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Sand Creek Massacre
The killing of the Cheyenne and Arapaho people by the U.S. army for control over Colorado. It was part of a series of conflicts between Plains Indian tribes with settlers from the East and federal troops. 150-500 killed with an American victory. -
Grange Movement
Made to advance methods of agriculture and promote the social and economic needs of farmers and the agricultural community. Assisted farmers with purchasing machinery, building grain elevators, lobbying for government regulation of railroad shipping fees and providing a support network for farm families. -
Purchase of Alaska
The U.S. bought Alaska from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million (about 2 cents an acre) from a treaty signed under President Andrew Johnson. Russia sold Alaska out of fear it would be seized if war broke out between Great Britain. -
Ghost Dance Movement
Spiritual movement among Western American Indians associated with an end to white expansion with goals of clean living, an honest life, and cross-cultural cooperation by Indians. Believed to have contributed to Lakota resistance to assimilation under the Dawes Act. -
Laissez-faire Capitalism
A theory that restricts government intervention in the economy because the economy is strongest when all the government does is protect individuals' rights. The policy needs capitalism, the free market economy, and rational market theory to work in order for it to work. -
Social Darwinism
A social theory that human groups and races are subject to the same laws of natural selection as Charles Darwin perceived in plants and animals in nature. Emerged in the United Kingdom, North America, and Western Europe claiming to apply biological concepts to sociology and politics. -
2nd Industrial Revolution
The Second Industrial Revolution is characterized by the expansion of electricity, petroleum and steel that caused a series of innovations that changed society. Also known as the Technological Revolution, was a phase of rapid standardization and industrialization -
Battle of Little Bighorn
The battle was caused by the Second Treaty of Fort Laramie, in which the U.S. government guaranteed to the Lakota, Dakota, and the Arapaho exclusive possession of the Dakota Territory west of the Missouri River, had been broken. It resulted in Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War. -
Railroad Strike of 1877
Caused by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad cutting wages of workers three times in one year. Workers would not allow any of the trains to move until wage cut was repealed. More than 100,000 workers participated and more than half of the countries freight trains had stopped. It was unsuccessful. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
An immigration law passed that prevented Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States. The first immigration law that excluded an entire ethnic group. It also excluded Chinese nationals from eligibility for United States citizenship. -
Pendleton Act
The Act provided for selection of some government employees by the basis of merit competitive exams rather than ties to politicians, and made it illegal to fire or demote some government officials for political reasons. Signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur. -
Wabash v. Illinois
The result of the case was denial of state power to regulate interstate rates for railroad which severely limited the rights of states to control or impede interstate commerce. It led to the creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. -
Haymarket Riot
The aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration at Haymarket Square in Chicago. It began as a peaceful rally in support of workers striking for an eight-hour work day, the day after police killed one and injured several workers. It created a rise of anti-union and anti-labor attitudes across the United States. -
Billion Dollar Congress
The 51st U.S. Congress named for its lavish spending and incited drastic reversals in public support that led to Cleveland's reelection in 1892. They passed generous military pensions and approved long-stalled naval expansion. The spending resulted in the Sherman Silver Purchase Act and the Sherman Antitrust Act. -
Hull House
Hull House was a settlement house opened to recently arrived European immigrants providing recreational facilities for slum children, fighting for child labor laws, and helping immigrants become U.S. citizens. Its mission was to improve social conditions for underserved people and communities by providing creative, innovative programs and by advocating for related public policy reforms. -
Omaha Platform
The platform the the populist party adopted that called for the use of federal power to protect farmers and rural Americans, introduced reforms to taxing and senatorial elections, and demanded the continued coinage of silver to gold at a ratio of 16:1. -
Panic of 1893
A four year economic depression in the U.S. caused by the failure of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the National Cordage Company which resulted in a stock market crash. Produced the four party system in the realigning election of 1896 which resulted in the abolishment of third party system and the election of president William Mckinley. -
Anti Saloon League
the leading organization lobbying for prohibition. Founded by Howard Hyde Russell to secure a "dry" nation and the 18th amendment for many social, religious and economic reasons. -
Pullman Strike
The widespread railroad strike and boycott that severely disrupted rail traffic in the Midwest of the United States in an attempt to gain Union recognition, Wage increase, Rent reduction. Although it was unsuccessful, it left an impact in the U.S. labor movement to date. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
A court case in which granted the Constitution correct and upheld segregation between whites and blacks for over 50 years until Brown v. Board. Coined the phrase "Separate but Equal" although living conditions were far from equal.
