Unit 1

Industrialization

This boom had major effects on the lives of the American people, the availability of jobs in industries drew people from farms to cities in numbers.

Andrew Carnegie

(Steel) An industrialist who led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century. He is often identified as one of the richest people and one of the richest Americans ever.

Imperialism

- A term that refers to the economic, military, and cultural influence of the United States on other countries. - The late nineteenth century was known as the "Age of Imperialism," a time when the United States and other major world powers rapidly expanded their territorial possessions. - American imperialism is partly based on American exceptionalism, the idea that the United States is different from other countries because of its specific world mission to spread liberty and democracy. - One of the most notable instances of American imperialism was the annexation of Hawaii in 1898, which allowed the United States to gain possession and control of all ports, buildings, harbors, military equipment, and public property that had belonged to the Government of the Hawaiian Islands.

Social Darwinism

- An ideology that seeks to apply biological concepts of Darwinism or evolutionary theory to sociology and politics, often under the assumption that conflict between societal groups leads to social progress, as superior groups surpass inferior ones. - A name given to various phenomena emerging in the second half of the 19th century, trying to apply biological concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest in human society. Now largely discredited, social Darwinism was advocated by Herbert Spencer and others in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was used to justify political conservatism, imperialism, and racism and to discourage intervention and reform.

Johnson - Spanish American War

- Cuba was the last of Spain's colonies in the Americans, and it was oppressed. - In the 1880's and 1890's, American investments in Cuba multiplied many times and when the Cubans again rebelled in 1895 American sympathies, not unaffected by the imperialist spirit of the age, were aroused. - The US emerged as a great power, and a global one, with all kinds of new responsibilities, including administration of the 7,100 islands which constitute the Philippines - At the treaty of Paris, Spain ceded to the US Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and gave Cuba its independence. - Mickinley said " to educate the Filipinos and uplift and civilize and Christianize them.."

Zinn - Spanish American War

- This chapter speaks specifically about the expansion of oversea trade and the manufacturing and selling of goods. - American goods sell better in America. - America had many ports and trading routs along the Atlantic and Pacific. mainly trading with china and Britain. - America wants to expand and trade with new foreign countries. - Theodore Roosevelt wanted to expand to newer trade oversea and didn't mind getting into a war or battle on the way there. - America unsure if they can trust Cuba due to past conflict. Cuba causes many problems and rebels while America does not want to put too much faith in them . Historical Significance The historical significance of this chapter, marks the expansion of american goods into new foreign territories. - Oil began to gain popularity and was one of the most demanded American exports available, second to cotton. - Transportation develops and Americans invest in the Oil, Railroads, and mining. - Cuba Involved in the Spanish-American War.

Manifest Destiny

A widely held belief in the United States that its settlers were destined to expand across North America

Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late nineteenth century. He was also one of the most important philanthropists of his era. With the fortune he made from the steel industry, he built Carnegie Hall; later he turned to philanthropy and interests in education. Carnegie gave most of his money to establish many libraries, schools, and universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries, as well as to establish a pension fund for former employees. He often is regarded as the second-richest man in history after John D. Rockefeller.

Captains of Industry

Business leaders whose means of amassing a personal fortune contributes positively to the country in some way. - This might have been through increased productivity, expansion of markets, providing more jobs, or acts of philanthropy. - Some nineteenth-century industrialists who were called "captains of industry" overlap with those called "robber barons," however. These include people such as J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, Andrew W. Mellon, and John D. Rockefeller.

Gilded Age

Railroads were the major growth industry, with the factory system, mining, and finance increasing in importance. Immigration from Europe and the eastern states led to the rapid growth of the West, based on farming, ranching and mining. Labor unions became important in the very rapidly growing industrial cities. Two major nationwide depressions—the Panic of 1873 and the Panic of 1893—interrupted growth and caused social and political upheavals. The South after the Civil War remained economically devastated; its economy became increasingly tied to cotton and tobacco production, which suffered from low prices. With the end of the Reconstruction era in 1877, black people in the South were stripped of political power and voting rights and were left economically disadvantaged.

Spanish American War

The conflict had its roots in the worsening socio-economic and military position of Spain after the Peninsular War, the growing confidence of the United States as a world power, a lengthy independence movement in Cuba and a nascent one in the Philippines, and strengthening economic ties between Cuba and the United States

Robber Baron

These "questionable practices" usually included a perception that they offered their products at extremely low prices as to pay their workers very poorly and buying out the competitors that couldn't keep up. - were accused of eliminating competition through predatory pricing and then overcharging when they had a monopoly. - The term combines the concept of a criminal robber with an illegitimate aristocrat baron. - Nineteenth-century robber barons included J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, Andrew W. Mellon, and John D. Rockefeller. - In order to prevent single companies from developing a monopoly over an entire industry, public officials during this era put passing and enforcing strong antitrust laws high on their agenda.

Knights of Labor

a member of a 19th century secret labor organization formed in 1869 to secure and maintain the rights of workingmen in respect to their relations to their employers. Furthermore, the Panic of 1893 terminated the Knights of Labor's importance

Robber Baron

a person who has become rich through ruthless and unscrupulous business practices - their fortunes were made at the expense of the working class, by chickanery and a betrayal of democracy.[42][43] Their admirers argued that they were "Captains of industry" who built the core America industrial economy and also the non-profit sector through acts of philanthropy.[44] For instance, Andrew Carnegie donated over 90% of his wealth and said that philanthropy was their duty—the "Gospel of Wealth". Private money endowed thousands of colleges, hospitals, museums, academies, schools, opera houses, public libraries, and charities.[45] John D. Rockefeller donated over $500 million to various charities, slightly over half his entire net worth. Nevertheless, many business leaders were influenced by Herbert Spencer's theory of Social Darwinism, which justified laissez-faire capitalism, ruthless competition and social stratification

The Panic of 1893

a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893 and ended in 1897.[1] It deeply affected every sector of the economy. As a result of the panic, stock prices declined. 500 banks closed, 15,000 businesses failed, and numerous farms ceased operation.

Morgan

an American financier, banker, and art collector who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation during his time. After financing the creation of the Federal Steel Company, he merged in 1901 with the Carnegie Steel Company and several other steel and iron businesses, including Consolidated Steel and Wire Company, to form the United States Steel Corporation. At the height of Morgan's career during the early 1900s, he and his partners had financial investments in many large corporations and were accused by critics of controlling the nation's high finance. He directed the banking coalition that stopped the Panic of 1907. He was the leading financier of the Progressive Era, and his dedication to efficiency and modernization helped transform American business.

Rockefeller

an American industrialist and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy. As kerosene and gasoline grew in importance, Rockefeller's wealth soared, and he became the world's richest man and first American worth more than a billion dollars. Adjusting for inflation, he is often regarded as the richest person in American history.