Unit 6: Gilded Age Flashcards
Robber Barons
Notable owners of big business
Horizontal Integration
Owning all versions of a service or industry
Vertical Integration
Owning all the steps of an industry
Rockefeller
Oil
Morgan
Banking
Carnegie
Steel
Vanderbilt
Railroads
Social Darwinism
Survival of the fittest, rich can take control of poor because they are the “fit”
Socialists
focuses on laborers improving their conditions and taking power away from business
Homestead Act
Law that offered free land in the Midwest on the great plains
Sodbusters
first farmers that arrived in the great plains
Grange movement
organization of allied farmers that created cooperatives as a way to regulate shipping and sales costs
Populist
“People’s Party” made up of mostly farmers and workers who faced poverty as a result of the industrial revolution
Williams Jennings Bryan
Populist Party Candidate. Wrote the “Cross of Gold” speech in support of American farmers
Gold Standard/Silver Standard
Basing the value of a currency off a country’s supply of the total amount of gold they had. Farmers wanted silver included in this value in order to cause inflation and increase available money
Conservationists
An environmental movement created to combat deforestation. Promoted regulated use of natural resources
“Old” Immigrants
Immigrants from primarily Western Europe. Maintained similar religions, languages and job skills to Americans
“New” Immigrants
Immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. Brought new languages, unfamiliar religions, and were employed in low skill factory and labor jobs
Civil Service Commission
Reform in government that gave jobs only to those who could pass an exam relating to that position
Greenbacks
Paper money not backed by gold or silver
