Decades Zeitgeists Quiz

1600-1649

Early Colonial, fledging colonies gaining foothold

1650-1699

Mid-Colonial, colonies becoming stable, growth and increasing diversity cause social tension in formerly more homogenous colonies, hunger for land causes ongoing conflict with native tribes

1700-1749

Late Colonial, colonies becoming developed and prosperous, enjoying large degree of autonomy and self-sufficiency during period of “Salutary Neglect,” England preoccupied with European war and competition

1750s

French & Indian War begins

1760s

End of French & Indian War, end of “Salutary Neglect,” “Road to Revolution” begins

1770s

“Road to Revolution” continues, Revolutionary War

1780s

(Articles of) Confederation Period, Constitution written

1790s

Federal Period; 1st decade w/ Constitution & Federalist Party in power (Hamilton-Jefferson arguments), etc.

1800s

Jeffersonian Period, Louisiana Purchase, Lewis & Clark, problems with Britain and France, Marbury v. Madison / Marshall Court era begins

1810s

War of 1812, “Era of Good Feelings” begins

1820s

“Era of Good Feelings” ends, Jacksonian Era begins

1830s

Jacksonian Era; also themes of westward expansion, industrialization, reform movements, and immigration begin

1840s

“Manifest Destiny,” westward expansion, industrialization, reform movements, immigration continue as dominant themes of this decade

1850s

Pre-Civil War

1860s

Civil War, beginning of Reconstruction

1870s

Reconstruction / end of Reconstruction / beginning of “Gilded Age”

1880s

Gilded Age; industrialization

1890s

Gilded Age; industrialization, American Imperialism, international influence increases

1900s

Progressive Era begins

1910s

Progressive Era continues, WWI, Treaty of Versailles controversy

1920s

“Roaring 20s” - Progressive Era has ended, conservative themes gain dominance, culture clash between new ideas and traditional values is evident, booming economy and stock market, stock market crash in 1929

1930s

The Great Depression and FDR’s “New Deal” legislative agenda

1940s

WWII, beginning of the Cold War

1950s

Cold War at its height, Brown v. Board of Ed., beginning of the Civil Rights movement, conservative politics (Eisenhower, McCarthy, etc.)

1960s

Cold War continues, Vietnam, LBJ’s “Great Society,” Civil Rights movement peaking, Nixon’s 1st election

1970s

Nixon/Watergate, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter; Vietnam pull-out, “stagflation”

1980s

Reagan – Cold War anti-communism, military spending, national debt, Iran-Contra affair, Berlin Wall Falls, Cold War ending

1990s

Soviet Union breaks apart, Cold War ends, “Operation Desert Storm” – Persian Gulf War (George H.W. Bush) against Iraq / Saddam Hussein