APUSH Chapter 22

American Pageant 17th Edition

Post–Civil War industrial expansion -

Rapid growth of U.S. industry following the Civil War.

Expansion of railroads –

Building and linking of rail lines across the country, enabling faster transport.

Transcontinental railroad (1869) –

Railroad connecting the east and west coasts, completed at Promontory Summit, Utah.

Federal land grants to railroads –

Government gave land to railroad companies to encourage construction.

Standardized time zones –

System introduced to coordinate railroad schedules nationwide.

Railroad consolidation –

Combining smaller railroads into larger companies for efficiency and control.

Jay Gould –

Notorious railroad speculator known for financial manipulation.

Cornelius Vanderbilt –

Railroad tycoon who expanded and modernized rail networks.

Railroad corruption –

Practices like bribery, price-fixing, and favoritism to increase profits.

Stock watering –

Inflating a company’s value dishonestly to sell stock at higher prices.

Interstate Commerce Act (1887) –

Law regulating railroads to prevent unfair practices.

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) –

First federal agency created to enforce railroad regulations.

Mechanization –

Use of machinery to replace manual labor in production.

Mass production –

Large-scale manufacturing using standardized parts.

Interchangeable parts –

Identical parts that can replace each other, enabling faster assembly.

Corporations –

Large businesses owned by stockholders with legal recognition.

Trusts –

Legal arrangements where multiple companies are managed as a single entity to limit competition.

Horizontal integration –

Merging companies at the same production stage to control a market.

Vertical integration –

Controlling all stages of production from raw materials to sales.

Andrew Carnegie –

Steel industry leader who used vertical integration to build U.S. Steel.

Bessemer process –

Method of producing steel efficiently and cheaply.

U.S. Steel –

Carnegie’s steel company; first billion-dollar corporation in the U.S.

John D. Rockefeller –

Oil tycoon and founder of Standard Oil.

Standard Oil –

Rockefeller’s company that became a dominant monopoly in oil refining.

Social Darwinism –

Idea that only the strongest businesses or individuals survive economically.

Herbert Spencer –

Philosopher who applied Darwin’s ideas to society and business.

Gospel of Wealth –

Carnegie’s belief that the rich should use their wealth for the public good.

Philanthropy –

Donation of money or resources to benefit society.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) –

Law aimed at breaking up monopolies and promoting competition.

Southern industrialization –

Effort to build factories and industries in the postwar South.

Textile mills in the South –

Factories producing cloth, a key part of Southern industry growth.

Impact of industrialization on workers –

Harsh conditions, long hours, low wages, and unsafe workplaces.

Labor unions –

Organizations formed to protect workers’ rights and improve conditions.

Knights of Labor –

Inclusive labor organization open to most workers, active in the late 19th century.

Haymarket Square Riot (1886) –

Violent clash during a labor protest in Chicago that hurt the labor movement.

Decline of the Knights of Labor –

Loss of influence after violent strikes and internal problems.

American Federation of Labor (AFL) –

Labor organization focused on skilled workers and practical gains.

Samuel Gompers –

Leader of the AFL who emphasized collective bargaining and strikes for better conditions.