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Industrialization
A development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale.The Industrial growth in the US started in the early 1800's. -
Bessemer steel production
The Bessemer Steel process was the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass production of steel from molten pig iron before the development of the open hearth furnace. The principle is removal of impurities from the iron by oxidation with air being blown through the molten iron. -
Susan B. Anthony
American social reformer and women's rights activist, who played a big role in the women's suffrage movement. -
Ida B. Wells
African-American investigative journalist and early leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. -
Jacob Riis
Social reformer, "muckraker" journalist. He used his photographic and journalistic talents to help the impoverished in NY. -
Alexander Graham Bell
Scottish-born scientists and invented the first practical telephone. He also founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. -
Samuel Gompers
English-born American labor union leader and a key figure in American labor history. He founded the American Federation of Labor and served as the president there. -
Haymarket Riot
A labor protest near Chicago's Haymarket square turned into a riot after someone threw a bomb at police. The Haymarket Riot was viewed a setback for the organized labor movement in America, which was fighting for such rights as the 8 hour workday. -
Interstate Commerce Act
US federal law that was made to regulate the railroad industry, its monopolistic practices. -
Labor Strikes
A work stoppage, caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. The Great Railroad Strike: striking workers would not allow any of the trains, mainly freight trains, to roll until this third wage cut was revoked. Homestead Strike: A strike in a battle between strikers and private security agents. Pullman Strike: nationwide railroad strike -
Sherman Antitrust Act
First Federal Act that outlawed monopolistic business practices. -
Klondike Gold Rush
A migration by an estimated 100,000 prospectors to the Klondike region of the Yukon in north-western Canada. -
Muckraker
A term used in the Progressive era to characterize reform-minded American journalists who attacked established institutions and leaders as corrupt. -
The Gilded Age
An era of rapid economic growth, especially in the North and West. -
Tenement
A multi-occupancy building of any sort. In the US it refers most specifically to a run-down apartment building or to a slum. -
Initiative, referendum, recall
An initiative process allows citizens to propose or initiate a statue or constitutional amendment. The referendum process allows citizens to refer a statute passed by the legislature to the ballot so that voters can enact or repeal the measure. Recall is a procedure that allows citizens to remove and replace a public official before the end of a term of office. -
Labor Unions
Organized association of workers formed to protect and further their rights and interests.
Knights of Labor: promoted the social and cultural uplift of the working man, rejected socialism and archaism, demanded the 8 hour day , and promoted the producers ethic of republicanism.
American Federation: An alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor.
Industrial Workers: combines general unionism with industrial unionism. -
Eugene V. Debbs
American socialist, one of the founding members of the Industrial workers of the World, member of the Socialist Party of America. -
Theodore Roosevelt
American statesman and writer who served as the 26th President of the United States. -
Pure Food and Drug act
A significant consumer protection laws which was enacted by Congress and led to the creation of the Food and Drug administration. -
16th Amendments
The 16th Amendment allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on the United States Census. -
Federal Reserve Act
Act of Congress that created and established the Federal Reserve System and the authority to issue Federal Reserve Notes as legal tender. -
Dollar Diplomacy
Dollar Diplomacy of United States was a form of America foreign policy to further its aims in Latin America and East Asia through use of its economic power by guaranteeing loans made to foreign countries. -
17th Amendments
Established the popular election of US Senators by the people of the states. -
William Jennings Bryan
Dominant force in the Democratic Party, former United States Secretary of State. -
18th Amendments
The 18th Amendment established the prohibition of intoxicating liquors in the United States by declaring the production, transport and sale of intoxicating liquors illegal. -
Jane Addams
Known as the 'mother' of social work. She is well known as an American settlement activist and leader in women's suffrage and world peace. -
Clarence Darrow
American lawyer, a leading member of the American civil Liberties Union, and a prominent advocate for Georgist economic reform. -
Nativisim
Nativism is the policy of protecting the interests of native-born or established inhabitants against those of immigrants. -
Settlement House
An institution in an inner-city area providing educational, recreational, and other social services to the community. -
Populism and Progressivism
A movement for social, economical and political reform that gained power. Progressives believed through rational development there would be unlimited potential. People that promoted this idea were usually writers, journalists, public speakers and even photographers. They used their skills to try to influence the public. -
Political Machines
Political group where a boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses, who receive rewards for their efforts. The machine's power is based on the ability of the workers to get out the vote for their candidates on election day. -
Social Gospel
The Social Gospel movement was a religious movement where ministers began to tie salvation and good works together. They argued that people most emulate the life of Jesus Christ. -
19th Amendments
Prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the US on the basis of sex. Women got the rights to vote. -
Tea Pot Dome Scandal
Scandal involving the administration of US President Warren G. Harding. Secretary Albert Bacon Fall had leased Navy Petroleum reserves at Teapot Dome in Wyoming. -
Upton Sinclair
Well known American writer, he wrote nearly 100 books and other works. -
Andrew Carnegie
Industrialist, business magnate and philanthropist. He led the expansion of the American steel industry. -
Robber Barons (Captains of Industry)
Industrialists J.P Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, Andrew W. Mellon, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller where called Captains of Industry. "Robber Barons" is a metaphor of social criticism applied to them for being accused of using unscrupulous methods to get rich.
