Textbook Terms, Chapter 19

Discusses politics of the Gilded Age, farmers discontent, and the US's rise as a world power.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

U.S. naval officer and historian whose book The Influence of Sea Power upon History (1890) argued that strong navies were key to national power, influencing American imperialism

Anti-Imperialist League

Organization formed in 1898 to oppose U.S. annexation of the Philippines and other territories, arguing it violated American principles of self-government

Boxer Rebellion

1899–1901 uprising in China against foreign influence, missionaries, and imperialism, which was suppressed by an international military coalition including the U.S.

Cuban Revolt

Series of uprisings (1895–1898) by Cuban nationalists against Spanish rule, generating U.S. sympathy and contributing to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War

Emilio Aguinaldo

Filipino revolutionary leader who fought against Spanish colonial rule and later resisted U.S. annexation of the Philippines

Farmers Alliances

Organizations in the late 19th century that advocated for economic reform, cooperative buying and selling, and political action to help farmers

Foraker Act

1900 law establishing civilian government in Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War, giving the U.S. control while allowing limited local self-government

Foreign Trade

Expansion of international commerce in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, increasingly tied to U.S. industrial growth and imperialist ambitions

"Free Silver"

Political movement advocating the unlimited coinage of silver to increase money supply and help indebted farmers and workers

Hawaii

Pacific islands annexed by the U.S. in 1898, providing strategic naval bases and economic opportunities, particularly for sugar production

Imperialism

Policy of extending a nation’s authority over other countries through acquisition of territory, economic influence, or military force

Half-Breeds

Faction of the Republican Party in the late 19th century that supported civil service reform and moderate policies, opposing the Stalwarts

Interstate Commerce Act

1887 law regulating railroad rates and practices, marking the first federal attempt to control big business for public interest

Jacob Coxey

Populist activist who led “Coxey’s Army,” a 1894 march on Washington demanding federal jobs during the Panic of 1893

Mary E. Lease

Populist speaker and activist who advocated for farmers’ rights, free silver, and political reform in the late 19th century

The Maine

U.S. battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, fueling public support for the Spanish-American War amid sensationalist journalism

"Open Door Policy"

U.S. policy proposed in 1899 advocating equal trade opportunities in China and the protection of Chinese territorial integrity

Platt Amendment

1901 legislation that restricted Cuban sovereignty, allowing the U.S. to intervene in Cuba and maintain naval bases, including Guantanamo Bay

Panic of 1893

Severe economic depression caused by railroad overbuilding, bank failures, and declining agricultural prices, fueling support for populism

Pendleton Act

1883 law establishing a federal civil service system based on merit and competitive exams, reducing the patronage (spoils) system

Populism

Political movement in the late 19th century representing farmers and laborers, advocating for monetary reform, government regulation, and direct democracy

Populist Party (People's Party)

Political party founded in 1892 representing farmers and laborers, promoting free silver, government regulation, and political reforms

Puerto Rico

Territory acquired by the U.S. after the Spanish-American War, governed under the Foraker Act and later the Jones Act, with limited self-government

Sherman Antitrust Act

1890 law prohibiting business practices that restrained trade or created monopolies, the first federal attempt to regulate big business

Spanish-American War

1898 conflict between the U.S. and Spain, resulting in U.S. acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines and increased American global influence

The Grange

Organization of farmers founded after the Civil War to promote economic cooperation, social activities, and political advocacy for agricultural interests

The Philippines

Territory acquired by the U.S. after the Spanish-American War; site of the Philippine-American War as Filipinos resisted American annexation

William Jennings Bryan

Democratic politician and orator who supported free silver, populism, and progressive reforms, famously delivering the “Cross of Gold” speech

William McKinley

25th U.S. president who led the nation during the Spanish-American War and oversaw American imperial expansion

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalist reporting in newspapers, exemplified by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, which helped stir public support for the Spanish-American War