Vocab list pt 2

Progressivism

A social and political movement aimed at addressing issues caused by industrialization, urbanization, and corruption.

Elkins Act

A 1903 law aimed at stopping railroads from engaging in discriminatory practices in freight rates.

Pendleton Act

A 1883 act that established a merit-based system for federal employment.

Interstate Commerce Commission

A regulatory agency created to oversee the practices of interstate railroads.

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

An 1890 law aimed at curbing monopolies and promoting competition.

Pure Food and Drug Act

A 1906 law ensuring the proper labeling of food and drugs.

Meat Inspection Act

A law that mandated the inspection of meat products to ensure public health.

Square Deal

President Theodore Roosevelt's domestic program focusing on consumer protection, natural resource conservation, and curtailing corporate excess.

Payne-Aldrich Tariff

A 1909 tariff that raised certain tariffs and was criticized for not lowering rates.

Federal Reserve System

The central bank of the U.S. established to regulate the economy and provide financial stability.

16th Amendment

The amendment that allows the federal government to impose an income tax.

17th Amendment

The amendment that established the direct election of U.S. Senators.

19th Amendment

The amendment that granted women the right to vote.

Recall

A political process allowing voters to remove an elected official from office.

American Federation of Labor

A national federation of labor unions representing skilled workers.

Populist Party

A political party formed in the 1890s to represent the interests of farmers and laborers.

Jane Addams

A social reformer and activist known for founding Hull House and her work in social justice.

Muckrakers

Journalists and activists who sought to expose corruption and social injustices.

Bill-Moose Party

A progressive political party formed by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.

Open Door Policy

A U.S. policy aimed at ensuring equal trading rights in China.

Spanish American War

An 1898 conflict between the U.S. and Spain that resulted in U.S. territorial gains.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news reporting intended to provoke public outrage.

USS Maine

A U.S. naval ship whose sinking prompted the Spanish-American War.

Zimmerman Note

A secret diplomatic communication from Germany to Mexico proposing an alliance against the U.S.

McKinley Tariff

An 1890 tariff that raised duties on foreign goods to protect domestic production.

Paris Peace Conference

The meeting of Allied powers to negotiate peace treaties after World War I.

Treaty of Versailles

The treaty that officially ended World War I and imposed heavy reparations on Germany.

League of Nations

An international organization founded after World War I to promote peace, though the U.S. did not join.

Hoovervilles

Makeshift shantytowns built by homeless people during the Great Depression.

Teapot Dome Scandal

A bribery scandal involving the oil reserves set aside for the navy in the 1920s.

CCC

Civilian Conservation Corps; a New Deal program focusing on environmental conservation.

TVA

Tennessee Valley Authority; a New Deal agency that developed resources in the Tennessee Valley.

Glass Steagall Act

An act that established the separation of commercial and investment banking.

Lend Lease Act

A program under which the U.S. supplied Allied nations with war material during WWII.

Yalta Conference

A meeting between Allied leaders to discuss post-war reorganization.

Atlantic Charter

A joint declaration by the U.S. and UK outlining their shared goals for the post-war world.

Containment

A U.S. foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism.

Truman Doctrine

A policy established to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War.

Brown v. Board of Education

The landmark Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Freedom Riders

Civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation banning discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A landmark piece of federal legislation aimed at overcoming legal barriers preventing African Americans from voting.

Great Society

A set of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe to help rebuild economies after WWII.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

U2 Incident

The shooting down of an American U-2 spy plane over Soviet airspace, escalating Cold War tensions.

Korean War

A conflict between North and South Korea, with U.S. involvement to prevent communism.

Credibility Gap

The public's skepticism about the government's truthfulness, especially concerning the Vietnam War.

Pentagon Papers

A classified report that revealed the U.S. government misled the public about the Vietnam War.

Watergate

A major political scandal involving the Nixon administration's attempt to cover up its involvement in the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters.

Vietnamization

Nixon's strategy of transferring the responsibility of war efforts to the South Vietnamese government.