Period 6 APUSH Vocab

Assembly line

A manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner to create a finished product more efficiently.

Haymarket Riot

A labor protest in Chicago in 1886 that turned violent, leading to the deaths of several people and the subsequent trial and execution of anarchist leaders.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

A national federation of labor unions in the United States founded in 1886, focusing on skilled workers and collective bargaining.

Civil Rights cases

A series of 1883 Supreme Court cases that declared the Civil Rights Act of 1875 unconstitutional, limiting federal protection against racial discrimination.

Cross of Gold speech

A famous speech by William Jennings Bryan advocating for bimetallism during the 1896 Democratic National Convention.

Homestead Strike

A violent labor dispute in 1892 at Carnegie Steel's Homestead plant in Pennsylvania between the company and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers.

Socialist Party

A political party in the United States advocating for public ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods.

Chinese Exclusion Act

An 1882 law that prohibited Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States.

Ghost Dance

A religious movement among Native Americans in the late 19th century that promised the restoration of their lands and way of life.

Pullman Strike

A nationwide railroad strike in 1894 led by the American Railway Union against the Pullman Company, which was suppressed by federal troops.

National American Woman Suffrage Association

An organization founded in 1890 to advocate for women's right to vote.

Dawes Act

An 1887 law that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual allotments.

Gilded Age

A period in U.S. history (late 19th century) characterized by rapid economic growth, industrialization, political corruption, and often stark social inequalities,

Wounded Knee Massacre

The 1890 massacre of over 200 Lakota Sioux by U.S. Army troops in South Dakota, marking the end of the Indian Wars.

Andrew Carnegie

A wealthy industrialist and philanthropist who led the expansion of the American steel industry.

Interstate Commerce Act

An 1887 law that regulated the railroad industry, particularly monopolistic practices. It aimed to ensure fair rates and eliminate discriminatory practices by requiring railroads to publish their rates and make them public.

Gold standard

A monetary system where a country's currency or paper money has a value directly linked to gold. It held its value against inflation. Preferred by banks and investors for stability.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

A 1911 factory fire in New York City that killed 146 garment workers, leading to improved safety regulations.

Benjamin Harrison

The 23rd President of the United States (1889-1893), known for his support of protective tariffs.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Gospel of Wealth

An essay by Andrew Carnegie arguing that the wealthy have a moral obligation to distribute their wealth in ways that promote the welfare and happiness of the common man.

Booker T. Washington

An African American educator and leader who advocated for vocational education and economic self-reliance.

McKinley Tariff

An 1890 tariff that raised import duties to protect American industries.

Laissez-faire economics

An economic philosophy advocating minimal government intervention in the economy.

Boss Tweed

A political boss in New York City who led the Tammany Hall political machine and was notorious for corruption.

Open Door Policy

A U.S. policy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries advocating for equal trading rights in China.

Monopolies

Companies that dominate an industry, often leading to reduced competition and higher prices.

Chester A. Arthur

The 21st President of the United States (1881-1885), known for civil service reform.

Pendleton Civil Service Act

An 1883 law that established a merit-based system for federal employment.

New South

A post-Civil War movement advocating for the modernization and industrialization of the Southern economy.

Chief Joseph

A leader of the Nez Perce tribe who led his people in a resistance against U.S. government forces.

Plessy v. Ferguson

An 1896 Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Political bosses

Leaders of political machines who controlled local politics through patronage and corruption.

Colored Farmers’ Alliance

An organization of African American farmers advocating for economic and political reforms.

Sherman Antitrust Act

An 1890 law aimed at preventing monopolies and promoting competition.

Referendum

A direct vote by the electorate on a particular proposal or issue.

Cornelius Vanderbilt

A wealthy industrialist and philanthropist who built his wealth in railroads and shipping.

Muller v. Oregon

A 1908 Supreme Court case that upheld limits on working hours for women.

Silver standard

A monetary system where a country's currency is backed by silver. Favored by farmers and debtors. This system contrasts with the gold standard, which backed currency with gold.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

A leader of the women's suffrage movement and co-author of the Declaration of Sentiments.

Subtreasury plan

A Populist proposal to establish government-owned warehouses where farmers could store crops and obtain loans.

Social Darwinism

The application of Darwin's theory of natural selection to society, often used to justify social inequalities.

Eugene V. Debs

A labor leader and socialist who ran for president multiple times.

Munn v. Illinois

An 1877 Supreme Court case that upheld the right of states to regulate private industries affecting the public interest.

Social gospel

A Christian intellectual movement that applied Christian ethics to social problems.

Farmers’ Alliances

Organizations that advocated for the interests of farmers, leading to the Populist movement.

Pure Food & Drug Act

A 1906 law that regulated the preparation and sale of food and drugs.

Socialism

A political and economic theory advocating for collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.

Frederick Jackson Turner

A historian who emphasized the importance of the frontier in American history.

Meat Inspection Act

A 1906 law that mandated federal inspection of meat products. It aimed to ensure sanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry and protect consumers from adulterated meat.

Temperance

A social movement advocating for the reduction or prohibition of alcohol consumption.

The Grange

A farmers' organization founded in 1867 to promote agricultural interests and social activities.

Tenement housing

Overcrowded, poorly maintained apartment buildings in urban areas.

Grover Cleveland

The 22nd and 24th President of the United States, known for his honesty and fight against corruption.

Trusts

Large business entities formed to reduce competition and control prices.

Ida B. Wells

An African American journalist and activist who led an anti-lynching crusade.

Women’s suffrage

The right of women to vote, achieved nationally in the U.S. in 1920.

James Garfield

The 20th President of the United States, assassinated in 1881.

Yellow journalism

Sensationalist and often exaggerated news reporting.

John D. Rockefeller

An industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Standard Oil Company.

Vertical/horizontal integration

Business strategies where a company controls different stages of production (vertical) or merges with competitors (horizontal).

John Muir

A naturalist and conservationist who founded the Sierra Club.

Alaska

Purchased by the U.S. from Russia in 1867, known as 'Seward's Folly'.

Muckraker

Journalists who exposed corruption and social issues in the early 20th century.

J.P. Morgan

A financier and banker who played a key role in the industrial consolidation of the U.S.

Hawaii

Annexed by the U.S. in 1898.

The Jungle

A 1906 novel by Upton Sinclair exposing the harsh conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Las Gorras Blancas

A group of Mexican American activists in New Mexico who fought against land encroachment.

Indian reservations

Lands designated for Native American tribes by the U.S. government.

Transcontinental railroad

A railroad line completed in 1869 connecting the eastern and western United States.

Mother Jones

A labor and community organizer who co-founded the Industrial Workers of the World.

Land-grant colleges

Institutions established under the Morrill Act of 1862 to promote agricultural and mechanical education.

Progressivism

A political movement advocating for social and political reform.Progressivism sought to address issues like corruption, inequality, and labor rights through government intervention and reforms.

Knight of Labor

A labor union founded in 1869 that advocated for a wide range of reforms. It sought to unite all workers, regardless of skill level, and promote better working conditions, higher wages, and an eight-hour workday.

Populist Party

A political party in the 1890s representing farmers and laborers.

Settlement houses

Community centers in urban areas providing social services to immigrants and the poor.

Rutherford B. Hayes

The 19th President of the United States, known for ending Reconstruction.

Samuel Gompers

A labor leader and founder of the American Federation of Labor. He advocated for workers' rights and better labor conditions.

Frederick Taylor

An engineer who promoted scientific management to improve industrial efficiency.

Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)

An organization advocating for temperance and women's suffrage.

Margaret Sanger

A birth control activist and founder of Planned Parenthood.

Jane Addams

A social reformer and founder of Hull House, a settlement house in Chicago.

Sierra Club

An environmental organization founded by John Muir in 1892.

Stalwarts and half-breeds

Factions within the Republican Party during the Gilded Age.

Standard Oil

A dominant American oil company founded by John D. Rockefeller.

Susan B. Anthony

A leader in the women's suffrage movement.

Tammany Hall

A political machine in New York City known for corruption.

Thomas Edison

An inventor who developed the phonograph, the electric light bulb, and many other devices.

U.S. Steel

A major steel corporation founded by J.P. Morgan. It became the first billion-dollar corporation in the United States.

William H. Seward

Secretary of State who arranged the purchase of Alaska.

William Jennings Bryan

A politician and orator known for his 'Cross of Gold' speech. Advocated for the populist party.

William McKinley

The 25th President of the United States, known for leading the nation during the Spanish-American War.

WEB DuBois

An African American intellectual and co-founder of the NAACP.