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First Gasoline Powered Automobile
Karl Benz created the gasoline automobile which was powered by an internal combustion system (Library of Congress, n.d.). -
The Great Railroad Strike of 1877
The Great Railroad Strike began in Martinsburg, West Virginia on July 14, 1877. The strike was a response to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's cut in worker's wages. Trains were prohibited to pass until such cut in wages was resolved (Piper, 93-110, 2013). -
Edison's Invention of the Incandescent Lightbulb
Thomas Edison invented the first incandescent lightbulb. This lightbulb passed electricity through a titanium filament in the bulb. Though only burning for a few hours at a time, Edison's invention led to the creating of countless electrical appliances as well as the improvement of the lightbulb itself (Floyd, 67-69,1979). -
The Chinese Exclusion Act
With this act, the immigration of all Chinese laborers. Chinese immigrants became the first illegal immigrants subject to restrictions because of race (YAWP, Chapter 19, American Empire). -
The Dawes Act of 1887
The Dawes Act allowed the federal government to break up lands belonging to Native Americans. Indian reservations were split up into 160-acre portions, each assigned to one family, and the remaining of the land was distributed to white pioneers (Carlson, 274-276, 1978). -
Jacob Riis Publishes "How the Other Half Lives"
Jacob Riis, a New York City Journalist, published the book, "How the Other Half Lives." In this book, the true conditions of working and and living conditions of the New York City's slums are portrayed. Riis also brought attention to the urban poverty that was so ramped (YAWP, Chapter 20, The Progressive Era). -
The General Federation of Women's Clubs
The General Federation of Women's Clubs was formed in hopes of promoting volunteer community service. There were nearly 80,000 women in which were apart of the General Federation of Women's Clubs and actively participates in community service (YAWP, Chapter 21, The Progressive Era). -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Plessy vs. Ferguson was a court case which legalized segregation under the "separate but equal" belief. Ferguson won the case with a seven-to-one majority (YAWP, Chapter 20, The Progressive Era). -
The National Association of Colored Women
The NACW's job was to advocate for women's rights and better the status which African Americans held. The NACW eventually became the largest association of local African American women's clubs (YAWP, Chapter 21, The Progressive Era).