Unit 4 Key Terms (A) APUSH

Haymarket Riot

100,000 workers attended this 1886 rally in Chicago to protest police brutality against striking workers. The rally became violent after someone threw a bomb, killing seven policemen and prompting a police backlash. The Knights of Labor were blamed for the attack despite a lack of evidence. After the riot, leaders of the Knights were arrested and imprisoned, and public support for the union cause plunged, adding to the degrading national opinion of unions and those involved.

Homestead Strike

1892 steelworker strike near Pittsburgh against the Carnegie Steel Company in retaliation against wage cuts. Ten workers were killed in a riot when "scab" labor was brought in to force an end to the strike. This was one of the most violent strikes in U.S. history, ultimately put down by Pinkerton Police and the state militia. This stike contributed to the increaingly damaged image of unions.

Horatio Alger

A 19th-century American author, who is best known for his routine juvenile novels about lower-class boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of middle-class security and comfort through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty. These rags to riches stories helped upper- and middle-class men claim that they had earned their way up through their ingenuity and hard work rather than the commonly advertised corruption and greed they were portrayed as having.

Henry George

A California printer, journalist, and influential activist whose ideas about taxes and reform were widely propagated. After seeing poverty in India and greed in the U.S. he wanted to do something so he wrote Progress and Poverty in 1879 in order to solve "the great enigma of our times." According to his work, he believed that the pressure of a growing population on a fixed supply of land unjustifiably pushed up property values, and suggested a single tax to fix the problem. He lectured all over America and England expressing his ideas of distribution of wealth and socialism.

Boxer Rebellion

A Chinese secret organization called the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists led an uprising in northern China against the spread of Western and Japanese "spheres of influence". This occurred soon after the "Open Door" notes and they were defeated after almost winning, and the world powers accepted compensation from the Chinese for damages instead of giving them more freedoms.

Trust

A _____ is a group of corporations run by a single board of directors, which own stock of the various companies and control industry prices and standards. While similar to a guild, this collaboration method is the legitimization of pool agreements, and became a common operation in industries.

Monopoly

A ________ is the domination of an industry by a single company that fixes prices and discourages competition. This gives the large corporation an advantage over smaller businesses because they are able to control the prices of commodities and the market. This was deemed illegal by the Supreme Court and was the cause of several new business tactics attempting to gain the advantages of a _____ without the title of one.

Holding Company

A company that existed to gain monopoly controls over an industry by buying a large number of shares of stock in as many companies as possible in that industry. The best example in American history was John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil corporation. This was one of the tactics to get around a legal monoploy while still reaping the benefits, and are still around.

Social Darwinism

A late 19th-century social theory which states that the level a person rises to in society and wealth is determined by their genetics. This absurd theory was used by industrialists and social conservatives to discourage government regulation in society, justify the competition of laissez-faire capitalism, and support imperialist policies. This ideology contributed to racism and social-superiority thoughts.

Coxey's Army

A protest march from Ohio to Washington of 500 unemployed workers, led by Populist businessman Jacob Coxey, demanding inflation and a public works program during the depression of the 1890s. It was the only one of several groups that had set out for the U.S. capital to actually reach its destination. Armed police barred them from the capital and arrested Coxey and his 'army' was herded into camps because their presence supposedly endangered public health. Their goal was to provide jobs for the unemployed, but, despite the publicity his group received, it had no impact on public policy.

Molly Maguires

A secret Irish organization of coal miners in regions of western Pennsylvania and West Virgina in the mid to late 1800's. The miners worked together to achieve improved working conditions, and when their demands weren't met, they protested by destroying mining equipment and other activities. They were eventually brought down by a Pinkerton detective, and some alleged members had trials and were hanged. Groups like these were often associated with violent Unions and contributed to the national disapproval of strikes and labor unions.

Vaudeville

A type of inexpensive variety shows that first appeared in the 1870s, often consisting of comic sketches, song-and-dance routines, and magic acts into the 20th century. This form of comedy introduced family-friendly media and influenced modern television as well.

Spanish American War

Also known as "The Splendid Little War", this conflict started because of yellow journalism in 1898 stirring the public after things like the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine, and anger over Spain's treatment of Cubans. It lasted less than 3 months and resulted in Cuba's independence as well as the US annexing Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, making America a major power in the Pacific.

Pendleton Act

Also known as the Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, Chester Arthur wrote the ______ ___. This made compulsory campaign contributions from federal employees illegal and established the Civil Service Commission to make appointments to federal jobs on the basis of examination rather than patronage. This eliminated the spoils system and is active in modern government.

Theodore Dreiser

American naturalist, novelist, and journalist from Indiana who wrote Sister Carrie, The Financier, and The Titan. He pioneered the naturalist school and is known for portraying characters whose value lies not in their moral code, but in their persistence against all obstacles, and literary situations that more closely resemble studies of nature than tales of choice and agency. His writings helped reveal the poor conditions people in the slums faced and influenced reforms.

Henry James

American writer who lived in England and wrote numerous novels around the theme of the conflict between American innocence and European sophistication/corruption, with an emphasis on the psychological motivations of the characters. Famous for his novel Washington Square and his short story "The Turn of the Screw." Other literary realistic works include Daisy Miller, The Portrait of a Lady, The Ambassadors, The American, The Bostonians, and The Golden Bowl. This author supported the feminist movement and was a significant critic of the guilded age.

"Half Breeds and Stalwarts"

During the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes, the Republican Party was split into two factions: the Half-Breeds and Stalwarts. The Stalwarts were the conservative faction and opposed all forms of civil service reform, preferring to keep in place the existing patronage system and the protective tariff. Among their numbers were many Radical Republicans, Union war veterans and most of the Republican political bosses. The Half-breeds, a term coined by Stalwarts, were the moderately liberal faction of the Republican Party. They backed Hayes' lenient treatment of the South and supported civil service reform.

The Grange

Established in 1867 and also known as the Patrons of Husbandry, this organization helped farmers form cooperatives and pressured state legislators to regulate businesses on which farmers depended like railroads. Involved in the Populist movement, the _______rs encouraged farm families to band together for their common economic and political well-being, and influenced "Granger Laws" in some states helped set maximum railroad rates and eliminated other questionable railroad practices.

Henry Cabot Lodge

Henry Cabot Lodge was the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who disagreed with the Versailles Treaty, mostly the section that called for the League to protect a member who was being threatened. He led a group of senators during Woodrow Wilson's presidency known as the "reservationists" during the 1919 debate over the League of Nations. Lodge proposed amendments to the League Covenant but Wilson would not accept and we did not join.

"Taylorism"

Implemented by Fredrick W. Taylor, this was named scientific management and aimed to reduce waste and increase productivity. It was resented by many because it broke down jobs into simple tasks, making it easier for managers to replace unruly or striking workers. This system was more efficient and became widely used, drastically changing the workplace.

Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1893

In 1890, an act was passed so that the treasury would by 4.5 million ounces of silver monthly and pay those who mined it in notes that were redeemable in either gold or silver. This was a compromise between the western silver agitators and the eastern protectionists. The Westerners agreed to support a higher tariff and the protectionists supported the Act. This law doubled the amount of silver that could be purchased under the Bland-Allison Law of 1878. The introduction of large quantities of overvalued silver into the economy lead to a run on the federal gold reserves, leading to the Panic of 1893. when it was repealed.

Pullman Strike

In Chicago 1894, Pullman cut wages but refused to lower rents in the Pullman Palace Car "company town". Eugene Debs convinced the American Railway Union to refuse to use Pullman cars, and he was thrown in jail after being sued. This strike achieved nothing and was ended by President Cleveland due to the interference with the mail system, bringing a bad image upon unions.

Open Door Policy

Issued by U.S. secretary of state John Hay (1899), the policy was proposed by the US in 1899, claiming ALL nations should have equal opportunities to trade in China. The U.S. wanted to prevent countries from setting up separate spheres of influence within China, thereby blocking potential U.S. trade opportunities.

"Crime of 73"

The Fourth Coinage Act was enacted by the United States Congress in 1873 and embraced the gold standard and demonetized silver. U.S. set the special standard in gold and not silver, upsetting miners who referred to it as a crime and those who supported an inflationary monetary policy, particularly farmers. In the later 1870's new silver discoveries were made that shot production up and prices down. This led to a call to bring back the silver currency but Congress refused. Like paper money, the demand for more silver was just another scheme to promote inflation.

Interstate Commerce Act & Commission

The Interstate Commerce Act was the first government attempt to regulate business by requiring railroads to charge fair rates and to publish those shipping rates, which actually helped railroads more than farmers, by stabilizing rates. The Act also established the I.C.Commission, A five-member board that monitors the business operation of carriers transporting goods and people between states.

National Consumer League

The NCL provides government, businesses, and other organizations with the consumer's perspective on concerns including child labor, privacy, food safety, and medication information. It was a private, nonprofit advocacy group mobilizing the power of women as consumers to represent consumers on marketplace and workplace issues.

"Free Silver"

The _____ _____ movement was Part of the Populist platform, supported by William Jennings Bryan, proposing 16 oz of silver to equal 1 oz of gold on a bimetallism ration, which was supposed to reduce inflation. This Unrestricted minting of silver money would lead to more money circulating throughout the country raising the prices of farm crops, which would help farmers pay off their debts. It was not adopted quickly because all other countries used a gold standard.

American Federation of Labor

The ______ was founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers who was unhappy with the Knights, and focused on 'bread and butter' issues like better wages and hours for skilled laborers. This union was non-violent, rejected socialist and communist ideas, and remains active today.

Gospel Of Wealth

The belief that, as the guardians of society's wealth, the rich have a duty to serve society. This was promoted by Andrew Carnegie who donated more than $350 million to libraries, schools, peace initiatives, and the arts. Many other entrepreneurs took part in this, and it helped improve their public images from corrupt buisnessmen to generous benefactors.

Teller Amendment

This Amendment was drafted by Henry M. Teller and declared that the US had no desire for control in Cuba & pledged the US would leave the island alone after freeing it from Spain. The amendment was passed as many in the muckraking press were suggesting that the Cuban people would be better off "under the protection" of the U.S and served to ease Cuban hostilities towards the US.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

This act banned any formations that would restrict trade, not distinguishing between bad and good trusts and was the first federal action against monopolies. It was signed into law by Harrison and was extensively used by Theodore Roosevelt for trust-busting. It was intended to prevent the creation of monopolies by making it illegal to establish trusts that interfered with free trade but was initially misused against labor unions and it showed that the government was slowly moving away from laissez-faire ideals.

Platt Amendment

This amendment to the new Cuban constitution authorized U.S. intervention in Cuba to protect its interests. Cuba pledged not to make treaties with other countries that might compromise its independence, not to borrow money that they can't pay back, and it granted naval bases to the United States, like Guantanamo Bay.

Yellow Journalism

This form of Journalism exploits distorts or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers. The term is an allusion to the cartoon "The Yellow Kid" in the old New York World. William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer used this form of journalism to promote the Spanish-American War by playing up news events (like the sinking of the Maine) to anger American public towards Spain.

Populism

This was a farm-based movement of the late 1800s that arose mainly in the area from Texas to the Dakotas and grew into a joint effort between farmer and labor groups against big business and machine-based politics. It was supported by Southern and Western Democrats, women, and "muckrakers", and they aimed for government ownership of railroads and control of money supply. The movement became a third party in the election of 1892.

Panic of 1893

This was a serious economic depression beginning in 1893 due to railroad companies over-extending themselves, causing bank failures. 8,000 businesses collapsed (including railroads) and a decrease of gold reserves led to Cleveland's repeal of Sherman Silver Purchase Act as confidence in the US dollar plunged. The depression lasted about four years and was the worst Panic yet with unemployment reaching 20%, and was nearly as bad (or equal to) the Great Depression.

Knights of Labor

This was the first national labor Union and was open to everyone except lawyers and bankers. They did not have specific goals and focused on several different issues, some of which were unconventional or not widely supported. The system was weak and they eventually fell apart, but they helped kickstart the union system and were set apart by including all races, genders, and skill levels with few exceptions.

Alfred T. Mahan

US Navy captain who encouraged the US to look outward for military bases, raw materials, markets and argued in 1890 that the economic future of the United States rested on new overseas markets protected by a larger navy. He wrote "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History" and influenced a huge military build up which made the US the 3rd largest navy in the world.

William Jennings Bryan

_____ _. _____ was a Democratic candidate for president in 1896 and 1900. His goal of "free silver" won him the support of the Populist Party. Though a gifted orator, he lost the election to Republican McKinley. Later he opposed America's imperialist actions, and in the 1920s, he made his mark as a leader of the fundamentalist cause and prosecuting attorney in the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Tammany Hall

_____ ____ was a democratic Irish political machine that controlled politics in NYC in the late 1800s. The Hall was controlled by Boss William Tweed who was exposed by the political cartoons of Thomas Nast in Harpers Weekly for stealing about 200 million dollars from NYC taxpayers. The society "supported" immigrants and poor people of the city, who were needed for Democratic election victories. These machines were fraught with corruption and responsible for high voter turnouts.

Farmers' Alliances

_____ ____ were groups of farmers, or those in sympathy with farming issues, who sent lecturers from town to town to educate people about agricultural and rural issues. They wanted lower interest rates on loans and government control over railroads and banks, as well as higher crop prices, direct sales to customers, and the means to stockpile harvested crops. Formed in the late 1800's, they were involved with the Grangers, and took part in agrarian refoms.

Samuel Gompers

_____ _____ founded the American Federation of Labor in 1886 and was its President until his death in 1924. The AFL was one of the first labor unions, accepted only skilled workers, methodized collective bargaining, and worked on getting people better hours and wages. The formation of this union led to the formation of several more in upcoming years and set the precedent for basic goals of a union. It was actually so well organized that it is still active today.

Horizontal Intergration

_____ ______ was the joining together of businesses engaged in similar business activities or processes into one large corporation. Standard Oil was a prime example of this type of integration, and by buying up several smaller companies Carnegie was able to create a monopoly. Because this leads to a monopoly, it is illegal to buy up a majority of the industry.

Eugene V. Debs

______ _. ______ was the head of the American Railway Union and director of the Pullman strike, after which he was imprisoned for ignoring a federal court injunction to stop striking. While in prison, he read Socialist literature and emerged as a Socialist leader in America. He became one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World and was the candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President five times.

Vertical Integration

________ _________ is the owning of the means of production, processing, and transportation all by one company, allowing them to control prices and make more profits. This is not illegal and is still practiced today.