S. troops killed many Sioux at Wounded Knee Creek, ending major Native resistance.

Ghost Dance

A Native American religious movement that promised to restore their lands and way of life.

Dawes Act

A law aimed at 'americanizing' Native Americans by breaking up tribal lands into individual plots, leading to loss of tribal land.

Homestead Act

Legislation that offered acres of free land to settlers willing to farm it for five years, encouraging westward expansion.

Exodusters

Black Americans who migrated west post-Civil War for opportunities, especially in Kansas.

Bonanzas

Large-scale, profitable farms or mining operations during westward expansion.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A Supreme Court case that upheld segregation with 'separate but equal,' legalizing discrimination under Jim Crow laws.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing segregation in the South post-Civil War.

W.E.B. DuBois

An advocate who pushed for immediate civil rights and higher education for Black Americans.

Booker T. Washington

An advocate who focused on economic progress through job skills to improve the lives of Black Americans.

Jeannette Rankin

The first woman elected to Congress, from Montana.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention in the U.S., where activists called for equality and suffrage.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

A lead figure in the early women's rights movement.

Alice Paul

A suffragist who led protests and pushed for the 19th amendment.

19th Amendment

An amendment that granted women the right to vote in the U.S.

Conservation

The protection and careful management of natural resources.

Theodore Roosevelt

The president who greatly expanded national parks and protected public lands.

John Muir

A naturalist and advocate for conservation who helped inspire the creation of national parks.

Yosemite

A famous national park in California, protected largely due to John Muir's efforts.

Sand Creek Massacre

An event where U.S. troops attacked a peaceful Cheyenne village, resulting in many deaths.

Treaty of Fort Laramie

An agreement between the U.S. government and Native American tribes to ensure peace and define territorial boundaries.