U.S. History GED Review

Flashcards for U.S. History GED Review

Declaration of Independence

Signed in 1776

Thomas Jefferson

Wrote the Declaration of Independence

The Revolutionary War

Fought for American independence from Britain

Main causes of the Civil War

Slavery, states’ rights, and economic differences

Abraham Lincoln

President during the Civil War

Emancipation Proclamation

Freed enslaved people in Confederate states

Reconstruction

Period after the Civil War to rebuild the South and reunite the country

Amendments passed during Reconstruction

13th (abolish slavery), 14th (citizenship), 15th (voting rights for men)

The Great Depression

A severe economic crisis during the 1930s with high unemployment

The New Deal

Program by Franklin D. Roosevelt to fight the Great Depression

Event that brought the U.S. into World War II

Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941)

Allied Powers in WWII

U.S., U.K., Soviet Union, France, China

The Cold War

A political and military rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union after WWII

The Civil Rights Movement

A fight to end racial segregation and gain equal rights for African Americans

Goal of the 1964 Civil Rights Act

To end segregation and ban discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or origin

Martin Luther King Jr.

Gave the "I Have a Dream" speech

Result of the Brown v. Board of Education case

Ended legal segregation in public schools

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand westward

Main reason for the American Revolution

Colonists wanted independence from British rule and taxation without representation

Influence of the Enlightenment on the American Revolution

Inspired ideas about liberty, natural rights, and government by consent

Main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Lack of strong central government, no power to tax, no national army, and difficulty passing laws

Significance of the Great Compromise during the Constitutional Convention

Created a two-house legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate

How the Missouri Compromise attempted to resolve sectional tensions

Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state and prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ line in the Louisiana Territory

Impact of the Dred Scott decision on the nation

Ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress couldn’t ban slavery in territories, increasing sectional conflict

How industrialization changed the U.S. economy in the late 19th century

Shifted economy from agriculture to manufacturing, increased urbanization, and led to growth of factories and labor unions

Causes of the Spanish-American War

U.S. support for Cuban independence, sinking of the USS Maine.

Causes and effects of the Spanish-American War

Causes: U.S. support for Cuban independence, sinking of the USS Maine. Effects: U.S. gained control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, marking rise as a world power.

How the New Deal aimed to address the Great Depression

By providing relief, recovery, and reform through programs like the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) and Social Security

Significance of the Marshall Plan

Provided economic aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII and prevent the spread of communism

Doctrine of “separate but equal” and its eventual overturning

Established by Plessy v. Ferguson allowing segregation, later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, declaring segregation unconstitutional

Role of the 19th Amendment in U.S. history

Granted women the right to vote, marking a major victory for the women’s suffrage movement

How the Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged westward expansion

It offered free land to settlers willing to farm it for 5 years, promoting migration west

Significance of the Erie Canal

Connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, boosting trade and westward migration

Impact of the Emancipation Proclamation beyond freeing slaves

It shifted the Civil War’s focus to ending slavery and allowed African Americans to join the Union army

How the policy of containment shaped U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War

Aimed to stop the spread of communism through alliances, aid, and military interventions

Main purpose of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

To abolish slavery, grant citizenship, and secure voting rights for African American men

How the Progressive Era address problems caused by industrialization

Through reforms targeting labor rights, child labor, women’s suffrage, and government corruption

Causes of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s

Drought and poor farming practices

Consequences of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s

Massive migration, agricultural collapse, and worsened the Great Depression

How the Gilded Age earn its name

Marked by rapid economic growth and wealth but also corruption, inequality, and poor working conditions underneath the surface