American History OST Review

Declaration of Independence

Doc declaring US independence from Great Britain. Based on Enlightenment ideas. Justified by a list of grievances (complaints).

Social Contract

Enlightenment theory in our founding docs. Gov't should protect the rights of people, and people should follow laws.

Natural Rights

Enlightenment theory in our founding docs. All people are born with rights of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness.

Northwest Ordinance

Established a gov’t and rights for the Northwest territory. Created a system for how territories become states. Framework for Constitution.

Federalist

A supporter of the Constitution and of a strong national gov’t.

Anti-Federalist

An opponent of a strong National government.

Constitution

Supreme law of the land and basis of our gov’t. Starts with the Preamble. Inspired by the Enlightenment.

Urban v. Agrarian

Cities v. farming/rural

Dawes Act

Allowed the U.S. government to take Native American lands in 1887.

The Great Migration

Movement of Black Americans from South to the North. Looking for jobs and to escape Jim Crow. Early 1900s.

Industrialization

Development of industry led to the movement of many people away from farms and to cities for factory jobs.

Labor union

Organized group of workers formed to protect and further their workplace rights.

Muckrakers

Magazine journalists who exposed corrupt business and politics in the 1900s.

Jim Crow

Institutionalized (meaning officially in law) racism of the South. Ex: segregation & voting restrictions.

Progressive Era

1900s Reform movement that tried to fix corrupt government, help the poor, and fix social injustice. Ex: antitrust laws

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty that ended WWI, made new borders in Europe, and punished Germany.

League of Nations

A group of nations made after WWI to keep international peace. WEAK & Failed.

Monroe Doctrine

1823 policy: US opposed Europe interfering with North or South America.

Spanish-American War

A conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States in Cuba. Start of American imperialism.

Sensational Journalism

“Yellow Journalism” reporting style that prioritizes shocking, emotional, or lurid details over facts to attract viewers and increase profits.

The Red Scare(s)

One after WWI and one after WWII. Both were Americans being afraid of communism in the US.

Harlem Renaissance

Artistic & Cultural explosion by Black American in the 1920s.

Women’s Suffrage

Movement for women’s right to vote, 19th Amendment passed in 1920 for women’s vote.

Prohibition

Movement to make alcohol illegal in the US. Enacted by 18th Amendment revoked by 21st.

Great Depression

1929-1940: US economy tanks and many lose jobs from failure of Stock Market.

Dust Bowl

Severe, decade-long drought that brought dust blizzards and destroyed farms across America. Made the Great Depression worse.

New Deal

Programs made by President Roosevelt to help with the Great Depression. Increased the size of the national government.

Lend Lease Act

Law passed during WWII that let the US to “loan” military supplies to the Allies. Meant the US was no longer neutral in WWII.

Cash-and-Carry

a U.S. neutrality measure allowing Allied nations to purchase war materials if they paid immediately in cash and transported the goods on their own ships

Atlantic Charter

Statement of US and British post-WWII goals.

Mobilization

US getting ready for WWII grew the economy and created many new jobs

Cold War

Decades long “war” between the U.S. and Russia (USSR) where both nations built up arms (nukes) to threaten each other.

Containment Policy

Policy to prevent the spread of communism. Response to the Soviet Union’s growing influence in Eastern Europe and Asia.

Truman Doctrine

Plan for America to give Military Aid + $$$ to European nations to contain communism

Marshall Plan

Extension of Truman Doctrine. Plan for America to give $$$ aid to Europe to rebuild after WWII. Put the US as an official world leader.

Korean War & Vietnam War

Proxy wars that were really about the Cold War and stopping the spread of Communism.

McCarthyism

Attacks by Joe McCarthy on people suspected of being communists. Created mass communist hysteria

House Un-American Activities Committee

Government committee that investigated suspected communists in the US.

Immigration Act of 1965

Immigration policy shifts from being based on ethnicity to family/skill based.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Group led by Martin Luther King, Jr. that used nonviolence to gain Civil Rights.

National Organization for Women (NOW)

Organization founded in 1966 to improve the rights/lives of women.

United Farm Workers (UFW)

Migrant workers labor union.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

Known for direct-action protests, AIM aims to restore tribal sovereignty, protect Indigenous culture, and improve conditions for urban and reservation Indians

Suburbs

Residential areas outside a city where people moved in a big migration in the 50s and 60s

Recession

Term for when the economy is in decline

War on Terror

U.S. policy following 9/11 attacks: military operations in the middle east and increased domestic surveillance.