US HISTORY TEST OEN MOD 2/3

morrill act

Law that provided federal land to the states to help finance agricultural colleges.

populist party

Political organization that wanted to help farmers. They fought for government control of railroads and banks. They also supported bimetallism to raise crop prices.

grange

Organization of farmers that attempted to regulate railroad abuses through state legislation.

wounded knee

Native American conflict in which the US Army rounded up 350 Sioux Indians who had surrendered. An unknown shot was fired and the army slaughtered 300 unarmed Native Americans. After this Chief Joseph will say, "I will fight no more forever." This brought an end to the Indian Wars.

dawes act

This Congressional act attempted to assimilate Native Americans by giving each head of household 160 acres so they will farm like the white settlers.

homestead act

Congressional act that offered 160 acres of free land to any citizen who was head of the household. 600,000 settlers will take advantage of this, including thousands of African Americans (exodusters)

assimilation

General plan under which Native Americans would give up their beliefs and way of life and become part of the white culture.

gold standard

National monetary system in which dollars are printed based solely on gold in the country. Supporters of this system wanted to keep it, fearing that a change to bimetallism would lead to inflation.

bimetallism

National monetary system in which dollars were backed by gold and silver. Farmers/Populists wanted this to increase the money supply, raising prices of the crops they were selling, and making it easier to pay off their loans to the banks. It would stabilize the agricultural sector. Also known as free silver.

william jennings bryan

Democratic and Populist presidential candidate in 1896. His delivery of the "Cross of Gold" speech in which he supported bimetallism earned him fame. He would, however, not win the election.

social darwinism

Idea that states some businesses and businessmen were better suited than others. The better suited should flourish while the less suited would fade out. Industrialists would support this. It also supports a laissez-faire attitude.

knights of labor

Labor union that supported the idea of all workers, skilled and unskilled, joining together to make sweeping changes. They supported an eight hour work day and equal pay for men and women. After the Haymarket affair involving a few of their members, the public will see the union as radicals and it is no longer in existence. The union's diverse membership prevented the adoption of common demands and limited their effectiveness.

john d. rockefeller

Industrialist that established the Standard Oil Company and used trusts as well as cutthroat practices to gain control of the oil industry in America.

credit mobilier

Example of railroad corruption in which a few stockholders of Union Pacific Railroad formed this construction company and overcharged the railroad for the work, pocketing the profits for themselves.

bessemer process

Effective and revolutionary technique used for making strong steel from iron ore. It was cheap and allowed for the mass production of steel. This made skyscrapers and cheaper building materials possible.

andrew carnegie

Industrialist who made his fortune in the steel industry. He used new management practices and attempted to control as much of the steel industry as he could. He believed the wealthy helped society and were not evil. His Gospel of Wealth philosophy said one should use their fortunes for good.

american federation of labor

Labor union focused on collective bargaining to reach written agreements on wages, hours, and work conditions. They used strikes and only allowed skilled workers. The fact that they only allowed skilled workers made them very effective.

sherman anti-trust act

Congressional law that made it illegal to form a trust that interfered with free trade and competition. It was a rare attempt by the federal government to try and balance the wealth and power in the nation, but it did not work during the Industrial Age. Industrialists even used the law to break up strikes, claiming the strikers were interfering with free trade by not working.

interstate commerce act

The federal government passed this law in an attempt to regulate railroads and set maximum railroad rates. Mostly unsuccessful, it was one of the few times the government tried to regulate big business during the Industrial Age.

laissez-faire

Government's philosophy during the Industrial Age where the government did NOT regulate big business and allowed them to run the country. The term means "allow to do".