HIST 15200 – Fall 2025 Exam 2 Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering the structure, scoring, requirements, and essay options for the HIST 15200 Fall 2025 Exam 2 Study Guide.

The Equal Rights Amendment

This amendment was proposed in 1923 to guarantee equal legal rights for men and women. It aimed to eliminate discrimination based on sex. It represented the growing movement for women's equality.

Consumerism

This was the growing trend of Americans purchasing cars, radios, and household appliances. Many people used credit and installment plans to buy products. It helped grow the economy but also encouraged debt.

Mary Pickford

This woman was one of the most famous silent film actresses of the 1920s. She helped make Hollywood popular and became one of America's first major celebrities. Her success showed the growing influence of movies on American culture.

Flapper

These young women challenged traditional expectations during the 1920s. They wore shorter dresses, cut their hair, and enjoyed greater social freedom. They represented changing attitudes toward women and modern culture.

The Great Migration

Millions of African Americans moved from the South to Northern and Western cities during this movement. They left to escape racism and find better jobs. It expanded Black communities and influenced American culture and politics.

The Harlem Renaissance

This cultural movement centered in Harlem during the 1920s. African American writers, musicians, and artists celebrated Black culture and identity. It increased recognition of Black achievements and challenged racial stereotypes.

Christian Fundamentalism

This religious movement emphasized traditional Christian beliefs and opposed modern ideas. Its supporters believed society was moving away from religious values. It reflected the conflict between traditional beliefs and modern changes.

The Scopes Trial

This 1925 court case involved a teacher accused of teaching evolution in Tennessee. It became a national debate between religious beliefs and modern science. It showed the growing conflict between traditional religion and scientific ideas.

The Ku Klux Klan

This white supremacist organization promoted racism and hatred toward minorities. During the 1920s, it gained millions of members and targeted African Americans, immigrants, Catholics, and Jews. It increased racial and religious discrimination throughout American society.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

This president served from 1933 to 1945 and introduced programs to fight the Great Depression. He expanded the federal government's role in the economy. His policies provided relief to millions of Americans.

The Stock Market Crash

This event occurred in October 1929 when stock prices suddenly collapsed. It helped trigger a major economic depression, causing businesses to fail and unemployment to rise. Millions of Americans lost money, jobs, and financial security.

Herbert Hoover

This president was in office when the Great Depression began. He believed businesses and local governments should play a major role in economic recovery. Many Americans blamed him for failing to adequately address the crisis.

The Dust Bowl

This environmental disaster involved severe drought and massive dust storms during the 1930s. Poor farming practices and drought destroyed crops and damaged farmland. Thousands of families lost farms and migrated west looking for work.

The 1932 Election

This presidential election took place during the Great Depression. The winning candidate promised a new approach to helping Americans recover. The result changed the government's response to economic problems.

The New Deal

This series of government programs was created during the Great Depression to provide relief, recovery, and reform. It helped unemployed Americans and changed financial regulations. It greatly expanded the federal government's responsibility for citizens.

The First Hundred Days

This refers to the first three months of a president's administration in 1933. During this time, many laws and programs were quickly passed to fight the Great Depression. It greatly increased federal involvement in the economy.

The Social Security Act

This 1935 law created retirement benefits and unemployment insurance for eligible Americans. It helped protect people from financial hardship. It established a lasting federal safety net.

Works Progress Administration

This government program hired millions of unemployed Americans during the Great Depression. Workers built roads, bridges, schools, and other public projects. It provided jobs and improved American infrastructure.

Isolationism

This belief held that America should avoid involvement in foreign conflicts. Many Americans supported it after World War I. It delayed American entry into World War II until an attack changed public opinion.

Nazis

This German political party was led by Adolf Hitler and promoted extreme nationalism and racism. It took control of Germany in 1933 and expanded into other countries. Its actions led to World War II and the genocide of millions.

Pearl Harbor

This naval base in Hawaii was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941. The attack killed thousands of Americans and destroyed military equipment. It caused the United States to enter World War II.

Atomic Bomb

This powerful nuclear weapon was developed by the United States during World War II. Two were used against Japanese cities in August 1945. They caused massive destruction and helped bring Japan's surrender.

Women in the workforce

Millions of American women entered factories and other industries during the war to replace men serving overseas. They produced weapons, vehicles, and supplies for the military. This challenged traditional gender roles and expanded women's employment opportunities.

Women in the Military

Women served in organizations such as the WACs and WAVES during World War II. They performed medical, clerical, and other military support duties. Their service expanded opportunities for women in the armed forces.

Japanese Internment

During World War II, the government forcibly relocated and imprisoned Japanese Americans. Officials claimed it was necessary for national security after the attack on Hawaii. It violated civil liberties and encouraged racial discrimination.

Navajo Code Talkers

These Native American Marines used their language to transmit secret military messages during World War II. Their code was extremely difficult for enemies to understand. They helped the United States win battles in the Pacific.

The United Nations

This international organization was created in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation between countries. It was established after World War II to prevent another major global conflict. It became a place for nations to work together on international problems.

The Holocaust

This genocide involved the systematic murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II. Nazis also persecuted and killed millions of other people. It demonstrated the devastating consequences of racism and extreme dictatorship.

The GI Bill

This 1944 law provided benefits for returning World War II veterans. It helped them pay for college, receive job training, and purchase homes. It expanded the middle class but also reinforced racial inequalities.

The Long Telegram

This 1946 message was sent by an American diplomat from Moscow. It warned that the Soviet Union wanted to expand its influence and could not easily be trusted. It helped shape America's policy of containing communism.

Cold War

This period of tension occurred between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. Both countries competed for military, political, and economic influence without directly fighting a full

The Truman Doctrine

This 1947 policy promised American support for countries threatened by communism. It was announced by a president who wanted to prevent Soviet expansion. It established containment as a major goal of American foreign policy.

The Marshall Plan

This American program provided billions of dollars to rebuild European countries after World War II. It helped restore economies and prevent the spread of communism. It strengthened America's influence in Western Europe.

NSC- 68

This 1950 government report called for a major increase in American military spending. It argued that the Soviet Union posed a serious threat to American security. It strengthened containment and increased military spending.

The Korean War

This war began in 1950 when communist forces from the north invaded the south. The United States and United Nations forces fought to defend the southern country, while China supported the north. It ended in 1953 with the country still divided near the 38th parallel.

Joesph McCarthy

This senator accused many Americans of secretly working for communists during the Cold War. His accusations often lacked sufficient evidence and created widespread fear. His actions damaged reputations and limited freedom of expression.

Military Industrial Complex

This term describes the relationship between the military, government, and defense industries. Dwight Eisenhower warned that this relationship could gain too much influence over American politics. It reflected the growing importance of military spending during the Cold War.

Decolonization

This process involved colonies gaining independence from European empires after World War II. Many countries in Asia and Africa became independent nations. It weakened European imperialism and created new nations during the Cold War.

Levittown

This large suburban housing development was built after World War II. It provided affordable homes for many American families and encouraged suburban growth. It expanded the middle class but largely excluded minorities through discriminatory housing practices.

Redlining

This discriminatory practice denied loans and housing opportunities to people in certain neighborhoods, often based on race. It prevented many African Americans from purchasing homes and building wealth. It increased racial segregation and economic inequality.

Brown V. Board of Education

This 1954 Supreme Court case ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. It overturned the idea that segregated schools could be equal. It became a major victory for the Civil Rights Movement.

Rosa Parks

This African American woman refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Alabama in 1955. Her arrest helped spark a major boycott. She became an important symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Montgomery Buss Boycott

This protest began in 1955 against racial segregation on public buses in Alabama. African Americans refused to ride buses for over a year. It helped end bus segregation and made a young minister a national civil rights leader.

Martin Luther King

This civil rights leader promoted nonviolent protest against racial discrimination. He led marches, boycotts, and demonstrations to fight segregation. He helped advance civil rights and inspired millions to demand racial equality.

The Baby Boom

This period involved a dramatic increase in births in the United States between 1946 and 1964. Many families had children after World War II as the economy improved. It increased demand for schools, housing, and consumer products.

Free Market

This economic system emphasizes private ownership, competition, and limited government control. Businesses and consumers make most economic decisions through supply and demand. It helped support economic growth and consumer prosperity during the 1950s.

Dwight Eisenhower

This president served from 1953 to 1961 and was a former World War II general. He promoted economic growth, supported the interstate highway system, and continued containment of communism. His presidency helped shape postwar prosperity and Cold War America.

Emmett Till

This 14-year-old African American boy was murdered in Mississippi in 1955. His killers were acquitted by an all-white jury despite overwhelming evidence. His murder helped bring national attention to racial violence.