Glossary

American Passages: A History of the United States, Brief, 1st Edition
Ayers, Gould, Oshinsky, Soderlund

Georgia mafia: Small group of President Carter's advisors from Georgia who believed that Carter's image as a political outsider would continue to serve him well. This group included Press Secretary Jody Powell and domestic advisors Hamilton Jordon and Bert Lance.

Girondists: The revolutionary group in France that declared war on monarchies.

Glorious Revolution: The overthrow of James II by Parliament, which invited William and Mary to ascend the throne of England. This marked the end of political upheaval in England.

Gold Bugs: Sound money advocates who wanted to keep the United States on the international gold standard. They believed it was being threatened by the expanded coinage of silver.

Grangers: Members of the Patrons of Husbandry, a farmers' organization. Also a contemptuous name for farmers used by ranchers in the West.

Great American: The treeless area in the plains most Americans considered Desert unsuitable for settlement. It generally was passed over by settlers going to the Pacific coast areas.

Great Awakening: An immense religious revival that swept across the Protestant world.

Great White Fleet: The ships sent on a world tour by President Roosevelt to show American military power.

Gullah: A language spoken by newly imported African slaves. Originally, it was a simple second language for everyone who spoke it, but gradually evolved into another language. Modern black English is derived in part from Gullah and was born in the rice fields and sea islands of South Carolina.

gang labor: A system where planters organized their field slaves into gangs, supervised them closely, and kept them working in the fields all day. This type of labor was used on tobacco plantations.

gas and water socialists: A term used to describe evolutionary socialists who were interested in improving city life and government.

general warrant: A warrant that does not specify the person, place, or things to be searched.

genocide: Systematic elimination of an entire racial, national, or ethnic group.

gentleman: A term used to describe a person who performed no manual labor.

geopolitician: One who is aware of the relationship between geography and politics as they influence and relate to a country's power and position in the world.

girdled trees: Trees that had a line cut around them so sap would not rise in the spring. They then would die and fall down by themselves. Since they did not leaf out, it was possible to plant a crop among the dying trees.

glasnost: Russian term; described increased openness in Russian society under Mikhail Gorbachev.

governor general: The French official responsible for military and diplomatic affairs and for appointment of all militia officers in a colony.

graduated income tax: A tax based on income with rates that gradually rise as the level of income rises.

greenbacks: Paper money issued by the federal government during the Civil War to help pay war expenses. They were called greenbacks because of their color.

grog shops: Places that sold alcoholic beverages, generally cheap rum diluted with water.

gross national product (GNP): The total value of all goods and services produced during a specific period.

guerrilla warfare: A type of warfare conducted by irregular units or small groups.

gun turret: A low structure, often round, on a ship that moved horizontally and contained mounted guns.