US HISTORY UNIT 7 STUDY GUIDE 1890-1945

Flashcards in vocabulary style

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

A strong navy was crucial to becoming a world power.

Josiah Strong

The Anglo-Saxons were the “fittest to survive,” and wanted to spread benefits to the “less fortunate.

Yellow journalism

Papers exaggerated the doings of the Spanish in Cuba making them seem bad.

De Lome Letter

A Spanish diplomats letter was leaked which was highly critical of President McKinley.

Teller Amendment

A joint resolution passed by Congress which authorized the war. It stated that the U.S. did not want to take control of Cuba and they would control their own government once the peace was restored.

Emilio Aguinaldo

A Filipino nationalist leader who fought alongside U.S. troops during the Spanish-American war. He then became a leader of guerrilla fighters in a war against U.S. control.

Insular cases

The Supreme Court ruled that people in the U.S. territories didn’t automatically have the same rights as U.S. citizens.

Platt Amendment

Allowed the U.S. to have influence in Cuban affairs and to build a naval base in Guantanamo Bay.

Open Door Policy in China

All nations would have equal trading privileges in China.

Boxer Rebellion

A rebellion of Chinese people who wanted to get rid of foreigners.

Muckraker

A reporter that exposed corruption and social problems in order to spark reforms.

The Jungle

Exposed the unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry which led to the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.

16th amendment

Allowed the Federal government to collect income tax.

17th amendment

Allowed for the direct election of senators

18th amendment

Started Prohibition

19th amendment

Gave women the right to vote.

Initiative

A method by which voters could compel the legislature to consider a bill

Referendum

A method that allowed citizens to vote on proposed laws printed on their ballots.

Recall

Enabled voters to remove a corrupt or unsatisfactory politician from office by majority vote before that official’s term had expired.

Trust Busting

The government broke up large business monopolies that were unfair.

Elkins Act

This made it illegal for railroads to grant rebates to favored customers.

Hepburn Act

The commission could fix “just and reasonable” rates for railroads.

NAACP

To fight for civil rights and end racial discrimination.

War Industries Board

Helped the U.S. economy shift from making consumer goods to producing war materials.

Liberty bonds

A loan that citizens gave the government to help out with the War for a reward in return.

Office on Public Information

Spread propaganda encouraging going to war and they tried to get Americans support on the war.

American Protective Society

Helped the government identify people who were seen as disloyal during the war.

Sedition Act of 1918

This made it illegal to speak against the government or the war.

Schenck v. United States

Free speech can be limited during wartime if it presents a clear and present danger.

Selective Service Act (1917)

Required men to register for the draft to build up the military.

Great Migration

The movement of African Americans from the South to the North for better jobs and less racism.

National origins act

This set limits on immigration and favored people coming from Northern and Western Europe.

Marcus Garvey

A Black leader who promoted the idea of racial pride, self-reliance, and economic empowerment.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement that allowed Black artists to gain attention.

Black Thursday to Black Tuesday

The stock market crashed which was the start of the Great Depression.

Hooverviles

A shanty town that was very poor and had very poor living conditions.

Bonus March

1,000 WWI veterans marched to Washington, D.C. to demand immediate payment of the bonuses promised them later.

20th Amendment

This shortened the period between presidential election and inauguration.

21st Amendment

This amendment ended Prohibition.

FDRs 3 Rs

Relief, Recovery, Reform

PWA

Gave money to state and local governments to build roads, bridges, dams, and other public works which led to many jobs.

FDIC

Guaranteed individual bank deposits the gold standard was restricted to international transactions, and Americans could no longer exchange their dollars for gold.

Isolationism

The idea that a country should avoid getting into foreign conflicts or alliances.

Neutrality acts of 1930s

These were meant to keep the U.S. out of foreign wars by banning arms sales and loans to countries at war.

Cash and carry

This let nations buy U.S. goods if they paid in cash and transported it themselves.

Lend lease act

Allowing the U.S. to send weapons and supplies to other nations without pay.

Selective service act

Stated the first draft during peace in U.S. history.

Manhattan Project

The secret testing of the U.S.’ atomic bomb.

Zoot Suit riots

Violent clashes in Los Angeles that was caused because of American Mexicans wearing flashy outfits which symbolized cultural tension.

Korematsu v. United States

Supreme Court ruling that it is constitutional to put Japanese Americans in internment camps due to suspicion of them being spies.

Imperialist wanted new territories for what two reasons

overseas trade and to establish bases