Unit 4: Gilded Age- Emergence of Modern America Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Unit 4: Gilded Age- Emergence of Modern America Deck (36)
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1
Q

Frontier

A

the furthest limit or boundary; in this era it was the untamed west

2
Q

Dawes Allotment Act

A

law giving Indian families 160 acres for reservations; slowly land was taken away as more settlers moved onto Indian territory

3
Q

Reservations

A

lands set aside for use by Native Americans; often not suitable for farming

4
Q

Homestead Act

A

law giving 160 acres and a title after 5 years of ownership and cultivation of land

5
Q

Morrill Act

A

gives federal land to the states allowing for agricultural state universities to be established

6
Q

USDA

A

U.S. Department of Agriculture; established to help farming get started in the Great Plains (west)

7
Q

Capitalism

A

an economic system in which private business runs most industries and competition thus determining how much goods cost and workers get paid

8
Q

Corporations

A

companies that sell stock of ownership in the company to raise money

9
Q

Monopoly

A

complete control over a business or industry

10
Q

Trusts

A

partnerships of business owners who control businesses together

11
Q

Black gold

A

nickname for oil; becomes more valuable than actual gold

12
Q

Labor Unions

A

organizations formed to protect the rights of workers

13
Q

Natvisits

A

favored native born Americans over immigrants; were anti-immigrants

14
Q

Tenements

A

run down housing units lived in by 19th and 20th century immigrants; often were in poor conditions

15
Q

Yellow Journalism

A

stories often published in newspapers that exaggerate the truth, but are meant to expose the problems in society

16
Q

Hull House

A

settlement house and community service center established by Jane Addams

17
Q

Political machines

A

similar to gangs run by politicians; political parties take control of city offices and control the entire city

18
Q

Political bosses

A

people that ran cities often through use of fraud and intimidation

19
Q

Graft

A

a method of fraud; using a bribe or falsehood to get political power

20
Q

Muckrakers

A

investigative journalists that “raked up” and exposed the muck or filth of society

21
Q

Gilded Age

A

period in American history where all seemed well, but beneath the surface, society was very corrupt; term coined by authors Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Moore

22
Q

Pendleton Civil Service Act

A

law changing Civil Service requirements, making it necessary to take a test in order to get a government position (gets rid of old “spoils system” method)

23
Q

National Grange

A

group established to help tackle economic and political issues facing farmers (i.e. high prices for shipping, storage their crops)

24
Q

Progressive Movement

A

broadly based reform movement during the 20th century; lead by middle class, educated Americans who wanted to see a change

25
Q

Interstate Commerce Act

A

creates standardized shipping rates to made trade among states easier- and fair

26
Q

Americanization

A

the process of preparing foreign born citizens for US citizenship; also a process done to Natives to force them to adapt to American culture

27
Q

Square Deal

A

Campaign slogan used by Roosevelt in the 1904 campaign, wanting to balance the interests of business, consumers and labor; everyone got a fair deal

28
Q

Robber Baron

A

nickname given to the men who ran monopolies as a criticism of their wealth and power

29
Q

Philanthropy

A

“love of humanity”; private initiatives for the public good; i.e. donations made for charitable use to help others

30
Q

Cornelius Vanderbilt

A

Leader of the railroad monopoly; family became very wealthy

31
Q

Andrew Carnegie

A

Leader of the steel monopoly; family becomes very wealthy; encourages the rich to give back through charity

32
Q

John D. Rockefeller

A

Leader of the oil monopoly; family becomes very wealthy

33
Q

Samuel Gompers

A

leads the labor movement for worker’s rights; founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL)

34
Q

Theodore Roosevelt

A

“Teddy”; Vice President who becomes the 26th President; Progressive leader who worked for reform; leader in the conservation movement

35
Q

William Taft

A

27th president, follows and supported by T. Roosevelt; tries to continue Roosevelt’s programs

36
Q

Woodrow Wilson

A

28th President; also attempts to continue progressive reforms until WWI