Unit 6: KC's

Union Pacific, Standard Gauge, Western Union, Pullman cars

Following the Civil War, government subsides for transportation and communication systems helped open new markets in North America.

Pacific Union 1862

was a major railway company in the United States, instrumental in connecting the eastern and western parts of the country and facilitating trade and travel.

Standard Gauge 1886

is the distance between the rails of a railway track, standardized at 4 feet 8.5 inches, enabling interoperability among different railway systems.

Western Union Telegraph Company 1856

was a key telegraph company in the United States, known for its role in advancing communication networks, especially in the late 19th century.

Pullman cars 1860s

were luxurious railroad cars designed for passenger comfort, featuring sleeping accommodations and elegant dining options, revolutionizing rail travel.

sewing machines, Woolworth’s “Five and dime” chain stores, mail order catalog Montgomery Ward

Businesses made use of technology innovations, access to natural resources, redesigned financial and management structures, advances in marketing, and a growing labor force to dramatically increase the production of goods.

sewing machines 1846

by Isaac Singer, it revolutionized textile production, shifting labor from homes to factories and enabling the mass production of clothing

Woolworth’s “five and dime” chain stores

were retail establishments that offered a variety of inexpensive goods, popularizing the concept of fixed pricing and self-service shopping.

Mail order catalogs Montgomery Ward 1872

system emerged in the late 19th century, allowing consumers to order goods directly from a printed catalog, which dramatically expanded market reach and convenience for both buyers and sellers.

Tenements, Dime novels, Marshall Field, Emily Dickenson

As the price of many goods decreased, workers’ real wages increased, providing new access to a variety of goods and services; many Americans’ standard of living improved, while the gap between the rich and poor grew.

Tenements 1879

are multi-family urban housing units that were often overcrowded and poorly maintained, commonly inhabited by immigrants and low-income families

Emily Dickenson

was an influential American poet known for her unique style, she intentionally chose to remain unmarried, rejecting the traditional role of housewife and mother. She resisted pressure to join the church, expressing skepticism and creating her own faith-centered perspective rather than accepting traditional Protestant doctrines

Marshall Field

a pioneering Chicago-based department store owner and entrepreneur who revolutionized American retail in the late 19th century. He transformed consumer culture by introducing fixed pricing, high-quality service, and the "customer is always right" philosophy

Dime novels

were inexpensive, popular fiction books that emerged in the 19th century, often featuring sensationalized stories and characters. They appealed to a wide audience, especially the working class.

John Cooke, Andrew Carnegie, and Vertical integration

Many business leaders sought increased profits by consolidating corporations into large trusts and holding companies, which further concentrated wealth.

John Cooke

was a prominent figure in the development of the American steel industry and closely associated with Andrew Carnegie, advocating for vertical integration to enhance operational efficiency and control over production.

Andrew Carnegie

A Scottish-American industrialist who led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and was a major philanthropist.

Vertical Integration

A business strategy where a company controls multiple stages of production or distribution within the same industry to increase efficiency and profits.

Gold Standard

a monetary system creating a stable, deflationary economy. Favored by Eastern bankers/Republicans to secure wealth, it was opposed by Western farmers/Populists, who wanted Free Silver to increase money supply, raise prices, and pay debts.

Gold Standard and Dingley Tariff Bill

Businesses and foreign policymakers increasingly looked outside U.S. borders in an effort to gain greater influence and control over markets and natural resources in the Pacific Rim, Asia, and Latin America.

Dingley Tariff Bill

1897, under President McKinley, it raised U.S. tariff rates to a record average of over 50% on imports. Designed to protect domestic industries from foreign competition following the Panic of 1893, it was a high point of Republican protective trade policy, heavily favoring Northern industries and keeping consumer prices high

Read it

 A variety of perspectives on the economy and labor developed during a time of financial panic and downturns. RI

Protestant work ethic, Invisible Hand, and William Graham Sumner

Some argued that laissez-faire policies and competition promoted economic growth in the long run, and they opposed government intervention during economic downturns.

William Graham Sumner

William Graham Sumner (1840–1910) was a prominent Yale sociologist and Gilded Age intellectual who advocated for Social Darwinism and laissez-faire economics. He argued that social inequality was a natural, inevitable result of survival of the fittest, opposing government intervention to help the poor, famously arguing in What Social Classes Owe to Each Other (1883) that they owe each other nothing.

Invisible Hand

1776 economic concept by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations describing how individuals acting in their own self-interest unintentionally promote the general welfare of society through free market competition

Protestant Work Ethic

a 17th-century concept, rooted in Calvinism and popularized by Puritans, holding that diligent, frugal labor is a spiritual calling and evidence of salvation. This belief encouraged hard work, thrift, and self-reliance, significantly influencing American economic attitudes, fostering industrial growth, and shaping the "self-made" American ideal.

Russian Jews

The industrial workforce expanded and became more diverse through internal and international migration; child labor also increased.

Russian Jews

(1880s–1920s); were part of the "New Immigration" wave from Eastern/Southern Europe, fleeing violent pogroms and state-sponsored religious persecution in the Russian Empire. They settled in ethnic neighborhoods in industrial cities (e.g., NYC’s Lower East Side), working in garment factories and contributing to urban labor, ethnic culture, and labor unions.

Violent "pogroms" (government-sanctioned attacks) following the 1881 assassination of Tsar Alexander I

Haymarket strike 1886, knights of labor, Terence Powderly, Emma Goldman, Scabs

Labor and management battled over wages and working conditions, with workers organizing local and national unions and/or directly confronting business leaders.

Scabs

Workers who replace strikers during labor disputes, often viewed negatively by organized labor.

Emma Goldman

An anarchist political activist and writer known for her fiery speeches advocating for workers' rights, feminism, and social justice in the early 20th century.

Terence Powderly

Leader of the Knights of Labor, he advocated for workers' rights and promoted the cause of unionization in the late 19th century.

Knights of labor

A significant labor organization founded in 1869 that advocated for the rights of workers and sought to unite all laborers regardless of skill level. It gained national prominence under the leadership of Terence Powderly, promoting reforms such as the eight-hour workday and better working conditions.

Haymarket Strike 1886

A pivotal labor protest in Chicago that turned violent when a bomb was thrown, leading to a crackdown on labor movements and highlighting tensions between workers and law enforcement.

Crop-lien System, New South, iron and steel in Birmingham

Despite the industrialization of some segments of the Southern economy -a change promoted by Southern leaders who called for a "New South" - agriculture based on sharecropping and tenant farming continued to be the primary economic activity in the South.

Iron and steel in Birmingham

Birmingham became a leading center for iron and steel production in the late 19th century, benefiting from abundant natural resources like coal and iron ore. This industrial growth contributed to the economic transformation of the South, as factories and mills emerged to support the burgeoning industry.

New South

A term used to describe the economic shift in the Southern United States after the Civil War, emphasizing industrialization and diversification while still heavily relying on agriculture.

Crop-lien system

A system that allowed farmers to pledge a portion of their crop as collateral for credit to buy supplies, often leading to a cycle of debt among sharecroppers and tenants.

Read it

New systems of production and transportation enabled consolidation within agriculture, which, along with periods of instability, spurred a variety of responses from farmers. RI

Government Irrigation Projects

are initiatives funded or managed by the government to supply water to agricultural lands through artificial means, helping enhance crop production and address water scarcity issues.

Government irrigation projects and reaper-thresher combine

Improvements in mechanization helped agricultural production increase substantially and contributed to declines in food prices.

Reaper-Thresher Combine

A machine that streamlines the harvesting and threshing processes, significantly increasing efficiency and productivity in agricultural practices.

Grangers and “middle man”

Many farmers responded to the increasing consolidation in agriculture markets and their dependence on the evolving railroad system by creating local and regional cooperative organizations.

“Middle Man”

A term referring to intermediaries in the supply chain who connect producers with consumers, often influencing prices and distribution. This one talking about train prices which really effected farmers

Grangers

were farmers' organizations that sought to address the issues of monopolistic pricing and improve their economic conditions through cooperative efforts.

Omaha platform, “Cross of Gold Speech,” Depression of 1893, James Weaver

Economic instability inspired agrarian activists to create the People's (Populist) Party, which called for a stronger governmental role in regulating the American economic system.

James Weaver

A prominent leader of the Populist Party and a candidate for President in 1892, who advocated for the rights of farmers and economic reforms.

Depression of 1893

A severe economic downturn that began in 1893, leading to widespread bank failures, unemployment, and significant hardship for farmers and laborers, contributing to the rise of the Populist movement. It started due to several factors including railroad over-extension, failing businesses, and declining agricultural prices.

“Cross of Gold” Speech

A famous speech delivered by William Jennings Bryan at the Democratic National Convention in 1896, advocating for the free coinage of silver to promote inflation and support farmers.

Omaha Platform

A key political document from the 1892 convention of the People's Party outlining demands for economic reform, including advocating for the regulation of railroads, direct election of Senators, and an increase in the money supply.

Read it

The migrations that accompanied industrialization transformed both urban and rural areas of the United States and caused dramatic social and cultural change. RI

Read it

International and internal migration increased urban populations and fostered the growth of a new urban culture. RI

Urbanization, and push v. pull factors (analysis matters)

As cities became areas of economic growth featuring new factories and businesses, they attracted immigrants from Asia and from southern and eastern Europe, as well as African American migrants within and out of the South. Many migrants moved to escape poverty, religious persecution, and limited opportunities for social mobility in their home countries or regions.

Push v. pull factors

are the reasons that drive people to leave their home country (push) and the attractions that draw them to a new location (pull), influencing migration patterns.

Urbanization

The process of increasing population density in cities, leading to economic growth and cultural transformation, driven by migration and industrialization.

Contract Labor law 1885, City Beautiful Movement, and Dumbbell tenements

Urban neighborhoods based on particular ethnicities, races, and classes provided new cultural opportunities for city dwellers.

Dumbbell Tenements

were a type of tenement design popular in the late 19th century, which aimed to maximize space but often led to overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions.

City Beautiful Movement

A reform movement in the late 19th century that aimed to improve urban environments through beautification and the creation of parks, promoting civic pride and improving quality of life.

Contract of Labor Laws 1885

Legislation regulating immigration and labor, aimed at controlling the labor market and protecting native workers. It allowed for the importation of contract laborers, primarily from specific countries.

Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 and Alienation

Increasing public debated over assimilation and Americanization accompanied the growin of international migration. Many immigrants negotiated compromises between the cultures they brought and the culture they found in the United States.

Alienation

The feeling of disconnection or estrangement experienced by immigrants adapting to a new culture while facing societal pressures to conform.

Chinese Exclusion act

1882, the first significant law restricting immigration based on nationality, specifically targeting Chinese laborers. It prohibited the immigration of Chinese workers for ten years and was extended several times.

Political machines

Organized groups that controlled political parties in cities, often using patronage and corruption to maintain power.

Political Machines, Tammany Hall, Thomas Nest

In an urban atmosphere where the access to power was unequally distributed, political machines thrived, in part by providing immigrants and the poor with social services.

Thomas Nest

A political cartoonist associated with Tammany Hall and "Boss Tweed, known for his critical illustrations that exposed corruption in political machines and advocated for reform.

Tammy Hall

a powerful Democratic political machine in New York City (established 1789) that dominated local politics from the Gilded Age through the early 20th century

Kindergarten and ragtime

Corporations' need for managers and for male and female clerical workers as well as increased access to educational institutions, fostered the growth of a distinctive middle class. A growing amount of leisure time also helped expand consumer culture.

ragtime

a musical genre created by Black Americans that emerged in the late 19th century, characterized by its syncopated rhythms and lively melodies, often associated with early jazz.

Kindergarten

an educational institution for young children, typically between ages three to six, that emphasizes play and learning and brought by Germans.

Read it

Larger numbers of migrants moved to the West in search of land and economic opportunity, frequently provoking competition and violent conflict. RI

Comstock Lode and Women out west

The building of transcontinental railroads, the discovery of mineral resources, and government policies promoted economic growth and created new communities and centers of commercial activities.

Women out west

refers to the experiences and roles of women who moved to the western United States during the 19th century, often involved in various economic and social activities, including mining, farming, and supporting family enterprises. Prostitution became more popular.

Comstock Lode

A rich silver ore deposit found in Nevada, discovered in 1859, which significantly contributed to the mining boom and economic development in the American West.

Turner’s Thesis and Dodge city (cow town)

In hopes of achieving ideals of self-sufficiency and independence, migrants moved to both rural and boomtown areas of the West for opportunities, such as building the railroads, mining, farming, and ranching.

Dodge City (cow towns)

were center points for cattle drives and trading, embodying the spirit of the Wild West, where culture, lawlessness, and opportunity thrived.

Turner’s Thesis

argued that the closing of the Western frontier, noted by the 1890 Census, marked the end of the first period of American history. Turner claimed the frontier experience shaped American democracy, rugged individualism, and national character by providing a "safety valve" for social tension.

People always just looked to move west when their was a problem, but now their was no more west to conquer.

Little Big Horn and Buffalo Bill Cody

As migrant populations increased in number and the American bison population was decimated, competition for land and resources in the West among white settlers, American Indians, and Mexican-Americans led to an increase in violent conflict.

Buffalo Bill Cody

a showman and frontiersman who founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West, a traveling show that depicted cowboy life, Native American culture, and the American frontier.

Little Big Horn

June 25–26, 1876, was a major Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne victory in the Great Sioux War. Led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, Indigenous forces annihilated George Custer’s Cavalry in Montana after miners violated treaty lands seeking gold. This, however, intensified US efforts to subdue Western tribes.

Wounded Knee and Great Sioux Reservation

The U.S government violated treaties with American Indians and responded to resistance with military force, eventually confining American Indians to reservations and denying tribal sovereignty.

Great Sioux Reservation

an area in South Dakota designated for the Lakota Sioux, where many tribes were relocated and faced federal control over their lives.

Wounded Knee

The site of two significant conflicts between Native Americans and the U.S. government, notably the 1890 massacre where U.S. troops killed hundreds of Lakota Sioux, marking the end of the Indian Wars.

Dawes Severalty Act and Carlyle Indian Boarding school

Many American Indians preserved their cultures and tribal identities despite government policies promoting assimilation, and they attempted to develop self sustaining economic practices and industry.

Dawes Severalty Act

was a law enacted in 1887 that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land and granting them U.S. citizenship, ultimately undermining tribal landholdings.

Carlyle Indian Boarding school

was an institution established in 1879 in Pennsylvania aimed at assimilating Native American children into Euro-American culture by teaching them English and vocational skills.