Industrialization and Immigration in the Gilded Age

Henry Bessemer

developed new efficient way to mass produce steel, made steel cheap, used for railroads and skyscrapers

Railroads

spread across the country in late 1800's, brought natural resources to factories, farmers had access to distant markets, brought settlers west, helped add states, raised standard of living, financed by massive government land grants

Alexander G. Bell

inventor of the telephone

Time Zones

created in response to railroads and the need for standardized time

Thomas Edison/Electricity

inventor of the light bulb, worked with Westinghouse to transmit electricity over long distances, factories no longer had to be by a water source, extended working hours due to light

The South

lagged behind the North in industrializing, still a rural/agricultural society, very traditional

Social Darwinism

belief that some races/nations were superior to others and destined to rule over them, 'survival of the fittest' concept

Interstate Commerce Act/Commission

allowed federal government to regulate the railroads, first regulatory agency

Sherman Anti-trust Act

law that outlawed any trust that interfered with interstate trade, goal to help increase healthy competition in marketplace

Monopolies

exclusive control by one company over an entire industry, reduced competition

Robber Barons

businessmen who became very wealthy from forming monopolies, Carnegie, Rockefeller, JP Morgan, Vanderbilt

Collective Bargaining

labor unions negotiate with employees and management over working hours/wages/conditions, rights for workers

Arbitration

third parties mediate disputes between labor unions and management

Labor Unions

workers join together to advocate for better working conditions/wages/hours, growth of unions due to growing factory system, goal to protect worker's rights, AFL and Knights of Labor two big unions of the time period

Homestead Strike

strike against Carnegie Steel in Homestead, PA, turned violent when the Pinkertons showed up

Eugene V. Debs

well-known socialist and labor union leader, involved in the Pullman Strike

Pullman Strike

railroad worker strike in Pullman, IL, turned violent, President Cleveland sent in federal troops to end it

Chinese Exclusion Act

law that restricted Chinese immigration to the United States, Americans worried Chinese are taking jobs

Nativism

belief that native born Americans were better than immigrants, goal to restrict immigration

Americanization Movement

effort to assimilate new immigrants to American culture, schools offered English lessons/advice on being American/etc.

Tenements

multi-story building divided into apartments to house as many people as possible, overcrowded and unsanitary

Urbanization

growth of cities due to immigrants/people looking for work in factories, rapid urbanization led to more slums

Mass Transit

subways/electric street cars, ways to move large groups of people around cities, efficient and affordable, allowed people to spread out and live further away from city center

Elisha Otis

inventor of the elevator, critical for skyscrapers

Cholera

disease most often spread by bacteria in water, killed thousands in tenements/slums

Gilded Age

term coined by Mark Twain to describe the late 19th century, perceived economic prosperity hiding much of the social problems of the time

Department Stores

stores that offered a wide variety of mass produced products in one place, encouraged consumerism and mass culture

Joseph Pulitzer

newspaper editor of The World, published sensationalist stories aiming to attract widespread readership

William Randolph Hearst

newspaper editor of New York Journal, published sensationalist stories aiming to attract widespread readership

Horatio Alger

famous for writing rags to riches stories encouraging hard work and upright behavior leading to wealth and success

Rockefeller

Monopoly of the oil industry, created Standard Oil Trust.

J.P Morgan

Powerful banker that controlled much of the banking industry, famous for bailing out the US Treasury.

Andrew Carnegie

Monopoly over the steel industry, famous for using the Bessemer Process to mass produce steel leading to bigger and better buildings/bridges/railroads, also famous for his philanthropy.

Factors of Industrialization

Industry grew partly in response to the Civil War, need for supplies and equipment, need money/labor/natural resources to industrialize and US had all three, new inventions, entrepreneurs, laissez-faire policies, vertical/horizontal integration allowed for monopolies and reduced competition.

Population changes

2nd wave of immigrants mostly coming from Eastern and Southern Europe, tended to be less educated/less desirable, tended to be Jewish or Catholic, lots of discrimination against them, many Southerners moving north for factory jobs.

Effects of the Free Enterprise System

Led to unbridled business growth resulting in monopolies and trusts, lack of regulation led to labor issues and creation of unions, US becomes one of the top industrial powers in the world.

Push Factors for Immigration

Religious persecution, famine, overcrowding, political turmoil, lack of opportunity.

Pull Factors for Immigration

Freedom, opportunity, stable government, better life, religious freedom.