Immigration, Industry, and Progressivism

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to immigration, industrialization, and the Progressive Era in American history.

Old Immigrants

Immigrants who came before 1880 from Northern and Western Europe. They were generally more skilled, spoke English, and had more money than later immigrants, so they blended in more easily and faced less discrimination.

New Immigrants

Immigrants who came after 1880, mostly from Southern and Eastern Europe. They were often poor, spoke little English, and faced discrimination because of their different customs, languages, and religions. Most worked low-paying jobs in cities.

Statue of Liberty

A gift from France that became a symbol of hope and freedom for immigrants arriving in the U.S.

“New Colossus”

Poem by Emma Lazarus on the base of the Statue of Liberty, describing America as a refuge for the poor and oppressed, promising hope to immigrants.

Ellis Island

The main immigration station in New York Harbor where over 12 million immigrants were processed from 1892 to 1954.

Urbanization

The rapid growth of cities as people moved from rural areas to urban centers for jobs, leading to overcrowding and poor housing conditions.

Industrialization

Economies shift from farming and handcrafts to factories and machine-based production, transforming how people lived and worked and fueling economic growth.

Mass-production

Use of assembly lines to produce large amounts of goods quickly and cheaply, making products more affordable but factory work repetitive and sometimes dangerous.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

A fire in 1911 that killed 146 workers and exposed unsafe working conditions, leading to stronger labor laws and fire safety regulations.

Captains of Industry

Wealthy business leaders who expanded the economy, created jobs, and donated to public causes like libraries and schools.

Robber Baron

Wealthy business leaders who used ruthless tactics like crushing competition, exploiting workers, and influencing the government for personal gain.

Monopoly

When a single company controls nearly all of a market or industry, limiting competition and often leading to higher prices and unfair business practices.

Trustbuster

A political leader who works to break up monopolies and regulate big business.

Progressive Era

A time of reform (1890s–1920s) focused on fixing social, economic, and political problems caused by industrialization.

Muckrakers

Investigative journalists who exposed corruption and abuses in business and government, helping build public support for reform.

President Theodore Roosevelt

Used the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up monopolies that harmed the public, earning the nickname “trustbuster.”

Jacob Riis

A photojournalist and social reformer who used powerful images and writing in How the Other Half Lives to expose harsh conditions in New York City tenements.

Upton Sinclair

Wrote The Jungle, exposing filthy and unsafe practices in the meatpacking industry.

Ida Tarbell

A muckraking journalist who exposed the unfair tactics used by Standard Oil to eliminate competition.

Quota System

limits the number of immigrants who can enter the U.S. from each country. It started in the 1920s to reduce immigration from certain regions, especially Southern and Eastern Europe.