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Nativism
Nativists believed that they were the actual "Native" Americans despite being directly descended from immigrants themselves. In response to waves of immigrants in the mid-19th century, Nativists created political parties to try and limit the rights of immigrants. -
Susan B. Anthony
American social reformer and women's right activist that played a major role in earning the woman's suffrage movement's goals. She was born into a quaker family and was committed to the idea of social equality. When she was 17, she collected anti-slavery petitions. In 1863, she set up a Women's National Loyal League to support and petition for the Thirteenth Amendment outlawing slavery. -
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was one of the wealthiest businessmen in the United States and a self-made steel tycoon. Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Steel Corporation, which was the largest of its kind in the world. He helped build plants with technology that helped make the process of creating steel easier, and helped out the railroad industry and many others. -
Jane Addams
Jane Addams was a valedictorian with a bachelor's degree graduate of the Rockford College for Women. Jane began the study of medicine for the next 6 years, but left it due to poor health and spent 21 months studying, reading, and writing about her life objectives in Europe. Later in life, Addams joined with Ms. Starr to create a public house for the less fortunate folk of Chicago. They leased a large home built by Charles Hull, which came to be known as the Hull House. -
Settlement House
An institution in an inner-city area providing educational, recreational, and other social services to the community. Jane Addams founded the most well-known settlement house in Chicago (The Hull House.) -
Clarence Darrow
Lawyer whose work as a defense counsel in many dramatic cases made him famous and earned him a place in American legal history. He defended Eugene V. Debs in a legal case and many other union leaders during the Pullman Strike. Clarence was appointed Chicago city corporation counsel by his friend Judge John Peter Altgeld, afterward governor of Illinois. Darrow defended many controversial cases in his lifetime. -
Robber Barons (Captains of Industry)
In the late 19th century a captain of industry was a business leader whose means of amassing a personal fortune contributed positively to the country in some way. This may have been through increased productivity, expansion of markets, providing more jobs, or acts of philanthropy. -
Populism & Progressivism
Progressivism is the term applied to a variety of responses to the economic and social problems rapid industrialization introduced to America. Progressivism began as a social movement and grew into a political movement. In the early 1890s, farmers, laborers, and middle class activists founded a political party named the People's Party, also known as the Populist Party. -
Jacob Riis
American newspaper reporter, social reformer, and photographer who, with his book How the Other Half Lives (1890), shocked the conscience of his readers with factual descriptions of slum conditions in New York City. -
Political Machines
A political machine is a political group in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses (usually campaign workers), who receive rewards for their efforts. Tammany Hall was an example of a political machine. They controlled New York City's politics from late in the 18th century until midway into the 20th century was seldom dominated by a single "boss." Boss Tweed, the last of the Tammany Hall politicians was an exception. -
Eugene V. Debs
Debs left home at 14 to work in the railroads and later on he became a locomotive fireman. He helped organize the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. In 1893, Debs became the president of the newly established American Railway Union. Debs successfully united railway workers from different crafts into the first industrial union in the United States. Debs gained great fame for leading the Chicago Pullman Palace Car Company strike. During hime in prison, he was influenced by the works of Karl Marx. -
William Jennings Bryan
Ran unsuccessfully 3 times for U.S. presidency in 1869, 1900, and 1908. He was very successful in influencing eventual adoptions of some reforms. He was renowned as a gifted debater and opposed high tariffs and came to be considered the national leader of the Free Silver Movement, which was in opposition of the Eastern bankers and industrialists which favored the "hard money" policy and the gold standard. In 1896, he was nominated for President at the age of 36, on July 8th. -
Muckraker
The term muckraker was used in during the Progressive era to describe someone who would "rake the mud" from an industry, company, or business that used shady practices. It was used on progressive, reform-minded American journalists who attacked established institutions and leaders as corrupt. Investigative journalists view the muckrakers as early influences and a continuation of watchdog journalism. They also could have influenced modern whistleblowers. -
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt became the president after McKinley was assassinated. He took the job of being president as being a "steward of the people" and felt as if the president should do anything in his power for the public good, as long as it is constitutional. Roosevelt lead the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War during a charge at the battle of San Juan. Roosevelt was also known for sending the Great White Fleet on a world tour. His famous phrase was "speak softly and carry a big stick." -
Upton Sinclair
He was the author of The Jungle, a book about the meat industry and the treatment of the workers in it. The book, instead, convinced many people for a reform of the meat industry itself. -
Ida B. Wells
African-American feminist who led an anti-lynching campaign in the United States in the 1890s. She went on to found and become integral in groups striving for African-American justice. She was the founder of the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). -
16th Amendment
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration. Allows for the government to collect an income tax from all Americans. Other taxes, such as taxes on houses or other property are considered “direct” taxes by the Constitution and would have to be divided back among the states. -
18th Amendment
The only amendment to be repealed from the constitution, the 18th amendment was unpopular; it banned the sale of alcohol. This amendment took effect in 1919 and was a failure that only made things worse.
