US History Fall Study Guide

Woodrow Wilson

28th President of the United States, played a pivotal role during WWI, promoting the League of Nations.

Franz Ferdinand

Archduke of Austria whose assassination in 1914 triggered the outbreak of WWI.

Warren G Harding

29th President known for the return to normalcy and the Teapot Dome Scandal.

Calvin Coolidge

30th President known for his laissez-faire policies and emphasis on business.

Herbert Hoover

31st President who faced the onset of the Great Depression.

Louis Armstrong

Influential jazz musician who played a crucial role in the Harlem Renaissance.

Al Capone

Notorious gangster during Prohibition known for bootlegging and organized crime.

Jeannette Rankin

First woman elected to Congress, advocate for peace and women's rights.

Jack Dempsey

Famous boxer and cultural icon of the 1920s who helped popularize boxing.

Babe Ruth

Legendary baseball player who became a national icon during the 1920s.

Charlie Chaplin

Comedic actor and filmmaker known for his silent films, including The Kid.

Charles Lindbergh

Pilot who completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927.

Henry Ford

Founder of Ford Motor Company, innovator in assembly line production and mass manufacturing.

Langston Hughes

Influential figure of the Harlem Renaissance known for his poetry and activism.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

32nd President, implemented the New Deal to combat the Great Depression.

John Dillinger

Notorious bank robber and gangster during the Great Depression era.

Neutrality

Policy of not taking sides in conflict, notably US's stance before joining WWI.

Lusitania

British ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat, prompting outrage and contributing to US involvement.

Blockade

Naval strategy used by the Allies to restrict supplies to Germany during WWI.

National Defense Act 1916

Legislation aimed at expanding the army and national security prior to US's entry into WWI.

Merchant Marine Act 1916

Act to support the US shipping industry during WWI.

Zimmermann Telegram

Secret communication from Germany to Mexico proposing a military alliance against the US.

Nationalism

A strong identification with a particular nation, fueling tensions leading to WWI.

Militarism

The belief that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively.

Triple Alliance

Military alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy prior to WWI.

Triple Entente

Alliance formed by the UK, France, and Russia before WWI.

Trench Warfare

Combat where armies fought from deep trenches, notably on the Western Front during WWI.

Treaty of Versailles

Agreement that ended WWI, placing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany’s military strategy to quickly defeat France by invading through Belgium.

Teapot Dome Scandal

A bribery scandal involving oil reserves leased to private companies during Harding's presidency.

Prohibition

Nationwide ban on alcohol sales that led to the rise of bootlegging and speakeasies.

Volstead Act

Legislation that defined alcoholic beverages and enforced Prohibition.

Bootlegging

Illegal production and distribution of alcohol during Prohibition.

Red Scare

The fear of communist subversion in American society during the 1920s.

Sacco and Vanzetti

Two Italian immigrants and anarchists who were convicted of murder in a controversial trial.

Flappers

Young women in the 1920s who challenged traditional norms of behavior and dress.

The Jazz Singer

The first talkie film which marked the decline of silent films in 1927.

Scopes Trial

A landmark legal case in 1925 that challenged a Tennessee law prohibiting the teaching of evolution.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement in the 1920s that celebrated African American art, music, and literature.

Installment Buying

A system of paying for goods over time through a series of smaller payments; became popular in the 1920s.

Stock Market Crash

Refers to the crash of 1929 that marked the beginning of the Great Depression.

Fireside Chats

A series of radio talks given by FDR to explain his policies to the American people.

New Deal

A series of programs and reforms aimed at recovering from the Great Depression initiated by FDR.

Dust Bowl

A severe drought in the 1930s that led to massive agricultural failure in the Great Plains.

The Grapes of Wrath

A novel by John Steinbeck that depicts the struggles of families during the Great Depression.

Hoovervilles

Shantytowns that emerged during the Great Depression, named after President Hoover.

Black Tuesday

The day, October 29, 1929, when the stock market crashed, marking the start of the Great Depression.

Industrialization

The process of developing industries in a country or region, characterized by the growth of manufacturing and factories.

Immigration

The action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country, leading to a diverse population and cultural exchanges.

Progressivism

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

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, military force, or other means.