AMSCO Unit 6 Key Terms

W. E. B. Du Bois

He was a leading Black intellectual of the era and advocated for racial equality and integrated schools for African Americans. He also critiqued Booker T. Washington's approach to racial progress as not progressive enough.

expanding middle class

The middle class grew significantly during the Gilded Age due to industrialization and the rise of white-collar jobs like middle management, salaried workers, doctors, and lawyers.

middle-class workers

This group included salaried white-collar workers, professionals (doctors, lawyers), public employees, and storekeepers.

"Gospel of Wealth"

This was Andrew Carnegie's argument that the wealthy had a moral responsibility to carry out projects of civic philanthropy for the benefit of society.

philanthropy

This is the practice of wealthy individuals using their fortunes to fund institutions like libraries and universities to help society.

growth of suburbs

Suburbs expanded in the late 19th century due to low-cost land, inexpensive transportation by rail, new construction methods, and the desire of some to live in all-White communities.

"City Beautiful" movement

This movement aimed to reshape American cities with tree-lined boulevards, public parks, and cultural attractions to provide both private and public good.

kindergarten

The concept of sending children to kindergarten became popular during this era, supported by tax-supported public high schools.

Johns Hopkins University

Founded in Baltimore in 1876, it became the first American institution to specialize in advanced graduate studies, modeled after German universities, emphasizing research and free inquiry.

social sciences

The scientific method began to be applied to the study of human society, leading to the development of disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science.

"Buffalo Bill"

William F. Cody's Wild West show, which became a popular form of entertainment featuring acts based on the Western frontier.

John Philip Sousa

He was a musician whose music grew in popularity during the late 19th century as leisure time expanded.

jazz

This distinctly American form of music emerged, blending African rhythms with European instruments, with early innovators like Jelly Roll Morton and Buddy Bolden.

Edward Bellamy

Social critic who wrote, "Looking Backward," a futuristic novel that envisioned a utopian cooperative society.

Salvation Army

This organization imported from England provided basic necessities to the urban poor while also spreading Christian teachings.

Social Gospel

This was a Protestant movement that emphasized applying Christian principles to social problems like poverty and inequality.

Walter Rauschenbusch

A key figure in the Social Gospel movement.

Jane Addams

She founded Hull House in Chicago, a famous settlement house that provided social services to the poor and immigrants.

Susan B. Anthony

A leader in the women's suffrage movement who helped found the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).

NAWSA

The National American Woman Suffrage Association, which advocated for women's right to vote.

WCTU

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which initially focused on combating alcohol consumption but expanded its reform efforts.

Francis E. Willard

A leader of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Realism and naturalism

These were literary movements that sought to depict life as it truly was, often focusing on the struggles of ordinary people.

Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890

This act was passed by Congress to prohibit any "contract, combination, in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce". It was intended to curb the power of large monopolies.

United States v. E. C. Knight Co.

A Supreme Court case in 1895 that weakened the Sherman Antitrust Act by ruling that the act only applied to commerce and not to manufacturing.

Interstate Commerce Act of 1887

This act established the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to regulate railroads, investigate complaints, and prohibit unjust or unreasonable rates and practices.

Interstate Commerce Act of 1887

This act established the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to regulate railroads, investigate complaints, and prohibit unjust or unreasonable rates and practices. However, its early effectiveness was limited.

antitrust movement

This movement arose in response to the growth of monopolies and trusts, advocating for government action to curb their power and promote competition.

Pendleton Act of 1881

This act established the Civil Service Commission and created a system of merit-based exams for certain federal jobs to reduce patronage and corruption.

"soft" money

This refers to paper currency not backed by gold or silver, advocated by farmers and debtors who hoped it would lead to inflation and make it easier to pay off debts. "Greenbacks" were an example of soft money.

Panic of 1873

A severe economic depression that began in 1873 after a series of bank failures tied to railroad speculation.

creditors

Individuals or institutions to whom money is owed; they generally favored "hard" money policies.

"hard" money

Refers to currency backed by gold, favored by bankers, creditors, and those who believed it would maintain a stable economy.

"Crime of '73"

This term referred to the federal government's decision to stop coining silver, which opponents, particularly silver miners and farmers, viewed as a conspiracy to deflate the money supply.

Bland-Allison Act

Passed in 1878, this act allowed for the limited coinage of silver in response to the "Crime of '73" and the demands for silver money.

debtors

Individuals or groups who owe money; they often supported inflationary monetary policies like the coinage of silver.

"bloody shirt"

A political tactic used by Republicans to associate Democrats with the Confederacy and the Civil War, appealing to Unionist sentiment.

veterans of the Union army

A significant voting bloc during the Gilded Age, often aligned with the Republican Party.

reformers

Individuals and groups within the Republican Party who advocated for reforms like civil service reform.

temperance

The movement advocating for the prohibition of alcohol.

Hamiltonian tradition

This refers to the Republican support for a strong central government and industrial development, reminiscent of Alexander Hamilton's policies.

pro-business

The Republican Party generally supported policies that favored business and economic growth.

"solid South"

The consistently Democratic voting bloc in the Southern states after the Civil War.

big-city political machines

These were political organizations in major cities that often controlled elections and provided services to immigrants in exchange for votes, frequently associated with the Democratic Party.

immigrant voters

This group often supported the Democratic Party, in part due to the services provided by political machines.

Jeffersonian tradition

This refers to the Democratic emphasis on states' rights and limited federal power, echoing the principles of Thomas Jefferson.

Rise of Discontent (PCE)

This refers to the growing dissatisfaction among farmers and laborers over issues like economic inequality, railroad practices, and currency policies.

Farmers' Alliances

These were organizations formed by farmers to address their economic grievances, advocating for reforms like government regulation of railroads, lower interest rates, and increased money supply.

Omaha Platform

The Populist Party's platform adopted in 1892, outlining their key demands, including the free coinage of silver, government ownership of railroads, a graduated income tax, and direct election of U.S. senators.

government ownership

A key demand of the Populist platform, advocating for the government to own and operate railroads, telegraphs, and telephones.

Election of 1892

This presidential election saw the Populist candidate James B. Weaver win over a million votes, though Democrat Grover Cleveland won the presidency.

Panic of 1893

A severe economic depression that began in 1893, leading to widespread unemployment and social unrest.

"Coxey's Army"

A protest march of unemployed workers led by Jacob Coxey during the Panic of 1893.

Election of 1896

A pivotal election in which Republican William McKinley defeated Democrat and Populist William Jennings Bryan, largely seen as the end of the Populist movement. The central issue was the debate over the gold standard versus the free coinage of silver.

William Jennings Bryan

The Democratic and Populist candidate in the 1896 election, known for his 'Cross of Gold' speech advocating for the free coinage of silver.

'Cross of Gold' speech

William Jennings Bryan's famous speech in which he passionately defended the free coinage of silver.

unlimited coinage of silver

A key demand of the Populists and many Democrats, calling for the government to coin silver freely at a ratio of 16 to 1 with gold, which they believed would increase the money supply and help debtors.

'Gold Bug' Democrats

Democrats who supported the gold standard rather than the free coinage of silver.

William McKinley

The Republican candidate who won the 1896 presidential election, advocating for the gold standard and high tariffs.

gold standard

A monetary system in which the value of a nation's currency is directly linked to the value of gold, supported by Republicans and 'Gold Bug' Democrats.

mass media

Newspapers and other forms of widespread communication that played an increasing role in shaping public opinion.

transcontinental railroads

Railroads that spanned the continent, facilitating westward migration and economic development.

Great Plains

The vast grassland region in the western interior of the United States.

Great American Desert

An early misconception that the Great Plains was largely arid and unsuitable for farming.

buffalo herds

Vast populations of bison that roamed the Great Plains and were crucial to Native American cultures but were decimated by westward expansion.

vaqueros

Mexican cowboys who had a significant influence on the cattle ranching industry in the West.

longhorn cattle

A breed of cattle well-suited to the open ranges of Texas.

cattle drives

The process of moving large herds of cattle from the Texas ranches to railroad centers for shipment to eastern markets.

barbed wire

Invented in the 1870s, this innovation allowed farmers to fence off their land, contributing to the end of open-range grazing and the cattle drives.

Homestead Act

Passed in 1862, this act offered 160 acres of public land to settlers who would live on and cultivate it for five years, encouraging westward migration.

National Grange Movement

Organized in 1867, this was a social and educational organization for farmers that later became politically active in advocating for railroad regulation and other reforms.

cooperatives

Businesses owned and operated by their members, often used by farmers to pool resources and reduce costs.

Munn v. Illinois

An 1877 Supreme Court case that upheld the right of state governments to regulate private industries that affect the public interest, establishing the principle of state regulation of railroads.

Ocala Platform

A platform of reforms advocated by the Farmers' Alliance in 1890, which later influenced the Populist platform.

Frontier Closing

The official declaration by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1890 that the frontier line was no longer discernible, signifying the end of the continuous settlement of the American West.

'The Significance of the Frontier in American History' (1893)

Frederick Jackson Turner's influential essay arguing that the frontier experience had shaped American character and institutions.

Little Big Horn

The site of a major battle in 1876 where Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne warriors led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse defeated Lieutenant Colonel George Custer's forces.

Ghost Dance movement

A religious movement that spread among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, promising a return to traditional ways and the removal of white settlers.

assimilation

Policies aimed at forcing Native Americans to adopt white American culture, including the suppression of traditional practices, education in English-language schools, and the division of tribal lands into individual allotments.

Helen Hunt Jackson

An author who wrote about the injustices faced by Native Americans, notably in her book 'A Century of Dishonor'.

Dawes Act of 1887

This act authorized the President of the United States to survey American Indian tribal land and divide it into allotments for individual Native Americans. Its goal was to promote assimilation but often resulted in the loss of tribal lands.

Indian Reorganization Act

Passed in 1934, this act reversed some of the assimilationist policies of the Dawes Act and aimed to promote tribal self-government.

Santa Fe Trail

A significant trade route connecting the United States and Mexico, which became increasingly important with westward expansion.

Conservation

A movement that advocated for the protection and preservation of natural resources.

deforestation

The clearing of forests, which became a concern as industrialization and westward expansion increased the demand for timber.

Yellowstone

The first national park, established in 1872.

Forest Reserve Act of 1891

This act authorized the President to set aside public lands as forest reserves.

conservationists

Advocates for the wise use and management of natural resources.

Preservationists

Advocates for the complete protection of natural areas from human interference.

John Muir

A prominent preservationist and founder of the Sierra Club.

Sierra Club

An environmental organization founded by John Muir to advocate for the preservation of wilderness areas.

New South

An ideology promoted by some Southerners that advocated for economic diversification, industrial growth, and reconciliation with the North.

Henry Grady

A prominent advocate for the 'New South' ideology and editor of the Atlanta Constitution.

Birmingham ('New South')

A city in Alabama that experienced significant industrial growth, particularly in steel production, symbolizing the 'New South'.

Memphis ('New South')

A Southern city that developed as a center for the lumber industry.

Richmond ('New South')

A traditional Southern city that remained important for the tobacco industry.

tenant farmers

Farmers who rented land to cultivate, a common agricultural system in the South after the Civil War.

sharecroppers

A system of agriculture prevalent in the South where farmers worked land owned by others in return for a share of the crops, often leading to cycles of debt.

George Washington Carver

An African American scientist and educator at Tuskegee Institute who promoted crop diversification in the South.

Tuskegee Institute

A historically Black college founded by Booker T. Washington that focused on vocational training for African Americans.