Topic 1 STAAR Terms

Agreements in which corporations joined with competing companies; in return, they were entitled to divide the profit.

Area with fertile soil for farming, people moved here with the Homestead Act.

Completed in 1869, linking the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States.

Favored the interests of native-born people over foreign-born people; wanted to restrict immigration.

Government land grants that provided 160 acres of land in the west to any citizen who would improve it in 5 years.

Intended to “Americanize” the Indians; settled them on reservation land; went through a cultural assimilation.

Individuals who profited unfairly and used ruthless business tactics to eliminate competition and keep wages low.

Time period where the U.S. had corruption, poverty, crime, and pollution.

Established the federal government’s right to supervise railroad activities to control unfair practices.

Leaders of political machines; often targeted immigrants with basic needs in exchange for their vote.

Business men or women. During the Gilded Age they were also known as “Captains of Industry” or “Robber Barrons.”

Era where all looks shiny and pretty on the outside but was ugly in the inside.

Creation of large factories to produce goods at a rapid pace. 1800s with the rise of factories in the Northeast.

Government should not interfere in the free market. This is a “hands off” approach.

First federal law restricting immigration; due to fear of settlers in the west loosing jobs in railroad.

Controlled city politics and offered services to voters & businesses in exchange for political & financial support.

Invented system for producing and distributing electrical power; led to increased production in factories.

Organizations that fought for the rights of industrial workers to demand better pay, shorter working hours, safer work.

Growth of cities in northeast; people in search of factory work; led to severe overcrowding, disease, and pollution.

Late 1800s and early 1900s when a few entrepreneurs profited with the industrialization of the U.S.

Harassed in the cities; workers resented them for their willingness to work as cheap labor.

Big businesses with complete control over its industry’s production, wages, and prices.

Intended to prevent the creation of monopolies by making it illegal to establish trusts.

Industrialists gave away millions of their dollars to build public libraries and universities.

Worked his way up from poverty as a Scottish immigrant to own the steel business.