History Topic Five Vocab

Muckrakers

Journalists who wrote about the corrupt side of business and public life in mass circulation magazines during the early 20th century.

Initiative

A procedure by which a legislative measure can be originated by the people rather than by lawmakers.

Referendum

A procedure by which a proposed legislative member can be submitted to a vote of the people.

Recall

A procedure for removing a public official from office by a vote of the people

Ammendments

a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of legislation, etc.

14th Ammendment

An amendment to the U.S. constitution, adopted in 1868, that makes all persons born or naturalized in the United States--including former slaves--citizens of the country and guarantees equal protection of the laws.

15th

Adopted in 1870, prohibits the denial of voting rights to people because of their race or color or because they have previously been slaves.

16th

1913, Permits a federal income tax and states that the congress has the power to levy an income tax without apportioning such a tax among the states according to their populations.

17th

Adopted in 1913, that provides for the election of U.S. senators by the people rather than by state legislatures.

18th

1919, Prohibition, intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes is prohibited.

19th

1920, Women’s suffrage, the right of the American citizens to vote shall not be denied or abridged based on sex.

21st

Repealing the 18th amendment. Repealing prohibition, 1933, intoxicating liquors not prohibited.

Council City Manager

The people elect a council to make laws. The council, in turn, appoints a manager, typically a person with training and experience in public administration, to run the city's departments. Local form of government.

Commission Idea

The idea that a commission could be used to help establish and govern a law. “Watchdogs” can be used to help guarantee the law.

Poll Tax

an annual tax that formerly had to be paid in some southern states by anyone wishing to vote.

Grandfather Clause

A provision that exempts certain people from a law on the basis of previously existing circumstances--especially a clause formerly in some southern states’ constitutions that exempted whites from the strict voting requirements used to keep African Americans from the polls.

Segregation

The separation of people on the basis of race.

Discrimination

The unjust or prejudicial treatment of people paced on race, sex, and many other things.

De Facto Segregation

Racial Separation established by practice and custom, not by law.

De Jure Segregation

Racial separation established by law.

Jim Crow Laws

Laws enacted in southern state and local governments to separate white and black people in public and private facilities

Debt Peonage

A system in which workers are bound in servitude until their debts are paid.

Racial Etiquette

strict rules of behavior that governed the social and business relations between whites and African American

Literacy Test

Used to keep people of color -- and, sometimes, poor whites -- from voting, and they were administered at the discretion of the officials in charge of voter registration. assesses a person's literacy skills: their ability to read and write