CH. 19 The Incorporation of America
A Study Guide
Summary:
By the end of the nineteenth century, industry had grown phenomenally which opened up
an entire new life for American citizens of all races. However, racial prejudices played an
important role in the wage earnings of non-white citizens. Increased social class differences
continued to chafe the relationship between them, ccused of “conspicuous consumption” by
Thorstein Veblen. As the century came to an end Americans looked overseas for potential
empires.
Important People:
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Andrew Carnegie, Philip Danforth Armour, Jay Gould, and John D. Rockefellerpowerful leaders of a new national business community
Alexander Graham Bell- invented the telephone
Thomas Alva Edison- owned first laboratory devoted solely to industrial research
Wilbur and Oliver Wright- built and flew the first airplane
Francis Wayland Ayer- founded an agency that would handle some of the most
successful advertising campaigns of the era
Fredrick Winslow Taylor- the pioneer of scientific management
Workman Terence V. Powderly- leader of the Knights of Labor
Samuel Gompers- president of the American Federation of Labor
John Roebling- designed the Brooklyn Bridge
Mark Twain- famous writer and coined labeled the era the “Gilded Age”
Thorstein Veblen- coined the phrase conspicuous consumption
Justin Morrill- sponsored the Morrill Federal Land Grant Act of 1862
Vocab:
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Vertical Integration- the consolidation of numerous production functions, for the
extraction of the raw materials to the distribution and marketing of the finished products,
under the direction of firm
Horizontal Combination- the merger of competitors in the same industry
Gospel of Wealth- thesis that hard work and perseverance lead to wealth, implying that
poverty is a character flaw
Chinese Exclusion Act- act that suspended Chinese immigration, limited the civil rights
of resident Chinese, and forbade their naturalization
Knights of Labor- labor union founded in 1869 that included skilled and unskilled
workers irrespective of race or gender
American Federation of Labor (AFL)- union formed in 1886 that organized skilled
workers along craft lines and emphasized a few workplace issues rather than a broad
social program
Tenements- four- to six-story residential dwellings, once common in New York, built on
tiny lots without regard to providing ventilation or light
Gilded Age- term applied to late nineteenth-century America that refers to the shallow
display and worship of wealth characteristic of that period
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Conspicuous Consumption- highly visible displays of wealth and consumption
Women’s Educational and Industrial Union- Boston organization offering classes to
wage-earning women
Time Line: is on the attached excel data sheet