Gilded Age Study guide – Flashcards
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John D. Rockefeller
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an American industrialist and philanthropist. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy. In 1870, Rockefeller founded the Standard Oil Company and ran it until he retired in the late 1890s. He kept his stock and as gasoline grew in importance, his wealth soared and he became the world's richest man and first U.S. dollar billionaire, and is often regarded as the richest person in history
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Andrew Carnegie
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- wrote an essay explaining that there cannot be unions later wrote another essay giving his faith in labor, "thou shall not take your neighbor's job", a steel giant that got where he was by vertical integration. He pioneered vertical integration as a way to run a corporation, and was an anti-trust advocate as well as a philanthropist.
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monopoly
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exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices (all competitors are bought out so that corporation thrives)
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trusts
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people turned their stock over to a group of trustees; in return companies received certificates that entitled them to dividends on profits earned by the same trust (the company receives profits from the stocks)
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vertical integration
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Practice where a single entity controls the entire process of a product, from the raw materials to distribution; Andrew Carnegie bought out all of his suppliers in coal and iron, ore freighters, & railroad lines (this gave total power over the cost and quality of his products)
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horizontal integration
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companies producing similar products merge , Type of monopoly where a company buys out all of its competition. Ex. Rockefeller (with control over suppliers and competition, they monopolized the steel industry)
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regulation
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Gospel of Welth
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Social Darwinism
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the process of natural selection which weeds out weaker individuals and lets strongest survive (it ensured the survival of the fittest...which were successful millionaires)
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Sherman Antitrust Act
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law that made it illegal to create monopolies or trusts that restrained free trade
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unions
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An association of workers, formed to bargain for better working conditions and higher wages.
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strikes
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The unions' method for having their demands met. Workers stop working until the conditions are met. It is a very effective form of attack.
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Samuel Gompers
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United States labor leader (born in England) who was president of the American Federation of Labor from 1886 to 1924 (1850-1924)
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Ellis Island
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An immigrant receiving station that opened in 1892, where immigrants were given a medical examination and only allowed in if they were healthy
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Angel Island
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The immigration station on the west coast where Asian immigrants, mostly Chinese gained admission to the U.S. at San Francisco Bay. Between 1910 and 1940 50k Chinese immigrants entered through Angel Island. Questioning and conditions at Angel Island were much harsher than Ellis Island in New York.
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Chinese Exclusion Act
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Pased in 1882; banned Chinese immigration in US for a total of 40 years because the United States thought of them as a threat. Caused chinese population in America to decrease.
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Gentlemen's Agreement
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Agreement when Japan agreed to curb the number of workers coming to the US and in exchange Roosevelt agreed to allow the wives of the Japenese men already living in the US to join them.
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nativism
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a policy of favoring native-born individuals over foreign-born ones
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dumbbell tenemenet
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long, narrow five or six story buildings shaped like barbells
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Social Gospel
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Movement led by Washington Gladden - taught religion and human dignity would help the middle class over come problems of industrialization
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ethnic islands/ communities
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ethnic groups grouped in certain areas in the city, brought and shared their culture, language, and traditions
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literacy test
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A test given to persons to prove they can read and write before being allowed to register to vote
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poll tax
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a tax of a fixed amount per person and payable as a requirement for the right to vote
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grandfather clause
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A clause in registration laws allowing people who do not meet registration requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867.
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Jim Crow laws
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they mandated de jure racial segregation in all public facilities in Southern states of the former Confederacy, with, starting in 1890, a "separate but equal" status for African Americans; blacks inferior to white Americans
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segregation
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a social system that provides separate facilities for minority groups
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Plessy v. Ferguson
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a 1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized state ordered segregation so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal
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mukrakers (def &specific writers)
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18th Amendment
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Ban on sale, manufacture, and transport of alcoholic beverages. Repealed by 21st amendment
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19th Amendment
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gave women the right to vote
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Pure Food and Drug Act
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Forbade the manufacture or sale of mislabeled or adulterated food or drugs, it gave the government broad powers to ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs in order to abolish the "patent" drug trade. Still in existence as the FDA.
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Meat Inspection Act
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..., Law that authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to order meat inspections and condemn any meat product found unfit for human consumption.
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political machine (& corresponding terms)
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- controlled the activities of a political party in a city - ward bosses, precinct captains and the city boss worked to make sure their candidates were elected - precinct captains and ward --> 1st or 2nd generation immigrants - helped immigrants w/ naturalization , jos, houseing in exchange for votoes Minucupal Corruption- some political bosses were corrupt; political machines used fake names & voted multiple times - graft (bribes) common - police hired by boss before 1890
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How did big business emerge in the United States and who were the major players?
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Carnegie- used vertical integration and then horizontal integration to buy out all competition and thrive Rockefeller- Standard Oil Company- used trusts to create a monopoly and become richest man in the world
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2.What were unions' goals and why did workers join unions?
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National Labor Union- (eight-hour workdays) Knights of Labor- 8 hour workday; equal pay for all; no more child labor American Federation of Labor- higher wages; better working conditions
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3.How did rapid changes lead to conflict and problems in industrialization, immigration,labor and urbanization?
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4.How did U.S. government policies impact immigrants to the United States?
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- 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act- banned entrance to the US to the Chinese except students, teachers, merchants, tourists, and gov't officials - Gentlemen's agreement- Japan agrees to limit immigration to US
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5. How did racial tensions persist in the United States after Reconstruction?
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- many came and took labor jobs of Americans (Chinese Japanese, etc)
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6.How did industrialization, labor and urbanization shape American identity?
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7.How did reformers attempt to solve problems arising from industrialization and urbanization?
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-Social Gospel Movement: preached salvation thru service to poor; churches put up and persuaded businesses to treat workers like family - Settlement Houses- community centers in slum neighborhoods that provided assistance and friendship to all people (especially immigrants) so they could learn about problems and try to come up with solutions..run by middle class Jane Addams- founded 1st settlement house for African Americans
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8.Were the changes that occurred during the Gilded Age good or bad for America
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- labor unions created: helped to give certain groups fair working conditions - transportation: new ways of transportation thrived with street cars, electric subways and street cars with underground cables - water improved - housing conditions improved
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Is the Gilded Age an appropriate name for this time period?
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It was a period of various economic depressions and corruption. The term was coined by Mark Twain, and it refers to a gilt metal: it is gold on the outside (beautiful), but if you dig a little deeper you find what truly lies beneath (hideous).
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ESSENTIAL QUESTION: In response to an era of change, how effective were Americans'efforts to create a better quality of life
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