chapter 18 Flashcards
(14 cards)
Urbanization
The rapid growth of cities in the late 19th century due to industrialization, leading to overcrowding, poor living conditions, and the rise of mass transit.
tenements
Overcrowded, poorly built apartment buildings that housed many working-class families and immigrants in major cities, often lacking proper sanitation and ventilation.
“New Immigrants”
A wave of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe (Italy, Poland, Russia) who arrived in the U.S. between the 1880s and early 1900s, often facing discrimination and poor working conditions.
Nativists
Americans who opposed immigration, fearing that new arrivals would take jobs, alter American culture, and threaten social stability, leading to restrictive immigration laws.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
A federal law that banned Chinese laborers from immigrating to the U.S., marking the first major restriction on immigration based on race or nationality.
Social Darwinism
A belief that applied Darwin’s theory of natural selection to society, arguing that competition and survival of the fittest justified wealth inequality and limited government intervention.
Pendleton Act (1883)
A law that ended the patronage system by requiring government jobs to be awarded based on merit rather than political connections, establishing the Civil Service Commission.
Intertsate Commerce Commission (1887)
The first federal regulatory agency, created to oversee railroad rates and prevent unfair business practices, though initially weak in enforcement.
Patronage System
Also known as the “spoils system,” it was a practice where government jobs were given to political supporters, leading to corruption and inefficiency before reforms like the Pendleton Act.
Tammany Hall
A powerful Democratic political machine in New York City, led by figures like Boss Tweed, that controlled city politics through corruption, patronage, and support for immigrants.
Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
The first federal law aimed at curbing monopolies and trusts, though it was initially weak and often used against labor unions rather than big businesses.
People’s Party (populists)
A political movement of farmers and laborers in the 1890s that advocated for government regulation of railroads, free silver, and direct election of senators.
Panic of 1893
A severe economic depression caused by railroad bankruptcies, bank failures, and gold shortages, leading to high unemployment and struggles for farmers and workers.
William Jennings Bryan
A three-time Democratic presidential candidate and leader of the free silver movement, famous for his “Cross of Gold” speech advocating for monetary reform.
