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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| A black American moving to Kansas after the passing of the Homestead Act |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| Transcontinental Railroad |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| Owning every aspect of the production process |
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| Buying out all competitors, thus creating a monopoly |
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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 |
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Meaning "let it do"
Little or no government involvement in the day-to-day affairs of the economy |
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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 |
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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 |
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| Those who used unethical means to become wealthy, such as John Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie |
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| Triangle Shirtwaist Factory |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| Based on the quid pro quo theory – that politicians would offer services to voters and businesses in exchange for votes and financial support |
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| The practice of appointing one's friends and loyal supporters to cabinet positions |
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| Pendleton Civil Service Act |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| The ban on alcohol for just a few years during the early 20th century that resulted in many bootleggers and speakeasies |
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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 |
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| Initiative/Referendum/Recall |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| Forced companies to provide accurate label information |
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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 |
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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 |
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Passed in 1919 under President Wilson
Granted women the right to vote |
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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 |
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A New York governor, senator, and Secretary of State under Lincoln and Johnson
Masterminded the acquisition of Alaska from Russia |
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| Progressive Foreign Policies |
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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’ |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| The policy that multiple imperial powers would be granted unfettered access to China and its vast resources |
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| The expansion of a nation's territory into other nations in order to form an empire with international reach |
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| Unrestricted Submarine Warfare |
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| The German policy in the days leading up to World War I that any Allied ship sailing in British waters would be sunk |
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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 |
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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 |
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| Selective Service Act of 1917 |
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Definition
| An act that authorized the American government to draft an army in order to enter into WWI |
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| A government agency established during World War I to coordinate the American purchase of war supplies |
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| 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 |
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| An act that extended the Espionage Act's powers to include certain violations of freedom of speech such as flag-burning and other offenses |
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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 |
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| 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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| In response to the red scare, the government decided to hunt down those who opposed it; many civil rights were violated in the process |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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) |
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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 |
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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 |
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| The manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol was prohibited, thus beginning the Prohibition Era |
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Definition
| Repealed the 18th Amendment, thereby making alcohol once again legal to consume inside the United States |
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| Secret bars where people could drink during the prohibition period of the 1920s |
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Definition
| Makers and smugglers of illegal, homemade alcohol during the prohibition era |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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” |
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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 |
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Definition
| Popularized jazz with his rhythmic and improvisational abilities |
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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 |
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Term
| Causes of the Great Depression |
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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 |
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Term
| Effects of the Great Depression on Society |
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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 |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
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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 |
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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 |
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Term
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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. |
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Term
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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. |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
| Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) |
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Definition
Stemmed from the Federal Securities Act
Formed to investigate insider trading and to police companies |
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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 |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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Term
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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 |
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Term
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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 |
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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 |
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| 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 |
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| Women's Auxiliary Army Corps |
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Women volunteered for non-combat positions starting in 1942
Included nurses, radio operators, pilots, etc. |
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| Office of Scientific Research and Development |
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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. |
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An intense research and development program at Columbia University in Manhattan
Developed the first nuclear bomb in three years |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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) |
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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 |
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| Also known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, it provided government funds for the education and home-buying of returning soldiers |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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| A term first coined by Winston Churchill to describe the line behind which Eastern Europe and other Soviet-friendly countries in the region laid |
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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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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' |
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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 |
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| The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded in 1949 as a mutual defense pact between nations of North America |
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| A mutual defense treaty signed in the midst of the Cold War by various communist Eastern Bloc nations |
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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 |
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| House Un-American Activities Committee |
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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 |
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| 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 |
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| American communist-sympathizers who were convicted for acts of espionage after revealing information surrounding the atomic bombs to the Soviet Union |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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Born in Texas
An ardent supporter of Civil Rights
His social programs dissipated as focus shifted towards the Vietnam War |
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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 |
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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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