| Term | Definition |
| Homestead Act 1862 | Permitted any citizen to gain 160 acres of land if on land for 5 years and cultivation occured |
| Pacific Railway act 1862 | Ordered construction of agricutural and engineering colleges. |
| in hope of a better life | Why were many people lured to the west |
| "my antonia" | tribute to plains life. promoted a movement west by writing this |
| populist movement farmers | transformation of urban life changed these peoples lives |
| national grange | first farmers organization, tackled economy and political issues effecting farmers push of railroad charges led to passing of interstate commerce act |
| Interstate commerce act | prohibited railroads from unfair charges such as; charging more for shorter loads than longer loads on the same lines |
| Mary Elizabeth Lease | political activist for popism and temperance proclaimed her movement would not pay for ridiculous charges until government pays dept for suffering |
| populist party 1890's | coalition of farmers, labor leaders, and reformers, also known as the peoples party |
| Platform | restrictions on immigration, shorter workday, voting reforms |
| due to election defeat and improv in farmers | Why does the populist party end |
| Rockefeller | founded the standard oil company which controlled 90% of the countries oil by 1880 |
| he could afford to sell oil cheaper than competitors | what was rockefellers secret to success |
| Westinghouse | Invented airbrakes for trains at age 23 |
| airbrakes | allowed trains to go faster and carry heavier loads |
| carnegie | used new business stratigies "monopoly" and "trust", built sleepin dining and luxury cars in the trains |
| vanderbilt | had a profitable shipping company invested in RR and bought up small and large railroad companies. controlled over 4500 miles of rr |