Midterm 1 - US Hist Flashcards

1
Q

Gilded Age

A

A period from the 1870s to early 1900s marked by rapid industrialization, economic growth, and vast social inequality. It saw the rise of big business, corruption, and significant labor strife.

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2
Q

Panic of 1873

A

A financial crisis that triggered a severe economic depression in the U.S. and Europe, caused by over-expansion and the collapse of railroad speculation. It led to widespread unemployment and hardship.

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3
Q

Andrew Carnegie

A

A leading industrialist in the steel industry during the Gilded Age, known for his role in expanding American steel production. He also became a major philanthropist, promoting education and public libraries.

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4
Q

Chief Joseph

A

Leader of the Nez Perce tribe, who famously resisted U.S. government efforts to forcibly relocate his people. His surrender speech, “I will fight no more forever,” became a symbol of Native American resistance.

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5
Q

Dawes Act

A

A 1887 law aimed at assimilating Native Americans by dividing communal lands into individual plots. It led to the loss of tribal land and culture for many Native groups.

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6
Q

Wounded Knee Massacre

A

The 1890 killing of about 300 Lakota Sioux by U.S. soldiers, marking the end of the Indian Wars. It was a tragic and violent culmination of U.S. efforts to suppress Native resistance

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7
Q

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

A

A 1890 law aimed at curbing monopolies and promoting competition in the U.S. economy. It was used to break up large corporate trusts that restrained trade

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8
Q

Social Darwinism

A

A theory that applied Darwin’s ideas of natural selection to human society, justifying inequalities in wealth and social status. It was often used to defend the dominance of the wealthy during the Gilded Age.

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9
Q

Knights of Labor:

A

A labor organization in the late 19th century that sought to unite all workers, regardless of skill level, race, or gender, to advocate for better wages and working conditions. It declined after the Haymarket Riot.

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10
Q

American Federation of Labor (AFL

A

Founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers, it focused on skilled workers and sought to improve wages, hours, and conditions through collective bargaining and strikes

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11
Q

Chinese Exclusion Act

A

A 1882 law that barred Chinese immigration to the U.S., reflecting widespread anti-Chinese sentiment. It was the first significant law restricting immigration to the U.S

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12
Q

Homestead steel strike

A

A violent 1892 labor strike at Andrew Carnegie’s Homestead Steel Works over wage cuts, which ended in a bloody clash between strikers and private security forces.

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13
Q

Coxey’s Army

A

A group of unemployed workers who marched to Washington, D.C., in 1894, demanding federal government intervention to create jobs during the depression following the Panic of 1893

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14
Q

Eugene Debs

A

A prominent labor leader and socialist who organized the American Railway Union and led the Pullman Strike. He later ran for president as a socialist candidate.

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15
Q

William Jennings Bryan

A

A politician who ran for U.S. president three times and was a strong advocate for free silver, workers’ rights, and populist reforms. Famous for his “Cross of Gold” speech.

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16
Q

William McKinley

A

The 25th U.S. president, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. He led the nation to victory in the Spanish-American War and oversaw the annexation of Hawaii and the Philippines

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17
Q

Plessy v. Ferguson

A

An 1896 Supreme Court decision that upheld “separate but equal” segregation, laying the foundation for Jim Crow laws in the South

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18
Q

Jim Crow Segregation

A

Laws in the southern U.S. that enforced racial segregation after the Civil War, lasting through the mid-20th century. They institutionalized racism and inequality.

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19
Q

Ida B. Wells

A

An African American journalist and activist who led an anti-lynching crusade in the 1890s. She played a key role in civil rights and women’s suffrage movements.

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20
Q

Immigration Restriction League

A

A group founded in 1894 advocating for the limitation of immigration, especially from southern and eastern Europe. They promoted literacy tests to restrict immigration

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21
Q

Booker T. Washington

A

An African American leader who promoted vocational education and economic self-reliance for blacks, famously advocating for accommodation of segregation in exchange for economic opportunities

22
Q

Anti-Imperialist League

A

Formed in 1898 to oppose U.S. imperialist actions following the Spanish-American War, particularly the annexation of the Philippines

23
Q

Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire

A

A 1911 factory fire in New York that killed 146 workers, leading to major reforms in labor laws, workplace safety, and fire regulations.

24
Q

Meat Inspection Act

A

A 1906 law that mandated sanitary conditions and federal inspection of meat processing plants in response to the outcry from “The Jungle.”

25
Q

The Jungle

A

A 1906 novel by Upton Sinclair that exposed the poor working conditions and unsanitary practices in the meatpacking industry, leading to public outrage

26
Q

Pure Food and Drug Act

A

A 1906 law that regulated the labeling and quality of food and drugs in the U.S., ensuring consumer protection from unsafe or mislabeled products.

27
Q

Fordism

A

A system of mass production pioneered by Henry Ford in the early 20th century, characterized by assembly line production, higher wages, and affordable goods for workers.

28
Q

Ludlow Massacre

A

A 1914 violent clash between striking coal miners and the Colorado National Guard, resulting in the deaths of several miners and their families. It drew attention to labor struggles.

29
Q

IWW (Industrial Workers of the World)

A

A radical labor union founded in 1905 that aimed to unite all workers and promote socialism. Known for its involvement in strikes and advocacy for industrial action.

30
Q

Mother Jones

A

A prominent labor activist who campaigned for workers’ rights, including child labor laws and better conditions for miners. She was known as “the most dangerous woman in America.”

31
Q

16th Amendment

A

Established the federal income tax in 1913, giving the government a stable source of revenue.

32
Q

18th Amendment

A

Ratified in 1919, it prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol in the U.S., beginning the Prohibition era.

33
Q

17th Amendment

A

Instituted the direct election of U.S. Senators by voters rather than state legislatures, in 1913, as a Progressive Era reform.

34
Q

19th Amendment

A

Ratified in 1920, it granted women the right to vote, a major victory for the women’s suffrage movement.

35
Q

Hull House

A

A settlement house founded by Jane Addams in Chicago in 1889, providing services and support for immigrants and the urban poor.

36
Q

Muller v. Oregon

A

A 1908 Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of limiting women’s working hours, reflecting gendered assumptions about women’s roles and health.

37
Q

Theodore Roosevelt

A

The 26th U.S. president, known for his progressive reforms, trust-busting, and the establishment of national parks. He also promoted a strong foreign policy, including building the Panama Canal.

38
Q

Bull Moose Progressive Party

A

A political party founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 after losing the Republican nomination. It championed progressive reforms but split the Republican vote, leading to Democratic victory.

39
Q

Panama Canal

A

A canal built by the U.S. from 1904-1914, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, facilitating faster global trade and military movement.

40
Q

Dollar Diplomacy

A

A U.S. foreign policy strategy under President Taft that aimed to use economic investment to influence other countries, particularly in Latin America.

41
Q

Lusitania

A

A British passenger ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, killing 128 Americans. The event swayed U.S. public opinion against Germany during World War I.

42
Q

Committee on Public Information

A

A U.S. government agency created during World War I to promote pro-war propaganda and boost public support for the war effort.

43
Q

National Woman’s Party

A

A political organization founded by Alice Paul in 1916 that fought for women’s suffrage and later equal rights through aggressive tactics such as protests and hunger strikes.

44
Q

Espionage Act

A

A 1917 law enacted to prevent interference with military operations during World War I. It was used to suppress anti-war dissent.

45
Q

Sedition Act

A

A 1918 law that expanded the Espionage Act to criminalize disloyal or abusive language about the U.S. government during World War I.

46
Q

W.E.B. Du Bois

A

An African American intellectual and civil rights leader, co-founder of the NAACP, and advocate for political rights and higher education for blacks.

47
Q

NAACP

A

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1909, aimed to combat racial discrimination and promote civil rights through legal action and advocacy.

48
Q

Marcus Garvey

A

A black nationalist leader who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), advocating for black pride, self-reliance, and the return of African Americans to Africa.

49
Q

Treaty of Versailles

A

The 1919 peace treaty that ended World War I, imposing harsh penalties on Germany and redrawing

50
Q

14 Points

A

President Woodrow Wilson’s 1918 proposal for a post-World War I peace plan, which emphasized self-determination, free trade, and the establishment of the League of Nations.

51
Q

League of Nations

A

An international organization founded after World War I to promote peace and cooperation. Important because its the first international organization aimed at maintaining world peace.