All Flashcards
Compare the Grange Movement and the Farmers' Alliance.
Both aimed to support farmers, but the Farmers' Alliance was more politically active, advocating for specific policy changes.
Compare the economic impacts of mining and agriculture in the West.
Mining led to boomtowns and corporate dominance, while agriculture resulted in westward migration and increased productivity.
When was the Transcontinental Railroad completed?
- It linked the East and West coasts, spurring economic growth.
What was the California Gold Rush?
Began in 1848, triggering a rush of people to the West in search of wealth.
When was the Chinese Exclusion Act passed?
- It suspended immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years.
What was the Homestead Act and when was it passed?
Passed in 1862, it offered 160 acres of public land free to any family that settled on it for five years.
When was the Grange Movement founded?
- It was a fraternal organization for farmers that provided a sense of community and organized resistance.
When was the Farmer's Alliance founded?
Founded after the Panic of 1873, it grew to be one of the largest farmers' groups with over one million members.
When was the Ocala Platform established?
- It was established by farmers' alliances, calling for various reforms.
When was the Populist Party founded?
- The government's failure to address farmer issues led to its foundation.
What was the Panic of 1873?
A financial crisis that triggered an economic depression in Europe and North America that lasted from 1873 to 1879.
What was the impact of railroads on the cattle industry?
Railroads helped transport cattle to eastern markets, leading to the growth of the meatpacking industry in the Midwest.
Define Transcontinental Railroad.
A railroad connecting the East and West coasts of the U.S., completed in 1869.
What is a boomtown?
A town that experiences sudden and rapid growth due to an economic boom.
Define the Chinese Exclusion Act.
A U.S. federal law signed in 1882 that prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers.
What was the Homestead Act?
A law passed in 1862 that granted 160 acres of public land to settlers who agreed to live on and cultivate it for five years.
Define the Grange Movement.
A fraternal organization for American farmers that developed in the wake of the 1873 depression; it sought to counter the power of corporate middlemen.
What was the Farmer's Alliance?
An agrarian movement during the 1870s and 1880s that sought to improve the economic conditions for farmers through the creation of cooperatives and political advocacy.
Define the Ocala Platform.
A set of demands adopted by the Farmers' Alliance in 1890, calling for reforms such as direct election of senators, lower tariffs, and a graduated income tax.
What was the Populist Party?
A political party formed in 1892 representing the interests of farmers and laborers, advocating for reforms such as government regulation of railroads and a graduated income tax.
Define 'open range'.
Vast grasslands owned by the federal government where ranchers could graze their cattle for free.
What is 'free coinage of silver'?
A monetary policy issue advocating for the government to coin silver freely, increasing the money supply and potentially leading to inflation.