The Americans book 2003

1. Chapter 15 Terms

2. Terms/Names Significance
Angel Island An island in San Francisco Bay that
served as an immigration station for the
newly arrived immigrants (primarily
Chinese)
Chinese Exclusion Act a law, enacted in 1882, that prohibited all
Chinese except students, teachers,
merchants, tourists, and government
officials from entering the US
Ellis Island An island in New York harbor that served
as an immigration station for the newly
arrived immigrants
Gentlemen’s Agreement a 1907-1908 agreement by the
government of Japan to limit Japanese
immigration to the US

3. Terms/Names Significance
Melting Pot a mixture of people from different
cultures and races who blend together
by abandoning their native languages
and cultures
Nativism favoring the interests of native-born
people over foreign-born people
Americanization movement education program designed to help
immigrants assimilate to American
culture

4. Terms/Name Significance
Jane Adams activist who founded Chicago’s Hull
House in 1889
Mass Transit transportation systems designed to move
large numbers of people along fixed
routes
Settlement House a community center providing assistance
to residents- particularly immigrants- in a
slum neighborhood
Social Gospel Movement a 19th century reform movement based
on the belief that Christians have a
responsibility to help improve working
conditions and alleviate poverty

5. Terms/Names Significance
Tenement a multifamily urban dwelling,
usually overcrowded and
unsanitary
Urbanization The growth of cities
Benjamin Harrison Republican president that raised
tariffs
Boss Tweed William Tweed, head of Tammany
Hall, New York City’s powerful
Democratic political machine

6. Terms/Names Significance
Chester A. Arthur Took over the Presidency when Garfield
is assassinated
Civil Service the nonmilitary branches of government
administration
Graft the illegal use of political influence for
personal gain

7. Terms/Name Significance
Grover Cleveland first Democratic nominee to win the
Presidency in 28 years, only President to
serve two nonconsecutive terms
James A. Garfield Republican president that was
assassinated
Patronage an officeholder’s power to appoint
people--- usually those who have helped
him or her get elected--- to positions in
government

8. Term/Name Significance
Pendleton Civil Service Act a law, enacted in 1883, that established a
bipartisan civil service commission to
make appointments to government jobs
by means of the merit system
Political Machine an organized group that controls a
political party, in a city and offers
services to voters and businesses in
exchange for political and financial
support
Rutherford B. Hayes Republican president that exposed
corruption and fired people within his
own political party