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D-Day/Operation Overlord

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched the largest amphibious invasion in history on the beaches of Normandy, France, marking the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control.

V-E Day/V-J Day

Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945, marked the surrender of Nazi Germany; V-J Day on August 15, 1945, marked Japan’s surrender, officially ending World War II.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

On August 6 and 9, 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on these cities, leading to massive destruction and loss of life, ultimately forcing Japan’s surrender.

Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base, leading the U.S. to enter World War II.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

A 1928 international agreement attempting to prevent war as a tool of national policy, which ultimately proved largely ineffective.

A. Philip Randolph

A civil rights leader who pressured President Roosevelt to issue Executive Order 8802, banning discrimination in defense industries.

Mexican Repatriation

During the Great Depression, hundreds of thousands of Mexican Americans were forcibly deported, reflecting economic hardship and racial discrimination.

New Deal Programs

A collection of economic programs enacted by FDR to combat the Great Depression, providing jobs and shaping U.S. government intervention in the economy.

Fundamentalism vs. Modernism

A cultural clash in the 1920s between traditional religious values and emerging scientific ideas, highlighted by the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Lost Generation

A group of disillusioned writers critical of materialism and the aftermath of World War I, influencing literature in the 1920s.

Bonus Army

In 1932, WWI veterans demanding early bonus payments were forcibly removed, worsening Hoover's reputation.

Social Security Act (1935)

A landmark program providing pensions and unemployment insurance, becoming a cornerstone of U.S. social policy.

Huey Long & Marcus Garvey

Long proposed radical wealth redistribution while Garvey promoted Black nationalism, influencing social movements for justice.

W.E.B. Du Bois

A civil rights activist and co-founder of the NAACP, advocating for immediate equality.

Atlantic Charter

A 1941 agreement outlining post-war goals, influencing the formation of the United Nations.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement of the 1920s celebrating African American culture, art, and literature, symbolizing Black empowerment.

Consumerism and Credit

The economic boom in the 1920s driven by mass production and credit usage, leading to expansion but also contributing to the Great Depression.

Teapot Dome Scandal

A 1920s political scandal involving bribery and oil reserves, damaging public trust in the Harding administration.

Restrictions on Immigration (Quotas)

1920s laws that restricted immigration from non-Northern European countries, reflecting nativist sentiments.

Scopes Monkey Trial

A 1925 trial debating the teaching of evolution in schools, highlighting tensions between science and religion.

Sacco and Vanzetti

Two Italian immigrants controversially executed for robbery and murder, symbolizing anti-immigrant bias.

Purpose of the New Deal

FDR’s policies aimed to provide relief, recovery, and reform during the Great Depression, expanding government intervention.

Court Packing Scheme (1937)

FDR’s failed attempt to expand the Supreme Court, criticized as an overreach of executive power.

Wagner Act

Legislation guaranteeing workers' rights to unionize and bargain collectively, strengthening labor rights.

Dust Bowl

Severe droughts and poor farming practices led to agricultural collapse, causing mass migration.

Fireside Chats

FDR’s radio addresses that reassured Americans during the Depression and WWII.

Hawley-Smoot Tariff (1930)

High tariffs intended to protect U.S. industries, but worsened the Depression by reducing international trade.

Bank Failures & Buying on Margin

Risky financial practices contributing to bank collapses during the Great Depression.

Stock Market Crash (1929)

A key trigger of the Great Depression, leading to widespread economic collapse.

Good Neighbor Policy

FDR’s foreign policy aimed at improving relations with Latin America by reducing military intervention.

Neutrality Acts (1935, 1937, 1938)

Laws keeping the U.S. out of foreign conflicts by restricting arms sales and loans to warring nations.

Munich Conference and Appeasement

A 1938 agreement allowing Hitler to annex the Sudetenland, failing to prevent WWII.

Non-Aggression Pact

A 1939 agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, allowing Hitler to invade Poland.

Cash-Carry Policy and Lend-Lease Act

U.S. policies allowing the sale and lending of war materials to Allies, marking a shift from neutrality.

Navajo Code Talkers

Native American Marines who developed an unbreakable code, crucial for secure communications.

Island Hopping

A military strategy capturing key islands in the Pacific while bypassing heavily fortified ones.

Manhattan Project

A secret project to develop the atomic bomb, leading to the creation of nuclear weapons.

Internment Camps & Korematsu v. U.S. (1944)

Forced relocation of Japanese Americans, highlighted racial discrimination during WWII.

Yalta Conference/Big Three

A 1945 meeting of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin discussing post-war plans and the division of Germany.

Modernism vs. Fundamentalism Event

The Scopes Trial in 1925 exemplified the clash between modern science (evolution) and traditional religion.

Immigrant Attitudes During the 1920s

Nativism led to restrictive quota acts and rising KKK sentiments against immigrants.

Effects of Mexican Repatriation

Mass deportations during the Great Depression reinforced racial prejudice and marginalized Mexican communities.

America’s Foreign Policy After WWI

Isolationism characterized U.S. foreign policy, with the Washington Naval Conference and Kellogg-Briand Pact.

Compare FDR to Hoover

FDR actively intervened in the economy with New Deal programs, unlike Hoover’s laissez-faire approach.

Alternatives Proposed by FDR Critics

Critics like Huey Long and Father Coughlin proposed wealth redistribution and nationalization of banks.

Effects of Prohibition

The 18th Amendment led to organized crime, a decline in tax revenue, and was repealed by the 21st Amendment.

Causes of the Great Depression

Factors included the Stock Market Crash, bank failures, overproduction, unequal wealth distribution, and global issues.

Harlem Renaissance

A 1920s cultural movement celebrating African American art and literature, with key figures like Hughes and Ellington.

U.S. Reason for Joining WWII

Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor prompted the U.S. to end its isolationism and mobilize for war.

Unconstitutional New Deal Programs

NIRA and AAA were declared unconstitutional, impacting FDR’s New Deal.

German Goals and Tactics at Start of WWII

Blitzkrieg tactics aimed at swift victories in Poland, France, and attacks on Britain.

Neutrality Acts and Modifications

Acts preventing U.S. involvement in wars, adjusted by the Cash-and-Carry and Lend-Lease acts.

U.S. Changes After Joining War

Shifted to a total war economy, increased women's workforce participation, and Japanese internment.

New Deal Programs Around Today

Social Security, FDIC, and SEC remain as remnants of FDR’s New Deal policies.

Progressive Era Writers

Writers like Sinclair and Tarbell exposed corruption and industry malpractice.

Government Attitudes During 1920s

A pro-business stance with laissez-faire policies under Republican leadership.

End of WWII

Germany surrendered in May 1945, followed by Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, leading to Japan's surrender.

Red Scare

Fear of communism led to Palmer Raids and McCarthyism during the 20th century.

1920s Presidents

Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover emphasized business-friendly policies and minimal government interference.

U.S. Strategies in the Pacific Theatre

Utilized island hopping and significant battles like Midway and the use of atomic bombs to defeat Japan.