Final Exam Review Flashcards
Homestead Act
law giving 160 acres and a title after 5 years of ownership and cultivation of land
Morrill Act
gives federal land to the states allowing for agricultural state universities to be established
Capitalism
an economic system in which private business runs most industries and competition thus determining how much goods cost and workers get paid
Monopoly
complete control over a business or industry
Trusts
partnerships of business owners who control businesses together
Black gold
nickname for oil; becomes more valuable than actual gold
Natvisits
favored native born Americans over immigrants; were anti-immigrants
Yellow Journalism
stories often published in newspapers that exaggerate the truth, but are meant to expose the problems in society
Political machines
similar to gangs run by politicians; political parties take control of city offices and control the entire city
Political bosses
people that ran cities often through use of fraud and intimidation
Muckrakers
investigative journalists that “raked up” and exposed the muck or filth of society
Americanization
the process of preparing foreign born citizens for US citizenship; also a process done to Natives to force them to adapt to American culture
Robber Baron
nickname given to the men who ran monopolies as a criticism of their wealth and power
Theodore Roosevelt
“Teddy”; Vice President who becomes the 26th President; Progressive leader who worked for reform; leader in the conservation movement
Gilded Age
era in American history where problems were glossed over; from the outside America seemed fine, but in reality it had many problems
Spanish-American War 1898
American intervention of Cuban independence from Spain because Spanish misrule in Cuba
“Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain”
mysterious sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Bay; Teddy Roosevelt angered; yellow journalism coined the phrase
Queen Liliuokalani
Queen of Hawaii before it was taken over by U.S. sugar planters; taken down; resisted U.S. forces
Platt Amendment 1903
U.S. could intervene in Cuban affairs if necessary to maintain an efficient independent government
Open Door Policy
give all nations equal access to trade in China; guaranteed that China would not be taken over by any one foreign power
Boxer Rebellion
1900; Peaceful Harmonious Fists; “55 Days at Peking”; pro-nationalist movement in response to the spheres of influence in China; foreign powers put down the rebellion
Panama Canal
Panama was part of Colombia; Panamanian nationalists with U.S. backing take over Panama in “bloodless revolution”; U.S. treaty establishes right to build canal and have power over canal zone
U.S.S. Maine
Ship that exploded off the coast of Cuba in Havana harbor and helped contribute to the start of the Spanish-American War
Pearl Harbor
American naval base in Hawaii used as a refueling station for American ships
Nationalism
pride in one own’s country
Militarism
glorification of a nation’s military strength
Trench Warfare
WWI military strategy that relied on fighting from ditches
Zimmerman Telegram
transmission sent from Germany to Mexico, proposing an alliance that would help Mexico regain territories lost to America
Selective Service Act
required men between the ages 21-30 to register for the draft (eventually lowered to 18)
Great Migration
movement of African Americans in the south to northern cities between 1915 and 1930
Sedition Act
made it illegal to speak or print anything criticizing the government during a time of war
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
Wilson’s program for world peace; gets rejected by European powers