American Industrialization (1870-1910) Flashcards
Taylorism
factories should be managed in a scientific manner to increase efficiency of individual worker and the factory
horizontal integration
strategy of owning all methods a particular part of an industry using trusts or holding companies. One example of this would be owning all potential oil refineries. Most famously used by John D. Rockefeller
vertical integration
strategy of owning one full production line of an industry by controlling production, marketing, and distribution. This was famously used by Andrew Carnegie
Gospel of Wealth
philosophy of Carnegie who believed that wealthy industrialists had an obligation to help local communities and organizations
Knights of Labor
established in the 1880s. Major group of unions of workers from all industries and accepted unskilled workers of all classes
American Federation of Labor
national labor union formed by Samuel Compers in 1886 and tried to organize workers by industry and craft
Industrial Workers of the World
more radical than the AFL, formed in 1905. Attempted to unionize unskilled workers not recruited by the AFL and were called “Wobblies”
Gilded Age
depiction of the late 19th century America that details a surface of prosperity hiding problems of social inequality and cultural shallowness
Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)
federal act that established a civil service system at the federal level. Not all government jobs would be political appointments
Tammany Hall
political machines that helped immigrants in exchange for their votes. This was a major model for urban political machines towards the end of the 1800s
Second Industrial Revolution
massive economic growth during the second half of the 19th century that was mainly based on the expansion of the railroads, the introduction of electricity, and the production of steel for building. By the 1890s, America had become the biggest industrial producer in the world.
heavy industry
the production of steel, iron, and other materials that can be used for building purposes. The increase in industry fueled the massive urban growth that took place during the Gilded Age
New South
Concept promoted by Southerners in the late 1800s that the South had changed and was now interested in industrialization and becoming a part of the national economy. This was mainly fueled by the growing textile industry in the South.
trusts
a company arrangement that allowed owners of one company to own stock in other companies in the same industry. With this, a business was able to control other similar companies in the same industry, essentially controlling the whole industry.
holding companies
a company that existed to gain monopoly control over an industry by buying large shares of stock in as many companies as possible within that industry
Social Darwinism
philosophy stating that people inevitably compete with each other and that the best type of people would end up on top. This concept was fueled by Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” concept. This was used to justify the economic differences as well as colonization in the late 19th century.
Haymarket Square
labor rally in 1886 in favor of fair working conditions and government control over big business. A bomb was thrown into the crowd towards policemen, prompting them to open fire on the crowd. This gave labor unions a negative connotation in the public.
consumer society
Many Americans in the 1950s became infatuated with new technological products and went out and purchased more than any prior generation. Consumerism during this time was heavily influenced by marketing and media advertising.
new immigrants
immigrants who came from Southern/Eastern Europe who made up the majority of immigrants coming to the U.S. after 1900. Earlier immigrants appeared to be more like Americans, whereas these immigrants brought their new culture. This fueled nativist sentiments.
Webb Alien Land Law (1913)
California law prevented Japanese people who weren’t citizens from owning farmland in California. This law demonstrates the nativist sentiment found in much of American society in the early 20th century
suburbia
the area outside of cities where many families flocked during the late 20th century. Suburban parents often worked in the cities by favored the more relaxed feel of suburbia. Critics of this point to the extreme sexism that grew out of this time and the “housewife” stereotype.
Bessemer steel
first produced in 1856, it was much more durable and harder than iron. This became a critical commodity in the Second Industrial Revolution
spoils system
where an elected official gave government jobs to political allies and supporters. Reformers in the late 1800s introduced legislation calling for these jobs to be filled via a merit system where candidates for jobs were compared via their skill rather than their political viewpoint.
Civil Service Commission
created by the Civil Service Act of 1883, this was in charge of testing applicants and assigning them to appropriate government jobs. This filled jobs on the basis of merit rather than the spoils system.
professional bureaucracy
government officials that received their positions after taking competitive civil service tests. They were not appointed via the spoils system.
Coxey’s Army
Supporters of Ohio Populist Coxey who marched on Washington in 1894. They demanded the government fix unemployment which ended up having no political impact. However, they demonstrated the social and economic impact of 1893.
political machines
an organization that controls the politics of a city, state, or even a country by sometimes illegal or quasi-legal means. A machine employs a number of people to do its “dirty work” and is then given a government job or allowed some political benefit.
