US History unit 2: Industrialism, Immigration, and Reform

Populist party

Political party that received a lot of support from the farmers but also supported the working class. Were in favor of more regulation of business, introducing the silver standard to reduce debts of farmers, trying to lessen political corruption, and ending the corrupt practices of the railroads

William Jennings Bryan

1896 Democratic candidate for president who supported the goals of the populists

Ellis Island

Immigration station on America's East coast that processed immigrants arriving across the Atlantic.

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 law that barred Chinese laborers from entering the United States unless they could prove they had a close relative living here.

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. Other than founding Vanderbilt University, gave very little money to charity.

Angel Island

The immigration station on the west coast where Asian immigrants, mostly Chinese gained admission to the U.S. at San Francisco Bay. Between 1910 and 1940 50k Chinese immigrants entered through Angel Island. Questioning and conditions at Angel Island were much harsher than Ellis Island in New York. Immigrants often spent days, weeks, or month here undergoing interregation

John D. Rockefeller

Was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Created a monopoly in the oil refining industry. Often used ruthless tactics to take over competitors. Gave millions to charities over his lifetime. Considered to be the richest American who ever lived.

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 through the use of vertical integration. Gave millions to charity after selling his steel company to J.P. Morgan

J.P. Morgan

An influential banker and businessman who bought and reorganized companies. His US Steel company would buy Carnegie steel and become America's first billion dollar corporation. He also financed the work of Thomas Edison

Vertical Integration

Practice where a single entity controls the entire process of a product, from the raw materials to distribution. Used by Andrew Carnegie in the steel industry

Horizontal Integration

Type of monopoly where a company buys out all of its competition. John Rockefeller used this in the oil refining industry.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

a factory fire that killed 146 workers, mostly young women, trapped in the building; it led to new safety standard laws.

Sherman Antitrust Act

First federal action against monopolies, it was extensively used by Theodore Roosevelt for trust-busting. However, it was initially misused against labor unions.

American Federation of Labor

1886; founded by Samuel Gompers; sought better wages, hrs, working conditions; membership only included skilled laborers. They rejected socialism

Tamany Hall

was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. It usually controlled Democratic Party nominations and patronage; immigrant support

Boss Tweed

William Tweed, head of Tammany Hall, NYC's powerful democratic political machine in 1868. Between 1868 and 1869 he led a group of corrupt politicians in defrauding the city. Example: Responsible for the construction of the NY court house; actual construction cost $3million. Project cost tax payers $13million.

Jane Addams

The founder of Hull House, a settlement house in the slums of Chicago that provided classes, English lessons, daycare, and shelter to immigrants and others in the slums.

Social Darwinism

The application of ideas about evolution and "survival of the fittest" to human societies - particularly as a justification to allow rich, white people to prosper at the expense of the poor and non-whites. It was used to justify low wages.

The Jungle

This 1906 work by Upton Sinclair pointed out the abuses of the meat packing industry. The book led to the passage of the 1906 Meat Inspection Act.

Teddy Roosevelt

Twenty-sixth president of the United States; he focused his efforts on trust busting, environment conservation, regulation of meat-packing industry, and strong imperialist foreign policy. He created our national parks system and pushed through the meat inspection acts.

Robert La Follette

Progressive Wisconsin governor who attacked machine politics and pressured the state legislature to require each party to hold a direct primaries. Introduced the referendum and recalls to get more direct involvement in politics

W.E.B. DuBois

Unlike Booker T. Washington, he was opposed to segregation. Encouraged African Americans to fight for full social and political integration as well as higher education for African American. Founder of the Niagara Movement which led to the creation of the NAACP.

Jacob Riis

A Danish immigrant, he became a reporter who used photography to document out the terrible conditions of the tenement houses of the big cities where immigrants lived during the late 1800s. He wrote How The Other Half Lives in 1890.

Ida Tarbell

A leading muckraker and magazine editor, she exposed the corruption of the oil industry with her 1904 work A History of Standard Oil.

Booker T. Washington

Prominent African-American, born into slavery, who believed that racism would end once African-Americans acquired useful labor skills and proved their economic value to society, was head of the Tuskegee Institute in 1881. Opposed W.E.B Dubois because he did not believe that African-Americans should fight for full political rights immediately, but rather wait for gradual acceptance.

Ida B. Wells

African American journalist. published statistics about lynching, urged African Americans to protest by refusing to ride streetcards or shop in white owned stores

Lewis Hine

Photographer, progressive, and muckraker who used his pictures to draw attention to social problems such as child labor

John Muir

(1838-1914) Naturalist who believed the wilderness should be preserved in its natural state. He was largely responsible for the creation of Yosemite National Park in California.

muckraker

a journalist who uncovers abuses and corruption in a society. They were an important part of the progressive movement because by exposing the harshness of urban life, they got society to pressure the government for change.

Nativism

A policy of favoring native-born individuals over foreign-born ones

Laissez-faire

Policy that government should interfere as little as possible in the nation's economy. In the early 20th century, this sometimes led to abuses of workers and practices contrary to public health and safety.

Union

A worker association that bargains with employers over wages, benefits, and working conditions

collective bargaining

Process by which a union representing a group of workers negotiates with management for better working conditions and wages.

Immigration

When people from another country move into a different nation

Urbanization

An increase in the percentage and in the number of people living in cities rather than rural areas (farms). This was increasing at the turn of the century in the US due to industrialism and immigration

Robber Baron

negative term for the industrialists or big business owners because they gained huge profits by paying their employees extremely low wages. They also drove their competitors out of business by selling their products cheaper than it cost to produce it. Then when they controlled the market, they hiked prices high above original price.

Captain of Industry

Positive term for businessmen who amassed huge fortunes. Focuses on their innovations, ability to create jobs, and giving of large charitable donations by some.

Tenement

A building in which several families rent rooms or apartments, often with little sanitation or safety

Americanization

The instruction of immigrants in U.S. History, English Language, and American culture with the expectation that they would give up native cultures and assimilate to American culture.

Progressive laws or policies that addressed safety at home and in the workplace

Laws limiting child labor and requiring children to go to school
18th amendment=banned sale of alcohol
Pure food and Drug act-regulated food and drug industries
Workers compensation-required companies to pay workers who were injured on the job
YMCA-made safe places to play and stay in cities
Tenement House Ac=t toilets had to be on each floor, fire escapes & windows installed.
Department of Labor Established (cabinet position to protect workers' safety and wages

Progressive policies regarding conservationism

-establishing national parks system
-Establishing the US forest service
-establishing national forests

Progressive policies regarding equality

-19th amendment=Women's Suffrage
-Founding of the NAACP-lobbied the government to pass laws giving African-Americans more educational, social, and economic equality
-Ida Wells lobbying congress to pass anti-lynching laws and publishing statistics on Lynching of African Americans

Progressive laws and policies addressing business and government corruption

-referendum and Initiative (let people rather than politicians put items on the ballot)
-Sherman and Clayton Antitrust acts-made monopolies illegal
-Interstate Commerce Commission=regulated railroads and utilities
-17th amendment-Senators to be elected by people, not appointed by state lawmakers
-16th amendment-people paid iprogressive income tax ( more you make, the more you pay)
-Primary elections: election candidates voted on by people, not selected by party bosses

Problems in Urban Areas 100 years ago

-high crime
-no sanitation
-crowded and unhealthy living conditions
-political graft and politics dominated by wealthy and run by political machines
-no regulation of food or drugs
-child labor in factories and mines.
-lynching of African Americans -Businesses held monopolies (limited competition,

Alice Hamilton

a pioneering American physician and toxicologist who made significant contributions to occupational health and industrial medicine. Was the first female faculty member at Harvard University. she focused on the harmful effects of industrial toxins on workers, such as lead poisoning and mercury exposure. Her groundbreaking investigations into workplace conditions led to improvements in labor laws and workplace safety regulations.