vocab

17th Amendment

The 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution established the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote, rather than being chosen by state legislatures.

Assembly Line

A manufacturing process in which a product is assembled in a series of steps, each performed by a different worker or machine, to increase efficiency and productivity.

Booker T. Washington

An African American educator, author, and advisor to presidents who advocated for vocational education and economic advancement for African Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Buying on Credit

The practice of purchasing goods or services by borrowing money with the agreement to pay it back later, often with interest.

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

A New Deal program established in 1933 that employed young men in environmental conservation projects such as reforestation, park maintenance, and flood control.

Deficit Spending

The practice of spending more money than is received in revenue, often used by governments to stimulate economic growth.

FDIC

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is a U.S. government agency that insures deposits in banks and savings associations to maintain public confidence in the banking system.

Hull House

A settlement house founded by Jane Addams in Chicago in 1889, providing social services, education, and cultural activities to improve the lives of immigrant communities.

Inflation

The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, eroding purchasing power.

John D. Rockefeller

An American business magnate and philanthropist who co-founded the Standard Oil Company and was one of the wealthiest individuals in history.

Laissez-faire

An economic philosophy of free-market capitalism that opposes government intervention in the economy and promotes minimal regulation of business.

Monopoly

A market structure where a single seller dominates the supply of a product or service, limiting competition and control of prices.

Muckraker

Journalists and writers in the early 20th century who exposed corruption, social injustices, and abuses of power in government and industry.

New Deal

A series of programs and reforms implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression, aiming to promote economic recovery and social welfare.

Philanthropy

The desire to promote the welfare of others, typically through the donation of money, resources, or time to charitable causes.

Populist

A political movement that seeks to represent the interests of ordinary people, often in opposition to the elite or establishment.

Prohibition

The period (1920-1933) during which the production, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages were banned in the United States under the 18th Amendment.

Pure Food and Drug Act

A 1906 law that aimed to prevent the manufacture, sale, and transportation of misbranded or adulterated food and drugs.

Referendum

A direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and can result in the adoption of new laws or policies.

Scopes Trial

A 1925 legal case in which a high school teacher was tried for violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of human evolution in state-funded schools, highlighting the conflict between science and religious beliefs.