Gilded Age Key Terms

Indian Wars

A result of America expanding west and the forced assimilation of Native Americans

Socialism

A way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government rather than by individual people and companies

Gospel of Wealth

Book written by Andrew Carnegie. Puts forth the idea of the rich giving back to those with less. Believes God supports the method used to created wealth

Dawes Act

Division of Native American lands. Gave each Native Americans a plot of land to farm. This was a form of assimilation

Jane Addams

Famous for supporting and creation of settlement houses. Opens the first settlement house in the USA called the Hull House

Ellis Island

Immigration station on the East Coast

Angle Island

Immigration station on the West Coast

Alexander Graham Bell

Inventor of the Telephone

Thomas Edison

Invents light bulb and electrical power stations

Indian Reservation

Land Native Americans were forced to live on during the Gilded Age. It was used as a way to force assimilation. Native Americans presently have more control over these lands and are free to leave

Samuel Gompers

Leader of American Federation of Labor. Wanted to gain collective bargaining rights to improve working conditions of laborers

Laissez Faire

Little to no government intervention (hands off) in economic activities. This is the relationship between business and government during the gilded age

Populist Parties

Made of poor farmers Lead by William Jennings Bryant

Wounded Knee-Massacre

Major battle of the Indian Wars. Over 150 Native American men , women, and children were killed. This battle marks the end of the Indian Wars

Bessemer Process

Method used to create steel cheaper and easier. Makes steel more affordable and increases its use

Chinese Exclusion Act

Nativist law prohibiting the immigration of all Chinese workers in 1882

Standard Oil Trust Company

Oil monopoly created by John D. Rockefeller during the Gilded Age. Used hash tactics to drive competitors out of the market

Bi-metal ism (free silver)

Populist goal of increasing the money supply by switching off the gold standard

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad built to connect the East and West coasts. Results in Increased trade in the USA. Leads to creation of time zones

Social Darwism

The belief the strongest business and people will survive. Nature decides who is successful and who isn't Used to support monopolistic practices because God is nature and support them

Tenements

Very inexpensively built apartment during the Gilded Age. Very dangerous, small, and unsanitary.

Horizontal Interegration

When a company controls one step in creating a product I.E. one company owns all out refineries

Vertical Intergration

When a company creates a monopoly by owning all the steps in creating the product from the new materials to the selling of the finished product

Monopoly

When one company controls all of a specific industry. Causes a reduction in competition

Assimilation

When one country or people adopt another more dominate culture either by choice or by force

Knight of Labor

Worlds largest labor organization during the Gilded Age. Wanted better hours, better pay, & better working conditions

Eugene V Debs

American Union leader and head of the Socialist Party. Ran for president 5 times but never won

Ethnic Neighborhoods

An area with a much height concentration on a cultural group

J P Morgan

Banker during the Gilded Age. Financed the creation of steal and electrical monopolies. Also called a Robber Barron/Captain of Industry

American Federation of Labor

Becomes largest labor union after Knights of Labor Collapses. Lead by Samuel Gompers

Social Gospel Movement

Believed it was the Christian responsibility of those with means ($) means to help those effected by social issues like economic inequality, poverty, alcoholism, crime, racial, tensions, slums, bad hygiene, child labor, inadequate labor unions, poor schools

Federal Land Grants

Federal government gives land to railroad companies to encourage them to build railroads across the country. Government uses eminent domain to take (buy) land from farmers to give to the railroads

Sherman Anti-trust Act

Federal law making trust/monopolies that limit competition illegal. Increases the power of federal government attempts to take power away from monopolies

Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act

Federal law/regulation requiring government jobs to be given on merit (work better and end power of political machines

Cornelius Vanderbilt

He created a railroad monopoly during the Gilded Age. He is a Captain of Industry/Robber Barron

Andrew Carneige

He created a steel monopoly during the Gilded Age. Also called a Robber Barron/Captain of Industry. Believes in the Gospel of Wealth

John D Rockefeller

He created an oil monopoly during the Gilded Age(Standard oil Trust) Also called a Robber Barron/Captain of Industry. He used vertical and horizontal integration to control oil industry

McKinley Tariff

Raised imported taxes by 50%

Settlement House

Started with the goal of helping immigrants and the poor find jobs, housing , food, healthcare, and education

Anti Saloon League

Supported prohibition (making alcohol illegal)

Urbanization

The term used when people start moving to urban areas from rural areas