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Third Party Politics
Any party contending for votes that failed to outpoll either of two other parties. Normally third party candidates are the same every year and never seem to grow. For example, the two biggest in the United States is Republicans and Democrats, third party normally includes Libertarian but they never seem to grow or be close. Elections in the U.S. started in 1792 so I guess that's when they had their first third party. -
Political Machines
It is when people do what he can to maintain control of a city, county, state. It made it very easy to do this because of all the immigrants coming to America to where I could be apart of this "machine" and I can help someone out in exchange they vote for me or help me out in the polls. Even though political machines had selfish intentions it did help a lot with city governments to centralize authority. For example, improving facilities, services, etc. Started in New York, 1823. -
Indian Removal
Signed by President Andrew Jackson giving the President right to grant unsettled lands west of Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands. Some tribes went peacefully and many others fought back. During the fall and winter of 1838-1839 over 4000 Cherokee died from the force march also know as "Trail of Tears". -
Urbanization
After 1830 the Urban areas of the country due to advertisement and deals that no one could refuse -
Manifest Destiny
Was the belief that God wanted, and Americans were destined to have all the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts. Was spread everywhere through propaganda. It persuaded many people to actually take initiative to move and also was a way to kind of wipe out the Indians. They would give people land for little pay and ask for them to take out the Indians. -
Suffrage
The women's suffrage movement was the struggle for the right of women to vote and run for office and is part of the overall women's rights movement. -
Nativism
policy that focuses on the people who were here first rather than the people who came over. An example would be when the Irish came over for the potatoes in the mid 1800s, their right to vote was prohibited based on them not being there first. Another example being in the mid 19th century when a strong sentiment against Catholics because they were Roman Catholics from another country. Other examples, Ku Klux Klan, Know-Nothing Party. Big in 20th Century. -
Homestead act
made to make people expand westward. Also was in place to help push the Indians further and further away. Basically for a $10 fee someone could get as much as 160 acres of land. And if they made any type of improvements to the land it was theirs to keep. -
The Gilded Age
period after Reconstruction, the last few decades of the nineteenth century, a period of transformation in the economy, technology, government, and social customs of America. It was a term coined by Mark Twain, he meant that the period was glittering on the surface but corrupt underneath. -
Civil service reform
law that ensures that government positions are earned fairly rather than people getting them because of their connection to another politician. Made it illegal to fire or demote government officials for political reasons. Also crucial for Presidential race in that people don't just win their parties based on who they know they have to earn it fairly. -
Haymarket Riot
labor protest in Chicago's Haymarket Square that turned into a riot when someone threw a bomb at the police resulting in 8 people dying. Was viewed as a setback of the organized labor movement because 8 labor activists were accused with little to no evidence. Protests at the time were very common but this one stood out because the activists were accused with lack of evidence, showing that it seemed like people were really trying to stop the movement. -
Clarence Darrow
super famous lawyer but also public speaker and debater. His first ever lawyer case was in 1887 defending anarchists in the Haymarket Riot. Some of the people he defended included Eugene V. Debs, striking minors, McNamara brothers, defended a high school teacher who was in trouble for teaching the Darwinian theory of evolution. -
Dawes Act
Federal law that attempted to break up the reservation. They surveyed Indian lands and divided it into allotments for individual Indians. Those who accepted allotments and lived separately from the tribe would be granted U.S. citizenship. They wanted Indians to change and be like white's. -
Andrew Carnegie
Scottish-American industrialist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and is often identified as one of the richest people ever. -
Populism and Progressivism
Started in 1890, an example being that we eventually led to children working which is not okay, etc. Populism refers to "the elites" or more wealthier people and the common people. Basically talks about how power should be distributed throughout everyone rather than a small, wealthier group. -
Mucracker
Used a lot during the Progressive Era to attack Political Machines, Corporate Monopolies, etc. Basically American journalists who wrote about these people. They tried to make people aware of the problems such as urban poverty, child labor, unsafe working conditions, etc. -
Initiative and Referendum
allowed citizens of U.S. states to place new laws on a popular ballot. Or you could place laws that have been recently passed by a legislature on a ballot for a popular vote. -
Susan B Anthony
leading figure in the abolitionist and women's voting rights movement that went on to lead the National American Woman Suffrage Association. -
William Jennings Bryan
Was Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for four years. He was a huge democrat and won his party 3 times but lost the Presidential Election in all 3 years. Was awarded cabinet position in 1912 when a democrat finally did win the election in Woodrow Wilson. -
Ida B. Wells
African American journalist and activist who led anti-lynching crusade in the U.S. in the 1890s. Wells always believed that the racism needed to stop but what hit her the hardest was lynching. Her 3 friends were murdered before they could even go to trial due to lynching and none of the white people involved got in trouble. -
Eugene V. Debs
When workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company organized a strike, Debs did the same for his people apart of the Union and it became widespread. He later was sentenced 6 months in prison. -
Klondike Gold Rush
migration of about 100,000 people to the Klondike Region of the Yukon when in 1896 some minors struck gold. When word spread, in 1897 a stampede of people came roaring up into Canada. -
Theodore Roosevelt
Became the 26th President when William McKinley was assassinated. Before becoming President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He resigned in 1898 to organize the Rough Riders, the first voluntary cavalry in the Spanish-American War. -
Upton Sinclair
American writer who wrote almost 100 books and other works in several different genres. His work was crucial in teaching the average citizen a lot about stuff they would't know otherwise. Like terrible unsanitary conditions of the meat packing industry. -
Pure Food & Drug Act
act that makes sure that food, drinks, and drugs are produced and manufactured in sanitary conditions so people aren't putting anything gross or harmful into their mouths -
Dollar Diplomacy
goal was to create stability by going to other countries and promoting American commercial interests. Also to use private capital to further U.S. interests. -
Federal Reserve Act
Intended to form a more stable economy in the U.S. through banks. It is probably one of the if not the most influential laws concerning the U.S. financial system. The act gave banks the right to print money to ensure economic stability. -
16th Amendment
Allows Congress to give an income tax without dividing it among the states. This amendment gets rid of income taxes from the constitutional requirements regarding direct taxes. -
17th Amendment
says the senators are elected directly from the people. There are 2 senators per state to represent that state. The senators must serve for 6 years and get one electoral vote. -
Jane Addams
"mother" of social work, was a pioneer American settlement activist/reformer, social worker, public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in women's suffrage and world peace. -
18th Amendment
prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. It declared the production, transport, and sale of alcohol as illegal. -
19th Amendment
says votes shall not be denied based on the account of sex, saying that women now have the right to vote. This was huge especially for the Women's Suffrage Movement. Women have been struggling for equality and getting the right to vote was a huge win for the women. -
Tea Pot Dome Scandal
Secretary (Albert Fall) accepted bribes from oil companies in exchange for exclusive rights to drill on federal land. The drilling site was near a tea-shaped outcrop in Wyoming. Was the first time a U.S. cabinet official served jail time for a felony committed in office. -
Immigration and The American Dream
idea that every U.S. citizen has an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, etc.