Vocab
Industrialization
The U.S transformed from an economy and society that was primarily agricultural, manual-labor system into one based on factory-driven, mechanized mass production and urban growth
What are the four problems of the Gilded Age/Industrialization?
1. Child Labor
2. Unsafe Working Conditions
3. Political Corruption
4. Food & Drug Safety
City Tenements
Multi-family urban dwellings that were often poorly constructed and overcrowded
19th Amendment
Women’s Suffrage: all states are required to allow women to vote
What is a Muckraker?
Investigative journalists, novelists, and critics who exposed corruption and social problems during the Progressive Era
Monopoly
When a company dominates their field/industry
Political Machines (and what did they do- 2)
An unofficial, powerful political group that controlled a city's government and abused its power through 2 main practices:
1. Election Fraud
2. Trading Favors for Votes
Ellis Island
To channel and filter those who come to the US with medical and mental exams.
18th Amendment
Prohibition: the production, transportation and sale of alcohol becomes illegal
Old vs. New Immigration (different factors- 3 each)
Old immigrates came from Northern/Western Europe and were groups that could easily assimilate (spoke English, followed a popular religion, skilled laborer)
New immigrants came from Southern/Eastern Europe and could not assimilate fast (spoke different language, practiced different religions, unskilled laborers)
Progressivism
Responses and solutions to the problems of Industrialization
Indian Boarding Schools
Government created schools that forcefully assimilated many Native Children
Melting Pot Theory
a place where people of different ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds are all mixed together and become the same.
The Chinese Exclusion Act
Virtually prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers.
Push & Pull Factors for Immigrants
Push:
1. economic (low wages, poverty)
2. political (war, bad government, etc)
3. environmental (famine, natural disasters)
4. social (poor education, lack of healthcare, discrimination)
Pull:
1. economic (more jobs, higher pay)
2. political (freedom of speech, better political stability)
3. environmental (plenty of resources)
Horizontal Integration
When a company tries to expand to dominate one step in their process (ex. shipping)
Other example: JetBlue announced a major acquisition/merger plan to combine with low-cost competitor Spirit Airlines to expand its fleet, scale, and market footprint.
What happened to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory? Causes (4)? What happened after?
Fire at a factory which killed 146 girls
Causes:
Locked Doors (prevented stealing & unauthorized breaks)
Broken Fire Escape
Fire department lacked equipment to help
No sprinklers inside
Impact: public outcry and push for reform for new labor laws to protect workers’ rights and lives
Define Americanization and Nativism
Americanization: to make or become American in character; assimilate to the customs and institutions of the U.S., to bring under American influence or control.
Nativism: Protecting the interests of native-born Americans over those of immigrants
17th Amendment
change election of Senators from state legislators to the people (people can vote directly for their Senators)
The American Federation of Labor (AFL)
Union that primarily represented skilled, white male workers and preferred collective bargaining over radical politics
Vertical Integration
When a company tries to control each step in their process (ex. Drilling, refining, transporting, selling oil)
Ex: Amazon who manages its own massive fulfillment centers, last-mile delivery fleet, and cargo network, produces private-label consumer goods (Amazon Basics), and owns cloud computing infrastructure (AWS) that powers its digital ecosystem
What were the effects on your body for working in a factory? (specific answers, give 2)
1. severe burns
2. nervous conditions
3. unfocused, unalert students
4. Rheumatism
5. Pneumonia
6. inhalation of poisonous gas
7. back injury
8. paralysis
9. phossy-jaw
Salad Bowl Theory
Immigrants do not lose unique aspects of their cultures – instead they retain them.
16th Amendment
ability to levy income tax
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
A union known as the “Wobblies”: A radical, socialist union aiming to organize ALL workers into “One Big Union” regardless of skill, race, gender, and actively sought to overthrow capitalism