US History Flashcards: Unit 6 Terms & Definitions

Treaty of Versailles

Leaders representing 75% of the world attended the peace confrence, however, the "big 4"- US (Woodrow Wilson), UK, France and Italy dominated the negotiations. The Big 4 negotiated how harsh Germany's punishment should be, and ultimately came to a compromise.

Germany's punishments (treaty of versailles)

-Forced to surrender 10% of it's territory

-Army and navy was severely limited

-Forbade them from having an airforce

-Forced to conduct war crime trials against various leaders for their aggression

-Forced to take responsibility for starting WW1

-Had to pay enormous amounts in reparations for allied war losses

Impacts of the Treaty of Versailles

Germans were angry about the treaty, which helped fuel the rise of populism and nationalism

League of Nations

World organization established in 1920 to promote international peace and to prevent a repetition of the first world war. First proposed in 1918 by President Woodrow Wilson, although the United States never joined the League. Rejected by the senate in 1919. It was officially dissolved in 1946, as it was powerless.

War Reparations

Compensation paid by a defeated nation to the victors for the damage it inflicted during war. Germany had to pay for costs of the war.

Dawes Debt Plan

Stated that Germany's annual reparations would be reduced, increasing over time as its economy improved. US lent Germany money to pay reparations, and the countries collecting reparations used that money to pay off US debts. Significantly strengthened Germany's economy.

Isolationism

A policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries.

Shift in US foreign policy, scaled down military, rejection of treaty of versailles

"Return to Normalcy" (1920s)

President Harding's proposal to bring America back to how things were before the war.

-Political and economic conservatism

-Isolationist foreign policy

-Return to conservative values and AWAY from Wilson's internationalism

Ku Klux Klan

White supremacy organization that intimidated blacks out of their newly found liberties. Also aimed to oppose the forces changing America and to fight the growing "influence" of blacks, Jews and Catholics, and foreigners in US society.

Ku Klux Klan in the 1920's

Cultural conflict and modernization helped resuscitate the KKK. They were driven by new, different concerns. KKK members shared a fear of immigrants changing American culture, and responded with hatred. Recruited individuals and sold KKK items.

The Birth of a Nation

A controversial, highly influential silent film from 1915 about the South during and after the Civil War. It demonstrated the power of film propaganda and revived the KKK. Considered highly controversial for its portrayal of African-Americans.

Scopes Trial

1925 court case. John Scopes violated TN banning teaching of evolution.

Even though the fundamentalists "won" the trial, they "lost" because Darrow challenged the literal interpretations that many were making from the bible, and this helped to popularize the evolutionary theory, and diminish support for fundamentalism.

Religious Fundamentalism

Went back to the founding days of the colonies and interpreted bible text very literally. Preachers traveled throughout towns leading "sermons", which were more similar to broadway shows than religious ceremonies.

Red Scare

Intense fear of communism and other politically radical ideals. Thought that communists were working to destroy the American way of life

Sacco and Vanzetti Trial

Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian immigrants charged with murdering a guard and robbing a shoe factory in Braintree, Massachusetts. Convicted on weak evidence, many believed they had been framed for the crime because of their anarchist and pro-union activities, and because they were immigrants.

Emergency Quota Act of 1921

Legislation stating that only 3% of the number of the current US population of any nationality would be allowed to immigrate to the US.

National Origins Act of 1924

Restricted immigration from any one nation to two percent of the number of people already in the U.S. of that national origin in 1890. Severely restricted immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, and excluded Asians entirely. Stayed in affect until 1960

Prohibition

Period from 1920 to 1933 when the sale of alcoholic beverages was prohibited in the United States

Model-T Ford

Henry Ford developed this model of car so that it was affordable for everyone. Led to an increase in the production of automobiles which stimulated other related industries such steel, oil, and rubber. Increased the speed goods could be transported, and sparked real estate booms in California and Florida.

Flappers

Young women in the 1920s who challenged social traditions with their dress and behavior

Great Migration

Movement of over 300,000 African American from the rural south into Northern cities between 1914 and 1920

Harlem Renaissance

A period in the 1920s when African-American achievements in art and music and literature flourished

The New Negro

Term used in the 1920s (harlem reneissance), in reference to growth of black political influence that occurred in northern cities, where African-Americans were freer to speak and act. Created a spirit of protest that expressed itself culturally in the Harlem Renaissance and politically in "new Negro" nationalism.

Marcus Garvey

Thought leader during the Harlem Renaissance. Popularized the "black is beautiful" idea. Helped to transport people to Liberia who wanted to move back to Africa from America.

Langston Hughes

A leading poet of the Harlem Renaissance. Described the rich culture of African American life using rhythms influenced by jazz music. Wrote of African American hope and defiance, as well as the culture of Harlem

Charles Lindbergh

American pilot who made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

Herbert Hoover

Republican candidate who assumed the presidency in March 1929. Promised the American people prosperity and attempted to first deal with the depression by trying to restore public faith in the community. Didn't enable government to help (significantly) with the great depression

Buying on margin

The purchasing of stocks by paying only a small percentage of the price and borrowing the rest, but promising to pay the balance in the future. Like a loan, but the collateral was the stock itself

Stock Market Crash

In 1929, the stock market crashed, causing millions of people to loose a substantial amount of their savings. Investors and businesses put significant amounts of money into the market, and it was all lost.

Causes include (but are not limited to): Overinflated shares, growing loans, agricultural overproduction, higher interest rates, stocks purchased on margin, etc.

Great Depression

Started with collapse of the US stock market, a period of worldwide economic depression. Heavy borrowing by European nations from USA during WW1 contributed to instability in European economies. Sharp declines in income and production as buying and selling slowed down. Widespread unemployment, countries raised tariffs to protect their industries

Bonus Army

Group of WWI vets. that marched to D.C. in 1932 to demand the immediate payment of their goverment war bonuses in cash

Reconstruction Finance Corporation

Agency established in 1932 to provide emergency relief to large businesses, insurance companies, and banks. Congress set up $2 billion. It made loans to major economic institutions.

Hawley-Smoot Tarrif

Raised prices on foreign imports to such a level that they could not compete in the American market, slowed down trade. Led other countries to retaliate by raising their tarrifs, intensifying the great depression

Hooverville

Depression shantytowns, named after the president whom many blamed for their financial distress

Franklin D Roosevelt

32nd US President - He began New Deal programs to help the nation out of the Great Depression. Redefined the role of government in the lives of US citizens.

Fireside chats

The informal radio conversations Roosevelt had with the people to keep spirits up. It was a means of communicating with the people on how he would take on the depression.

New Deal

The name of President Roosevelt's program for getting the United States out of the depression. Included new constraints and safeguards regarding the banking industry and efforts to re-inflate the economy. Laws passed by congress and presidential executive orders

Deficit Spending

Government practice of spending more than it takes in from taxes, money raised by borrowing rather than from taxation.

Relief, Recovery and Reform

3 R's of the New Deal

Dust Bowl

Region of the Great Plains that experienced a drought in 1930 lasting for a decade, leaving many farmers without work or substantial wages.

"Oakies"

Name commonly given to refugees from the Great Plains seeking to escape the dust bowl. Moved to the west after they lost their farm during the severe drought, and lived in shantytowns in California

AAA: Agricultural Adjustment Administration

Attempted to regulate agricultural production through farm subsidies. The law offered farmers subsidies in exchange for limiting their production of certain crops, in order to limit overproduction so that crop prices could increase

SEC and FDIC: [Securities and Exchange Commission] and [Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]

Roosevelt's goal in creating these agencies was to restore the public faith in the financial institutions. 2 examples of New Deal programs that still exist.

-SEC regulates banks and stock market

-FDIC insures money people deposit in banks - if a bank goes bankrupt, the US government will pay back people who lost their money

TVA: The Tennessee Valley Authority

The Tennessee Valley Authority federation was created in 1933 in order to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly impacted by the Great Depression

SSA: Social Security Act

Relief passed in 1935 to provide Americans with retirement benefits. Mandated unemployment and disability insurance. Workers and employers pay into this fund.

Wagner Act AKA National Labor Union Act

Protected the rights of most workers in the private sector to organize labor unions, to engage in collective bargaining, and to take part in strikes and other forms of concerted activity in support of their demands.

Fair Labor Standards Act

1938 act which provided for a minimum wage and restricted shipments of goods produced with child labor

Senator Huey Long

Democratic governor from Louisiana; publicized his "Share Our Wealth" society; said that the Depression stemmed not from overproduction but from under-consumption; increased taxes, built new highways; almost dictatorial control of state government

New Deal Democratic Coalition

African Americans

Small Farmers (South and West)

Urban workers

Other poor and unemployed

Reformers

Majority of the electorate

Democrats dominated US politics for the next 50 years

Francis Perkins

Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor and first woman cabinet member in U.S. history.

CCC: Civillian Conservation Corps

Gave people jobs to work on projects that conserved nature/wildlife, preserved natural resources

WPA: Work Progress Administration

Massive work relief program. Created many jobs ranging from construction to acting. Funded/produced construction projects