US history unit 1

Manifest destiny

The idea that the united states was destined to expand across north america

Homestead act

Provided citizens the ability to claim 160 acres of government land

Bonanza farms

Farm that hired workers and became profitable

Transcontinental railroad

Railroad that links the east coast to the west coast

Reservations

Small amount of land on which native Americans were supposed to live

Dawes act

Required native Americans to abandon reservations and become part of American civilization

Assimilation

Change someone or something to how you want it

Compromise of 1877

Deal made that allowed Rutherford B. Hayes to be president while troops were removed from the south ending reconstruction

Jim Crow laws

Laws in the south that took away right African Americans gained during reconstruction

Disenfranchisement

Ways to keep African Americans from voting

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896 Supreme Court case about Louisiana law that segregated seating on railroads

Separate but equal

Separate was allowed if it's accommodations were equal

Credit Mobilier

Company picked to do the work each time and it was owned by union pacific and overcharging the government and kept the extra money

Interstate commence act

Required that railroads establish "reasonable and just" rates for consumers

James Garfield

Elected president in 1881

Spoils system

Gave government jobs to allies as favors

Chester Arthur

President after Garfield died

Pendleton act

Created a required explanation for federal jobs

Tammany Hall

Political organization in NYC that practiced matching politics

Machine politics

Created a machine of voters that you do favors for in exchange for votes

William "Boss" Tweed

Leader of Tammany Hall

Thomas Nast

Famous political cartoonist that was credited with the downfall of Boss Tweed