vocab

Frontier

The Census Bureau announced the end of the frontier in 1890, meaning there was no longer a discernible frontier line in the west.

Imperialism

The practice of a country expanding its power and influence over other countries.

Spanish-American War

Fought between Spain and the United States in 1898, beginning with the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor.

Philippine Insurrection

Conflict that lasted about three years, resulting in over 4,200 U.S. service members and about 20,000 Filipino combatants losing their lives.

Anti-imperialist

Someone who opposes the idea of one country ruling or having substantial power over another country.

Pluralistic

The coexistence of multiple distinct cultural, ethnic, and social groups within the United States.

Progressive Era

A political movement from 1890 to the 1920s focused on social and political reform.

Journalists

Individuals who exposed problems in America due to rapid industrialization and urban growth during the Progressive Era.

Progressive Amendments

Constitutional amendments including the 16th (income tax), 17th (direct election of senators), 18th (prohibition), and 19th (women's suffrage) passed during the Progressive Era.

National Parks

Protected areas such as Yellowstone and Forest Preserves.

Preservationists

Individuals who advocate for the protection of natural environments and wildlife, opposing resource exploitation, little to no human interaction.

Conservationists

Individuals who advocate for the responsible use and management of natural resources to prevent depletion and ensure sustainability, allows human interaction.

Quotas (immigration)

Numerical limits placed on the number of individuals allowed to enter a country.

Great Migration

The movement of approximately six million Black people from the American South to Northern, Midwestern, and Western states.

Neutrality

The policy of avoiding entanglement in foreign conflicts.

Modernization

A cultural movement promoting technology and unique forms of expression in the early 1900s.

Woodrow Wilson

The 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921.

World War I

A global conflict fought between the Allies and Central Powers.

Tradition vs. innovation

The tension between preserving traditional ideals and embracing new technological advancements.

American Expeditionary Force

The first American ground troops to reach the European front during World War I.

Urban vs. rural

City dwellers often embraced cultural changes while rural inhabitants clung to traditional norms.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty signed in 1919 that ended the state of war between Germany and the Allies.

Red Scare

A period of moral panic over the perceived rise of left-wing ideologies like communism.

Xenophobia

Fear or dislike of anything perceived as foreign or strange.

Strikes

Social tensions increased after World War I, exacerbated by high inflation.

Fundamentalist Christianity vs. scientific modernism

The conflict between those insisting on traditional Christian doctrines and those adapting faith in response to scientific discoveries.

Harlem Renaissance

An intellectual and cultural revival of African-American arts and scholarship.

Management vs. labor

Management refers to coordinating tasks, whereas labor refers to the work performed.

League of Nations

An international peacekeeping organization proposed by President Wilson.

Native born vs. immigrants

Native born refers to people born in the country, immigrants are those born outside who move in.

Idealism vs. disillusionment

Idealism focuses on pursuing ideals, while disillusionment involves destroying false ideas.

Business cycle

The fluctuating levels of economic activity over time.

Great Depression

A severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939.

Progressive Reform

Efforts to establish a more transparent and accountable government.

Welfare state

A government that promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens.

Liberalism

A political philosophy centered on individual rights, liberty, and equality before the law.

FDR

The 32nd president of the United States.

New Deal

A series of financial reforms and regulations initiated by FDR to address the economic crisis.

Relief, recovery, reform

The three primary goals of New Deal programs.

Supreme Court Limits on New Deal African

Judicial restrictions placed on New Deal legislation.

American political realignment

A shift in voting patterns among African Americans.

Conservatives

Those who wanted to avoid involvement in the war effort.

Interventionists vs. isolationists

Debate over U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, with interventionists favoring engagement.

World War II

The second global conflict that followed World War I.

White vs. black

The conflict in rights between white citizens and Black Americans, with growing protests for change.

Pearl Harbor

The attack by Japanese forces on an American military base on December 7, 1941.

Atomic bombs/weapons

Explosive devices that release energy through atomic reactions.

Axis Powers

The coalition of Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II.

Allied Powers

The coalition of Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union during World War II.

Civil liberties

Independent freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

D-Day Invasion

The largest seaborne invasion on June 6, 1944, at Normandy beach.

Holocaust

The genocide of six million Jews during World War II by the Nazi regime.

Island Hopping

A military strategy of capturing select islands to advance towards Japan.

Nazi Concentration Camps

Prisons for those opposed to Nazi rule, often involving inhumane treatment and executions.

Japanese internment

Forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.