APUSH - Era 7 Vocabulary

Imperialism

Policy or ideology by which a nation extends its power by acquiring territories, often through colonization and the use of force.

Anti-Imperialist League

Organization established on June 15, 1898 to battle American annexation of the Philippines as an insular area.

Open Door Policy

Proposed that all countries should maintain free and equal access of China's coastal ports of trade. Only the Chinese government would be able to collect taxes related to trade.

Spanish American War

Conflict between the United States and Spain in 1898, resulting in the US gaining territories in the Western Pacific and Latin America.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalist journalism that presents litter or no legitimate well-researched news while instead using eye-catching headlines for increased sales.

DeLome Letter

Private letter written by Enrique Deupy de Lôme criticizing President McKinley that was intercepted and published in US newspapers. Contributed to the start of the Spanish-American War.

Teller Amendment

Declaration of war against Spain that stated the United States would not establish permanent control over Cuba. It also committed the US government to grant Cuba independence after the war.

Platt Amendment

Established the terms for the United States to end its military occupation of Cuba and allow the US to intervene in Cuban affairs to protect Cuban independence.

Filipino-American War

Armed conflict between the First Philippine Republic and the United States following America's acquisition of Spain's Pacific possessions after winning the Spanish-American War.

Progressives

Reformers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They aimed to address social issues caused by urbanization, industrialization, immigration, and political corruption.

16th Amendment

Allowed Congress to levy an income tax to decrease wealth inequality.

17th Amendment

Established direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.

18th Amendment

Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. It was later repealed by the 21st Amendment.

19th Amendment

Gave women the right to vote, nationally establishing women's suffrage.

Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914

Strengthened existing laws against unlawful restraints and monopolies, and furthered regulation of interstate commerce.

Wisconsin Idea

Philosophy that suggests universities should influence people's lives beyond classroom instruction. It includes initiatives in health, environment, agriculture, and governance reforms.

Square Deal

Domestic policy proposed by Theodore Roosevelt. It focused on conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection.

United Mine Workers Strike

Miners went on strike to demand better pay, shorter work hours, improved safety conditions, and union recognition. President Theodore Roosevelt had to intervene to stop it

Allied Powers

Countries that fought against the Central Powers in WW1 and the Axis Powers in WW2. Included Britain, France, Russia (WW1), and the United States.

Central Powers

Group of nations fighting against the Allied Powers during WW1. Included Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.

Zimmerman Telegram

Message from Germany to Mexico. Germany urged Mexico to invade the US and said they would support Mexico in regaining territory lost in the Mexican cession. Intercepted by Britain.

Militarism

Belief or desire of a government or people that country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.

National Defense Act (1916)

Expanded the size and scope of the National Guard and established Reserve Officer Training Corps programs across the country.

Fourteen Points

Proposal by Wilson at the Treaty of Versailles to create long-lasting peace across the world. Included principles such as self-determination, free trade, and the League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

The treaty that ended WW1. Held Germany responsible for the war and imposed heavy penalties, including territorial losses, military restrictions, and reparations.

Espionage Act of 1917

Imposed sentences of up to 20 years for anyone found guilty of aiding the enemy, obstructing recruitment of soldiers, or encouraging disloyalty.

Sedition Act of 1918

Made it illegal to criticize the government, flag, or military. It was designed to suppress dissent and criticism of the war effort.

Scientific Management

Theory of management that analyzes and synthesizes workflows. Its objective is to improve efficiency, especially labor productivity.

First Red Scare

Period of intense fear and suspicion in the US towards communist ideology following the Russian Revolution of 1917. It lasted from around 1917 to 1920.

Emergency Quota Act

Federal law that limited the number of immigrants admitted into the country. It aimed to reduce immigration from specific nations, particularly those in Southern and Eastern Europe.

National Origins Act of 1924

Stricter extension to the Emergency Quota Act that limited the number of immigrants who could be from any country to 2% of the amount of people from that country living in the US in 1890.

Immigration Act of 1917

Added to the number of undesirables banned from entering the country. This included 'idiots', 'criminals', 'insane people', 'alcoholics', and many other categories.

Harlem Renaissance

Intellectual, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem, NYC during the 1920s. It saw African American culture being recognized and celebrated across various fields.

Scopes Monkey Trial

Famous legal case in 1925 where a HS teacher was accused of violating TN's Butler Act which made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school.

Lost Generation

Refers to people born from 1883-1900 who came of age during WWI and the Roaring Twenties. The term is often associated with disillusionment, cynicism, and cultural innovation.

Volstead Act

Provided enforcement for the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in the United States.

Black Tuesday

October 29, 1929. When panicked sellers traded nearly 16 million shares on the NYSE and the Dow fell 12%. Often cited as the start of the Great Depression.

Run on the Banks

When a large number of customers withdraw their deposits from a bank simultaneously, due to fears that the bank might fail.

Dust Bowl

1930s Midwest environmental disaster; severe drought conditions coupled with poor farming practices led to soil erosion resulting in dust storms that stripped away topsoil

Hawley-Smoot Tariff

Passed in 1930; raised import taxes significantly with hopes of protecting American farmers and manufacturers from foreign competition during the Depression.

Hoovervilles

Shanty towns built by homeless people during the Great Depression. They were named in mockery of the President as he was largely blamed for failing to address the Depression.

Bonus March

Protest movement in 1932 by WWI veterans who were lobbying Congress for an early payment of a bonus owed to them for service in the war that was set to be paid out in 1945.

Emergency Banking Relief Act

Law passed during 1933 that closed all banks and required them to receive a government inspection for stability before being allowed to reopen.

21st Amendment

Ended prohibition, or the 18th amendment, in an attempt to raise tax revenue and increase morale.

Fireside Chats

Series of radio broadcasts made by FDR to the nation starting in 1933. They were a way for the president to communicate directly with the people about his plans and policies.

Court Packing Scandal

A legislative initiative proposed by FDR to add more justices to SCOTUS to support his New Deal legislative agenda. Received heavy criticism and never went through.

Roosevelt Recession

Brief economic downturn in 1937-1938 that resulted from FDR cutting some federal spending on New Deal programs to balance the budget.

Washington Conference of 1921

International meeting held in DC aimed at discussing naval disarmament and ways to relieve growing tensions in East Asia.

Neutrality Acts

Laws passed by Congress in the mid-1930s designed to keep the US out of future wars by prohibiting American citizens from trading with nations at war or traveling on their ships.

Cash and Carry Program

Policy adopted by the US in 1939 to preserve neutrality while aiding the Allies. Britain and France could buy goods from the United States if they paid in full and transported them.

American First Organization

Powerful pressure group against American entry into WWII. They advocated for American neutrality and isolationism during this period.

American Bund

Pro-Nazi organization established in the US in the mid-1930s. Its main goal was to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany and Fascism among Americans.

Four Freedoms

Concepts outlined by FDR in his 1941 SOTU Address. Freedom of speech, of worship, from want, and from fear.

Rosie the Riveter

Cultural icon of WWII, representing the women who worked in factories and shipyards during the war. With many of them producing war supplies.

Tuskegee Airmen

Group of African-American military pilots during WWII. They were one of the most highly decorated units of the war with the bravery and determination inspiring many across the country.

Double V Campaign

Slogan and drive during WWII for both victory in war abroad and victory over racism at home.

Zoot Suit Riots

Series of violent clashes during the summer of 1943 in LA. They occurred when white servicemen began roaming Mexican-American neighborhoods, and attacking them.

Bracero Program

Series of laws and diplomatic agreements that were initiated in August 1942. It involved the importation of temporary laborers from Mexico to the United States to work in Agriculture.

Navajo Code Talkers

Bilingual Navajo speakers recruited during WWII to develop an unbreakable code based on their native language which played a crucial role in winning several battles.

Japanese Internment Camps

Centers where over 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast were forcibly relocated to following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Korematsu v. United States

Landmark SCOTUS case in 1944 that upheld the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066 which led to the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

442nd Infantry Regiment

Regiment of the US Army made up of almost entirely second-generation Japanese immigrants.

D-Day

June 6, 1944, when Allied forces launched an invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France. This marked a major turning point in WWII as it began the liberation of German-occupied Europe.

Battan Death March

Forced march of American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese during WWII. It took place in 1942, with prisoners walking 65 miles under brutal conditions, with thousands dying.

Manhattan Project

Research project during WWII that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with support from Canada and the UK.

Yalta Conference

1945 meeting of the heads of government for the US, UK, and USSR. They discussed Europe's post-WWII reorganization.

Paris Peace Treaties

5 separate treaties signed in Paris at the end of the war by Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Finland with the Allies. These officially ended the war between these nations and the Allies.

Nuremberg Trials

Series of military tribunals held after WWII by the Allied forces to prosecute prominent military leaders of Nazi Germany.