Glossary
Barbed wire
A type of fencing wire with sharp points or barbs, invented in the 1870s, that revolutionized fencing practices, especially on the open range.
Example:
The invention of barbed wire led to the enclosure of the open range, ending the era of large cattle drives and sparking conflicts between ranchers and farmers.
Boomtowns
Towns that experienced rapid growth in population and economic activity, often due to the discovery of valuable resources like gold or silver, but frequently declined just as quickly once the resources were depleted.
Example:
After a major silver strike, a small mining camp could quickly transform into a bustling boomtown with saloons and stores, only to become a ghost town years later when the mines ran dry.
Capitalism
An economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.
Example:
The rapid industrial growth and the rise of powerful corporations during the Gilded Age were prime examples of the expanding influence of capitalism in the American economy.
Chinese Exclusion Act
A federal law passed in 1882 that prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years, marking the first significant federal restriction on immigration based on race and nationality.
Example:
The Chinese Exclusion Act severely impacted Chinese communities in the U.S., separating families and preventing new immigrants from joining their relatives for decades.
Cowboys
Individuals, often diverse in ethnicity, who herded cattle on the open range, driving them to railheads for shipment to eastern markets.
Example:
The iconic image of the American cowboys riding across the plains, often including African American and Mexican individuals, represents a significant part of the Gilded Age's westward expansion.
Farmers' Alliance
A major agrarian movement that emerged in the late 1870s, organizing farmers into cooperatives and advocating for political reforms to address their economic grievances.
Example:
The Farmers' Alliance grew into a powerful political force, pushing for government intervention to alleviate the economic hardships faced by farmers due to falling crop prices and high debt.
Gold Rush
A period of rapid migration of people to an area where gold has been discovered, leading to sudden population booms and economic activity.
Example:
The California Gold Rush of 1849 drew hundreds of thousands of prospectors to the West, transforming the region's demographics and economy almost overnight.
Grange Movement
A social and educational organization for farmers founded in 1867, which evolved into a political force advocating for farmers' interests against railroads and other monopolies.
Example:
The Grange Movement provided a crucial sense of community for isolated farmers and became an early voice for regulating railroad rates that exploited agricultural producers.
Henry Clay's American System
A pre-Civil War economic plan proposed by Henry Clay that aimed to strengthen the national economy through protective tariffs, a national bank, and federal funding for internal improvements like roads and canals.
Example:
The federal government's investment in the Transcontinental Railroad during the Gilded Age echoed the principles of Henry Clay's American System by using infrastructure to connect and develop the nation.
Homestead Act (1862)
A federal law that offered 160 acres of public land free to any citizen or intended citizen who was head of a household and who settled on and improved the land for five years.
Example:
Many families moved westward to the Great Plains, taking advantage of the Homestead Act (1862) to claim land and establish farms, fundamentally changing the landscape of the American West.
Joseph McCoy
A livestock dealer who played a key role in the development of the cattle industry by establishing Abilene, Kansas, as a major railhead for cattle drives.
Example:
Joseph McCoy's innovation of bringing cattle to railheads in Kansas solved the logistical challenge of transporting beef from Texas ranches to eastern markets.
McCormick reaper
An agricultural machine invented by Cyrus McCormick that mechanized the harvesting of grain, significantly increasing the efficiency and scale of farming.
Example:
The widespread adoption of the McCormick reaper allowed farmers to cultivate much larger tracts of land, contributing to increased agricultural output but also to falling crop prices.
Ocala Platform
A set of demands adopted by the National Farmers' Alliance in 1890, calling for significant government reforms including direct election of senators, a graduated income tax, and free coinage of silver.
Example:
The Ocala Platform served as a foundational document for the Populist Party, outlining the comprehensive reforms farmers believed were necessary to restore economic fairness.
Open Range
Vast areas of unfenced public land in the American West where cattle roamed freely and were grazed by ranchers.
Example:
The era of the cowboy and large cattle drives was defined by the existence of the open range, which allowed herds to graze freely across vast territories.
Populist Party (People's Party)
A political party formed in 1892, primarily by farmers and labor organizations, that advocated for radical reforms to address economic inequality and political corruption.
Example:
The Populist Party gained significant support in the 1890s by championing the cause of the 'common man' against the perceived power of big business and corrupt politicians.
Refrigerated railroad car
A specialized railroad car equipped with refrigeration technology, enabling the long-distance transport of perishable goods like meat and produce.
Example:
The refrigerated railroad car allowed meatpacking plants in cities like Chicago to ship fresh beef across the country, transforming the national diet and the cattle industry.
Transcontinental Railroad
A railroad line completed in 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network with the Pacific coast, significantly facilitating westward expansion and economic growth.
Example:
The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad dramatically reduced travel time across the United States, allowing goods and people to move from New York to California in about a week, rather than months.