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Tammany House
A New York City political powerhouse that rose to prominence during the Gilded Age of the late 19th century under Boss Tweed, the hall was often associated with political corruption and abuses of power. Tammany Hall was also known however as an advocate for immigrants and the working class, contributing to neighborhoods and communities in exchange for votes and support for Tammany's goals. Showcased the power of the rising number of American immigrants and the corruption of American government. -
Laissez-Faire Capitalism
A concept that first emerged during the original Industrial Revolution as a model of capitalism where the government does not interfere or restrict corporations actions, separating economics and state. Allowed for workers to work in dangerous conditions with little pay for the benefit of employers and for corporations to not have to restrain activities for environmental concerns. Led to rise of Unions like the AFL to protect workers and was critiqued in the Progressive movement. -
Social Gospel
A social movement of the late 19th century preached mostly by Protestant ministers who stated that an ideal life following the example of Jesus was one where citizens put aside their own needs to donate to others and advance society, finding happiness in good works and donations which would lead to salvation. Critiqued the concept of Social Darwinism as cruel and aligned itself with the Progressive Movement, advocating for public health, education, and employment reforms. -
Social Darwinism
A movement during the later 19th century that used the theory of Survival of the Fittest to justify social and economic differences, often being used to characterize the poor or other races as naturally meant to be in a lesser situation than those considered "superior". Justified unfair treatment under Laissez-Faire Capitalism as the state of being as well as racist acts such as the Chinese Exclusion Act as how life is meant to be, fought against by Union groups and Progressives. -
Sand Creek Massacre
A massacre by U.S. troops against the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples in Colorado where the natives killed had been non hostile to the U.S. and had tried to surrender to the U.S. forces. Destabilized the Cheyenne and led to increased violence by the Native Americans in retaliation. -
AFL
The American Federation of Labor was founded by Samuel Gompers and quickly became one of the strongest Unions in the U.S. post-Haymarket Riot, focused upon universal issues such as higher wages and shorter hours while only allowing skilled white male workers to join. Preferred to keep out of politics and avoid strikes, and increased the quality of life for thousands of Americans. -
Grange Movement
The Nation Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry was an organization of Farmers and agricultural groups who sought to advance agriculture in the U.S. as well as secure an end to monopolies by corporations and aid to farmer debts, with the movement's ideals influencing the Populist party and the Progressive Movement. Also sough to advance farming techniques to increase productivity, seeing the farmer as key to American society and stability. -
The Second Industrial Revolution
A continuation and expansion of the Industrial Revolution that lasted between the late 1800s and early 1900s where due to abundant resources, a population of immigrant workers, and American innovators the U.S.'s industry grew to rival European powers such as Great Britain with new inventions such as the telephone, complex railroad systems, and mass produced goods. Brought about higher standards of living but also caused the rise of Laissez-Faire Capitalism and the need for Union organizations. -
Panic of 1873
Capitalist over-expansion led to over-extension of the market, causing thousands of American businesses to fail and establishing a cycle of economic highs and lows within the U.S. Caused conflicts over how to settle the debt between creditors wanting hard money and debtors wanting to pay in greenbacks, leading to the establishment of Greenback party that wanted to fight inflation as well as contributing to debates over hard money as well as the issues such as the gold standard. -
WCTU
The Woman's Christian Temperance Movement was one of the largest women led groups in the late 19th century who saw alcohol as a moral vice that corrupted the nation and thus sought the end of its sale in America. Also advocated for prison and education reform as well as moral reform, appealing often to educated white women. Originally also advocating for suffrage the movement eventually focused more upon prohibition, eventually leading to the passage of the 20th amendment. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
Created in order to limit Chinese immigration into the West due to racism against Chinese laborers who poor white workers claimed took away jobs such as the railroads and saw the Chinese as threatening American life. Meant to last ten years but was continually renewed and segregated Chinese immigrants and Chinese-American citizens already in U.S. labeling them as outsiders and lesser citizens through usage of laws like the "Dog Tag" which required I.D.s for Chinese citizens. -
Haymarket Bombing
Originally was a protest against the deaths of two workers in Chicago at an earlier strike against McCormick Reaper Works when an unknown individual threw a bomb at police, leading to the police and the crowd to open fire and several deaths. Caused a rise in anti-Union and xenophobic thinking as after a controversial trial eight men were labelled as anarchists and sentenced to death. Caused the fall of the Knights of Labor and increased anti-union and anti-immigrant propaganda. -
Dawes Act
Signed into law by President Grover Cleveland to force Native Americans to assimilate to American lifestyles or have their lands taken away at a low cost by Western Expansion. Stated that tribal land was not communal but was to be divided into lots to be owned by individual Native Americans or family units, who would become American citizens and have 25 years to prove their competent usage of the land in farming or else the land would be taken for public sale. Continued Manifest Destiny. -
Gospel of Wealth
An essay published by industrialist Andrew Carnegie that advocated for Social Darwinism in economics, stating that under capitalism it was natural for the few to have extreme wealth due to their work and merit in survival of the fittest. Also advocated for the rich to use their money wisely to help with wealth inequality by using their wealth to establish institutions like libraries to encourage the poor to improve rather than donating money. Encouraged philanthropic behavior among rich. -
Hull House
The most famous settlement house in the U.S. located in Chicago and run by Jane Addams, the house helped new immigrants to the U.S. settle into American life through instruction in English, child care and education, and helping immigrants locate themselves into communities of their fellow immigrants. Aided immigrants at the cost of assimilation of the immigrants away from their traditions, and was the shining example of countless other settlement houses across the U.S. -
Ghost Dance Movement
A religious movement among Native Americans lead by a prophet named Wovoka who claimed to have been told by God to preform the dance to spread peace and remove white Americans from the U.S., which was seen by the U.S. government to be an act of protest and contributed to increased conflicts between Native Americans and the U.S. such as the Wounded Knee massacres. -
NAWSA
The combination of the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Associations the NAWSA was formed to push women's suffrage state by state while also sponsoring smaller suffrage groups, helping to achieve the 19th amendment. Included famous feminists like Susan B. Anthony -
Wounded Knee Massacre
U.S army's seventh Calvary surrounded a group of Ghost Dancers of led by Sioux Chief Big Foot where over 150 Native Americans were killed where half of the slain were women and children. Ended the Ghost Dance Movement and caused the eventual end of U.S. troops fighting with Plains Native Americans, establishing dominance of the American government and continuing Manifest Destiny in the government through laws such ass the Dawes Act. -
Panic of 1893
An economic depression that lasted between 1893 and 1897 and was the worst American economic depression until the Great Depression that was caused at the beginning by the collapse of the National Cordage Company and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, which caused panic in the stock market and many businesses and banks to go bankrupt due to overextending through borrowed money and loans. Employment in the U.S. went up five percent and caused increase support for the Populist party. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
A landmark case for the state of segregation in the U.S. when a 1/8th black man named Homer Plessy as part of a protest of segregation in train cars sat in the white section of a Louisiana train and was asked to move on account of his racial ancestry. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the train company and segregation, claiming that the "separate but equal" policy of Jim Crow policies and other such laws was legal as long as they truly were equal. Continued racial inequality in the U.S.
