DCUSH Exam #1, Semester 2

What were the major changes railroads brought to American society during the Gilded Age?

Railroads opened the West and aided the development of other industries.

What is horizontal integration?

Horizontal integration is when a company buys or merges with another company in the same business to get bigger.

What is vertical integration?

when a company buys other companies that are before or after them in the process of making their product.

What are Social Darwinist beliefs?

These beliefs suggest that survival of the fittest applies to competition among nations, and inequalities are natural.

What was the Big Stick Policy?

A foreign policy approach emphasizing negotiation backed by the threat of military force.

What characterized politics during the Gilded Age?

Political and corporate corruption with a laissez-faire/hands-off approach to government involvement.

What were political machines and their function?

Political machines were controlled by a single boss who commanded enough votes to maintain political control, often providing services to immigrants.

What does the term 'Gilded Age' refer to?

Named by Mark Twain, it describes a period with a glittering surface but significant corruption underneath.

What is the Gospel of Wealth?

A belief that the wealthy should help the poor by funding institutions rather than providing direct handouts.

What was the significance of Jacob Riis's 'How the Other Half Lives'?

It raised awareness of poor living conditions in NYC, leading to housing policy reforms.

What did the Homestead Act do?

It allowed citizens to claim 160 acres of free government land to promote westward expansion.

What was the Dawes Act?

An act aimed at promoting assimilation by dissolving tribes and eliminating tribal land ownership.

Who was Boss Tweed?

An infamous American politician who led Tammany Hall and was involved in massive corruption.

What was the effect of the Haymarket Affair?

A labor protest that ended violently, leading to the arrest and trial of anarchists, impacting labor movements.

Which groups of immigrants increased the most during the Gilded Age?

The majority of immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as Asia.

What does 'progressivism' mean?

A political philosophy and reform movement aimed at advancing social reforms to improve human conditions.

What were the effects of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire?

It highlighted poor working conditions and led to labor reforms and stricter safety regulations.

What are settlement houses?

Community centers that provided social, educational, and healthcare services to the urban poor.

Who were muckrakers?

Investigative journalists that sought to address societal problems through public awareness.

What did Elizabeth Cady Stanton contribute to the Progressive Era?

She was a prominent leader in the women's suffrage movement as part of the NAWSA.

Who was Jane Addams?

She created settlement houses and worked to Americanize immigrants, providing education and support.

What does Laissez-Faire mean?

A policy where the government does not interfere in the workings of the free market.