apush: ch 16 & 17 (america's gilded age & freedom's boundaries)

Term Definition

West as Land of Opportunity

The American West was seen as a place for new beginnings, economic growth, and expansion, attracting settlers, immigrants, and entrepreneurs.

Diversity of the West

The West was home to a mix of Native Americans, African Americans, Chinese immigrants, Mexicans, and European settlers, creating a culturally diverse society.

Role of National Gov’t in Western Growth

The federal government played a major role in westward expansion through land grants, military actions, and infrastructure projects like railroads.

Rugged Individualism

The belief that individuals could achieve success through hard work and self-reliance, often mythologized in stories of Western settlers and cowboys.

Farming in the Trans-Mississippi West

Agriculture expanded westward with new technologies, but farmers faced harsh conditions, unpredictable weather, and economic challenges.

Homestead Act (1862)

A law granting 160 acres of land to settlers who agreed to farm and improve it for five years, encouraging westward expansion.

Challenge of Western Farming

Farmers struggled with arid land, isolation, economic instability, and conflicts with railroads and big businesses.

Bonanza Farms

Large-scale farms that used heavy machinery and wage laborers, often producing single cash crops for national markets.

Cowboy and Corporate West

The cowboy era romanticized in American culture, but cattle ranching soon became dominated by large corporations and railroads.

Cattle Drive/Open Range

Cowboys herded cattle from Texas to railroad hubs for transport to eastern markets, but open range grazing declined with barbed wire and railroads.

Changes in Cattle Ranching

Overgrazing, harsh winters, and the expansion of farming led to the decline of open-range cattle ranching in favor of fenced-in ranches.

The Chinese Presence

Chinese immigrants played a key role in building railroads, mining, and agriculture but faced severe discrimination and violence.

Conflict on the Mormon Frontier

Mormons, led by Brigham Young, faced tensions with federal authorities over polygamy and self-governance in Utah.

Brigham Young

The leader of the Mormon Church who guided Mormon settlers to Utah and clashed with the U.S. government over religious and political issues.

Mormons in Conflict

Mormons faced persecution in the East and later resisted federal efforts to regulate polygamy and their self-rule in Utah.

Subjugation of Plains Indians

Native American resistance was crushed through military force, forced removals, and policies like the reservation system.

Philip Sheridan

A U.S. Army general who led military campaigns against Native Americans and promoted the destruction of buffalo to weaken tribes.

O. O. Howard

A Union general who later worked to relocate and assimilate Native Americans, including negotiating with Chief Joseph.

Chief Joseph

Leader of the Nez Perce who led his people on a long retreat to escape U.S. forces but was ultimately forced to surrender.

Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876)

A major Native American victory where Sioux and Cheyenne warriors, led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, defeated General Custer’s forces.

Remaking Indian Life

U.S. policies aimed to assimilate Native Americans through land allotment, education, and banning cultural practices.

Bureau of Indian Affairs

A government agency responsible for managing Native American relations, often corrupt and ineffective.

Dawes Act (1887)

A law that divided Native American reservations into individual land plots to encourage assimilation, leading to massive loss of tribal land.

Ghost Dance

A religious movement among Native Americans that sought to restore their land and way of life; seen as a threat by U.S. authorities.

Wounded Knee Massacre (1890)

U.S. troops killed around 300 Lakota Sioux, marking the end of major Native American resistance.

Settler Societies and Global Wests

Similar to the American West, other regions like Australia, Canada, and South America experienced settler colonialism and indigenous displacement.

Myth, Reality & Wild West

Popular culture romanticized the West as a lawless land of adventure, while in reality, it was shaped by business, government, and industrialization.

Buffalo Bill Cody

A showman who created Wild West shows that popularized myths about cowboys, Native Americans, and frontier life.

Term Definition

Gilded Age

A period from the 1870s to 1900 marked by rapid economic growth, industrialization, political corruption, and growing income inequality.

The Corruption of Politics

Politics during the Gilded Age was characterized by bribery, patronage, and influence from wealthy business leaders, leading to widespread corruption.

“Boss” William M. Tweed

Leader of New York City’s Tammany Hall, who controlled the Democratic political machine and was infamous for embezzling millions through corrupt schemes.

Credit Mobilier Scandal

A major political scandal in the 1870s where Union Pacific Railroad executives created a fraudulent construction company and bribed politicians to avoid scrutiny.

Politics of Dead Center

The idea that political parties were evenly balanced, leading to elections decided by small margins and politicians avoiding bold reforms to maintain power.

Republicans vs. Democrats

Republicans favored high tariffs, business interests, and a gold standard, while Democrats supported lower tariffs, states' rights, and opposed strong federal government intervention.

Political Trends of the Era

The period saw high voter turnout, patronage-driven politics, weak presidential leadership, and increased power of industrialists over government policies.

Government and the Economy

The federal government generally promoted pro-business policies, with limited regulation, favoring industrialists and monopolies.

Republican Policies

The party supported protective tariffs, economic expansion, industrial growth, and the gold standard to maintain a strong economy.

Gold Standard

A monetary system where currency value was directly tied to gold, favored by industrialists and creditors but opposed by farmers and debtors.

Civil Service Act (Pendleton Act)

Passed in 1883, it established merit-based hiring for government jobs, reducing the influence of political patronage and corruption.

Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)

Created in 1887 to regulate railroad rates and prevent unfair practices, marking one of the first federal attempts to oversee big business.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

A 1890 law aimed at breaking up monopolies and preventing anti-competitive business practices, though it was initially weakly enforced.

Political Conflict in the States

Many states grappled with labor unrest, regulation of railroads and businesses, and tensions between farmers, workers, and industrialists.

The Social Problem

The growing gap between rich and poor led to debates about labor rights, economic fairness, and government intervention.

Iron Law of Wages

The idea that wages naturally tend to stabilize at a minimum level necessary for workers to survive, often used to justify low wages.

Social Darwinism

A belief that economic success was due to natural selection, justifying wealth inequality and opposing government intervention in business.

William Graham Sumner

A leading advocate of Social Darwinism who argued against government aid to the poor, believing that competition ensured social progress.

Liberty of Contracts and the Courts

Courts often upheld contracts between employers and workers, rejecting government regulation of wages and working conditions.

Court Response to Regulation

Many Supreme Court decisions struck down laws regulating business and labor, favoring a laissez-faire economic approach.

US vs. EC Knight (1895)

A Supreme Court case that ruled the Sherman Anti-Trust Act could not be used to break up a sugar monopoly, weakening federal power over trusts.

Lochner vs. New York (1905)

A Supreme Court case that invalidated a law limiting work hours, citing the "liberty of contract" and limiting government intervention in labor conditions.

Yellow Dog Contract

Agreements where workers pledged not to join labor unions, often used by employers to suppress union activity.