Test Key Terms - Reconstruction to WWI

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Monopolized the railroad system. The empire helped facilitate trade and westernization. One of the first major monopolies, paved the way for rapid transportation.

Alexander Graham Bell

Inventor of the telephone. Revolutionizes communication: instantaneous communication from anywhere in the country.

Andrew Carnegie

Monopolized the steel industry. Revolutionizes the way infrastructure for buildings and roads is built. Steel was needed to build lots of things, including railroads. The Public Library System rapidly developed because of him.

John Rockefeller

Owns the Standard Oil Company (90% of the world’s oil supply). His monopoly leads to people believing that monopolies are bad. Normalized the use of oil. 

J.P. Morgan

Monopolized banking in the United States. Results in the expansion of the US credit system. Bailed out the US government of their debt several times.

Vertical Integration

One of the main tactics used to develop a monopoly - businesses have a little bit of each step in the process (cost efficient)

Horizontal Integration

One of the main tactics used to develop a monopoly - businesses control the entire piece of one step in the process so that everyone has to go through them at some point.

What is a Trust?

A dominant industrial organization where competing companies consolidated under a single board of “trustees” to manage voting rights, fix prices, and eliminate competition. Examples: monopolies like Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Co and Vanderbilt’s railroad system.

The Gospel of Wealth

Essay written by Andrew Carnegie that argued that wealthy individuals have a moral obligation to act as “trustees” of their own money for the good of the public. He argued that wealthy people should distribute their money throughout their lifetime to fund public things (libraries, universities, etc.) instead of donating it to direct charity or giving it to heirs.

Social Darwinism

a 19th century ideology that took Charles Darwin’s biological theory of natural selection to human societies, arguing that the “survival of the fittest” governs social hierarchies, economics, and politics.

American Federation of Labor

The first and largest of Labor unions in the US, founded in 1886. It was an alliance of skilled craft unions that focused on improving wages, hours, and working conditions, instead of broader political revolutions.

Knights of Labor

The first major national labor organization in the US. They organized both skilled and unskilled workers to fight for better wages, safety, and limiting to an eight-hour-work day.

Jane Addams

Founder of the Hull House, which helps people in poverty. Helped normalize female professionalism. Helped start the modern financial help system for poor people. 

Hull House

Founded in 1889 by Jane Addams. The first US settlement house that served as a community center, school, and childcare facility for immigrants. This is significant because it played a part in helping launch several progressive reforms.

Nativism

a surge of intense patriotism targeting German-Americans, who were viewed as disloyal and dangerous. This idea was driven by propaganda and fear,

the political policy or belief that favors the interests of established, native-born inhabitants over recent immigrants

Booker T. Washington:

Advocated for slow and gradual integration. Because of his efforts, there are a collection of universities that stood for the education of Black people (HBCUs). 

W.E.B. DuBois:

Advocated for immediate integration, and was the founder of the NAACP, a civil rights movement organization that still exists today. 

NAACP

Stands for the National Association for Advancement of the Colored People, founded by a group of activists, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida Wells, etc. This organization was founded to secure political, educational, social, and economic,

Wounded Knee

Massacre of about 300 Native Americans (men, women, and children) in Wyoming. Largest killing of Native Americans by the United States in history. Led to complete lack of trust of Americans from the Natives, and officially marked the end of the Native American Wars.

Dawes Severalty Act

An act (1887) that authorized the US president to break up tribal reservation lands into small, individual plots for Native Americans. This was significant because it was the US government’s effort to assimilate non-natives into Western-style agriculture and society.

William Jennings Bryan

American orator/politician who was the Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson. Most known for his “Cross of Gold” speech that advocated for bimetallism.

Bimetalism

The concept that money should not just be based on gold but also silver. This argument was important because gold was harder to obtain than silver. It also created a pit between urban (valuable currency) and rural (less expensive and easily accessible) America

Yellow Journalism

late 19th century reporting style and journalism tactic of sensationalizing news to increase subscriptions and readers. Big impact in causing the Spanish-America War. 

Theodore Roosevelt

26th President of the US. Key leader of the Progressive movement. Known for creating the Square Deal and advocating for various other foreign policies.

Platt Amendment and Cuba

1901 legislative provision that defined conditions in Cuba that stated Cuba could not enter treaties with other nations that would impair its independence, the US reserved the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and preserve order, and Cuba was required to lease land to US for naval bases, like Guantanamo Bay.

Progressives

group of active reformers in the US from the 1890s to 1920s (progressive era). Primarily consisted of urban, educated, middle-class people who believed the government should be used as a tool to fix social and economic issues.

Muckrakers

people who were involved in exposing some of the issues and corruption of business, industry, and government during the progressive movement. Important because they brought to light issues that caused people to want reforms. 

Ida Tarbell

Muckraker who researched Standard Oil Company and exposed its corrupt practice. Her research led to reforms and stronger regulation on monopolies. 

Referendum

allows citizens to directly decide on legislation. gave the people of the US power.

Recall

mechanism of direct democracy that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term has ended through a direct vote. this provides accountability that gives the people power over officials that might be corrupt, ineffective, or denies public will.

17th Amendment

Amendment in the Constitution that requires senators to be directly elected by the state. This gave power to the voters in the sense that they got to directly vote based on their will. 

Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire

Fire that broke out in a factory in 1911 where workers were locked in, killing many of the laborers. Resulted in a lot of labor reforms including child labor laws, minimum wage, fire escapes, etc.

Square Deal

Theodore Roosevelt’s program that focused on reform. Aimed for fair balance between interests of workers, consumers, and large businesses. Focused on “three C’s” - Conserving natural resources, consumer protection, and corporate regulation.

Upton Sinclair

Author of the book The Jungle, which originally focused on immigration. However readers caught focus of how unsanitary the food industry was, leads to the reforms in the food processing, leading to the Food Safety Act.

Meat Inspection Act

mandated sanitary conditions for meat processing and federal inspection of meat products

William Howard Taft

President and Chief Justice of the United States, strengthened anti-trust laws, improved and modernized Supreme Court, supporter of dollar diplomacy

Woodrow Wilson

28th President of the US who led the country into WWI. Established the Federal Reserve, supported child labor restrictions, passed anti-trust laws. He originally proposed the League of Nations. Credited with “New Freedom” program and his “14 Points”

New Nationalism

Theodore Roosevelt’s political platform that advocated for a strong executive and federal government to regulate corporations and trusts. Argued that natural resources should be managed by the government for the people, not exploited by large corporations.

New Freedom

Woodrow Wilson’s political platform that aimed to revive the US economy by breaking down monopolies, lowering tariffs, and the reforms for banks. focused on strengthening small businesses and individuals to rise against corporate powers. B

Federal Reserve Act

Legislation that makes the Federal Reserve Banking System. Significance: The Federal Reserve still exists today, and is what our modern banking systems rely on today. have control over monetary policies that affect our economy

Lusitania

British ship that was attacked by German forces in 1915 during WWI. This turned US public opinions away from Germany and contributed to the country joining the war.

Zimmerman Telegram

secret diplomatic message from Germany to the Mexican government that proposed a military alliance against the US. Suggested that Mexico reconquer Texas, NM, and Arizona. This ended US neutrality and swayed the citizen’s public opinions toward joining the war.

Espionage Act

Act passed in 1917 designed to combat spying, prevent sabotage and interference with military recruitment.

Schenk vs. US

Schenk used US mail to oppose government by telling people to avoid the military draft for WW1. This was the first modern major landmark case regarding freedom of speech, and sets parameters of free speech during war time

Wilson’s 14 Points

President Woodrow Wilson’s plan for post-WWI peace, aimed at preventing future conflicts through open diplomacy, self-determination, freedom of the seas, and the creation of a League of Nations

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty that officially ended World War I, punishing Germany with heavy reparations, territorial losses, and disarmament

League of Nations

International organization made after WWI with the goal of preventing future wars. Predecessor to the United Nations.

Initiative

progressive reform that allows citizens to propose new laws directly.

Pure Food and Drug Act

prohibited sales of misbranded or adulterated food and drugs in interstate commerce