APUSH Unit 6-7

Frontier Thesis – A theory proposed by Frederick Jackson Turner, arguing that American democracy and character were shaped by the existence of the frontier and its continuous expansion.

Tenements – Overcrowded, poorly built apartment buildings in cities, primarily housing immigrants and the working class during the Gilded Age.

Sweatshops – Small, overcrowded factories with low wages, long hours, and poor working conditions, often employing women and children.

Political Machine – A powerful, organized political group that controlled city politics by exchanging services (jobs, aid) for votes, often corrupt.

Political Boss – The leader of a political machine, controlling government jobs and decisions, often engaging in bribery and fraud.

Tammany Hall – A Democratic political machine in New York City, led by Boss Tweed, notorious for corruption but also helped immigrants.

Pendleton Act (1883) – A law that ended the spoils system by requiring government jobs to be awarded based on merit, not political connections.

Settlement Houses – Community centers (like Hull House) that provided social services to immigrants and the poor, offering education and job training.

Social Gospel – A religious movement advocating for social reform based on Christian ethics, emphasizing aid for the poor and labor rights.

Gilded Age – A period (1870s–1900) of rapid economic growth, industrialization, political corruption, and extreme wealth inequality.

Corporate Capitalism – An economic system dominated by large corporations, monopolies, and trusts, often reducing competition.

Laissez-faire – An economic philosophy advocating minimal government intervention in business and the economy.

Social Darwinism – The belief that only the strongest individuals, businesses, or nations survive in society, justifying wealth inequality.

The Gospel of Wealth – Andrew Carnegie’s philosophy that the rich should use their wealth to benefit society through philanthropy.

Depression of 1893 – A severe economic downturn caused by railroad failures, bank collapses, and the debate over gold vs. silver currency.

Billion Dollar Congress – The Republican-led Congress (1889–1891) that spent a record-breaking amount of federal money, leading to economic concerns.

Grangers – Members of the Grange Movement, which fought for farmers’ rights, particularly against high railroad shipping rates.

Munn v. Illinois (1877) – Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to regulate railroads and grain storage prices to protect farmers.

Wabash v. Illinois (1886) – Overturned Munn v. Illinois, ruling that only the federal government could regulate interstate commerce.

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) – The first federal agency created to regulate railroads and prevent unfair practices.

Farmers’ Alliance – A coalition of farmers advocating for economic reforms, leading to the formation of the Populist Party.

Subtreasury Plan – A Populist proposal where the federal government would store crops and provide farmers low-interest loans.

Sherman Silver Purchase Act (1890) – Increased the amount of silver the government had to buy, meant to help farmers but contributed to the Panic of 1893.

Populists – A political party (also called the People’s Party) that supported farmers, free silver, regulation of railroads, and direct election of senators.

Coxey’s Army (1894) – A protest march of unemployed workers demanding federal government job programs during the Depression of 1893.

Williams v. Mississippi (1898) – Upheld poll taxes and literacy tests, restricting Black voting rights in the South.

Progressivism – A reform movement (1890s–1920s) aiming to address social problems, corruption, labor rights, and government inefficiency.

Pragmatism – A philosophy that ideas and policies should be tested based on their practical effects and results.

Muckrakers – Investigative journalists who exposed corruption and social injustices (e.g., Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, Jacob Riis).

Hull House – A settlement house founded by Jane Addams in Chicago to help immigrants and the poor.

Civic Housekeeping – The idea that women should use their roles in the home to advocate for social reform.

Segregation – The legal and social separation of races, especially in the South under Jim Crow Laws.

NACW (National Association of Colored Women) – A civil rights organization that fought for racial and gender equality.

Muller v. Oregon (1908) – Supreme Court case that upheld laws limiting women's working hours, reinforcing gender-based labor laws.

Sheppard-Towner Act (1921) – A federal program that funded maternal and infant health care.

NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association) – Led the fight for women's voting rights, later succeeded by the National Women’s Party.

19th Amendment (1920) – Gave women the right to vote.

Tuskegee Institute – A school founded by Booker T. Washington to provide vocational training for Black students.

NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) – Civil rights organization founded by W.E.B. Du Bois to fight for racial justice.

The Niagara Movement – A Black civil rights group that opposed Booker T. Washington’s gradualist approach.

WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) – Led the fight against alcohol consumption and supported prohibition.