CHAPTER 17 AMSCO VOCAB

Western Environment (GEO) Vocab:

  • Great American Desert: A region of the western United States characterized by sparse rainfall and harsh conditions, traditionally considered unsuitable for farming.

  • 100th Meridian: An imaginary line designated at 100 degrees west longitude, historically used to delineate the boundary between the humid eastern United States and the arid West.

  • Buffalo herds: Large groups of buffalo that roamed the Great Plains, significant both ecologically and economically for Indigenous peoples and settlers.

  • Great Plains: A vast expanse of flat land in the central United States, known for its agriculture and grazing.

  • Mineral Resources: Natural substances found in the earth, including metals and fossil fuels, that are extracted for economic use.

Western Development Vocab:

  • Mining Frontier, boomtowns: Communities that rapidly grow around mining sites due to the influx of miners.

  • Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882: A federal law prohibiting all Chinese laborers from entering the United States, reflecting widespread anti-Chinese sentiment.

  • Commercial cities: Urban centers primarily focused on commerce and trade, often emerging in conjunction with natural resource industries.

  • Longhorns, vaqueros: Longhorn cattle, originating from Spanish cattle; vaqueros were skilled horsemen and herders who managed cattle.

  • Cattle drives: The process of herding cattle overland to market or grazing areas, often along established trails.

  • Barbed wire: Fencing material with sharp spikes used to secure property and manage livestock, pivotal in changing the Open Range.

  • Joseph Glidden: Inventor of barbed wire, which revolutionized fencing in the 19th century.

  • Homestead Act: A law that granted 160 acres of public land to settlers, provided they improve the land and reside on it for five years.

  • Dry Farming: An agricultural practice designed to cultivate crops in arid regions, requiring minimal irrigation.

American Indians (MIG, POL) Vocab:

  • Great Plains tribes: Indigenous peoples who inhabited the Great Plains, reliant on buffalo for sustenance and culture.

  • Southwest tribes: Native American groups located in the Southwestern United States, known for their distinct cultures and agricultural practices.

  • Federal treaty policies: Agreements made between the U.S. government and Native American tribes, often leading to land cessions and reservations.

  • Causes of “Indian Wars”: Factors leading to armed conflict between Native Americans and settlers/government, including land disputes and broken treaties.

  • Little Big Horn: A 1876 battle where the Lakota and Cheyenne defeated U.S. forces, notable for its significance in Native American resistance.

  • Assimilationists: Individuals or groups advocating for Native Americans to abandon their cultures and adopt European-American customs.

  • Helen Hunt Jackson: An author and activist who wrote about Native American injustices, notably in her book "A Century of Dishonor."

  • Dawes Act of 1887: Legislation aimed at assimilating Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land and granting U.S. citizenship.

  • Ghost Dance Movement: A religious movement among Native Americans in the late 19th century that sought to restore their lands and way of life.

  • Indian Reorganization Act of 1934: A federal legislation aimed at reversing the Dawes Act and restoring some degree of self-governance to Native American tribes.

Mexican Americans (PEO) Vocab:

  • Mexican War aftermath: The period following the Mexican-American War, marked by significant land and population changes affecting Mexican Americans.

  • Spanish-speaking area: Regions in the United States, particularly in the Southwest, where Spanish is commonly spoken due to historical and cultural influences.

  • Migration for jobs: The movement of individuals, particularly Mexican Americans, seeking employment opportunities in agriculture and industry.

Conservation Movement (GEO) Vocab:

  • Deforestation: The large-scale removal of trees from forested areas, posing ecological and environmental risks.

  • Yellowstone, Yosemite: National parks established to preserve natural beauty and wildlife, with significant historical and cultural importance.

  • Department of Interior: U.S. government agency responsible for the management of land and natural resources, including national parks.

  • Conservationists and preservationists: Individuals advocating for the responsible use of natural resources versus those seeking to protect nature from human activity.

  • Forest Reserve Act of 1891: Legislation allowing the president to set aside forest reserves from the public domain.

  • Forest Management Act of 1897: A law aimed at ensuring the sustainable management of national forests.

  • John Muir, Sierra Club: John Muir was a naturalist and conservationist instrumental in the creation of national parks; the Sierra Club is an environmental organization founded by Muir.

Southern Development (WXT) Vocab:

  • “New South”: A term referring to the post-Civil War South that sought to modernize and diversify its economy, moving away from dependence on agriculture.

  • Henry Grady: A journalist and orator influential in promoting the idea of the “New South.”

  • Birmingham (Steel): A city in Alabama that became a major steel-producing center in the New South.

  • Memphis (lumber): A Tennessee city known for its lumber industry and distribution center in the South.

  • Richmond (tobacco): A Virginia city historically significant as a center for the tobacco industry.

  • Integrated rail network: A connected system of railway lines that facilitated transportation and trade across the Southern states.

  • Agriculture’s dominance: The continued significance of agriculture as the primary economic activity in the South post-Civil War.

  • Sharecropping; tenant farmers: Agricultural practices where workers farm land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crops or rent.

  • George Washington Carver: An agricultural scientist known for promoting crop rotation and diversification, particularly in peanut farming.

  • Tuskegee Institute: An educational institution founded by Booker T. Washington focused on vocational training for African Americans.

Racial Discrimination (MIG, POL) Vocab:

  • White Supremacists: Individuals or groups advocating for the dominance of white people over other racial groups.

  • Civil Rights cases of 1883: A series of Supreme Court decisions that weakened federal enforcement of civil rights protections for African Americans.

  • Plessy v. Ferguson: An 1896 Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine.

  • Jim Crow laws: State laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

  • Literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses: Discriminatory practices used to disenfranchise African American voters and others.

  • White primaries, white juries: Practices that limited political participation and justice to white individuals, excluding African Americans.

  • Lynch mobs: Groups that carried out extrajudicial killings, often targeting African Americans, particularly in the South.

  • Economic discrimination: Systematic inequalities faced by marginalized groups in employment, wages, and economic opportunities.

  • African American migration: The movement of African Americans from rural areas to urban centers, particularly during the Great Migration.

  • Ida B. Wells: An African American journalist and activist who campaigned against lynching and for civil rights.

  • Booker T. Washington: An educator and civil rights leader who advocated for vocational training and accommodation in the fight for African American rights.

  • Economic cooperation: Collective efforts by African Americans to build economic strength through mutual aid societies and cooperative businesses.

Farm Protests Movements (POL) Vocab:

  • Markets and farmers: The relationship and interdependence between agricultural producers and the buyers of their goods.

  • Crop price deflation: A decline in the prices of agricultural products, negatively affecting farmers' profits.

  • Railroad and middlemen: The role of railroads in transporting goods and the intermediaries who profit from the sale of farm produce.

  • National Grange Movement: A farmers' organization advocating for political and economic reform to improve the conditions of farmers.

  • Cooperatives: Member-owned businesses that operate for the mutual benefit of their members, often seen in agricultural contexts.

  • Granger laws: Laws passed in the 1870s aimed at regulating the railroads and protecting farmers from monopolistic practices.

  • Munn v. Illinois: An 1877 Supreme Court case that allowed states to regulate private industry if it affected public interest, particularly railroads.

  • Interstate Commerce Commission: A regulatory agency established to oversee railroad operations and ensure fair rates.

  • Ocala Platform of 1890: A set of proposals by the Farmers' Alliance advocating for reform, including the regulation of railroads and direct election of senators.

Frontier Closing (CUL) Vocab:

  • Census of 1890: A population count that declared the American frontier closed, indicating a shift in the national narrative.

  • Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”: An essay arguing that the American character was shaped by the frontier experience, promoting individualism and democracy.

  • Role of cities, “Nature’s metropolis”: The concept that urban centers are interconnected with the natural environment and play a crucial role in society and culture.