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Political Machines
A political machine is where a person does a favor for an authority figure or small group and receives a reward for it. Rewards can include jobs, government building contract, etc. For example, in the 1800s political machines were mainly used in Democratic parties for voting. -
Industrialization
Industrialization is the development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale. This spread to the West rapidly causing urbanization. It came to the United States in 1820, and turned small towns into growing cities. -
Indian Removal
The Indian Removal Act pushed all Native Indian tribes out of the East to the West, or the indian lands. It was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson in 1830. Only a few tribes went peacefully, most wouldn't leave their land without a fight. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny is the belief that God wanted them to spread their land coast to coast. It started by pushing people out to the West and new land the US obtained. The term Manifest Destiny originated in the 1840s. -
Third Parties Policies
Third Party Insurance is a form of liability insurance. Its bought from the first party from the second party. This began as early as 1854. -
Homestead act
The homestead act made public lands in the West available to settlers without payment in 1862. It was a way to get people to move out of big cities to this new land the US obtained. It usually came in 160 acres, to be used as farmland. -
Urbanization
Urbanization is the movement of people from the countryside to towns and cities. American Industrialization rapidly picked up after the end of the Civil war in 1865. This fast growing industrialization largely contributed to the beginning of urbanization. -
Susan B. Anthony
In 1872, Anthony was a prominent reformer. When trying to vote in Rochester New York, she was denied. She said that it was her right to vote under the 14th amendment and she took it to the U.S supreme court. But a judge refused her the right to vote because although she is a citizen women could not vote. -
Populism and Progressivism
Populism is the support for the concerns of ordinary people. This movement generally has the masses as followers. Progressivism is the support for or advocacy of social reform. People that usually follow this movement are usually the rich and elite population. Both movements started in the 1880's. -
Civil Service Reform
This act said that any position within the federal government must be earned if the person is worthy not through political affiliation. The Civil Service Reform act marked the end of the "spoils system". It was enacted in 1883. -
Haymarket Riot
On May 4, 1886, a labor protest rally near Chicago's Haymarket Square. It turned into a riot when someone threw a bomb at police. Eight radical labor activists were convicted in connection with the bombing, despite the lack of evidence. -
Dawes Act
The Dawes act was a way to assimilate Native Americans to the American culture. In order to do this they took away private tribal land for individual holdings. This act was established in 1887. -
Jane Addams
Jane Addams was a Progressive who started settlement houses in slum neighborhoods. A settlement house is an all-purpose community center for poor people in crowded cities. Addams actually lived at a Hull house at which she helped these people. In 1889, Jane Addams and a friend founded Hull-House in Chicago, which would eventually become the most famous settlement house in the US. -
Ida. B Wells
Well's lynching was a main tactic used to terrorize African Americans in the South. She organized a national anti-lynching crusade in the 1890s when three of her male friends were lynched for crimes they did not commit. Wells found that 728 African American men and women had been lynched in the previous decade. -
Andrew Carnegie
Carnegie started as a Scottish immigrant, he eventually grew to be one of America's richest and most powerful men. He gained his riches by selling iron and steel to railroad companies for tracks. Carnegie created the "Carnegie Steel Cooperation" in 1892. -
Willam Jennings Bryan
Jennings was nominated for the Democratic Party in 1892 after delivering his speech at the convention center. His speech was titled "Cross of Gold" and it praised farmers and denounced bankers. But Bryan's sense of moral outrage scared many voters, causing him to almost lose the election. -
Klondike Gold Rush
Gold was found by local miners on August 16, 1896 in Yukon, Canada. This triggered a stampede of prospectors only a year later. Some people became rich, but most people found nothing. -
Theodore Roosevelt
Roosevelt started to free state governments from corruption and influence of big business. He constantly worked to preserve the nations natural resources. Roosevelt was all about protecting public interest. In fact when the Coal Miners Strike of 1902 occurred, he stepped in and quickly solved the problem. -
Eugene V. Debs
Debs was one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World,members of which are called "Wobblies". It was founded in 1905 in Chicago, Illinois. He was also five times the candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
The FDA prevents the making,sale, or transportation of misbranded goods. This includes foods, drugs,medicines, and liquors. The FDA act was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. -
Muckraker
A muckraker is "one who inquires into and publishes scandal and allegations of corruption among political and business leaders". The term muckraker was widely used in the Progressive era in 1906. They are seen as early influences and a continuation of watchdog journalism. -
Upton Sinclair
Sinclair was one of the most important muckrakers in the twentieth century. A muckraker is a writer who searches out and reveals improper conduct in politics and business.His book "The Jungle" written on February 26, 1906, revealed many abuses of the meat packaging industry. -
Dollar Diplomacy
Dollar Diplomacy is when a country uses its financial power to influence internationally. This was mainly used during during President William Howard Taft's term in 1909 -
Initiative and Referendum
Initiative and Referendum are processes that allow citizens of many states to vote directly on particular pieces of legislation. An initiative process allows citizens to propose or initiate a statute or constitutional amendment. While a Referendum is that new constitutions must be submitted to the people for approval before they are ratified. This was ratified on October 10, 1911. -
17th amendment
The 17th amendment allows the citizens to vote for the Senators. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State. It was completely ratified in 1913. -
16th amendment
The 16th amendment allows the government to collect income tax from all Americans. This allows the U.S to keep an army, builds road and bridges, and enforce any laws. It was ratified February 3, 1913. -
Federal reserve act
The Federal reserve system is the central bank of the United States. It was created to ensure a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve Act was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on December 23, 1913. -
18th amendment
The 18th amendment was very unpopular in 1919 and a huge failure. It banned the sale and drinking of alcohol in the United States. The 18th was the only amendment to be repealed from the constitution. -
19th amendment
The 19th amendment is a very important one to the Unites States. It gave women the right to vote in 1920. Finally getting this right was a huge success for women in this era, because they had very little rights at this time. -
Nativism
Nativism is the policy of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants. Nativists created political parties to limit the rights of immigrants. This was the response to the huge waves of immigration in the 1920s. -
Suffrage
Suffrage is the right to vote in political elections. This has been a goal for many communities for many years. The biggest victory of this was the women's suffrage movement in 1920, which resulted in the 19th amendment. -
TeaPot Dome Scandal
The Teapot Dome Scandal involved a former United States Navy oil reserve in Wyoming in 1921. It was secretly leased to private oil company by the US government. This scandal began during the administration of President Harding. -
Clarence Darrow
Darrow was an American lawyer as well as a leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union. He represented Scopes in the "Monkey Trial". The "Monkey Trial" case occurred in 1925. -
The Gilded Age
The Gilded age, the 1930s, is known for a lot of corruption and uncontrolled capitalism. Its known to be glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath. Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner came up with the phrase “the Gilded Age”. -
Immigration and the American Dream
The American Dream is the idea that every US citizen should have the same opportunity to gain success through hard work. Immigrants came from many different foreign countries in order to better their lives. The term "American Dream" was created in 1931.
