Period 6 Vocab

Plains Indians: Native American tribes that lived on the Great Plains and relied on the buffalo for survival.

Rancheros: Mexican cattle ranchers in the Southwest who influenced cowboy culture.

Transcontinental Railroad: A railway system completed in 1869 that connected the East and West coasts, facilitating migration and economic growth.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): A law that banned Chinese immigration to the U.S. for ten years, later extended, due to widespread anti-Chinese sentiment.

Homestead Act (1862): Provided 160 acres of free land to settlers willing to farm it for five years.

Boom Town: A rapidly growing town, often due to the discovery of resources like gold or silver.

Turner’s Frontier Thesis: Frederick Jackson Turner’s idea that the American frontier played a key role in shaping democracy and national identity.

Concentration: A U.S. government policy that confined Native American tribes to specific areas (reservations).

Crazy Horse/Sitting Bull: Native American leaders who resisted U.S. expansion and fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876): A battle in which Sioux and Cheyenne forces defeated General Custer and his troops.

Custer’s Last Stand: The defeat of General George Custer and his men at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Ghost Dance: A Native American religious movement that sought to restore their way of life and resist white domination.

Wounded Knee (1890): A massacre of Lakota Sioux by U.S. soldiers, marking the end of major Native American resistance.

Dawes Severalty Act (1887): A law that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing their land into individual plots.

Barbed Wire: A fencing material that revolutionized farming by closing off the open range.

Bessemer Process: A method for producing steel quickly and cheaply, leading to industrial growth.

Andrew Carnegie: A steel magnate and philanthropist who used vertical integration to dominate the industry.

John D. Rockefeller: Founder of Standard Oil, known for using horizontal integration and trusts to create a monopoly.

J.P. Morgan: A powerful banker who controlled major industries, including railroads and steel.

Horizontal Integration: A business strategy where a company buys out competitors to dominate a market.

Vertical Integration: A business strategy where a company controls all production steps, from raw materials to distribution.

Trust: A business structure where multiple companies are managed under a single entity to reduce competition.

Cornelius Vanderbilt: A railroad magnate who helped consolidate rail systems and expand transportation networks.

Social Darwinism: The belief that business success comes from survival of the fittest and that government should not interfere.

Gospel of Wealth: Andrew Carnegie’s idea that the wealthy have a duty to use their riches for the public good.

Horatio Alger Myth: The belief that anyone can achieve wealth and success through hard work and determination.

Monopolies: Businesses that completely dominate an industry, eliminating competition.

The Great Railroad Strike (1877): A nationwide railroad workers’ strike protesting wage cuts, leading to violent clashes.

The Knights of Labor: An early labor union that sought broad social reforms, including better wages and working conditions.

The AFL (American Federation of Labor): A labor union focused on skilled workers, wages, hours, and working conditions.

Homestead Strike (1892): A violent labor dispute at Carnegie Steel, where strikers clashed with private security.

Eugene V. Debs: A labor leader and socialist who led the Pullman Strike and was jailed for his activism.

Pullman Strike (1894): A nationwide railroad strike that was crushed by federal troops after disrupting mail delivery.

Gilded Age: A term describing the late 19th century, marked by economic growth, political corruption, and social inequality.

Patronage: The practice of giving government jobs to political supporters, leading to widespread corruption.

Pendleton Act (1883): A law that established a merit-based system for government jobs, reducing patronage.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890): A law that aimed to break up monopolies and prevent anti-competitive business practices.

Interstate Commerce Act (1887): A law regulating railroad rates and practices to prevent unfair pricing.

Populism/Populist Movement: A political movement representing farmers and laborers, advocating for reforms like free silver.

Free Silver: A policy advocating for the unlimited coinage of silver to increase the money supply and help farmers.

Coxey’s Army (1894): A protest march of unemployed workers demanding government-funded job programs during an economic depression.

Cross of Gold Speech (1896): A famous speech by William Jennings Bryan supporting bimetallism (gold and silver currency) to help farmers.