United States History: 1865-1898

These flashcards cover significant themes, events, and concepts from US history between 1865 and 1898, focusing on settlement in the West, the impact of industrialization, social issues, and reforms.

Great Plains

Lands between the Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains.

Homestead Act

Federal policy that provided land to settlers under certain conditions.

Mechanization

The use of machines to increase production and reduce the need for manual labor.

The Comstock Lode

A significant silver ore deposit that led to a mining boom in Nevada.

Ghost Dance

A religious movement among Native Americans that predicted a day of reckoning.

Reservation

Land set aside for Native American tribes as part of US policy.

Dawes Act

Legislation that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land.

Jim Crow laws

State laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Gilded Age

A term used to describe the period of American history characterized by economic growth, industrialization, and social issues.

Nativism

A policy that favors native inhabitants over immigrants.

Industrialization

The development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale.

Union

An organization of workers formed to protect their rights and interests.

Sharecropping

A system where farmers, mostly black, work land owned by another in return for a share of the crops.

Labor strike

A work stoppage by employees to enforce demands.

Scientific management

A theory of management that analyzes workflows to improve economic efficiency.

Social Darwinism

The application of the concept of survival of the fittest to human societies.

Migrant

A person who moves from one place to another in search of work or better living conditions.

Middle class

A social class between the upper class and the working class, often characterized by professional and white-collar jobs.

Consumerism

The protection or promotion of the interests of consumers.

Gospel of Wealth

An idea that affluent Americans bore serious responsibilities for philanthropy.