Terms 19-21

Front 1

urbanization

Back 1

in 1790, only 3% live in town with a population over 8,000, but by 1890 there were 26 cities over 100,000 people. Many small town populations decrease. The rapid urbanization leads to poverty and huge social gaps.

Front 2

slums

Back 2

“dumbbell” tenements were designed to get max return for landlord, many rooms had no access to light or air. Lacked sanitary facilities, by 1890 half of new york city’s population lives in slums. Crime and prostitution flourishes.

Front 3

new immigrants

Back 3

1850-1880, 2.5 million arrived per decade. 5.25 million in 1880s. “old” immigration- from britain, Ireland, germany; now “new” immigrants from southern and eastern Europe.

Front 4

city political bosses

Back 4

: “robin hood of the masses”, revenues flow into boss from anyone who needed protection or favors. Mainly supported by the immigrants. Performed services for which there was as yet no public agency.

Front 5

tammany hall

Back 5

the democratic party political machine that played a major role in controlling new york city politics and helping immigrants.

Front 6

women's rights

Back 6

women felt confined to the sphere of the home. Some colleges graduating women, 2,500 a year in 1890. National American Women Suffrage Association was formed in 1890. Began to see suffrage as sovereign solution to all women’s ills.

Front 7

social gospel

Back 7

stressed social and pragmatic implications of Christian ethics and called for good works in social reform and betterment. Rockefeller was a benefactor. By 1895, influence being felt throughout American Protestantism and secular thought.

Front 8

public education

Back 8

amount of public schools greatly grows after 1870. Improvements and growth varied widely with distribution of wealth. Rural districts lagged behind urban, west and south lagged behind the east. Illiteracy was reduced from 17% in 1880 to 11% in 1900.

Front 9

mark twain

Back 9

a child of the frontier, a countryman who moved to the city, like most Americans at the time. Coined the term, “the guilded age”. wrote huck finn, and many other masterpieces.

Front 10

stalwarts

Back 10

led by conkling of NY. Traditional republicans, clung to old issues of the south. More openly pursued the spoils of office.

Front 11

halfbreeds

Back 11

led by blaine of maine. Moderate republicans seeking a new coalition reflecting changed conditions. In favor of political machines and the spoils system.

Front 12

james g. blaine

Back 12

founder of halfbreeds, senator from maine.
sought naval bases in santo domingo and Haiti. Wanted to promote U.S. trade with Latin America.

Front 13

roscoe conkling

Back 13

founder of stalwarts, senator from NY.

Front 14

post-reconstruction republicans

Back 14

divided into stalwarts and half-breeds. Basic regional alliance was between NE and Midwest.

Front 15

post-reconstruction democrats

Back 15

very regional, south and northeast. Supported by NE merchants and bankers who opposed protective tariff, known as “sound-money” men.

Front 16

spoilsmen and party bosses

Back 16

politics mainly run by party bosses who were usually senators. They stressed personal loyalty and the spoils system. Spoilsmen sold offices to the highest bidder or distribute jobs to faithful workers.

Front 17

mark hanna

Back 17

industrialist turned republican political boss. McKinley campaign manager.

Front 18

mugwumps

Back 18

liberal reformers ran crusade against corruption and patronage in office. Many held high social position, usually republican. Two note worthy members were curtis and godkin, both literary editors. Want honest and efficient government through civil service reform. Influence confined to literate upper class.

Front 19

rutherford b. hayes

Back 19

stood up to party bosses, struck at spoils system, finding NY Custom House Ring ridden with ignorance, corruption, and inefficiency. elected president in the highly disputed 1876 election, leading to compromise of 1877.

Front 20

james garfield

Back 20

half-breed won by plurality the election of 1880. Assassinated 1881, stalwart VP chester a. Arthur assumes control

Front 21

chester a. arthur

Back 21

VP under Garfield, then president after Garfield killed. Determined to go his own way, and be independent of both factions. Champion of civil service reform

Front 22

crime of 1873

Back 22

aka the fourth coinage act. Embraced the gold standard and de-monetized silver. Labeled by western mining interests and others who wanted silver in circulation.

Front 23

grover cleveland

Back 23

democrat, did not do much campaigning, yet won election of 1884. Committed to civil service reform. Initially defied spoils system by keeping some republicans in office, but soon gave into republicans.

Front 24

1883 pendelton act

Back 24

placed most federal government employees under the merit system, marked end of spoils system. Response to Garfield’s assassination, commissioned by Roosevelt. Did not apply to state and local jobs.

Front 25

benjamin harrison

Back 25

republican, won election of 1888. Mainly economic legislation, including the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act (monopolies).

Front 26

decline of farm prices

Back 26

product declined, farmers were forced to buy expensive machinery in a protective market, then sell in an unprotected market. Gap between income and expenses widened. 1/3 of country’s farms are mortgaged by 1890s.

Front 27

grange

Back 27

founded in 1867, Patrons of Husbandry would meet in local “granges”. sought to eliminate profits of the middleman, founded co-ops for buying and selling, milling and storing grain

Front 28

farmer's alliance

Back 28

originally known as the Southern Alliance, founded 1877. Rapid growth in 1886 under leadership of Dr. Macune. Had plan for government warehouses where farmers could deposit nonperishable crops and receive greenbacks up to 80% of market value of deposited crops. 1891-2 million members.

Front 29

populist party

Back 29

aka the people’s party. Flourished among western farmers. Opposed gold standard. Founded by Thomas Watson. Insisted that laissez-faire was not the solution to the industrial problem.

Front 30

free silver

Back 30

whether to have an inflationary monetary policy by “free coinage of silver”. NE vs. rural areas who would benefit from inflation. Supporters called silverites. Also a political movement, Silver Republicans nominate Bryan in 1896 election. 16 oz. silver = 1 oz. gold

Front 31

coxey's army

Back 31

coxey proposed a plan of federal work relief on public roads to be financed by the treasury, the “good roads” bill was designed to end the depression, congress refused to pass it, so coxey marched to D.C. with 500 men, the men were arrested

Front 32

election of 1896

Back 32

Bryan (silver) made over 600 speeches. versus McKinley (gold) who was backed by Hanna, who used $300,000 on propaganda and the campaign. McKinley won, Bryan had no industrial support

Front 33

william mckinley

Back 33

assisted by Hanna in obtaining the presidency, pro-gold, republican,

Front 34

continentalism

Back 34

the idea that the nation should acquire no territory outside its continental limits and refrain from absorbing peoples of alien race and tradition. Americans tempted by opportunities abroad now the frontier is closed according to the turner thesis.

Front 35

alfed t. mahan

Back 35

influenced naval policy in Washington. Naval historian- wrote the influence of sea power upon history.

Front 37

white man's burden

Back 37

excuse for imperialism. Believed it was impossible to leave natives to their own devices since they were unfit for self-rule. Believed it necessary to “civilize and Christianize” natives. Applied to Philippines. Thought I was the American mission to spread the national example abroad.

Front 38

u.s. navy

Back 38

in 1883, congress authorized the construction of 3 naval cruisers, 1886- 2 battleships. Naval Act of 1890 authorized building of 3 more battleships, all heavy, powerful ships. Government intended to have a navy that could meet any potential enemy on the high seas.

Front 39

imperialism

Back 39

expansionist fervor after the “frontier” closed. It is the control of one state over other territories. It was combated with continentalism, supported by Cleveland. The “white man’s burden” was used as justification for imperialism.

Front 40

hawaii

Back 40

sugar growers want Hawaiian islands, 1875 a reciprocity agreement signed to open a free market in U.S. to Hawaii for sugar planters. Sugar production grows ten fold in 20 years. Cleveland firmly resisted annexation.

Front 41

theodore roosevelt

Back 41

thought that foreign adventures may help preoccupy the minds of farmers and workers from the economic ills in America. Second in command rough riders

Front 42

yellow press

Back 42

ally of interventionists. Papers featured vivid human-interest stories and photos, exaggeration of events. Caused sympathy for the insurgents (especially in cuba). Main players: hearst v. pulitzer

Front 43

william randolph hearst

Back 43

NY Journal. Engaged in circulation war with Pulitzer, leading to yellow press.

Front 44

joseph pulitzer

Back 44

NY World. Circulation war w/ hearst, a founder of yellow journalism.

Front 45

"the maine"

Back 45

U.S. battleship dispatched to protect Americans in Havana, blew up in the Havana harbor with 260 men killed. Leads to congress unanimously voting for $50 million defense appropriation.

Front 46

rough riders

Back 46

unit of volunteers lead by Colonel Wood in Spanish-American war. Were actually cavalry, but fought on foot as infantry.

Front 47

kettle/ san juan hill

Back 47

the capture of Kettel Hill was lead by Roosevelt, establishing his reputation for martial zeal and heroism. Bloodiest and most famous battle of the Spanish-American War.

Front 48

teller ammendment

Back 48

said that the U.S. could not annex cuba, and had to leave “the control of the island to the people. Spain responded by declaring war on april 24.

Front 49

platt ammendment

Back 49

replaced the teller amendment. defined the terms of Cuban-U.S. relations The Amendment ensured U.S. involvement in Cuban affairs, both foreign and domestic, and gave legal standing to U.S. claims to certain economic and military territories on the island including Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

Front 50

admiral dewey

Back 50

victory in Manila Bay, slipped through the straights of Boca Grande during the night to attack the weak and inferior Spanish ships at Manila. He sunk the whole fleet without losing a single man. He crushed Spanish power in the pacific.

Front 51

arguments favoring imperialism

Back 51

the white man’s burden, and that natives need to be civilized and Christianized. Felt taki9ng the Philippines was a “duty” that required that they take the islands.

Front 52

arguments opposing imperialism

Back 52

argued the Declaration of Independence: no government without the concent of the governed. Would lead to racist dogma and militarism at home. Expansion was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Monroe doctrine.

Front 53

open door policy

Back 53

no power would interfere with the trading rights of other nations within its sphere of influence. Chinese tariff duties should be collected on all merchandise. No power should levy discriminatory harbor dues or railroad charges against other powers in its sphere.

Front 54

boxer rebellion

Back 54

orgination of Chinese patriots staged an uprising. Began to siege Beijing and cut off the city from the outside world for a month.

Front 55

election of 1900

Back 55

Republicans nominate McKinley, democrats nominated Bryan and silverite Adlai Stevenson. The election did not provide a mandate on imperialism or the silver issue. McKinley won, meaning the country valued prosperity over imperialism or gold.