Packet 2

Crime of '73

1873 -- law stopped the mining/coining of silver; so only gold coins used. Demonitized silver. Real name of law was Coinage Act.

Bland-Allison Act

1878 -- Law that said the government had to purchase $2-4 million dollars worth of silver every month and coin it. It did not say the gov't had to issue the coins, so they did not.

Pan-Americanism

1880s Secretary of State Blaine proposed economic unity of the Western Hemisphere with the U.S. at the forefront. Latin Americans rejected the idea/plan.

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 -- only concession to immigrant restriction. Stopped this Asian group from immigrating to the U.S. for 10 years. Stopped idiots, etc. from entering and imposed fee of 50 cents on each immigrant.

Interstate Commerce Act

1887 -- Congress passed it to the oversee the railroads and their practices. Set up ICC to do this. Weakened by Supreme Court rulings, strengthened later by the Hepburn Act

Gospel of Wealth

1889 -- essay by Andrew Carnegie justifying laissez-faire economics by applying human society to the evolutionary theories of Darwin. He praised unregulated business competition as beneficial to society. But also said that the wealthy have an obligation to "help" society by giving money to projects which will help society's members as a whole, like libraries, etc. Said the wealthy were the caretakers of the nation's wealth.

Addams, Jane

1889 -- founded the first settlement house with Ellen Gates Starr in Chicago. Dedicated to acclimatizing immigrants into American society.

Sherman Silver Purchase Act

1890 -- law that replaced the Bland-Allison Act and said the government had to buy 4.5 million ounces of silver a month, but no coinage. Had to also produce treasury notes that could be redeemed in gold or silver. This act and the Bland-Allison Act, cost the government precious amounts of gold to buy silver that was not being used as money.

Ocala Demands

1890 -- the National Farmers Alliance met in Florida and issued a document. Stated they wanted railroads and banking reforms and for farmers to more easily get loans.

Homestead Steel Strike

1892 -- Carnegie's steel plant manager, Frick, cut wages. When workers went on strike he called in Pinkerton agents to attack and protect scabs. Frick was assassinated, probably by Wobblies.

Pullman Strike

1894 -- Pullman Palace Car Company -- all workers lived in a community called Pullman that was owned and policed by the company. When the Paic of 1893 occurred, the company had less orders so slashed wages without reducing rents. 1000s of workers joined the American Railway Union and went on strike. ALl union railroad workers "boycotted" Pullman cars, paralyzing rail traffic in and out of Chicago. Federal troops broke up the strike, killed 13 people and wounded 53. Led by Eugene V. Debs.

Dingley Tariff

1897 -- tariffs were raised to a new all time high because of Panic of 1893.

U.S.S. Maine

1898 -- U.S. Battleship exploded in Havana harbor killing 266 American sailors. Evidence later showed the explosion was probably due to an accidental fire that set off ammo on the ship. But the U.S. blamed the blast on underwater Spanish mines. All this anger was fueled by Yellow journalism. Helped bring us to war.

De Lome Letter

1898 -- a private note from a Spanish diplomat to Spanish ambassador to U.S. made public. Called McKinley weak and made U.S. mad, even though most Americans agreed and Theodore Roosevelt had earlier accused McKinley of having "the backbone of an eclair." One of the things that pushed U.S. into the Spanish-American War.

Boxer Rebellion

1899 -- A fanatical anti-foreigners secret society called the Harmonious Righteous Fists wanted to get rid of foreign influence in China. Rampages through China killing foreigners and Christian Chinese. Took over Beijing and U.S. contributed 2500 soldiers to an international force to take the city back and end the revolt.

Open Door Policy

1899 -- Proposed by Hay. It guaranteed that countries would have an equal economic opportunity in China -- open trade for the major powers and also preserve China's territorial and administrative integrity.

Veblen, Thorstein

1899 -- wrote The Theory of the Leisure Class and introduced the concept of conspicuous consumption. Also did studies in efficiency. Said engineers would the best rulers/politicians.

Platt Amendment

1901 -- Overturned the Teller Amendment. Said we would leave Cuba alone if she didn't enter into any foreign treaties. We reserved the right though to intervene at any time to protect "American interests in Cuba." Which we did. Also said we could have a naval base in Cuba, at Guantanamo (which we still do.)

Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty

1903 -- the U.S. got a 10-mile wide strip of land in Panama for $10 million and $250,000 a year in rent on which to build a canal (that opened in 1914). We made this agreement with the "newly" independent Panama after we helped them gain their independence from Columbia.

Roosevelt Corollary

1904 -- Roosevelt told Congress that although the U.S. had no territorial hopes or aspirations in Latin America, any injustices by other world powers in that region would warrant U.S. action. To prevent European trying to take over Latin American custom s houses or governments, we would act as policeman of the hemisphere. An addition to the Monroe Doctrine.

Treaty of Portsmouth

1905 -- Teddy Roosevelt invited Russia and Japan to New Hampshire to work out their differences and end the Russo-Japanese War. He got them to sign this agreement and for that he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

1905 founded in Chicago. Leader was William Haywood. At its peak there were 30,000 members. They won a textile strike in Massachusetts. Dissolved in 1920 from government prosecution. Known for their violence and threats of violence. a.k.a. Wobblies

Gentleman's Agreement

1907 -- Agreement with Japan. Japan pledged they would stop further Japanese emigration of laborers to the U.S. as long as Roosevelt stopped the discriminatory policy of school segregation for Asian children in the San Francisco area.

Progressive Movement

A broad-based campaign (many little groups not united together) for economic, political, and social reform. Began in the late 1800s and continued until WWI. Aims were rejected in 1920 election.

Ward, Lester Frank

A critic with Bellamy and George of Social Darwinism. Wrote Dynamic Sociology.

Armory Show

A one-time art exhibition of naturalist and impressionists painters in 1913. Sloan, Bellows, Hopper, etc. showed. After this show the Ashcan School of Art died out.

Yellow Dog Contracts

A way companies circumvented unions. Workers had to sign this, saying that they wouldn't join a union or strike in order to get a job. Weakened unions.

Sanger, Margaret

Advocated birth control, especially for poor women. Opened first birth control clinic in Brooklyn in 1916. Was arrested for distributing birth control information as the info was considered to be pornography.

Wells-Barnett, Ida

African American journalist and early 20th century civil rights leader. Headed the anti-lynching movement that was asking for a federal law to make i a cream to lynch another person.

Monopoly

Another word for trust; a company that corners the market and can charge whatever it wants for its goods

American Protective Association

Anti-immigration and anti-Catholic group establish in 1887 to protect American interests. Secret society that revived "nativism" in the U.S. Wanted immigration restriction but the political machine and industry owners fought this idea.

Sullivan, Louis

Architect who is credited with building the first skyscraper in Chicago. Needed steel frames and elevators to do so.

Laissez-faire

Basic economic policy of the US from its beginning until 1933 though many politicians espouse this today also. Government does not interfere with the economy, no regulations, etc.

Brandeis, Louis

Boston attorney who defended the Oregon women laundry workers in 1908 for a 10-hour workday. (Muller v. Oregon). Proved the harmful effects of long working days in his arguments. In 1916, he became the first Jewish Justice on the Supreme Court.

Trust-busting

Breaking up of monopolies by the government to encourage competition and fairness. Theodore Roosevelt was called a form of this word even though Taft and Wilson broke up more monopolies than he did.

Vertical Consolidation/Integration

Buying up corresponding businesses to lower your costs. Done best by Rockefeller (Example -- own drilling company, railroad, can and barrel companies, refinery...)

Horizontal Consolidation/Integration

Buying up the competition or undercutting their prices and putting them out of business; thus becoming the sole or leading distributor of an item (monopoly)

Meat Inspection Act

Established strict sanitary regulations in 1906 for meat packers. Set up ratings system for meat quality. Created a program of federal inspection of meat processing plants.

Yellow Journalism

Exaggerating the truth, writing fallacies, etc. in newspapers. Used by Hearst ad Pulitzer. Named after the first colored cartoon. All a part of jingoism and New Manifest Destiny (imperialism).

Granger Movement

Farmer's cooperative movement that started in the 1860s. Not successful due to poor management, the fact that farmers were too independent, and other farmer movements had formed. Laws were passed in some states that tried to stop unfair railroad rate rates. The courts eventually whittled away at the laws in the 1870s and 1880s.

Nation, Carrie

Female temperance movement leader of the late 1800s and early 1900s. With an ax she chopped up bars mostly in Texas and Kansas. First one was in 1900.

Tarbell, Ida

Female writer and journalist who wrote The History of the Standard Oil Company in 1904. Book was a scathing look at the company and its practices.

Hull House

First settlement house in Chicago. Located within the immigrant community. Provided day care, English classes, cultural activities, etc. Social Gospel movement at its best.

Populist Party

Formed from the Alliances. Wanted to also appeal to immigrants and industrial workers so adopted as part of their platform the right to strike, an anti-city and anti-intellectual stand. Proposed a sub-treasury system, gov't cooperatives, 1% interest rates, silver coinage, abolition of national banks. Regulation or gov't ownership of telephone and telegraph companies, gov't ownership of railroads, graduated income tax, direct election of senators, etc. Progressives later adopted some of their ideas.

Gompers, Samuel

Founded the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1886. Wanted better pay, shorter hours, etc. Concentrated on the "bread and butter" issues workers had, so was more successful than Powderly.

James, William

Harvard philosopher and psychologist who supported the idea of "the value of any truth is utterly dependent upon its usefulness."

Dewey, Admiral George

He was ordered by Under Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt to take his fleet to Manila, defeat the Spanish, and secure the Phillippines for the U.S. Was successful. After giving this order, Roosevelt resigned, formed the Rough Riders, and went to Cuba to fight.

Closed Shop

Idea that all workers must be in the union to work at a factory. Not a reality until the 1930s but someting unions wanted. Banned in 1947 by the Taft-Hartley Act.

Bell, Alexander Graham

Introduced the telephone in the 1870s and revolutionized communication

Edison, Thomas

Invented the light bulb, the electric dynamo, phonograph, etc. Considered one of the U.S.'s greatest inventors.

Brooklyn Bridge

It opened in May 1883. Linked NYC and Brooklyn over the East River. Was an engineering marvel utilizing numerous construction techniques never before attempted o such a scale. When it opened it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

Knights of Labor

Labor union founded by Uriah Stevens in 1869. No middle class wage workers allowed. Wanted equal pay for women, no child labor, no convict labor, a graduated income tax, and cooperative ownership of factories. Taken over by Terrance Powderly in 1880s; he said Blacks could join, opposed strikes, was a socialist and wanted immigration restriction.

Olmstead, Frederick Law

Landscape architect who designed Central Park in 1858. Idea of bringing the country to the city. Led the City Beautiful Movement.

Homer, Winslow

Late 1800s artist who painted mostly scenes of the ocean -- man battling nature on the open seas.

Farmer's Alliance

Leader of the Texas Farmers Alliance in 1886 was C.W. Macune. After the Granger movement failed, Macune organized this to continue to address farmers' problems. Also helped set up one for Black farmers and others across the nation. In 1890 this group helped elect 6 governors, 3 senators, and 50 Congressmen. Eventually became the People's Party.

Wilson-Gorman Tariff

Lowered tariffs in 1894 ever so slightly (from 48.4% to 42.3%) but it was so little that Cleveland let it pass without signing it because he wanted more reduction of the old McKinley tariff. Also had a small income tax to it that the Supreme Court threw out.

Coxey's Army

March 1894 -- veterans and the poor marched on Washington, D.C. to demand public works programs and legal tender.

Rockefeller, John D.

Master of the oil industry. His company was Standard Oil. Extremely wealthy and believed in Social Darwinism, compared himself and other rich men to American Beauty roses.

Carnegie, Andrew

Master of the steel industry. He was a true rags to riches story. Believed in efficiency and cutting costs. Said "Watch the costs and the profits will take care of themselves." Wrote "Gospel of Wealth"

Pulitzer, Joseph

Newspaper publisher of New York World. Now a journalism prize is given in his honor. Was not above exaggeration to sell a paper.

Aguinaldo, Emilio

Organized Filipino independence from Spain. His army receive artillery from the U.S. When Spain surrendered, he declared Philippine independence and drafted a democratic constitution. He and others were furious when Treaty of Paris ceded Philippines to the U.S. So attacked Manila, the American base of operation , U.S. increased the number of its troops. War between the U.S. and Filipinos went on for 7 years -- high loss of Filipino life. Taking the Philippines as a territory when they wanted, and had fought for independence, didn't sit right with some Americans.

Pure Food and Drug Act

Outlawed the sale of adulterated foods and drugs in 1906 and required accurate labeling of food ingredients.

Hearst, William Randolph

Owned a newspaper in San Francisco. Much of his reporting was responsible for the American anti-Spain sentiment and the U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War. His newspaper carried the first colored cartoon, The Yellow Kid.

Panic of 1893

Partly caused by the collapse of railroads, investors converted stock to gold and the gold reserves went down to $50 million. Blamed on the silver purchase acts by some. 15,000 businesses, 600 banks, and 74 railroads failed. This was the 5th one of these in the 19th century.

Teller Amendment

Passed by Congress during Spanish-American War. Said U.S. would leave Cuba alone after it achieved its independence because we had no desire to control Cuba.

New Immigrants

People who came to U.S. in the late 1800s predominantly from southern and eastern Europe. The "old" ones had come mostly from Ireland, Germany, and northern Europe.

Nast, Thomas

Political cartoonist who often attacked the New York City political machine from the 1860s through 1880s. Responsible for using the elephant as a symbol for the Republicans, and the modern Santa Claus.

Pragmatism

Practical approach to solving everyday problems in life. If it works, is useful, etc. keep it

Dewey, John

Progressive educator who wanted a fair and harmonious society. Wanted to apply scientific methods to studying people. Opened a model school for children in 1896 at the University of Chicago. Encouraged students to ask questions and to interact with each other and the teacher. Thought school should teach the values of democracy and cooperation.

La Follette, Robert

Progressive governor of Wisconsin from 1901-1906. Established a model progressive state. Wanted at times to run for president but only did in 1924 as a 3rd party (Progressive) candidate -- lost

Direct Primary

Progressive political reform used first in Wisconsin in 1903. Gave voters the opportunity to express who the parties' candidates for offices should be. Generally replaced the caucus.

Haymarket Square Riot

Protest union rally held in Chicago on 5/4/1886. Became violent when anarchists threw a bomb, killing/fatally wounding 7 policemen. The police then opened fire on the crowd and killed 4 demonstrators. This event intensified American animosity towards labor unions.

Strong, Josiah

Protestant minister and Secretary of the American Home Missionary Society. Expressed fear about the explosive growth of the urban poor in "Our Country: Its Possible Future and Present Crisis" (1885). Attributed the urban crisis to immigration and Catholicism. Advocated Temperance and said that God told us (the U.S.) to get more land -- New Manifest Destiny

Social Gospel

Protestant movement introduced with the help of Walter Rauschenbusch. Said a truly Christian society would unite all churches, reorganize industry, help immigrants "Americanize", and work for world peace.

Liliuokalani

Queen of Hawaii. 1893 deposed by U.S. sugar growers who requested annexation to the U.S. Eventually they had their way. She wanted to go back to old days before plantations; that worried Americans.

Pago Pago

Samoan port that the U.S. wanted and eventually won, though not before almost battling Germany and England, but a typhoon /hurricane stopped that.

Twain, Mark

Satirical writer who used realism, colloquialisms, etc. His most famous books are Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)

Catt, Carrie C.

Second president of NAWSA. Adopted a "Winning Plan," a grassroots movement within a framework of centralized organization to get the vote and equality for women.

Hay, John

Secretary of State from 1898 to 1905. Started the policy that addressed the major powers interests in China and got Panama Canal started.

Debs, Eugene V.

Socialist labor leader. Was imprisoned for encouraging the strike at Pullman. Ran for president five times, the last from prison in 1920. Was the leader of the American Socialist Party from the 1880s until 1920. Led the Pullman Strike.

Social Darwinism

Survival of the fittest applied to people. The wealthy were genetically predisposed to be wealthy. Also called Gospel of Success.

Big Stick Policy

Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy philosophy. You should have a large military and be the western hemisphere's policeman, but you should also exercise care and caution. Basic idea of this was -- the threat along with the potential of power.

Square Deal

Teddy Roosevelt's platform in the 1904 election. Give every American an equal chance and break up "bad trusts" and regulate "good trusts."

Muchrakers

Term coined in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt to describe the journalists and writers who sought to expose the "truths" about society. Word comes from Pilgrim's Progress, meaning to rake up filth.

Tweed, William Marcy (Boss)

The "Boss" of the New York City Democrats in the 1850s through 1870s. Insulted by Thomas Nast (political cartoonist). Accepted bribes, kickbacks, etc. that took millions out of city treasury and went into individual pockets, including his own. One of the few political bosses to hold political office, mayor of New York City.

Munn v. Illinois

The Supreme Court upheld the Granger laws and reiterated that state laws that fixed the maximum rates for freight shipments and storage of grain were legal.

Tammany Hall

The name of the Democratic party headquarters in New York City from 1780s to 1960s. Political machine.

Bimetallism

The use of both gold and silver coins. The monetary system of the United States until 1873.

Riis, Jacob

This man, an immigrant himself, documented slum conditions in his book "How the Other Half Lives" as a way to advocate against immigration. Book contained graphic pictures of the slums.

Collective Bargaining

Union workers got wages and benefits as a group, not individuals. One of their tactics was to say that unless their demands were met all workers would strike.

The Jungle

Upton Sinclair was a writer, journalist, social/political activist whose most famous book was published in 1906. This book exposed the ills of the meat packing industry. Wrote the book to show the poor treatment of immigrants, not the poor preparation of food, but readers seized on the food issues. The Meat Inspection Act was passed as a result of this book.

Tenements

Urban housing that was unsanitary, dank, and dark. Mostly lived in by immigrants. Each apartment was about 11' by 30'. Conditions were overcrowded and eventually slums developed.

Morgan, J. Piermont

Very wealthy banker who sold gold to the government in the Panic of 1983 to try and shore up the reserves. Bought Carnegie's steel company in 1901 for $400 million and created U.S. Steel

Robber Barons

Wealthy men who owns trusts/corporation. Some called them "captains of industry" but their opponents used this term because they maintained these men made their money from the abuse and suffering of their workers.

Cross of Gold Speech

William Jennings Bryan's speech at the Democratic convention in July, 1896 in Chicago. Wanted greenbacks and silver money. Said that small farmers were being crucified because they had no money since there was so little in circulation (gold standard). Populist sentiment, though he was a Democrat.

Anthony, Susan B.

With Stanton and Catt organized the National Women's Loyal League. President of the Native American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). The goal of women voting finally became reality in 1920.

Wright, Frank Lloyd

Worked for the firm building skyscrapers in Chicago. His designs of the "prairie" houses featured broad, sheltering roofs and open interconnecting rooms to create a feeling of spaciousness and reflect the setting of the prairie.

Mahan, Alfred T.

Wrote The Influence of Sea Power Upon History (1890) where he showed how important a large navy was to a "world power." Head of Navy War College. Wanted a bigger U.S. navy and to acquire foreign ports.

Norris, Frank

Wrote The Octopus in 1901 about the struggle between the ruthless railroads and wheat farmers.

Alger, Horatio

Wrote the Ragged Dick stories beginning in 1868. Rags to riches stories that gave hope and encouragement to poor. Through hard work, a little bit of luck, clean living, etc., everyone could become wealthy.