Test: 1900-1939 - Terms

Big Test

Depression

A long and severe recession in an economy or market, characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection.

The Great Depression

A global economic collapse following the 1929 stock market crash, which led to record unemployment and poverty.

Fascism

A political philosophy that emphasizes the nation above the individual and is characterized by severe economic and social rules, and violent suppression of opposition.

Unemployment

A situation where individuals who are capable of working are unable to find employment, peaking at about 25% of the U.S. workforce during the Great Depression.

The New Deal

A series of programs and reforms proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt aimed at providing relief, recovery, and reform for the U.S. economy during the Great Depression.

The Dust Bowl

A period during the 1930s characterized by severe droughts and dust storms that greatly affected the agricultural landscape of the American Midwest.

Nazi Party

A far-right political party in Germany led by Adolf Hitler, known for its totalitarian regime and ideology based on fascism and anti-Semitism.

Jesse Owens

An American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, symbolically challenging Nazi racial theories.

Spanish Civil War

A conflict from 1936 to 1939 where factions in Spain overthrew their government, eventually leading to a fascist state under General Francisco Franco.

Benito Mussolini

The Italian dictator and leader of the National Fascist Party, Mussolini established a totalitarian regime in Italy and allied with Nazi Germany during World War II.

Amelia Earhart

A pioneering American aviator who became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932, she disappeared during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 1937.

Mahatma Gandhi

A leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule, advocating for nonviolent civil disobedience and social reforms.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The 32nd President of the United States, Roosevelt led the country through the Great Depression and World War II, implementing the New Deal to promote economic recovery.

Frida Kahlo

A renowned Mexican painter known for her vibrant self-portraits and works inspired by her experiences and Mexican culture.

Totalitarianism

A political system that removes all political parties except for the controlling one. The state also recognizes no limits to its authority and regulates every aspect of public and private life.

Total War

A military strategy that involves the complete mobilization of resources and population towards the war effort, blurring the lines between civilian and military targets.

Empire State Building

A 102-story skyscraper in New York City, completed in 1931, known as an iconic symbol of American architecture and engineering.

Black Sunday

The day on April 14, 1935, when a severe dust storm swept across the Great Plains, causing widespread ecological and economic disaster during the Dust Bowl.

Hindenburg Disaster

A fatal airship accident that occurred on May 6, 1937, when the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its landing at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in New Jersey.

Gestapo

The secret police of Nazi Germany, known for their brutal tactics and role in enforcing Nazi policy, including the persecution of Jews and political dissidents.

Chancellor

The head of the government in some countries, like Germany.

Concentration Camp

A place where large numbers of people are kept as prisoners in extremely bad conditions, often during a war.

Treason

The crime of betraying your country, for example by helping its enemies or trying to remove its government.

Dictator

A leader who has complete control over a country and its people, often gained and kept by force.

Synagogue

The building where people of the Jewish faith meet for religious worship and instruction.

Aryan

An ancient-persian word meaning "noble" or "honorable" that was wrongly transformed by European scholars and the Nazi's into a "master race" concept, using it to justify violence and discrimination during the Holocaust, equating it with North Western European heritage.

Cabinet

Appointed individuals who advise the head of government and manage essential state functions, such as defense, treasury, and education.

Ghetto

A city district where Jews were forcibly segregated and confined, often leading to overcrowding and poor living conditions during the Holocaust.

Polio

A serious disease that can cause people to become paralyzed or even die.

Labor Unions

Groups that workers join to stand together and make sure they are treated fairly at work.

Senator

A person who is a member of a senate, which is a group of people who make laws in some governments.

Convention

A large meeting or conference, especially of members of a political party or a particular profession.

Social Security

A U.S. government program, established in 1935, that provides a financial safety net through payroll taxes to pay retirement, disability, and survivor benefits.

Pearl Harbor

A U.S. Navy base on Oahu, Hawaii, that was the site of the devastating surprise attack by Japan on December 7, 1941, which plunged the U.S. into World War II.

19th Amendment

Gave women in the U.S. the right to vote, fundamentally shifting the political landscape.

First Commercial Radio Broadcast

KDKA in Pittsburgh marks the start of mass media and shared national culture.

Discovery of Penicillin

Alexander Fleming's discovery that led to the modern age of antibiotics, used to treat bacterial infections.

Charles Lindbergh's Transatlantic Flight

The first solo non-stop flight from New York to Paris, making the world feel smaller.

Black Tuesday

The stock market crash in 1929 that ended the era's prosperity and triggered the Great Depression.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Author known as the 'voice' of the Jazz Age; wrote The Great Gatsby, capturing the culture of the 1920s.

Coco Chanel

Fashion designer who revolutionized women's fashion by introducing sporty, comfortable silhouettes.

Duke Ellington

Influential jazz musician who referred to his work as 'American Music' and gained national fame from the Cotton Club.

Babe Ruth

Considered the greatest baseball player; known for his home runs and the 'Curse of the Bambino'.

Al Capone

Infamous American gangster who dominated Chicago's illegal trade during the Prohibition era.

Consumer Culture of the 1920s

A societal shift in the U.S. driven by automobiles, electricity, and Hollywood.

Weimar Republic

Germany during the 1920s, noted for being a hub of art and science amid political chaos.

Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin

Transformed from a monarchy to a centralized communist state, marking a radical change in governance.

Chinese Nationalists and Communists

Struggle initiated in the 1920s following the collapse of imperial traditions.

Prohibition

A nationwide ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages, enacted by the 18th Amendment in the United States during the 1920s.

Black Market

A system of illicit trade that arose in response to Prohibition, allowing the sale of alcohol outside legal channels during the 1920s.

Amendment

A change or addition to the Constitution, often proposed to address specific legal or social issues, such as the 18th Amendment which established Prohibition.

Repeal

The action of revoking or annulling a law or amendment; in the context of the 1920s, it specifically refers to the 21st Amendment which repealed Prohibition.

Anthropology

The scientific study of people and their societies and cultures.

Folklore

The traditional stories, sayings, customs, and beliefs of a community that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Great Depression

A period of severe economic hardship that began in 1929 in the United States and spread around the world, lasting about 10 years.

Great Migration

The movement of about 6 million Black American from the South to cities in the North and Midwest from about the 1910s to the 1970s to escape racial violence and segregation.

Discrimination

The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, often based on race, gender, or other characteristics.

Speakeasies

Illicit bars that operated during Prohibition in the United States, allowing patrons to drink alcohol and socialize.

The Titanic

A British passenger liner that sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg.

Oreo Cookie

A chocolate sandwich cookie released in the 1910s, not the first of its kind.

Jeannette Rankin

The first woman elected to Congress; helped pass the 19th Amendment in 1919.

19th Amendment

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote.

Spanish Flu Pandemic

A global pandemic that killed millions between 1918 and 1919.

Woodrow Wilson

U.S. President from 1913-1921, known for his Fourteen Points and involvement in WWI.

Ida Tarbell

An investigative journalist known for exposing Standard Oil's business practices.

Jim Thorpe

A Native American athlete who won Olympic gold medals and played multiple sports.

Madam C. J. Walker

The first female self-made millionaire in America, known for cosmetics for Black women.

Vladimir Lenin

The first head of government of Soviet Russia and founder of the Bolshevik Party.

Charlie Chaplin

A silent film actor and director, known for his character the Tramp.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

His assassination in 1914 triggered the start of World War I.

Federal Reserve System

Established in 1913 for managing the U.S. money supply.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

A tragic industrial fire in 1911 that led to reforms in labor laws.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty that ended WWI and imposed heavy reparations on Germany.

Russian Revolution

A series of revolutions in 1917 that led to the rise of Lenin and Bolshevik power.

Allies

The coalition of nations, primarily including France, Britain, Russia, and later the United States, that opposed the Central Powers in World War I.

Central Powers

The coalition of nations, primarily including Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, that opposed the Allies during World War I.

Neutral

Countries that did not participate in World War I, maintaining a position of non-alignment.

Trench

A long, narrow ditch dug in the ground used by soldiers for shelter and protection during warfare, particularly in World War I.

Voyage

A journey by sea or another body of water, often involving travel for exploration, trade, or military purposes.

Displacement

The amount of fluid that would fill the volume displaced by a floating ship is used as a measure of the ship’s size.

Compartments

sections within a ship designed to hold cargo or provide stability, contributing to its overall buoyancy and safety.

Lifeboats

An essential safety feature on ships designed for emergency evacuations, providing a means for passengers and crew to escape in case of sinking.

Segregated

Separated from others, usually by race, religion, or gender.

Infantry

A branch of the military that engages in ground combat, consisting of soldiers trained to fight on foot.

Western Front

The primary theater of combat in World War I, where British and French forces faced off against German troops, characterized by trench warfare and significant loss of life.

Casualty

A member of the armed forces who is killed, wounded, or missing in action during combat.

Artillery

A branch of the military that utilizes large-caliber guns and weapons to provide support during combat, often responsible for bombarding enemy positions.

Tanks

Heavily armored vehicles used in warfare, capable of crossing difficult terrain and providing fire support to infantry.

Wright Brothers

Achieved the first powered flight in 1903.

Ford Model-T

The first affordable automobile to be mass produced and sold to the public.

E=mc²

Einstein's theory, which shows the relationship between mass and energy.

FDA

Food and Drug Administration, established to regulate food safety following the publication of The Jungle.

Theodore Roosevelt

President from 1901-1909, known for his Square Deal, conservation efforts, and winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906.

Booker T. Washington

An African American educator and civil rights leader who founded Tuskegee University and advocated for vocational training.

Marie Curie

The first woman to win a Nobel Prize, known for her research on radioactivity and discovering polonium and radium.

J.P. Morgan

A leading banker who helped stabilize the financial crisis of 1907 and founded several important corporations.

W.E.B. Du Bois

An early civil rights activist and co-founder of the NAACP, known for his works on race and society.

Panic of 1907

A financial crisis that led to bank runs and the establishment of the Federal Reserve System.

NAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, founded in 1909 to fight for civil rights.