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