Unit 6 Vocab

Railroads The expansion of railroads after Reconstruction changed travel and business in America The growth of railroads led to the growth of big business and other industries, like steel which was used for the tracks. Led to development of the West

Steel Industry that grew quickly with the expansion of railroads The Bessemer process made making steel efficient and cheap Andrew Carnegie created a monopoly over the steel industry

Big Business Industries controlled by monopolies and trusts, such as railroads, steel and oil Andrew Carnegie was the giant of the steel industry John D. Rockefeller was the giant of the oil industry

Development of the West The expansion of railroads led to the development of the west because it allowed people and business to move west faster and easier This led to conflict between Native Americans in the West and the U.S. government

Transcontinental Railroad A railroad line linking the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, completed in 1869 Built mostly by Chinese immigrants

Impact on Native Americans Battle of Little Bighorn – Sioux defeat the U.S. army, General Custer is killed Sitting Bull – Sioux leader who defeated Custer at Little Bighorn, but is taken at Wounded Knee Wounded Knee – U.S. army rounds up Sioux and kills 300 unarmed people

Pooling Railroad companies agreed to divide up business in an area and set high prices They did this to get rid of competition and keep prices high

Vertical and Horizontal Integration Vertical – owning or buying out all of the raw materials necessary in an industry Horizontal – Buying out or merging with other companies in the same industry

Trusts and Monopolies Trust – a group of companies controlled by one board of directors Monopoly – complete control over an industry

John D. Rockefeller Owned Standard Oil Company Established nation’s first trust that controlled every aspect of the oil industry Led to the government creating anti-trust laws

Immigration Immigrants make up large part of the industrial work force By the late 1800s, immigrant origins changed from northwestern Europe to southeastern Europe Changed urban America and led to development of ethnic enclaves and tenement housing

Nativism Belief that immigrants posed a threat to native-born Americans and their way of life Americans with ancestors from northern Europe looked down on new immigrants from southeastern Europe

Ellis Island Processing center for European immigrants entering the U.S. on the east coast Immigrants were inspected and granted or denied access to the U.S.

Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 Banned Chinese immigrants from entering the U.S. Americans did not want Chinese laborers taking their jobs because they would accept lower wages

American Federation of Labor (AFL) Labor union for skilled workers Formed by Samuel Gompers Did not allow unskilled workers, women and African Americans

1894 Pullman Strike Workers at Pullman Sleeping Car company strike because Pullman lowers their wages but refuses to lower their rent Strike turns violent and federal troops were called in Example of industrial unrest

Progressive Era Time period in which reformers made efforts to change or improve the U.S. after the growth and expansion of the era of railroads and big business

Muckraker Journalist who writes about corruption or problems in business or government Brought about changes in business or government during the Progressive Era Examples: Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair

Ida Tarbell Wrote “The History of the Standard Oil Company” Exposed corruption by Rockefeller in the creation of his trust and control over oil industry Her writing encouraged laws against trusts and monopolies

Upton Sinclair Wrote The Jungle Exposed disgusting conditions in the meatpacking industry His writings led to government oversight of food and drug industries and laws like Meat Inspection Act

Jane Addams Founder of the Hull House Hull House was a settlement house in Chicago Settlement houses helped immigrants adjust to life in America and sought to improve living conditions for the poor in cities

Jim Crow Laws enacted in the South to segregate black and white people in public and private facilities

Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme court case in 1896 that said segregated public facilities was legal This case established the “separate but equal” doctrine that upheld segregation in the South

NAACP An organization founded in 1909 to promote full racial equality Stands for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Political Progressive Reforms Made the U.S. more democratic Initiative: law is written and voted on by the people Recall: the people remove a public official from office by a vote Referendum: people vote on a law proposed by lawmakers

17th amendment Creates the direct election of senators by the people, instead of the House of Representatives electing them Makes representation more democratic

Conservation Movement Preserved some wilderness areas and planned development of others for the common good Theodore Roosevelt set aside millions of acres for national parks and forests This was an attempt to correct the misuse of natural resources during expansion and industrialization

Thomas Edison His inventions led to new industries and increased productivity Light bulb – changed American way of life and increased productivity in industry Kinetoscope – led to film industry Phonograph – led to development of radio and music industries