2025 Industrialization & Urbanization Vocabulary

Assimilation

blending in with the established culture

Dawes Act (1887)

legislation passed by Congress that split up Indian reservation lands among individual Indians and promised them citizenship

Ellis Island

an island in New York harbor that was an entry point for 12 million immigrants to the United States between 1892 and 1954

Immigration

the act of persons settling in a new country

Laissez-faire

in French, meaning "allow to do;" in business, it refers to a system where companies are allowed to conduct business without interference by the government

Monopoly

total control of a type of industry by one person or one company

Nativism

hostility toward immigrants

Philanthropy

providing money to support humanitarian or social goals

Robber Barons

One of the American industrial or financial tycoons of the late 19th century who became wealthy by unethical means, such as the exploitation of labor

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

a law that made it illegal to create monopolies or trusts that restrained free trade

Social Darwinism

a view of society based on Charles Darwin's scientific theory of natural selection; stronger people, businesses, and nations would prosper and weaker ones would fail

Tenement

poorly built, multi-family housing where many immigrants lived

Trusts

a combination of firms or corporations formed by a legal agreement, especially to reduce competition

Unions

an organization of workers that band together for the purpose of getting better working conditions pay

Urbanization

process in which an increasing amount of the population lives in cities and the suburbs of cities

Cornelius Vanderbilt

A railroad owner who built a railway connecting Chicago and New York. He popularized the use of steel rails in his railroad, which made railroads safer and more economical.

Andrew Carnegie

A Scottish-born American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Carnegie Steel Company in 1892. By 1901, his company dominated the American steel industry.

John D. Rockefeller

Was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy.

J.P. Morgan

An influential banker and businessman who bought and reorganized companies. He bought Carnegie steel to become the largest businesses in the world in 1901

Bessemer Process

A way to manufacture steel quickly and cheaply by blasting hot air through melted iron to quickly remove impurities.

"The American Dream"

The widespread belief that the United States is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success.

"Boss" Tweed

Leader of Tammany Hall, NYC's powerful Democratic political machine.

Model T

A cheap and simple car designed by Ford. It allowed for more Americans to own a car.

Henry Ford

American businessman, founder of Ford Motor Company, father of moving assembly lines, and inventor credited with 161 patents. Also, paid his workers much better than his competitors.

Thomas Edison

American inventor best known for inventing the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures.

Wright Brothers

First to achieve a sustained, controlled flight in a powered airplane

Alexander Graham Bell

Inventor of the telephone

Herbert Spencer

English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies. Founder of Social Darwinism.

Transcontinental Railroad

Completed in 1869 at Promontory, Utah, it linked the eastern railroad system with California's railroad system, revolutionizing transportation in the west

Steam Revolution

Steam was used to power early mechanization (e.g. locomotive)

commerce

the activity of buying and selling goods and services, particularly on a large scale.

contributions

the act of giving resources or support

consumers

individuals or entities that purchase goods and services for personal use or consumption.

economic incentive

the desire and willingness of consumers to purchase specific goods and services at various prices.

efficiency

the ability to achieve maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.

entrepreneurship

the process of starting and running a business to create goods or services, often involving risk-taking and innovation.

gross domestic product

the total monetary value of all final goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.

human resources

an organization’s workforce

limited resources

the scarcity of available resources such as money, materials, and labor that limits production and affects business decision-making.

monetary policy

the actions taken by a central bank to manage the money supply, control inflation, and stabilize the economy.