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History Second Semester Final Terms
Terms and definitions for the Park second semester final.
146
History
11th Grade
05/27/2012

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Term
Manifest Destiny
Definition
A popular belief that Americans should go west to increase their prosperity

Questions arose as to how it would affect Native Americans, and as to the political impact of a rising growth in the number of farmers
Term
Battle of Wounded Knee
Definition
Sioux are rounded up and led to Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota

Natives are told to surrender all weapons and avoid attack, but an errant gunshot rings out and soldiers proceed to massacre 300 mostly-unarmed Natives (including women and children)

One of the final attempts at Native American resistance due to the destruction of one of the largest tribes, the Sioux
Term
Buffalo
Definition
New railroads were devised that headed westward and allowed for special buffalo-hunting expeditions

Most tried to kill as many buffalos as possible in order to ensure that Native Americans could not survive
Term
Homestead Act
Definition
Available land in the west attracted settlers

The Government decided to give 160 acres of free land to any citizen who moved west and was the head of his or her household

From 1860-1900, over half a million families took advantage of this (many were exodusters)

Private companies took lots of the available land, for families only ended up with 10% of all that was available
Term
Exoduster
Definition
A black American moving to Kansas after the passing of the Homestead Act
Term
Turner Thesis
Definition
With more and more settlers, there became no more frontier (‘unknown’ places) within the United States, thereby ending a long period of exploration and self-reflection and philosophy

Frederick Jackson Turner proposed his Turner Thesis, which stated that America’s unique character was the result of its frontier
Term
Greenbacks
Definition
During the Civil War, the government issued $500 million in paper currency in order to finance the war

The paper currency couldn’t be exchanged for silver or gold, however, and thus was worth less than hard money of the same value

Named due to the green ink they displayed

After the war, the government began taking greenbacks out of circulation, forcing farmers to repay debts in hard currency
Term
Populism
Definition
A political party that arose out of the Grangers and the Farmers’ Alliance and deemed itself the movement of the people

Fought for reform to lift the debt burden off of the farmers

Wanted an increased supply of money and a bigger voice in the government for the common people

The Democratic Party eventually adopted the Populist platform – that the government was responsible for social justice
Term
Grange
Definition
Farmers began to organize and revolt against the government

Oliver Kelley founded the Patrons of Husbandry (or ‘Grange’), a social outlet and educational forum that taught families to organize and fight the railroad companies
Term
Bimetallism
Definition
Many debated what metal should be used to insure our currency - silverites favored ‘bimetallism’

The theory that both gold and silver should back our money in order to facilitate the movement of currency and to stimulate the economy
Term
Election of 1896
Definition
The Republicans, who favored the gold standard, nominated William McKinley

The Democrats, who favored bimetallism, nominated William Jennings Bryan

The Populists supported bimetallism as well, but decided to endorse Bryan anyways – just with a different Vice Presidential candidate

Bryan delivered his famous ‘Cross of Gold’ speech, condemning the gold standard for hurting Americans; the speech was great, but Bryan lost support in the cities, where people were more afraid of inflation than they were of McKinley


Ultimately, McKinley won the election by just half a million votes
Term
Bessemer Process
Definition
In order to produce steel, workers needed to extract carbon from iron, a soft metal that rusts easily

Henry Bessemer discovered in 1950 that, by injecting air into molten iron, carbon and impurities could be removed

By 1880, 90% of US steel was made through the Bessemer Process
Term
Transcontinental Railroad
Definition
Big reason for westward expansion

Two thousand employees killed and twenty thousand injured in 1888 alone

United the nation, connecting isolated towns and leading to specialization of labor

Created standardized time zones
Term
Pullman Experiment
Definition
Created in 1880 by George Pullman, the owner of a company that produced railroad cars

Pullman decided that, in order to create a stable workforce for his company, he needed to erect a small town for his employees

The town had both good housing and good services (health, education, recreation, shopping, etc.), but residents had almost no freedoms (no alcohol, loitering, etc.)

Failed in 1894 when the workers began to strike and Pullman decided to cut salaries while refusing to cut rent
Term
Credit Mobilier Scandal
Definition
Rampant corruption existed within the railroad companies

Stockholders of the Union Pacific company formed a new construction company called Credit Mobilier

Many politicians voted to give Credit Mobilier the contract that had previously belonged to Union Pacific for laying tracks, at three-times the going rate

Ultimately, the Vice-President and several Congressmen (including eventual-President James Garfield) were implicated in the scandal

Tarnished the reputation of the Republican Party
Term
Interstate Commerce Act
Definition
In 1877, the case of Munn v. Illinois ruled that states had the right to regulate railroads and that the government was allowed to regulate private industry for the sake of public interest

The railroad companies fought back and, in 1886, the case of Wabash v. Illinois ruled that states could not regulate interstate railroad lines

This lead to the passing of the Interstate Commerce Act, which established the right of the Federal Government to supervise railroad activity through the five-member Interstate Commerce Commission

While the idea was good on paper, nothing could be enforced, and thus the act was ineffective for many years
Term
Andrew Carnegie
Definition
His skills at investment resulted in the Carnegie Steel Company’s output surpassing those of all the British steel companies combined in 1899

Created new management strategies, such as attracting the best workers through offering stock options and encouraging competition between workers

Believed in Social Darwinism as a justification for his ruthless business actions
Term
Vertical Integration
Definition
Owning every aspect of the production process
Term
Horizontal Integration
Definition
Buying out all competitors, thus creating a monopoly
Term
Social Darwinism
Definition
Also known as ‘survival of the fittest’

Applies natural selection to society; infers that those who work hardest will do best

Encourages laissez-faire economics
Term
Laissez-Faire
Definition
Meaning "let it do"

Little or no government involvement in the day-to-day affairs of the economy
Term
John Rockefeller
Definition
Sold oil for cheaper than his competitors, forcing them out of business and then proceeding to charge outrageous prices - all the while paying his employees low wages

He – along with Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan - were incredible philanthropists, however, who donated millions of dollars to charitable causes
Term
Sherman Antitrust Act
Definition
In order to prevent trust-based monopolies, the government passed the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890

Made it illegal to form a trust that prevented free trade

The act was ineffective, however, because of the difficulty involved in prosecuting those involved

After some time, officials became tired of trying to enforce the act and stopped trying altogether
Term
Robber Barons
Definition
Those who used unethical means to become wealthy, such as John Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie
Term
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
Definition
In 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, blocking its exits

146 women died in the incident, unable to escape the flames

The owners of the factory were found innocent of any criminal wrongdoing despite the terrible working conditions that caused the fire
Term
Ellis Island
Definition
Those who crossed the Atlantic usually arrived at Ellis Island, an island in the waters near New York City that was used for years as an immigrant-processing facility

Immigrants were checked for illnesses and working ability, and forced to pay a $25 fee per family
Term
Angel Island
Definition
Those who crossed the Pacific usually arrived at Angel Island, an island in the waters near San Francisco that was used for years as an immigrant-processing facility

Many immigrants that arrived here received harsher treatment and more severe questioning than those who arrived at Ellis Island
Term
Nativism
Definition
Favoritism towards native-born Americans

Stipulates that Anglo-Saxons are a superior race, and that the only desirable immigrants are of British, German or Scandinavian descent (all Slavic, Latin and Asiatic races are considered ‘undesirable’)

Lead to religious persecution throughout the United States

In 1897, Congress proposed a literacy test that would have required immigrants to read forty words of English (or of their native tongue) in order to be allowed inside the United States, but it was never passed
Term
Chinese Exclusion Act
Definition
In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act

No Chinese immigrants, other than students, teachers, tourists, and merchants, would be allowed to enter

The bill lasted in effect for twenty years
Term
Gentlemen's Agreement
Definition
The City of San Francisco decided to segregate its schools

Japan became furious over the treatment of its people living in San Francisco

In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt entered into a "Gentleman’s Agreement" with the Japanese Emperor, agreeing to repeal segregation in San Francisco if Japan limited its emigration of unskilled workers to the United States
Term
Gilded Age
Definition
A term coined by author Mark Twain to describe the last few decades of the 19th century

Refers to both the “glittering exterior” as well as the “corrupt political core” of the time
Term
Political Machine
Definition
Based on the quid pro quo theory – that politicians would offer services to voters and businesses in exchange for votes and financial support
Term
Patronage
Definition
The practice of appointing one's friends and loyal supporters to cabinet positions
Term
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Definition
An act passed in 1883 to curb patronage and government corruption

Initiated competency exams for politicians and ordered that they be appointed to positions based on merit
Term
James Garfield
Definition
Also tried, like his predecessor Rutherford Hayes, to enact government reform due to rampant corruption

Was shot and assassinated by a stalwart

Vice President Chet Arthur succeeded him, and enacted the Pendleton Civil Service Act shortly thereafter
Term
Progressive Movement
Definition
To protect the welfare of our society

To promote moral improvement

To create economic reform

To foster societal efficiency

Progressives tried to uplift the lives of the poor through personal changes, government legislation, and prohibition, a ban on alcohol
Term
Prohibition
Definition
The ban on alcohol for just a few years during the early 20th century that resulted in many bootleggers and speakeasies
Term
Muckrakers
Definition
Some progressives, such as Eugene V. Debs, criticized capitalism, claiming that big business was too powerful for workers to have any say, creating ‘unfair competition’

Journalists (known as ‘muckrakers’) began reporting in opposition to big business, deciding to highlight their corrupt practices
Term
Initiative/Referendum/Recall
Definition
The concept of initiatives was introduced, allowing for people to propose bills as opposed to lawmakers

The concept of the referendum was introduced, allowing for people to vote on initiatives in order to pass them while circumventing the (oft-corrupt) political system

The concept of the recall was introduced, allowing for a second election to be executed if the first was flawed
Term
Teddy Roosevelt
Definition
Known as a modern President due to his being the youngest to date (at age 42), as well as for his strong, bold, and brash leadership

Used the Presidency as a “bully pulpit” to influence the media and legislation, feeling that he had the right to do whatever necessary unless the Constitution strictly forbade it

Failed to support Civil Rights, as the needs of progressives were tailored to middle-class whites, not the poor and immigrants and the oppressed
Term
William Taft
Definition
In the Election of 1908, Roosevelt decided not to run, and instead endorsed his Secretary of War, William Taft

Taft was a reluctant president, but felt he was the most “available” man for the job; ultimately, he defeated William Jennings Bryan

His main issue was that he wasn’t Theodore Roosevelt; he wasn’t charismatic and couldn’t win over the media like Roosevelt could, making him highly unpopular

Taft was also more concerned with legal precedent than with politics, refusing to play political “games” (which caused him to lose a support base)
o Beliefs
• Felt that the President could not do anything that had not been fairly granted to him by the Supreme Court or Congress
• Unlike Roosevelt, he avoided the media because he felt that it caused too many problems
• Felt that being a Supreme Court Justice was far more favorable than being the President
Term
Woodrow Wilson
Definition
A Southerner with a strict upbringing, Wilson was one of the first Democrats to be elected President after the Civil War

Looked to attack the "Triple Wall of Privilege" (trusts, tariffs, and finance)

A Southerner, he actually favored segregation, promising to fight lynching, but never actually doing so

Appointed segregationists to important offices and segregated White House facilities
Term
Square Deal
Definition
Trusts and Businesses
• During the Gilded Age, many trusts were established
• Roosevelt became known as a “trustbuster”

Railroads
• The Interstate Commerce Act was largely ineffective
• Roosevelt passed the Elkins Act in 1903, disallowing railroads from handing out rebates in exchange for using their services or from altering their rates without first informing the public

Health and Environment
o We were losing and exploiting the frontier
o Set aside 149 million acres of land for forest reserves and even more for 50 sanctuaries and national parks
o Believed in preserving some land, and developing some land, for the greater good of society

Food and drugs
o After reading Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, Roosevelt appointed a commission to inspect the meat industry and confirm its conditions
o The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 forced companies to provide accurate label information
Term
Meat Inspection Act
Definition
After reading Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, Roosevelt appointed a commission to inspect the meat industry and confirm its conditions

Once the terrible stories were confirmed, Roosevelt passed the Meat Inspection Act of 1906, that greatly improved industry standards for meat production
Term
Pure Food And Drug Act
Definition
Forced companies to provide accurate label information
Term
Payne-Aldrich Tariff
Definition
A compromise between the House and the Senate, passed under President Taft

Lowered tariff rates, but not as much as the Progressives wanted, angering some

Taft called it the “best bill Republicans have ever passed,” as it actually did lower tariff rates
Term
Clayton Antitrust Act
Definition
Strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act, giving officials more power to enforce it

Corporations were prohibited from acquiring stock of other corporations if doing so would lead to a monopoly

Unions were no longer subject to antitrust laws, making strikes and boycotts legal
Term
19th Amendment
Definition
Passed in 1919 under President Wilson

Granted women the right to vote
Term
Alfred Mahan
Definition
Urged the government to built up the navy for the purpose of imperial expansion

The government soon did so, building nine steel cruisers in order to become a naval power
Term
William Seward
Definition
A New York governor, senator, and Secretary of State under Lincoln and Johnson

Masterminded the acquisition of Alaska from Russia
Term
Progressive Foreign Policies
Definition
‘Big Stick’ Diplomacy
• Roosevelt said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”
• Believed in using force to police the world, essentially

‘Dollar’ Diplomacy
• Taft would loan money to countries in order to make them dependent on America
• For instance, Nicaragua was in a lot of debt and almost bankrupt after a rebellion in 1911
• Taft loaned them money to repay their debts, but was granted control of their railroad system and private banks upon doing so (similar deals were performed with Honduras, Haiti, China, and others)

‘Missionary’ Diplomacy
• Wilson would only recognize democratic governments, excluding all oppressive regimes
• Also known as ‘moral internationalism’
Term
Panama Canal
Definition
An example of Roosevelt’s ‘big stick’ diplomacy

America needed a quicker way of shipping things from one coast to another, as well as a more efficient means for the Navy to patrol our waters

France had already tried to build a canal in Panama, so it sent an agent to America to sell the rights to build the canal for $40 million

In 1903, Panama declared its independence; fifteen days later, it signed a treaty with America, giving the US the right to build the canal in exchange for $10 million
Term
Roosevelt Corollary
Definition
Latin American countries had borrowed much money from Europe; Roosevelt feared that Europe would intervene if the Latin American nations couldn’t repay their loans

The US would use force to protect its interests in Latin America
Term
USS Maine
Definition
A US Navy battleship that was sent to Cuba to protect American interests during the Cuban uprising against Spain

Its inexplicable and sudden sinking resulted in rampant anti-Spanish public opinion in the United States and provided justification for the outbreak of the Spanish-American war later that year
Term
Platt Amendment
Definition
Replaced the earlier Teller Amendment

Called for the withdrawal of American troops stationed inside Cuba at the end of the Spanish-American war

Defined American-Cuban relations for the next several decades
Term
Open Door Policy
Definition
The policy that multiple imperial powers would be granted unfettered access to China and its vast resources
Term
Imperialism
Definition
The expansion of a nation's territory into other nations in order to form an empire with international reach
Term
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Definition
The German policy in the days leading up to World War I that any Allied ship sailing in British waters would be sunk
Term
Zimmerman Telegram
Definition
After the onset of unrestricted submarine warfare and events like the sinking of the Lusitania, President Wilson called for “peace without victors,” but Germany ignored the plea and sent the Zimmerman Telegram to Mexico

If Mexico attacked the United States, the Germans would give them American land upon winning the war
Term
Lusitania
Definition
In 1917, America began to mobilize for the war, wanting to ensure the repayment of German debts and to prevent the German threat against American ships in the region

Britain simultaneously decided to instate a blockade on Germany

This led to unrestricted, submarine warfare

The Lusitania, a commercial ship, was sunken by German U-boats, killing over 1200 people, including 128 Americans

Germany claimed the boat was transporting weapons, even though, in actuality, it was not
Term
Selective Service Act of 1917
Definition
An act that authorized the American government to draft an army in order to enter into WWI
Term
War Industries Board
Definition
A government agency established during World War I to coordinate the American purchase of war supplies
Term
Espionage Act
Definition
An act passed at the onset of World War I (but ratified many times over the years) that outlaws revealing American military secrets or committing espionage, especially during times of war
Term
Sedition Act
Definition
An act that extended the Espionage Act's powers to include certain violations of freedom of speech such as flag-burning and other offenses
Term
Great Migration
Definition
Many black people moved to the northern, urban areas of the country during the Great Migration (from 1910-1920)

By 1920, over 40% of black Americans lived in cities
Term
Wilson's 14 Points
Definition
A speech given by President Woodrow Wilson to reassure Congress and the American public that American involvement in World War I was justified and morally acceptable
Term
Treaty of Versailles
Definition
The Treaty that brought about the end of World War I

Left most of the blame for the war on Germany and ordered that the nation make massive reparations

Ultimately became an indirect cause for the national shame of Germany and the rise of Hitler
Term
Red Scare
Definition
Russia had undergone a revolution and transformed itself into the communist USSR just a few years earlier

Rampant fear (called the red scare) spread that communists would try to overthrow the United States and instate communism; the American Communist Party formed and began sending mail bombs to government officials
Term
Palmer Raids
Definition
In response to the red scare, the government decided to hunt down those who opposed it; many civil rights were violated in the process
Term
Sacco and Vanzetti
Definition
Italian immigrants and anarchists who were convicted in a prejudiced and unfair trial of committing robbery and murder

Sentenced to death and ultimately executed after many appeals
Term
Quota Act of 1921
Definition
From 1919-1921, immigration increased by 600%; n response, Congress instituted immigration quotas

The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 attempted to halt the drastic influx in immigration by setting a maximum number of people that can come from each country

No Japanese were allowed whatsoever, angering the Japanese government

The act didn’t apply to nations of the Western Hemisphere, Canada, or Mexico
Term
Warren Harding
Definition
Elected on a campaign promise that we “return to normalcy”

Tried to protect American businesses through aggressive tariffs

Wanted to avoid international politics

Served from 1921-1923 but died while in office

Was highly troubled by the multiple scandals that affected his tenure, such as the Teapot Dome Scandal
Term
Teapot Dome Scandal
Definition
Government set aside oil land at Teapot Dome, Wyoming, as well as in California, specifically for the Navy

Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall, a close friend of oil executives, got the land transferred from Navy control to property of the Department of the Interior; he then secretly leased the land to two private companies, suddenly becoming $400,000 richer
Term
Calvin Coolidge
Definition
Industry flourished under his administration

Believed that American society revolved around business

Wanted to keep taxes down, profits up, and to provide credit for expansion

Known for being incredibly quiet
Term
Urban Sprawl
Definition
Roads are paved, such as Route 66 from Chicago to LA, that liberated isolated farmers, who could now go to cities for entertainment or in order to purchase supplies

Also allowed people to work farther from their homes, creating what is known as urban sprawl (cities began to spread out in all different directions)
Term
Installment Plan
Definition
A method of luring consumers into consuming more goods

Consumers would buy goods over extended periods of time in what was known as an installment plan

Some economists became concerned that consumers were being provided a false sense of security
Term
Roaring 20s
Definition
A time of huge economic, social and artistic change, as rural populations became urban, and support gained for prohibition

Speakeasies, 1920’s slang, and organized crime came about

Science and religion, the roles of women, and fashion were hotly debated

Education and sports became much more prominent

The Harlem Renaissance led to the creation of jazz and a cultural revolution among blacks in America
Term
18th Amendment
Definition
The manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol was prohibited, thus beginning the Prohibition Era
Term
21st Amendment
Definition
Repealed the 18th Amendment, thereby making alcohol once again legal to consume inside the United States
Term
Speakeasies
Definition
Secret bars where people could drink during the prohibition period of the 1920s
Term
Bootleggers
Definition
Makers and smugglers of illegal, homemade alcohol during the prohibition era
Term
Scopes Trial
Definition
Tennessee passed a law prohibiting the teaching of evolution, and the ACLU fought the law

John Scopes, a biology teacher, was arrested for teaching evolution; lawyer Clarence Darrow defended Scopes against William Jennings Bryan

Darrow got Bryan to admit to not being a complete fundamentalist who interpreted the Bible literally; as such, Scopes was arrested and fined but his punishments were eventually overturned
Term
Flapper
Definition
A phrase used to describe the new ideals of women in the 1920s: independent, fashionable, assertive, etc.

They drank, smoked, and discussed sex in public

Still, a double standard existed in the 1920s wherein men had greater sexual freedom than women
Term
Radio
Definition
The radio was the most powerful communication device in the 1920s

After its invention, an instantaneous, nationally-shared news experience through the idea of the ‘airwaves’ began
Term
Charles Lindbergh
Definition
Charles Lindbergh succeeded in performing the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927

Left New York City and arrived in Paris 33.5 hours later

Represented the honesty and innocence that seemed to be lost in the United States at the time
Term
'Lost Generation'
Definition
Ernest Hemingway and other disillusioned expatriate writers formed the “Lost Generation” and wrote stories criticizing an American society that had been “stripped of humanity”
Term
Harlem Renaissance
Definition
A shift in, and celebration of, black culture and music, as well as a literary movement that expressed pride in black culture

Harlem contained the largest urban black community in America; a development project meant to attract middle-class, white families, some whites were scared off when blacks started to move in, thereby lowering prices for other blacks who were also moving in

Overcrowded and underemployed, Harlem was nevertheless the center of a major cultural movement
Term
Louis Armstrong
Definition
Popularized jazz with his rhythmic and improvisational abilities
Term
Herbert Hoover
Definition
A self-made Republican who came from an incredibly poor background and ended up working his way up the ladder

Elected in a landslide election due to the prosperity under Coolidge

Felt that depression was a normalcy of life, and should be allowed to happen; thus, the economy should be allowed to self-correct

Thought that the Federal Government could indeed play a limited role, but could provide no direct help

The Hoover Dam dammed the Colorado River and was one of Hoover’s only successful projects
Term
Causes of the Great Depression
Definition
Tariffs decreased the foreign market for American-made goods

A crisis began in the farming sector due to supply shocks

The overextension of credit by many consumers left many in debt and furthered already-unequal income distribution

After Black Tuesday, investors panicked and ran to banks in order to withdraw their cash (deposits)

However, the banks had already invested these funds into the failing market; by the mid-1930s, 50% of the banks had failed, and millions of people had lost their life-savings
Term
Effects of the Great Depression on Society
Definition
Demoralization was widespread and many lost the will to survive

The suicide rate rose drastically in the late-1920s to early-1930s

Many gave up their goals and challenges (such as college, marriage, or having children), due to the disparaging effects of the Great Depression

People did, however, become kinder and more empathetic towards others due to a common feeling of despair
Term
Dust Bowl
Definition
A massive drought in the Great Plains region in the early 1930s

Farmers overproduced soil that was low on minerals

These ecological dilemmas, combined with heavy winds, created a severe dust storm that directly affected ten states and indirectly affected dozens more

Thousands, known by the derogatory term ‘Okies,’ left the midwest and south and headed west
Term
Bonus Army
Definition
In 1932, thousands of WWI veterans converged in Washington DC; known as the Bonus Expeditionary Force (or Bonus Army), they supported a bill that would pay bonuses for World War I veterans

The bonuses were intended to be paid in 1945, but the veterans demanded them sooner (perhaps immediately); the Patman Bill was designed to expedite the bonuses, but it never passed Congress

Hoover eventually became nervous about the potential violence that could have arisen from the remaining protesters and, in late July, Eisenhower ordered 1,000 troops to teargas the remaining protesters, killing one child and outraging the public
Term
Franklin Roosevelt
Definition
A well-liked, reform-minded Governor from New York

Won the 1932 Presidential Election by nearly 7 million votes, while Democrats won majorities in the House and Senate simultaneously

Served four terms, longer than any other President in history
Term
New Deal
Definition
The name came from a quote from one of FDR's speeches

A program designed to alleviate problems caused by the Great Depression through massive government spending

Many 'alphabet agencies' were created, such as the TVA, CCC, PWA, etc.
Term
Second New Deal
Definition
A response to critics of the first New Deal and those who believed it did nothing to end the Great Depression

Also referred to as the “Second 100 Days” as it was just another flurry of legislative activity

Provided more extensive relief for farmers and workers, and created new vocational agencies like the Works Progress Administration, etc.
Term
Glass-Steagall Act
Definition
In 1933, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was established through the passing of this bill

It provided Federal insurance for all private banks; all bank accounts with up to $5,000 were insured

Many now felt that their savings would be safe in banks
Term
Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)
Definition
Stemmed from the Federal Securities Act

Formed to investigate insider trading and to police companies
Term
Alphabet Agencies
Definition
Agricultural Adjustment Agency
o Raised crop prices by lowering production
o Paid farmers not to grow and then destroy their own crops

Tennessee Valley Authority
o Renovated five dams and constructed twenty new ones
o Created jobs, instated flood control, and utilized hydroelectric power

Civilian Conservation Corps
o Put young men back to work; three million were employed through this program
o Developed infrastructure (such as roads, parks, and trees)
o Over 200 million trees planted in order to prevent another dustbowl

National Recovery Administration
o Set prices for products and established industry standards
o Promoted recovery by preventing wage cuts, falling prices, and layoffs
o Allowed workers to unionize
Term
Huey Long
Definition
A politician from Louisiana who felt that the New Deal favored corporations too much instead of the people

Created the socialist “Share Our Wealth” program, guaranteeing food, home, and shelter, for every human being

Assassinated before he could run for President
Term
John Steinbeck
Definition
An author whose books such as Grapes of Wrath revealed the lives of Okies who faced dozens of hardships as they trekked west towards California in search of jobs
Term
Munich Conference
Definition
Chamberlain spoke forcefully with Hitler, demanding "peace in our time”

A prime example of appeasement, or pacifying an aggressor by giving them what they want
Term
Maginot Line
Definition
In 1940, Hitler launched a blitzkrieg on Denmark and Norway; by May, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, were also attacked

The French anticipated the attack and erected the Maginot Line, a series of border defenses on the majority of the eastern French border, but were ultimately unsuccessful
Term
Neutrality Act of 1939
Definition
The US government could sell arms to nations so long as all payments were in cash and all arms were transported using the buyer’s ships

Known as the “cash and carry” policy
Term
Axis Powers
Definition
Germany, Italy, and Japan formed a crucial alliance in 1940, believing that they could force the US two fight a two-ocean front if they were to enter into what would become World War II

The US began to build a national defense shortly thereafter; sixteen million young men registered for the draft
Term
Lend-Lease Act
Definition
Being broke, Britain couldn’t afford to purchase more arms

The US agreed to lend and lease weapons to “any country whose defense was vital to the US," including Britain, the USSR, etc.

However, up to forty German submarines began sinking over 350 tons of American support per month; the US was then given permission to defend itself
Term
Atlantic Charter
Definition
Roosevelt and Churchill meet, and agree to collective security, disarmament, and economic cooperation

The charter becomes the basis for a new team: the Allies,
26 nations fighting against the Axis powers
Term
Blitzkrieg
Definition
A term denoting an entirely-motorized force of air, naval, and ground fleets moving at a rapid pace to surprise and defeat an unsuspecting enemy
Term
Women's Auxiliary Army Corps
Definition
Women volunteered for non-combat positions starting in 1942

Included nurses, radio operators, pilots, etc.
Term
Office of Scientific Research and Development
Definition
Scientists developed cutting-edge war technology such as
radar and sonar, penicillin, and DDT for insects

Development of the atomic bombs was spearheaded by this bureau.
Term
Manhattan Project
Definition
An intense research and development program at Columbia University in Manhattan

Developed the first nuclear bomb in three years
Term
War Production Board
Definition
A government agency that decided which companies would convert to war production during WWII (i.e. pencil factories made bomb parts)

Organized drives to collect goods
Term
Battle of Stalingrad
Definition
Stalingrad was a major Russian industrial city that Stalin believed needed to be defended no matter what

The Germans took control of 9/10s of city, but winter arrived and the Germans could not handle the harsh, unforgiving Russian climate

The battle was a major turning point for the USSR
Term
D-Day
Definition
Also known as Operation Overlord; led by General Eisenhower

Three million Allied troops attacked the beaches of Normandy, in what became the largest naval invasion in history

A massive success, it allowed the US to establish a base from which to invade France
Term
Battle of the Bulge
Definition
A major German counterattack in 1945; the "bulge” refers to a dent in Allied lines caused by the German offensive

Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but the Allies held on
Term
V-E Day
Definition
A day to celebrate the Allied Victory in Europe

FDR didn't live to see V-E Day, as he had already died of a stroke and Harry Truman was sworn in
Term
Battle of Midway
Definition
The island was pivotal as it was "midway” between Asia and the US

On June 3rd, Admiral Nimitz found a Japanese fleet and ordered a quick strike that had devastating results for Japan

Proved to be a major turning point in the war of the Pacific
Term
'Island Hopping'
Definition
The US didn’t need to conquer all Pacific islands; just those controlled by Japan

The Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942 was the first Japanese defeat on land

The Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944 saw Japan's navy devastated after the United States retaliated against their kamikaze attacks
Term
Iwo Jima
Definition
The US needed a base for bombing runs on Japan

Iwo Jima was a heavily defended spot, filled with tunnels and caves, but proved to be a massive victory for the US (despite heavy casualties)
Term
Okinawa
Definition
Two thousand Japanese kamikaze plans were unleashed, but the US lost just 7000 soldiers total, whereas Japan lost 110,000

Japanese Generals decided to commit suicide rather than surrender
Term
GI Bill
Definition
Also known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, it provided government funds for the education and home-buying of returning soldiers
Term
Zoot Suit Riots
Definition
In the summer of 1943, Zoot Suiters - a term describing the clothing styles of, and, Mexican youths - attacked 11 sailors

Mobs grabbed as many Zoot Suiters as they could find and attacked them
Term
Executive Order 9066
Definition
Roosevelt ordered the removal and confinement of Japanese citizens from the West Coast into camps due to national security concerns surrounding the Japanese

More than 100,000 were shipped to prison camps
Term
Korematsu v. US
Definition
Fred Korematsu was one of the Japanese-Americans told to leave home under Executive Order 9066, but refused to do so, and was convicted of defying military orders

Argued in front of the Supreme Court that Executive Order 9066 was unconstitutional because it was based on race; however, the court upheld his conviction
Term
Iron Curtain
Definition
A term first coined by Winston Churchill to describe the line behind which Eastern Europe and other Soviet-friendly countries in the region laid
Term
Containment Policy
Definition
The US policy of 'containing' the Soviet Union and preventing it from expanding beyond its borders

Resulted in numerous proxy wars, such as those in Vietnam and Korea
Term
Truman Doctrine
Definition
Stipulated that the US must provide post-WWII aid to Europe and Asia in order to rebuild the economies of major trading partners and prevent communist influence from prevailing in those regions
Term
Marshall Plan
Definition
A series of loans that the US provided Germany and other European nations after World War II in order to prevent the influence of communism from prevailing in those areas
Term
Bay of Pigs
Definition
An unsuccessful attempt by a group of CIA-backed and -trained Cuban exiles to invade and overthrow Cuba and the Cuban regime

The Cuban forces and their communist allies swiftly defeated the attack
Term
Cuban Missile Crisis
Definition
Concern in the US began mounting over the possibility that the Soviets were trying to install missile bases in Cuba

One day the US navy detected a Russian carrier proceeding towards Cuba; American destroyers responded and blocked the ship

Stalin and Kennedy ultimately reached an agreement whereupon the US abandoned a military base in Turkey in exchange for the disarmament of all missiles in Cuba
Term
Sputnik
Definition
The first man-made satellite to enter the earth's orbit after being launched by the USSR in 1963

A propaganda victory for the Soviet regime and the culmination of the 'space race'
Term
Berlin Air Lift
Definition
After World War II ended, Germany was ultimately divided into West Germany, a capitalist country, and East Germany, a communist, Soviet-backed country

Berlin, the capital, was deep in the heart of East Berlin, but split down the middle and controlled by both sides

Stalin decided to blockade the city and prevent Western goods from reaching the citizens of West Berlin; President Truman decided to airlift in supplies as a response

Ultimately the airlifts outlasted Stalin's patience and he relented
Term
NATO
Definition
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded in 1949 as a mutual defense pact between nations of North America
Term
Warsaw Pact
Definition
A mutual defense treaty signed in the midst of the Cold War by various communist Eastern Bloc nations
Term
Korean War
Definition
In 1950, Kim Il-Sung and North Korea, backed by Josef Stalin and the USSR, invaded South Korea, hoping to unify the entire peninsula under a communist regime

The US intervened, allying with South Korea and opposing communist expansion at all costs

Three years later, the war ended at a practical standstill, with the border between North and South Korea remaining in the exact same spot as it was at the beginning of the war - the 38th parallel
Term
House Un-American Activities Committee
Definition
A House committee formed by Senator Joe McCarthy in order to root out communist sympathizers and Soviet spies from the US government and military

Managed to identify and prosecute some actual spies, but also falsely accused many people and created mass suspicion
Term
Alger Hiss
Definition
An American lawyer who was ultimately accused by the House Un-American Activities Committee of being a Soviet spy and convicted of perjury a year later
Term
The Rosenberg's
Definition
American communist-sympathizers who were convicted for acts of espionage after revealing information surrounding the atomic bombs to the Soviet Union
Term
Vietnam War
Definition
A proxy war of the Cold War that spanned the Presidencies of Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon

Thousands of American lives were lost as the unforgiving jungle terrain and network of underground tunnels confused American soldiers

Ultimately, communist expansion was not prevented, as the North Vietnamese prevailed and the US withdrew in the mid-1970s amid growing protest
Term
Domino Theory
Definition
One of the US government's reasons for the various Cold War proxy wars

Stipulated that, if one country in a given region were to fall to communism, the surrounding countries in that region would soon fall to communism as well
Term
Harry Truman
Definition
Made the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, decisive turning points in the War in the Pacific

Racially integrated the US Military
Term
Dwight Eisenhower
Definition
In charge of the D-Day attack on France as a General

Ignited the Arms Race and the Space Race while trying to protect America

Initiated the Eisenhower Doctrine which was used as an excuse to fight against communist expansion in any country
Term
John Kennedy
Definition
Was the youngest President in American history upon being elected

Launched the controversial “Bay of Pigs” invasion of Cuba

Was assassinated while parading in Houston, Texas on his motorcade
Term
Lyndon Johnson
Definition
Born in Texas

An ardent supporter of Civil Rights

His social programs dissipated as focus shifted towards the Vietnam War
Term
Richard Nixon
Definition
Served as Eisenhower’s Vice-President

Made his famous ‘Checkers’ speech, apologizing for corruption; was ultimately impeached for the Watergate Scandal, however

Signed acts like the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in order to pursue a détente policy on the Cold War
Term
Jimmy Carter
Definition
Pardoned 10,000 US citizens who were drafted to fight in Vietnam but fled the draft

Created the Delta Force, the most elite special operations force in our military

Won the Nobel Peace Prize
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