U.S. History Final Exam Study Guide

Modern U.S. History - Mr. McGuire (11th gr.)

(Vocab) Kansas-Nebraska Act

repealed the Missouri Compromise (most destructive/ worst law) caused people to change political party. (1854) Allowed territories to decide on slavery, leading to "Bleeding Kansas."

(Vocab) Battle of Gettysburg

biggest war during Civil War, Lee's 2nd attempt to invade the North; Union won; battle had the most casualties in history

(Vocab) Jefferson Davis

President of Confederacy throughout the Civil War

(Vocab) Emancipation Proclamation

3rd most important document in US history; said all enslaved Americans in the US were forever free; tricky and disrupted things because they were still technically not free

(Vocab) 14th Amendment

made all African American citizens of the US and guaranteed their rights

(Vocab) Frederick Douglass

born a slave; 1st spokesman for abolishing slavery; wrote a narrative about his life as a slave

(Vocab) Pendleton Act

1883 law that created a Civil Service Commission and stated that federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds nor be fired for political reasons

(Vocab) Panama Canal

canal that US created through Panama to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean

(Vocab) Thomas Edison

Inventor of the light bulb, phonograph, and motion pictures

(Vocab) Andrew Carnegie

Scottish; dominates the steel industry; Pittsburgh made most of the steel

(Vocab) Booker T. Washington

African American progressive who supported segregation and demanded that African American better themselves individually to achieve equality.

(Vocab) New Deal

President FDR's overall plan to beat the Great Depression

(Vocab) Neutrality Acts

laws passed by Congress/ US could not sell weapons to countries in war/ if US wanted to be involved in war, we would have to declare war

(Vocab) Lend-Lease

1941 law that authorized the president to aid any nation whose defense he believed was vital to American security

(Vocab) D-Day

Allied invasion of France on June 6, 1944

(Vocab) Battle of Midway

1942 World War II battle between the United States and Japan, a turning point in the war in the Pacific

(Vocab) Marshall Plan

a plan for aiding the European nations in economic recovery after World War II in order to stabilize and rebuild their countries and prevent the spread of communism.

(Vocab) NATO

successful military alliance, Truman created, attack on one is an attack on all

(Vocab) Montgomery Bus Boycott

civil right protest, Rosa Parks, MLK, modern civil rights movement

(Vocab) Sputnik

October, 1957 - The first artificial satellite sent into space, launched by the Soviets.

(Vocab) Great Society

Lyndon Johnson policies, most become laws, helped poor people

(Vocab) Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older

(Vocab) Robert F. Kennedy

He ran for President in 1968; stirred a response from workers, African Americans, Hispanics, and younger Americans; would have captured Democratic nomination but was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan after victory speech during the California primary in June 1968.

(Vocab) Stokley Carmichael

In 1966, as chair of SNCC, he called to assert Black Power. Supporting the Black Panthers, he was against integration.

(Vocab) Watergate Scandal

A break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex in Washington was carried out under the direction of White House employees. Disclosure of the White House involvement in the break-in and subsequent cover-up forced President Nixon to resign in 1974 to avoid impeachment.

(Vocab) Stagflation

persistent high inflation combined with high unemployment, very bad (thought to be impossible)

(Vocab) Supply-Side Economics

An economic philosophy that holds the sharply cutting taxes will increase the incentive people have to work, save, and invest. Greater investments will lead to more jobs, a more productive economy, and more tax revenues for the government.

(Vocab) INF Treaty

Reagan and Gorbachev signed this treaty, which provided for the dismantling of all intermediate range nuclear weapons in Russia and all of Europe. Considered by some to be Reagan's single most important piece of foreign policy.

(Vocab) AIDS

A serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles, acquired immune deficiency syndrome

(Vocab) L.A. Riots of 1992

largest riots in US history, fires everywhere, fights, shootings, National Guard called to stop it, race relations were not good

(Vocab) Bill Clinton

42nd President advocated economic and healthcare reform; second president to be impeached, overall great president, affair and perjury hurt his presidency

(Vocab) NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement; allows open trade with US, Mexico, and Canada.

(Vocab) Welfare Reform Act of 1996

This act established the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in place of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program and tightened Medicaid eligibility requirements. This greatly reduced the width of welfare, and imposed strict employment requirements on the states.

(Vocab) Live Aid Concert

-17 hour musical extravaganza, raised money for those in need, most watched event in history (2 million)

(Vocab) George W. Bush

43rd president of the US who began a campaign toward energy self-sufficiency and against terrorism in 2001

(Vocab) Patriot Act

This law passed after 9/11 expanded the tools used to fight terrorism and improved communication between law enforcement and intelligence agencies

(Vocab) Tet Offensive

a massive surprise attack by the Vietcong on South Vietnamese towns and cities in early 1968, turning point in US involvement in the Vietnam War, ends Johnson's presidency

(Vocab) Iraq War

An armed conflict in Iraq that consisted of two phases. an invasion force led by the United States and a phase of fighting, in which an insurgency emerged to oppose coallition forces

(Vocab) Barack Obama

2008; Democrat; first African American president of the US, health care bill; Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster; economy: huge stimulus package to combat the great recession, is removing troops from Iraq, strengthened numbers in Afghanistan; repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell; New Start treaty with Russia

(Vocab) PEPFAR

The President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR/Emergency Plan) is a United States governmental initiative to address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and help save the lives of those suffering from the disease, primarily in Africa. The program initially aimed to provide antiretroviral treatment (ART) to 2 million HIV-infected people in resource-limited settings, to prevent 7 million new infections, and to support care for 10 million people (the "2-7-10 goals") by 2010. PEPFAR increased the number of Africans receiving ART from 50,000 at the start of the initiative in 2004 to at least 1.2 million in early 2008.

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Theodore Roosevelt

~Busted monopolies

~built the Panama Canal

~expanded national parks

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Woodrow Wilson

~Led the U.S. through WWI

~ Created the League of Nations

~established the Federal Reserve

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Herbert Hoover

~Led food relief efforts in WWI

~built the Hoover Dam, but struggled with the Great Depression.

~He was also blamed for the depression

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Franklin D. Roosevelt

~Created the New Deal

~led the U.S. through WWII

~helped form the United Nations

~ wanted full surrender from Germany and Japan at the end of WW2

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Harry S. Truman

~Dropped atomic bombs

~started the Cold War containment policy

~launched the Marshall Plan

~ Korean War

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Dwight D. Eisenhower

~Ended the Korean War

~built the Interstate Highway System

~strengthened NATO

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) John F. Kennedy

~Handled the Cuban Missile Crisis

~started the Peace Corps

~pushed for civil rights

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Lyndon B. Johnson

~Passed Civil Rights laws

~created Medicare and Medicaid

~fought poverty with the Great Society
~ didn't run for president again because the Vietnam War destroyed him

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Richard Nixon

~Opened relations with China

~ended the Vietnam War

~negotiated US out of the Vietnam War

~started the Environmental Protection Agency

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Jimmy Carter

~Broke peace between Egypt and Israel, promoted human rights ~expanded environmental protections

~ Camp David Accords
~Iran Hostage Crisis

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Ronald Reagan

~Helped end the Cold War

~cut taxes

~boosted the economy with Reaganomics

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) George Bush

~Led the Gulf War

~signed the Americans with Disabilities Act

~helped end the Cold War

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Bill Clinton

~Balanced the budget

~ created millions of jobs

~expanded healthcare and education

~impeached

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) George W. Bush

~Led the War on Terror after 9/11 ~passed No Child Left Behind ~expanded Medicare

~Iraq War

(major achievements of the U.S. presidents) Barack Obama

~Passed Obamacare

~killed Osama bin Laden

~helped recover the economy after the Great Recession

(Essay topics) Advantages and disadvantages of the Union and the Confederacy in the Civil War.

Union (North)
Advantages:
Larger population (22 million vs. 9 million in the South).
Stronger economy with more factories and industry.
Established government and military.
More railroads for transportation.
Superior naval power.
Disadvantages:
Fighting in unfamiliar territory.
Less experienced military leadership at the start.
Had to conquer the South to win.

Confederacy (South)
Advantages:
Strong military leaders (Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson).
Fighting on home turf.
Unified support for their cause.
Disadvantages:
Smaller population and fewer resources.
Weak central government.
Limited industry and railroads.

(Essay topics) Major inventions/innovations (around 1900)

Airplane, Radio, Television, Infrastructure.

(Essay topics) Race Relations

-Slavery (1619-1865) - Enslaved Africans brought to America.
-Civil War & Emancipation (1861-1865) - Slavery abolished.
-Jim Crow Laws (1877-1960s) - Segregation and racial discrimination.
-Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s) - Led to major legal changes.
-Recent Issues (2000s-Present) - Police brutality, protests, and ongoing struggles for equality.

(Essay topics) Causes and consequences of the Cold War

Causes:
Ideological conflict between capitalism (U.S.) and communism (USSR).
Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe.
U.S. containment policy (Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan).
Arms race and nuclear buildup.
Proxy wars (Korea, Vietnam).
Consequences:
Political: Fall of the Soviet Union (1991), end of communism in Eastern Europe.
Economic: U.S. dominance in global markets, Soviet economic collapse.
Military: NATO strengthened, nuclear treaties signed.
Social: Fear of nuclear war, espionage, propaganda.

(Essay topics) Presidential success

Strong Leadership: Presidents like Lincoln, FDR, and Reagan shaped history.
Economic Growth: Policies that boosted the economy (New Deal, Reaganomics).
Foreign Policy: Handling wars, diplomacy, and global conflicts.
Civil Rights & Social Change: Advancing equality (Civil Rights Act, Great Society).
Scandals & Failures: Watergate, economic recessions, unpopular wars.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Reasons for the election of Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln won because of his opposition to slavery, strong leadership, and support from Northern states. Only anti-slavery candidate, National figure

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Lincoln’s views on slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation

Lincoln disliked slavery but initially focused on preserving the Union. In 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in Confederate states. Anti-slavery man to abolitionist, tried to stop spread of slavery

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Reconstruction and Jim Crow laws

after union army left south after Reconstruction, Jim Crows laws brought back segregation

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Immigration policy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

very generous, Chinese exclusion act and other parts of Asia prevented there members to immigrate

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Improvements in the safety of food and drugs in the early 20th century

The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and Meat Inspection Act (1906) ensured safer food and medicine.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) The conservation movement in the early 20th century

Led by Theodore Roosevelt, it focused on protecting natural resources, creating national parks, and regulating land use. there was a movement, preserved chunks of land to be undisturbed.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) The importance of the Fourteen Points

Wilson's plan for Europe after WW1, Germany supported this and agreed surrender under these term, this is not what they got.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Voting rights for women and the 19th Amendment

Women gained the right to vote in all elections in 1920 after decades of activism.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Prohibition and the 18th and 21st Amendments

18th stated that alcohol was banned and 21st says you can have alcohol again

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Car ownership and changes in American culture

Cars revolutionized travel, led to suburban growth, and changed lifestyles.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Causes of the Great Depression

Stock market crash (1929), bank failures, high unemployment, and poor economic policies.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Achievements of the New Deal

reduced hunger suffering, grows the economy again, polices to prevent another depression

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) FDR and neutrality

FDR signed neutrality laws, contributed to the start of WW2 because Europe thought we would not join

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) American contributions to World War 2

Provided weapons, soldiers, and money; helped defeat Germany and Japan.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) The Manhattan Project

Secret U.S. project that developed the atomic bomb, used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945).

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Postwar economic growth in the 1950s

Strong economy, suburban expansion, rise of consumer culture. prosperous- economic growth and low inflation

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) The significance of the March on Washington

1963 civil rights rally where MLK gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, pushing for racial equality.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Consequences of the development of the Interstate Highway System

Boosted travel and trade but hurt small towns and increased suburbanization.

~ caused suburbs to grow

~ franchises (restaurants and hotels)

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) The Vietnam War and Lyndon Johnson’s presidency

LBJ escalated U.S. involvement in Vietnam, leading to protests and division. Destroyed his presidency

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) The end of the Vietnam War

US leaves, US gets our P.O.W (prisoners of war) back and US took in refugees

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Inflation and the 1970s

High oil prices and economic struggles led to rising costs and financial instability.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Carter’s response to the Iranian Hostage Crisis

52 Americans were held hostage in Iran (1979-1981); Carter's failed rescue hurt his presidency.

~ sent a mission to rescue hostages (failed)
~ negotiated to have the hostages released (success)

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Significance of “Reaganomics”

Reagan's policies cut taxes to simulate growth in investments, reduced government spending, and boosted the economy.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Military buildup during the 1980s

Reagan increased defense spending to challenge the Soviet Union.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Reagan and Gorbachev and the end of the Cold War (two questions)

Reagan and Soviet leader Gorbachev negotiated arms reductions, leading to the USSR's collapse (1991).

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Changes in media during the late 20th century

Rise of cable TV, internet, and digital communication.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) O.J. Simpson trial and race relations

His 1995 trial highlighted racial tensions and media influence.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Consequences of 9/11

Led to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, increased security, and anti-terrorism laws.

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) The importance of the Iraq War

~ US won (controversial)
~ cost trillions of dollars
~ US never found their weapons of mass destruction

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Obama and gay marriage

~ first president to support gay marriage
~ changed his mind (started against but later supported)
~ the public opinion changed quickly too

(Additional things to know related to objective questions) Hurricane Katrina and Bush

~ worst natural disaster in US
~ weakened Bush's political position (because he didn't give that much aid)