The 1900's History Vocabulary

Stock holder

A person who purchased shares of stock

Social Darwinism

Survival of the fittest in social and economic terms. Important during the second industrial revolution.

Mercantilism

Take raw materials and make them into goods you can sell to the world. Profitable and controversial.

Western Hemisphere

The half of Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian.

Robber Barons

The negative term for Captains of Industry, because they took over an industry.

Vulcanization

A chemical process for converting natural rubber or related polymers into more durable materials via the addition of sulfur or other equivalent curatives or accelerators. This method was invented. By Charles Goodyear around the time of the Second Industrial Revolution.

Colombia

A country at the northern tip of South America. Refused to accept America's offer of ten million dollars to build a canal through Panama.

Malaria

A disease caused by a plasmodium parasite, transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms are chills, fever, and sweating, usually occurring a few weeks after being bitten. One of the main diseases to kill Americans during the Spanish American war.

Steamship

A ship that is propelled by a steam engine. The railroad, better sailing ships, telegraph, telephone, and this reduced the time and cost of transportation and communication.

Tariff

A tax on imports or exports. High tariffs protected American industry from foreign competition.

Puerto Rico

An island in the West Indies, which was owned by Spain until the Spanish American War, after which it was ceded to the United States. Those living there have the rights of American citizens (except for the right to vote for national officials), and they elect their own governor and legislature.

Spheres of Influence

European nations attempts to divide China among themselves, and each would have their own trade rights and special privileges.

Dysentery

Inflammation of the intestines accompanied by bloody diarrhea. One of the main diseases to kill Americans during the Spanish American war.

Alexander Graham Bell

Inventor of the telephone in 1867, which was in coming into common people's homes by 1900.

Colonel William C. Gorgas

Led efforts to clean up the breeding groups of mosquitoes, and also eliminated unsanitary conditions which caused disease and death.

Yellow Press

News reporting aimed at increasing circulation. Used pre the Spanish American war, and possibly the reason why it occurred.

Monoply

The exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service. During the Second Industrial Revolution, this happened to many industries such as petroleum (Rockefeller) and steel (Carnegie).

Monroe Doctrine

The new political order devolving the rest of the Americas and the role of Europe in the Western Hemisphere. In 1895, it was used to force Great Britain into settling a boundary dispute with Venezuela.

Great White Fleet

16 naval ships painted white that circumnavigated the world to show Americans power. Theodore Roosevelts commission.

Yellow Dog contract

A contract in which a worker signs, agreeing not to join a union.

West Indies

A region of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean that includes the many islands and island nations.

The Yukon

A territory in northwest Canada where huge deposits of silver were found in the Yukon River Valley during the 1920s.

Quota System

Allowing only a certain amount of people from every foreign country to enter the United States. This was put into effect after WW1 because the population was growing faster than the United States could keep up. It was done away with in the 1960's and was replaced with a law that permitted 120,000 immigrants each year from the Western Hemisphere and 170,000 from other countries, and also gave preference to refugees, people with special skills of talents, and individuals with close relatives in the United States.

Alien

An immigrant who has not yet become an American citizen.

Mary Harris "Mother" Jones

In March 1903, she organized a Children's March from New York to Washington D. C. to publicize the terrible working situation for child laborers.

Henry Ford

Inventor of cars, and owner and creator of a successful motor company that is still prominent today. He invented the idea of mass production, which made his most famous car, the Model T, available to those who didn't have high earning jobs, because they way they were made was more efficient.

Charles Duryea

Inventors of one of the first cars.

Captains of Industry

People such as Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller who have a monopoly on an industry.

Guam

A U.S. island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific. It was ceded to the United States along with Puerto Rico and Cuba after the Spanish American war.

Panama

A country on the isthmus linking Central and South America where the Panama Canal is located.

Queen Liluokalani

A rebellion led by American settlers in Hawaii overthrew her in 1893.

Nelson A. Miles

After Santiago, Cuba surrendered, he lead an invasion of Puerto Rico, which in a few days was entirely under American control (Puerto Rico)

Boxer Rebellion

After the Open Door Policy was implemented, many Chinese felt their country was being interfered with too much, so they tried to put a stop to it with violence.

Knights of Labor

Early labor union formed in 1869 as a secret society of tailors, but then expanded to a much more open organization.

Pan American Union

Formed to promote friendship, trade, and understanding between the United States and Latin America.

T. R.

Teddy Roosevelt

"Speak softly and carry a big stick"

Teddy Roosevelts motto for the new and improved US navy after the Roosevelt Corollary.

William H. Taft

The 27th president of the United States who was in office at the very end of the 1900s.

Lockout

When a factory is closed in order to force workers to give up their demands.

Revolution

A forcible overthrow of a government or social system in favor of a new one. In 1895, Cuba led a revolution against Spain for freedom and self-government.

Cuba

A large Caribbean island nation. Owned by Spain until the Spanish American war, when it was given freedom.

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Major Walter Reed

An army doctor who proved that mosquitoes spread Yellow Fever.

Plessy vs. Fergusson

Case saying that separate but equal facilities were acceptable.

Independence

Freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others. Spain gave Cuba its independence in the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish American war.

Blacklist

Names of union activists are put on this and given to employers who refuse to hire them.

Steam Power

Power that is applied to an engine by the force of steam.

Old Immigration

The period before 1885 when most immigrants were from northern and Western Europe.

"Splendid Little War"

Words used by American Siplomat John Hay to describe the Spanish American war, because of its shortness and one sidedness.

Theodore Roosevelt

26th president of the United States who created the national park system. During the Spanish American war, he resigned his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to go to Cuba and help the Rough Riders. Favored an active role in Latin America, the Far East, and other areas in order to protect US interests.

The Philippines

A Southeast Asian country in the Western Pacific consisting of more than 7,000 islands. Shortly after George Dewey won the first major battle of the Spanish-American war, land troops forced the capital city of Manila to surrender.

Uriah Stephens

A US labor worker who founded the Knights of Labor in 1869, which started as a secret society.

Typhoid

A bacterial disease spread through contaminated food and water or close contact. Symptoms include high fever, headache, belly pain, and either constipation or diarrhea. One of the main diseases to kill Americans during the Spanish American war.

Shares of stock

A claim to a part of the corporation's assets and earnings. Corporations during the Second Industrial Revolution were able to raise large sums of money because many people bought this in the business.

China

A communist nation in East Asia, it is the world's most populous country. During the late 1700s and 1800s, European nations tried to expand their trade here in order to bring valuable products back to Europe, but they limited trade, because they did not trust the Europeans. They did open up ports eventually, because their military was weak and they were forced to.

Venezuela

A country on the northern coast of South America. The United States used the Monroe Doctrine to protect Venezuela from Italy, Germany, and Great Britain by persuading them to settle the issue of overdue bank loans peacefully.

Spheres of Influence

A country or area in which another country has power to affect developments although it has no formal authority. During the late 1890s, European nations wanted this, and if they got this, then each country would have trade rights and special privileges. This problem was solved by an "Open Door Policy"

Isthmus

A narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land. Panama was an isthmus, and therefore a perfect place to build a canal.

Caribbean Sea

A sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. Location of islands including Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Yellow Fever

A viral infection which is spread by a particular species of mosquito (this was discovered by Walter Reed during the Spanish American war). Mild cases cause fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Serious cases may cause fatal heart, liver, and kidney conditions. One of the main diseases to kill Americans during the Spanish American war.

Rough Riders

A volunteer cavalry regiment made up of an assortment of people. They captured San Juan Hill on the outskirts of Santiago, Cuba, which turned out to be a big boost to Roosevelt's political career, because of its high publicity.

Thomas A. Edison

Although he was a troubled student, he later went on to invent some of the most important inventions, a lot of which are still being used (in some variations) today. At 21, he invented the electronic vote counter, and his number of inventions grew to more than 1,000, the most famous of which were the lightbulb, phonograph, and microphone.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

An act by the government to control the abuses of big business by passing laws such as the Clayton Anti-Trust Act and the ______.

Roosevelt Corollary

An addition to the Monroe Doctrine, which states that the United States can intervene in any Latin American country guilty of "wrongdoing" or whose government was weak and ineffective. Created by Theodore Roosevelt.

Gentlemans Agreement

An arrangement or understanding which is based upon the trust of both or all parties, rather than being legally binding. The United States made one with Japan after many Japanese immigrants angered US citizens by their willingness to work for low wages. This set a quota on the number of immigrants who could come to the United States from Japan.

Corporation

An independent legal entity owned by shareholders. A new form of business formed after the Civil War.

Commander George Dewey

Commander during the first major battle of the Spanish American war. He took six American ships from Hong Kong to Manila Bay, and destroyed all of the 10 Spanish ships without losing anyone or any ships. It was purchased by the United States for $20 million after the Spanish American War had ended.

Treaty of Paris

Document that on December 10, 1898 offcially ended the Spanish American war.

John D. Rockefeller

During the late 1800s, He established a monopoly on the petroleum industry. One of the most well known families due to the wealth given to them by this man.

Samuel Gompers

Founded the American Federation of Labor in 1886 which included only skilled workers belonging to a particular craft.

Cede

Give up (power or territory). After the Spanish American war, Spain ceded the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam to the United States.

Dollar Diplomacy

Giving money to a poor country that needs it. Builds friends, so at times of war it takes a lot more to fight against each other.

Open Door Policy

In 1899, Secretary of State John Hay proposed this policy, which would keep China open to trade with all nations. All the foreign powers would have equal rights and privileges there.

Russo-Japanese War

In 1904-1905, Japan proved it was a world power by defeating Russia in this war. Theodore Roosevelt helped the two sides negotiate a peace treaty, but it did not force the Russians to pay Japanese war costs, so many anti-American demonstrations broke out in Japan.

Organization of American States (OAS)

In 1948, 21 countries joined this organization, which goals were to provide defense for member nations, cooperate to solve problems between members, and work to achieve economic, social, and cultural progress.

Second Industrial Revolution

In the fifty years following the American Civil War, dramatic changes in industry, technology, and the economy occurred.

Hawaii

Islands located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about 2,400 miles southwest of California. The remain islands include Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kaui, and Molokai. Five years after the Overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani, the United States annexed these islands. Military bases were build in the 1900s, and then it became the 50th state of the United States in 1959.

Jingoism

Make people believe something using propaganda and stories that are exaggerated. This made Americans want the Spanish American war, because they'd been hearing so many outrageous stories.

Guantanamo Bay

Naval base and military prison in southeastern Cuba. A treaty was signed between Cuba and the United States, permitting it.

Big Stick Policy

Nickname for Theodore Roosevelt's policy towards Latin American called the "Roosevelt Corollary." It lead to military intervention in Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Haiti, Honduras, Cuba, and Mexico.

Joseph Pulitzer

Owner of a newspaper that printed exaggerated facts about the Spanish, making them look more cruel than they really were.

William Randolph Hearst

Owner of a newspaper that printed exaggerated facts about the Spanish, making them look more cruel than they really were.

Standardized Parts

Parts of the same kind that are made exactly the same way, so they can be changed and fixed easily. This concept was invented by Eli Whitney, and put to use heavily at the time of mass production.

Good Neighbor Policy

Policy announced in 1933 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, which improved relations with Latin America by ending military intervention, promoting trade, and sending experts and economic aid to the region.

Isolationism

Policy suggested by George Washington that suggested the United States keep itself isolated from foreign countries, and remained the basis of American foreign policy during most of the 1800s.

William McKinley

President of the United States during the Spanish American War. 25th president 1897-1901

Santiago, Cuba

Second largest city of Cuba, lying on the southeastern side of the West Indie island. A fleet of Spanish ships was cornered at a harbor in Santiago at the same time of Commander Dewey's battle.

"Remember the Maine"

Slogan used in the United States to pressure the U.S. Government to declare war on Spain after an explosion at a Havana harbor kills the 260 men on board the "Maine." After McKinley sent three notes to Spain, demanding that Cuba be independent, and having those three notes ignored, he declared war.

Mother Country

The country of one's birth or ancestry

Detroit, MI, USA

The largest city in the midwestern state of Michigan. It was and currently is the location of many american car manufacturers, especially the ford motor company.

Mass Production

The manufacture of goods in large quantities by machinery and by use of techniques such as the assembly line and division of labor. Henry Ford's assembly line was a method of mass production.

Coffee, sugar, and tobacco trade

The materials the United States wanted that were grown in Cuba. They made the United States more eager to get Spain out of Cuba.

New Immigration

The period between 1885 and 1914 when most immigrants came from southern and Eastern Europe.

Naturalization

The process by which an alien becomes a US citizen. Some of the requirements for becoming a naturalized citizen include living in the United States for more than five years, showing knowledge of United States history and government, and being able to read, write, and speak English.

New South

The term used to describe the former confederate states once new industries such as iron, lumber, and citrus fruits had emerged.

Russia

The world's largest nation, borders European and Asian countries as well as the Pacific and Arctic oceans. In 1867, Secretary of State William H. Seward pursued Alaska from this country for $7,200,000

Wright Brothers (Wilbur and Orville)

They successfully created the first airplane, and in 1903 they tested it in Kitty Hawk, South Carolina. It flew for 12 seconds, and went 120 feet.

AFL-CIO American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

Two labor unions that merged in 1955 to become more this more powerful organization. The AFL included only skilled workers belonging to particular crafts such as machinists, carpenters, and plumbers; had 8 million members by 1955. The CIO included all skilled and unskilled workers in a single industry such as all auto workers in the United States; 6 million members by 1955.

Sewards Folly or Icebox

When the purchase of Alaska occurred people thought it was a stupid idea and called it this.

Kitty Hawk, South Carolina

Where the first airplane was tested successfully.