APUSH U2

New Immigrants (Machine Politics+)

  • New Immigrants: Primarily from Southern and Eastern Europe (Italy, Poland, Russia), arriving in the U.S. in large numbers between 1880–1920.

    • Faced nativism, poor working conditions, and lived in urban tenements.

    • Strengthened political machines like Tammany Hall, which exchanged jobs and housing for votes.

Knights of Labor (1869)

  • Inclusive Union: Open to all workers, regardless of race, gender, or skill.

  • Goals: Advocated for an 8-hour workday, equal pay, and an end to child labor.

  • Decline: Lost influence after being associated with the Haymarket Riot.

Haymarket Riot (1886)

  • Labor Protest: Rally in Chicago turned violent after a bomb exploded, killing police officers.

  • Impact: Public opinion turned against labor unions, particularly the Knights of Labor, associating them with anarchy and violence.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

  • Founded by Samuel Gompers (1886): Union for skilled workers only.

  • Goals: Focused on "bread and butter" issues like better wages, hours, and working conditions.

  • Tactics: Avoided political activism and radical causes, relying on strikes and collective bargaining.

Andrew Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth” (1889)

  • Philosophy: Advocated for the wealthy to use their riches to improve society through philanthropy (e.g., funding libraries, schools).

  • Social Darwinism: Implied the rich were morally obligated to aid the less fortunate.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

  • Purpose: First federal law to outlaw monopolistic practices and restrain trade.

  • Enforcement Issues: Initially used more against labor unions than corporations.

Ida B. Wells

  • Activist and Journalist: Investigated and exposed the horrors of lynching in the South.

  • Legacy: Co-founder of the NAACP and a leading voice for racial justice and women’s rights.

Panic of 1893

  • Economic Depression: Triggered by over-speculation in railroads and weak banking systems.

  • Impact: High unemployment, widespread business failures, and increased support for Populist ideas.

Turner’s Frontier Thesis (1893)

  • Frederick Jackson Turner: Argued that the American frontier shaped the nation’s democracy, individualism, and innovation.

  • Impact: Suggested the closing of the frontier would end a vital era in American history.

Homestead Strike (1892)

  • Labor Conflict: Steelworkers at Carnegie’s Homestead plant protested wage cuts.

  • Outcome: Violence ensued when Pinkerton guards clashed with strikers; the strike failed, weakening the labor movement.

Eugene Debs

  • Labor Leader and Socialist: Founder of the American Railway Union.

  • Pullman Strike (1894): Led a nationwide strike against wage cuts; jailed for defying a court order to end the strike.

  • Political Influence: Ran for president multiple times as a socialist.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

  • Supreme Court Case: Established the "separate but equal" doctrine, upholding racial segregation.

  • Impact: Legitimized Jim Crow laws, leading to decades of discrimination in the South.

Jim Crow Laws

  • State and Local Laws: Enforced racial segregation in the South.

  • Examples: Separate schools, public facilities, and restrictions on voting through poll taxes and literacy tests.

W.E.B. Du Bois vs. Booker T. Washington

  • Booker T. Washington: Advocated vocational education and economic self-reliance for African Americans (Atlanta Compromise).

  • W.E.B. Du Bois: Pushed for immediate civil rights and higher education for a "Talented Tenth" of African Americans; co-founder of the NAACP.

Social Gospel

  • Reform Movement: Applied Christian ethics to social problems such as poverty and inequality.

  • Leaders: Advocated for better housing, labor rights, and education.

US Imperialism (Jingoism+)

  • Definition: Expansionist policies fueled by economic, military, and ideological motivations.

  • Jingoism: Extreme patriotism advocating for aggressive foreign policy.

Queen Liliuokalani

  • Hawaiian Monarch: Opposed U.S. annexation of Hawaii.

  • Overthrown (1893): By U.S.-backed businessmen and sugar planters. Hawaii annexed in 1898.

Spanish-American War (1898)

  • Causes:

    • Cuban independence movement against Spain.

    • Yellow journalism exaggerated Spanish atrocities.

    • Sinking of the USS Maine.

  • Outcome: U.S. victory; acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and established itself as a global power.