Foundations of American History and the Gilded Age

Vocabulary flashcards covering the Gilded Age, the process of Industrialization, and the foundational documents and principles of American government including the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Gilded Age

A period in the late nineteenth century ($1866$) characterized by big business and a "gold cover" of extreme wealth that masked underlying political corruption and poverty.

Industrialization

The movement from a rural to an urban society involving large-scale manufacturing and the growth of cities.

Causes of Industrialization

An abundance of natural resources, new manufacturing methods, and improved transportation.

Results of Industrialization

Increased trade, the creation of enormous fortunes, and the significant growth of cities.

Bessemer Process

A new manufacturing method that allowed for a more efficient way of producing steel.

Thomas Edison

The inventor associated with electricity, which allowed businesses to stay open longer and increase product manufacturing.

Andrew Carnegie

A big business owner in the steel industry who advocated for the Gospel of Wealth.

Gospel of Wealth

The belief that wealthy individuals should use their money in a way that helps the poor and serves the greater good.

John D. Rockefeller

A major business owner who controlled the Standard Oil Company.

J.P. Morgan

A successful banker during the Gilded Age industrial period.

Declaration of Independence

A document authored primarily by Thomas Jefferson and influenced by John Locke, intended to declare independence from England and justify the reasons for doing so.

Social Contract

An Enlightenment idea stating that governments are instituted by the people to protect their rights and may be abolished if they fail to do so.

Unalienable Rights

Rights that are not able to be taken away, specifically identified as Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Prudence

A vocabulary term from the Declaration of Independence meaning cautiousness.

Transient

Lasting only for a short period of time.

Usurpations

The act of exercising authority wrongfully.

Despotism

The exercise of absolute power in a cruel and oppressive way.

Tyranny

Harsh, cruel control over people in the hands of a single person.

Articles of Confederation

The first form of government in the United States ($1781-1787$) which gave almost all power to the states and very little to the national government.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

A law passed under the Articles of Confederation that set up the orderly settlement of western territories.

Shay's Rebellion

An event in $1786$ that proved the Articles of Confederation were ineffective and led to the call for a stronger national government.

United States Constitution

Established in $1787$, it is the Supreme Law of the United States and provides the structure for the Federal Government.

Republic

A form of government established by the Constitution where the people elect their representatives.

Preamble

The introductory section of the Constitution that states its purpose, starting with "We the People."

Article I

The section of the Constitution that establishes the Legislative Branch.

Article II

The section of the Constitution that establishes the Executive Branch.

Article III

The section of the Constitution that establishes the Judicial Branch.

Article VI

The section containing the Supremacy Clause, establishing the Constitution as the supreme law.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that government receives its power from the people and governs only with their consent.

Limited Government

The principle that the government has only as much authority as the people or the Constitution give it.

Separation of Powers

The constitutional assignment of specific powers to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

A system that gives each of the three branches of government the ability to restrain the other two.

Judicial Review

The power of federal courts to review acts of the federal government and cancel those that are unconstitutional.

Federalism

A system where power is divided between a central (National) government and smaller (state) governments.

Federalists

A group that supported the Constitution and favored a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

A group that opposed the Constitution, fearing a strong central government and demanding a Bill of Rights to protect individual and states' rights.

Bill of Rights

The first $10$ amendments to the Constitution, ratified in $1791$, providing protection and guaranteed rights for individuals and states.

1st Amendment

Guarantees freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.

2nd Amendment

Guarantees the right to bear arms and keep state militias.

3rd Amendment

Prohibits the quartering (housing) of troops in private homes.

4th Amendment

Prohibits illegal search and seizure of persons or property.

5th Amendment

Provides protections for persons and property, including double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and eminent domain.

6th Amendment

Guarantees the right to a fair, speedy, and public trial.

7th Amendment

Guarantees the right to a trial by jury in civil cases.

8th Amendment

Prohibits cruel and unusual punishment and excessive bail.

9th Amendment

Protects rights not specifically listed in the Constitution, stating they are retained by the people.

10th Amendment

States that powers not delegated to the National government are reserved to the states.

14th Amendment

The amendment passed following the Civil War that applied the Bill of Rights protections to state governments.

Alexis De Tocqueville

A Frenchman who traveled America in the $1830s$ and wrote "Democracy in America," identifying five values contributing to American success.

Liberty

One of De Tocqueville's five values, defined as freedom from arbitrary government control.

Egalitarianism

One of De Tocqueville's five values, defined as the belief in equality and no permanent class structure.

Individualism

One of De Tocqueville's five values, reflecting the freedom for people to pursue individual goals.

Populism

One of De Tocqueville's five values, defined as the appeal to ordinary people.

Laissez-Faire

One of De Tocqueville's five values, meaning the government maintains a "hands off" approach to the economy.