Gilded Age
Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, 1876
A world’s fair was held in Philadelphia to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It showcased American industrial advancements and new technologies.
Panic of 1873
A financial crisis triggered by the collapse of major banks and railroads led to a prolonged economic depression in the United States and Europe.
Compromise of 1877
An informal agreement ended the contested 1876 presidential election, resulting in Rutherford B. Hayes becoming president in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.
Horatio Alger
A 19th-century author known for his “rags-to-riches” stories that promoted the idea of achieving success through hard work and moral virtue.
Jim Crow Laws, Plessy v. Ferguson
Jim Crow Laws: A set of state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.
Plessy v. Ferguson: An 1896 Supreme Court case that upheld segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.
Mass Production
The manufacturing of goods on a large scale using machinery and standardized processes significantly increased efficiency and lowered costs.
Capitalism
An economic system in which private individuals or corporations own and operate businesses for profit, with minimal government interference.
Big Business Trusts, Vertical and Horizontal Integration
Big Business Trusts: Large business combinations or monopolies formed to control markets and eliminate competition.
Vertical Integration: Controlling every step of production, from raw materials to distribution.
Horizontal Integration: Merging or acquiring companies in the same industry to reduce competition.
Robber Barons vs. “Captains of Industry”
Robber Barons: Wealthy industrialists criticized for exploiting workers and corrupting the economy for personal gain.
Captains of Industry: Business leaders praised for their contributions to the economy and philanthropy.
J. Pierpont Morgan
A powerful banker and financier who organized major corporations like U.S. Steel and General Electric, and helped stabilize the economy during financial crises.
Andrew Carnegie
A steel magnate and philanthropist who used vertical integration to dominate the steel industry. Known for his "Gospel of Wealth," advocating for the wealthy to use their riches for the public good.
US Steel Corporation
Founded by J.P. Morgan in 1901, it was the world’s first billion-dollar corporation and a dominant force in the steel industry.
John D. Rockefeller
Founder of the Standard Oil Company, he used horizontal integration to create a monopoly in the oil industry. He became one of the richest men in history and a major philanthropist.
Standard Oil Company
An oil refining company established by John D. Rockefeller that became a massive monopoly and was eventually broken up by antitrust laws.
Rebates, Long-Haul Passes
Rebates: Discounts given to large companies by railroads to secure business, disadvantaging small shippers.
Long-Haul Passes: Pricing systems where long-distance freight rates were cheaper than short-distance ones.
Gospel of Wealth
An essay by Andrew Carnegie advocating that the wealthy should use their money for social betterment, such as funding education and libraries.
Social Darwinism
The application of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection to society is used to justify economic inequality, imperialism, and racism.
Interstate Commerce Act
An 1887 law aimed at regulating the railroad industry and preventing unfair practices, such as discriminatory rates and monopolistic practices.
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
An 1890 federal law prohibited business practices that restrained trade or created monopolies, targeting trusts and monopolies.
Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall
Boss Tweed: The corrupt leader of New York City’s Democratic political machine, Tammany Hall, which controlled city politics in the late 19th century.
Tammany Hall: A political organization that gained power through patronage and corruption.
Thomas Nast
A political cartoonist known for exposing the corruption of Boss Tweed and advocating for social reform through his artwork.
George Washington Plunkitt
A Tammany Hall politician who defended "honest graft," or the use of inside knowledge to profit personally while serving the public.
1877 Railway Strike
A major national strike by railroad workers protesting wage cuts. It led to violent clashes and marked one of the first major labor conflicts in U.S. history.
Trade Unions
Organizations are formed by workers to collectively bargain for better wages, hours, and working conditions.
Haymarket Massacre
A violent clash in Chicago in 1886 during a labor rally, where a bomb exploded, leading to deaths and the arrest of labor activists.
Knights of Labor
An early labor union that sought to organize all workers, regardless of skill or industry, advocating for an eight-hour workday and social reforms.
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
A labor union founded by Samuel Gompers that focused on organizing skilled workers and negotiating for better wages and conditions.
Samuel Gompers
The founder and leader of the AFL is known for his pragmatic approach to labor rights and focus on collective bargaining.
Pullman Strike
A nationwide railroad strike in 1894, was sparked by wage cuts at the Pullman Company. It disrupted transportation and led to federal intervention.
Eugene V. Debs
A labor leader and socialist who organized the American Railway Union and led the Pullman Strike. He later ran for president as a socialist candidate.
Socialism
A political and economic system advocating for collective or government ownership of production and distribution to promote social equality.
U.S.: "Melting Pot" or "Salad Bowl"?
Metaphors describing immigration in the U.S.:
Melting Pot: Immigrants assimilating into a singular American culture.
Salad Bowl: Immigrants maintaining distinct cultural identities within a shared society.
"New" Immigration
A wave of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries differed from earlier Northern European immigration.
Nativism
An anti-immigrant sentiment favoring native-born Americans, often leading to discriminatory policies and practices.
Literacy Tests
Tests designed to restrict immigration by requiring individuals to demonstrate reading and writing skills are often used to discriminate against certain groups.
1882 Chinese Exclusion Act
A federal law prohibiting the immigration of Chinese laborers was the first significant restriction on immigration in U.S. history.
Jacob Riis, "How the Other Half Lives"
A groundbreaking book documenting the harsh living conditions of the urban poor in New York City through photographs and journalism.
Jane Addams and Hull House
Jane Addams was a social reformer who founded Hull House, a settlement house in Chicago that provided social, educational, and cultural services to immigrants and the poor.