APUSH Period 6 Vocab

Transcontinental Railroads

Refers to the network of railroads that spanned across the continent, connecting the East and West coasts of the United States. The completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 played a crucial role in facilitating westward expansion and improving transportation.

Joseph Glidden/Barbed Wire

____ was an American farmer who patented ____ in 1874. ____ revolutionized agriculture by providing an effective and affordable means of fencing, which helped to contain livestock and protect crops on the expanding western frontier.

Homestead Act

Enacted in 1862, the ____ Act provided 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee, provided they improve the land by building a dwelling and cultivating crops. This act encouraged westward migration and played a role in settling the Great Plains.

National Grange Movement

Also known as the Grange, this was an organization founded in 1867 to advance the social and economic interests of farmers. It advocated for farmers' rights, fair treatment by railroads and grain elevators, and the regulation of monopolistic practices.

Granger Laws/Munn v. Illinois

____ Laws were state laws enacted in the late 19th century to regulate railroad and grain elevator rates and to address the concerns of farmers. ____ v. ____ (1877) was a Supreme Court case that upheld the state's right to regulate certain businesses serving the public interest.

Ocala Platform

The ____ Platform was the platform of the People's Party (Populists) established in Ocala, Florida, in 1890. It called for various reforms, including free coinage of silver, a graduated income tax, and government ownership of communication and transportation systems.

Frederick Jackson Turner/The Significance of the Frontier in American History (1893)

____ was a historian who delivered a paper in 1893 titled 'The Significance of the Frontier in American History.' ____ argued that the frontier experience played a fundamental role in shaping the American character, fostering individualism, and promoting democracy.

Little Big Horn

Also known as Custer's Last Stand, this was a battle in 1876 between the U.S. Army, led by General George Custer, and Native American tribes, including the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne. The Native Americans won a decisive victory in this battle.

Ghost Dance Movement

A religious movement among Native American tribes in the late 19th century, particularly the Plains Indians, which involved a ritual dance called the ____. It was believed to restore Native American traditions and bring about a day when Native Americans could live peacefully.

Assimilationists/Helen Hunt

____ were individuals and policies advocating for the assimilation of Native American tribes into mainstream American culture. Helen Hunt Jackson was an ____ reformer and author known for her work on behalf of Native American rights.

Dawes Act of 1887

The ____ Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans by redistributing tribal lands to individual Native American households, with the goal of encouraging farming and private landownership. It had the effect of reducing the overall landholdings of many tribes.

Indian Reorganization Act

Enacted in 1934, the ____ Act reversed some of the assimilationist policies of the Dawes Act. It encouraged Native American self-governance and provided funding for the purchase of tribal lands.

Yosemite/Yellowstone

____ and ____ were the first national parks established in the United States (____ in 1890 and ____ in 1872). They marked the beginning of the conservation movement and the idea of preserving natural landscapes for future generations.

Forest Reserve Act of 1891

This act, also known as the Forest Management Act, allowed the president to set aside public forests as national reserves. It was a step toward conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Forest Management Act of 1897

An amendment to the Forest Reserve Act, this legislation expanded the president's powers to protect public forest reserves and allowed for more effective management of resources.

Conservationists/John Muir

____ were individuals who advocated for the responsible use and preservation of natural resources. John Muir, a prominent ____, was instrumental in the establishment of national parks and the Sierra Club.

Preservationists

____ were individuals who sought to protect natural landscapes from any human interference, emphasizing the need to preserve the environment in its pristine state.

Henry Grady/New South

____ was a Southern journalist and orator who promoted the concept of the 'New South' in the late 19th century. The New South aimed for economic diversification, industrialization, and a departure from the agrarian past.

Sharecroppers/Tenant Farmers

____ and ____ were agricultural laborers who worked on farms owned by others. ____ typically paid a share of their crops as rent, while ___ paid cash rent for the land.

Tuskegee Institute

Founded by Booker T. Washington in 1881, the ____ Institute in Alabama was a vocational and industrial school for African Americans, emphasizing practical skills and self-help.

Civil Rights Cases of 1883

A series of Supreme Court cases in 1883 that struck down key provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, ruling that the federal government could not regulate private acts of discrimination by individuals or businesses.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1896 that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine, allowing states to maintain segregated facilities.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century.

Lynch Mobs/Ida B. Wells

____ mobs were groups of individuals who engaged in extrajudicial violence, particularly lynching, often targeting African Americans. Ida B. Wells was an African American journalist and anti-lynching activist.

International Migration Society

An organization that may refer to groups advocating for international migration or the study of migration patterns.

W. E. B. Du Bois

An African American sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and advocated for civil rights and higher education for African Americans.

Booker T. Washington/Atlanta Compromise

____ was an African American educator and leader who advocated for vocational and industrial education for African Americans. ____ was a speech in 1895 in which Washington encouraged African Americans to accept segregation and focus on economic progress and self-improvement.

Alexander Graham Bell/Telephone

____ was an inventor and scientist credited with inventing the telephone, a groundbreaking communication device.

Eastman's Kodak Camera

George Eastman's ____ camera, introduced in the late 19th century, revolutionized photography by making it more accessible to the general public with the introduction of roll film and the slogan 'You press the button, we do the rest.'

Henry Bessemer

An English inventor who developed the Bessemer process, a method for mass-producing steel, which had a significant impact on the industrial revolution.

Thomas Edison/Menlo Park

____ was a prolific American inventor known for his contributions to the development of the electric light bulb, phonograph, and motion picture camera. ____ was his laboratory in New Jersey.

George Westinghouse/Electric Light

____ was an American inventor and industrialist known for his contributions to the development of alternating current (AC) electricity systems, which competed with Thomas Edison's direct current (DC) systems.

R. H. Macy/Department Stores

____ founded the department store chain Macy's, which became one of the largest and most iconic department stores in the United States.

Sears

Sears, Roebuck & Co. was a major American retailer that popularized mail-order catalog sales, making a wide variety of goods available to rural customers.

Gustavus Swift/Packaged Foods

____ was an American businessman who revolutionized the meatpacking industry by introducing refrigerated railroad cars and creating a system for processing and distributing packaged meats.

American Railroad Association

An organization representing the interests of railroad companies in the United States.

Consolidation/Cornelius Vanderbilt

____ refers to the merging of smaller companies into larger ones. ____ was a prominent railroad magnate and businessman involved in the consolidation of the railroad industry.

Rebates/Pools

____ were discounts given by railroads to their preferred customers, while ____ were agreements among railroad companies to divide business in a particular region and share profits.

J. Pierpont Morgan/Bankruptcy

____ was a financier and banker who played a key role in the consolidation of industries, including finance and railroads. His involvement in the rescue of failing businesses earned him a reputation as a powerful figure in American finance.

Interlocking Directorates

Refers to the practice of individuals serving as directors on the boards of multiple companies, creating interconnections and potential conflicts of interest.

Andrew Carnegie/United States Steel

____ was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist who played a major role in the expansion of the American steel industry. He later sold his steel company, Carnegie Steel, to J.P. Morgan, forming U.S. Steel.

John D. Rockefeller/Standard Oil

____ was an American business magnate and philanthropist who founded the Standard Oil Company, a major player in the oil industry. Standard Oil became the largest oil refinery and distribution company in the world."

Monopoly/Trust

A ____ is a situation where one company or group dominates an entire industry. A ____ is a legal arrangement that consolidates the control of multiple companies under a single board of trustees.

Horizontal Integration

A business strategy in which a company acquires or merges with its competitors to achieve dominance within a specific industry.

Vertical Integration

A business strategy in which a company controls multiple stages of the production and distribution process, from raw materials to final products.

Holding Company

A company created to acquire and hold the stocks of other companies, often those in the same industry, to establish control over them.

Laissez-Faire

An economic philosophy advocating minimal government interference in economic affairs, allowing the market to operate freely.

Social Darwinism/William Graham Sumner

____ applied Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection to human society, suggesting that competition and 'survival of the fittest' should apply to social and economic structures. William Graham Sumner was a proponent of Social Darwinism.

Iron Law of Wages

An economic concept, associated with Social Darwinism, suggesting that wages naturally tend to settle at the minimum level necessary for subsistence.

Collective Bargaining

The negotiation process between employers and labor unions, aiming to reach agreements on wages, working conditions, and other employment terms.

Railroad Strike of 1877

A nationwide strike by railroad workers in 1877, marked by violent clashes and significant economic disruptions. It was one of the largest labor uprisings in U.S. history.

National Labor Union

One of the earliest national labor organizations in the United States, formed in the 1860s, advocating for workers' rights and improvements in working conditions.

Knights of Labor

A labor organization founded in 1869 that sought to unite workers across various industries and advocate for labor reforms, including the eight-hour workday.

Haymarket Bombing

An incident during a labor rally in Chicago in 1886 where a bomb was thrown at police, leading to violence and the eventual execution of several anarchists. The event had a significant impact on the labor movement.

American Federation of Labor/Samuel Gompers

The AFL was a major labor federation founded in 1886, led by ____. It focused on specific goals such as higher wages, shorter hours, and better working conditions for skilled workers.

Homestead Strike

A labor strike in 1892 at the Homestead Steel Works in Pennsylvania, marked by a violent clash between striking workers and private security agents hired by the company.

Pullman Strike/Eugene V. Debs

The ____ Strike of 1894 involved a nationwide railroad strike against the Pullman Company's wage cuts and poor working conditions. Labor leader Eugene V. Debs played a key role in the strike.

Old Immigrants

Refers to the waves of immigrants who arrived in the United States before the 1880s, primarily from Northern and Western Europe.

New Immigrants

Refers to the immigrants who arrived in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily from Southern and Eastern Europe.

Chinese Exclusion Act

A federal law enacted in 1882 that restricted immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States.

Streetcar Suburbs

Residential areas on the outskirts of a city that developed with the expansion of streetcar lines, allowing residents to commute to work in the city center.

Tenement Apartments

Overcrowded, low-quality urban housing units, typically found in poorer neighborhoods, characterized by minimal sanitation and safety standards.

Ethnic Neighborhoods

Residential areas in cities where people of the same ethnic or cultural background tend to live, fostering a sense of community and preserving cultural identity.

American Protective Association

An anti-Catholic organization founded in the late 19th century, opposing immigration and the influence of Roman Catholics in the United States.

Ellis Island/Angel Island

Immigration processing centers in the United States (Ellis Island in New York, Angel Island in California) where immigrants underwent inspections and legal processing upon arrival.

Political Machines

Corrupt urban political organizations that controlled city governments, often through bribery and patronage, providing services to constituents in exchange for political support.

Jane Addams/Settlement Houses

____ was a social reformer who founded Hull House in Chicago, one of the first settlement houses. Settlement houses were community centers that provided social services and education to urban residents, particularly immigrants.

Melting Pot/Cultural Diversity

The concept of assimilating diverse cultural groups into a unified American culture (melting pot), or the preservation and celebration of distinct cultural identities within the broader society (cultural diversity).

White-Collar Worker

Professionals and office workers who perform non-manual work, often in administrative, managerial, or clerical roles.

Gospel of Wealth/Philanthropy

The idea that wealthy individuals have a moral obligation to use their wealth for the betterment of society. ____ refers to charitable activities and donations by the wealthy.

City Beautiful Movement

A reform movement in urban planning and design during the late 19th and early 20th centuries that aimed to beautify cities through architectural and landscape improvements.

Kindergarten, Public High Schools

____ refers to early childhood education programs, and ____ are government-funded secondary education institutions.

Johns Hopkins University

A private research university founded in 1876, known for its emphasis on research and the advancement of knowledge.

Richard T. Ely/W. E. B. Du Bois Social Sciences

Scholars in the social sciences, Ely in economics and Du Bois in sociology, who contributed to the understanding of social issues and inequalities.

Joseph Pulitzer/William Randolph Hearst

Newspaper publishers known for their sensationalized reporting and the rise of mass-circulation newspapers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Jazz/Blues/Ragtime

Musical genres that originated in the United States, reflecting African American cultural influences and contributing to the development of popular music.

Sports/Athletic Clubs

Organized competitive sports and social clubs that became popular during the late 19th century.

Dwight Moody/Salvation Army

____ was a prominent evangelist, and the ____ is a Christian organization known for its social services and evangelical activities.

Social Gospel/Walter Rauschenbusch

A movement that emphasized applying Christian principles to social problems. Walter Rauschenbusch was a theologian associated with the Social Gospel.

Susan B. Anthony/NAWSA

____ was a leading suffragist, and NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association) advocated for women's right to vote.

Francis E. Willard/WCTU

____ was a leader of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), a group advocating for temperance and women's rights.

Carrie A. Nation/Anti-Saloon League

____ was a temperance advocate known for smashing saloon bottles. The Anti-Saloon League worked for the prohibition of alcohol.

Mark Twain/Realism

____ was a renowned author. Realism is a literary movement depicting everyday life and society as it truly is.

Stephen Crane/Naturalism

____, an author associated with naturalism, a literary movement that focused on the impact of environment and heredity on human behavior.

Impressionism

An art movement characterized by capturing the immediate visual impression of a scene, often using light and color in a subjective manner.

Romanesque Style

An architectural style prevalent in Europe during the medieval period, characterized by round arches and thick walls.

Landscape Architecture

The design and planning of outdoor spaces, emphasizing aesthetics, functionality, and environmental sustainability.

Federal Land Grants

Government allocation of public land to private individuals or companies for various purposes, such as railroad construction or education.

Credit Mobilier/Corruption

A scandal involving the Crédit Mobilier construction company, which was implicated in corrupt dealings with the Union Pacific Railroad during the building of the transcontinental railroad.

Interstate Commerce Act of 1887

Legislation aimed at regulating railroad rates and practices to prevent unfair business practices.

Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890/United States v. E. C. Knight Co.

Antitrust legislation designed to curb the power of monopolistic corporations. The Supreme Court's decision in United States v. E. C. Knight Co. limited the act's effectiveness.

Pendleton Act of 1881/Civil Service Commission

Legislation that established a merit-based civil service system, reducing political patronage. The Civil Service Commission oversaw the implementation of the act.

Debtors

Individuals or entities that owe money.

Panic of 1873

A severe economic depression triggered by the bankruptcy of the banking firm Jay Cooke & Company.

Creditors

Individuals or entities to whom money is owed.

"Hard" Money/"Soft" Money

____ money refers to currency backed by a tangible asset like gold, while ____ money refers to currency with no intrinsic value, such as paper money.

Crime of '73

The demonetization of silver in 1873, which contributed to deflation and was seen as a betrayal by supporters of bimetallism.

Bland-Allison Act

Legislation passed in 1878 that required the U.S. Treasury to purchase and coin a certain amount of silver each month.

Veterans of the Union Army/"Bloody Shirt”

Political strategy involving the symbolic use of Civil War uniforms ("bloody shirt") to appeal to veterans and garner political support.

Pro-Business

Policies and attitudes that support the interests of business and industry.