US History Unit 2 Industrialization, Immigration, Urbanization Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards generated from the Unit 2 Study Guide lecture notes, covering key terms related to the Progressive Era, industrialization, urbanization, social reforms, and political movements.

Hiram Johnson

Progressive governor of California who fought railroad corruption

Federal regulation of railroads

Federal action to regulate rates charged by railroads

16th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that created a federal income tax

Progressivism

Political movement focused on reforming government, business, and society

Muckrakers

Journalists who exposed corruption, unsafe conditions, or social issues

Theodore Roosevelt

U.S. president known for Progressive reforms and breaking up trusts

Children's Bureau

Federal agency established to address child labor and welfare issues

Trust-busting

Government action to limit the power of monopolies

J.P. Morgan

Powerful banker who dominated corporate finance and railroads

Trust

A group of companies under one management designed to reduce competition

Captains of Industry

Wealthy business leaders praised for innovation and philanthropy

Industrial Leaders

Wealthy business leaders who were seen as both ruthless and innovative

Robber Barons

Wealthy industrialists criticized for using ruthless business tactics

Sherman Antitrust Act

Federal law passed in 1890 to break up monopolies and trusts

Monopoly

A single company or group that controls all or nearly all of an industry

Overcrowding

A major problem in cities caused by rapid population growth

Ethnic neighborhoods (e.g., “Little Italy,” “Chinatown”)

Areas where immigrants from the same country lived together

Immigration

Large numbers of people moving from Europe and Asia into U.S. cities

Tenements

Cheap, often unsafe housing for immigrant families

Factory jobs

Main reason people moved into cities during the late 1800s

Urbanization

Movement of people from rural areas to growing cities

Patronage

Practice of giving jobs or favors in exchange for votes or loyalty

Tammany Hall

New York City’s most powerful political machine in the late 1800s

Political machine

Organization that controlled city politics by trading services for votes

Boss Tweed

Leader of Tammany Hall who became a symbol of corruption

Trade networks

U.S. economic connections to global markets through Atlantic and Pacific ports

Ports and waterways

Harbors that supported trade with Europe and Asia

Railroads

Connected farms, factories, and ports, allowing goods to move efficiently

Natural resources (coal, iron, oil)

Minerals and fuels that powered factories and machines

Industrial growth

Result of geography and trade advantages in the late 1800s

Settlement houses

Community centers that offered education and services to immigrants

Assimilation

Process of blending into the dominant culture

English language classes

Classes often provided to teach immigrants reading and writing in English

Americanization movement

Programs designed to help immigrants adopt U.S. culture and customs

Dwight L. Moody

Evangelist preacher who promoted the Social Gospel movement

William Graham Sumner

Prominent sociologist who defended Social Darwinism

Christian ethics in reform

Approach used by reformers to address poverty and poor living conditions

“Survival of the fittest”

Phrase used to justify wealth inequality under Social Darwinism

Social Gospel

Belief that Christian values should guide efforts to solve social problems

Social Darwinism

Belief that the strongest businesses and individuals would naturally succeed

Farmers' problems

Declining crop prices and high shipping costs

Omaha Platform

Populist Party’s official list of demands and reforms

Railroad regulation

Efforts to limit unfair railroad rates charged to farmers

Free silver

Demand to coin silver in addition to gold to increase the money supply

Direct election of Senators

Reform to give citizens, not state legislatures, the power to choose Senators

Populist Party (“People’s Party”)

Third-party movement representing farmers and workers in the 1890s

Pure Food and Drug Act

Law passed to regulate food safety after public outrage

Upton Sinclair

Author who revealed unsafe working and food conditions

Long hours and low wages

Common problems faced by factory workers during the Gilded Age

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

Event that highlighted unsafe working conditions for women workers

The Jungle

Book that exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry