US History: Industry, Business, and Labor PDF

Industry, Business, and Labor ​ Transcontinental Railroad: A railway system completed in 1869 that connected the eastern and western United States, facilitating trade, migration, and economic expansion. ​ Railroad Act of 1862: Legislation that provided government support for the const...

Industry, Business, and Labor ​ Transcontinental Railroad: A railway system completed in 1869 that connected the eastern and western United States, facilitating trade, migration, and economic expansion. ​ Railroad Act of 1862: Legislation that provided government support for the construction of the transcontinental railroad, including land grants and financial incentives. ​ Central Pacific & Union Pacific Railroads: The two railroad companies responsible for building the transcontinental railroad from the west and east, respectively. ​ Impact of the Railroad: Railroads spurred industrial growth, opened new markets, led to the expansion of cities, and contributed to the decline of Native American resistance. ​ J.P. Morgan, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt: Key industrialists and financiers who dominated banking (Morgan), oil (Rockefeller), steel (Carnegie), and railroads (Vanderbilt). ​ Vertical Integration: Business strategy in which a company controls all aspects of production, from raw materials to finished products (e.g., Carnegie Steel). ​ Horizontal Integration: A method where a company consolidates or merges with competitors to create a monopoly (e.g., Rockefeller’s Standard Oil). ​ Bessemer Process: A method for producing steel efficiently, which revolutionized construction and manufacturing. ​ Sears & Roebuck: A major mail-order retailer that expanded consumer culture in rural America. ​ Social Darwinism vs. Social Gospel: Competing ideologies; Social Darwinism applied "survival of the fittest" to justify wealth inequality, while the Social Gospel promoted Christian responsibility for social justice. ​ Gospel of Wealth: Carnegie’s philosophy that the rich should use their wealth for social good. ​ Laissez-faire Economics: The idea that government should not interfere in business, promoting free markets and minimal regulation. ​ Samuel Gompers & Unions: Gompers led the American Federation of Labor (AFL), advocating for skilled workers' rights. ​ Railroad Strike of 1877: The first major labor strike in the U.S., sparked by wage cuts and suppressed violently. ​ Haymarket Riot (1886): A labor protest in Chicago that turned violent, leading to anti-labor sentiment. ​ Sherman Antitrust Act (1890): First federal law aimed at breaking monopolies and trusts. ​ Interstate Commerce Act (1887): Regulated railroad rates and prevented unfair practices. Indian Wars & Native American Policy  ​ Homestead Act (1862): Gave settlers 160 acres of land for free if they improved it over five years, encouraging western migration. ​ Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868): Established reservations for Native Americans, but was often violated. ​ Modoc Wars, Little Big Horn, Wounded Knee: Conflicts between Native American tribes and the U.S. military, symbolizing resistance and ultimate defeat. ​ Dawes Act (1887): Attempted to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into private plots. ​ A Century of Dishonor (1881): Helen Hunt Jackson’s book criticizing U.S. treatment of Native Americans. ​ Chief Joseph, Geronimo, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull: Prominent Native American leaders who resisted U.S. expansion. Immigration ​ Old vs. New Immigration: Old immigrants (pre-1880) came from Northern and Western Europe, while new immigrants (1880-1920) arrived from Southern and Eastern Europe. ​ Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): First U.S. immigration law to ban a specific ethnic group. ​ Ellis Island & Angel Island: Major immigration processing centers on the East and West coasts. ​ Americanization: Efforts to assimilate immigrants into American culture, often through education and civic rituals. Race & Civil Rights ​ Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine. ​ Jim Crow Laws: State laws enforcing racial segregation in the South. ​ WEB DuBois vs. Booker T. Washington: DuBois advocated for immediate civil rights and higher education, while Washington promoted vocational training and economic self-sufficiency. ​ Ida B. Wells: Journalist and activist who fought against lynching. Politics & Corruption ​ Political Machines & Boss Tweed: Organizations that controlled local governments through patronage and corruption (e.g., Tammany Hall). ​ Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883): Ended the spoils system by requiring government jobs to be awarded based on merit. ​ Populist Party & William Jennings Bryan: A political movement representing farmers and laborers, advocating for free silver and economic reform. Agriculture & the West ​ Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis: Argued that the American frontier shaped the nation's character. ​ Grange Movement: A farmers' organization that sought economic and political reforms. ​ Railroad & Farmers: Farmers suffered from high railroad fees, leading to calls for regulation. ​ Barbed Wire: Revolutionized farming by allowing settlers to fence in land and protect crops from cattle. ​ Demise of Bison: Overhunting and habitat destruction led to the near-extinction of buffalo, devastating Native American cultures.