Key Concepts of American History (Late 19th - Early 20th Century)

These flashcards cover important historical terms and concepts related to immigration, social change, cultural movements, and economic developments in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Open Door Policy

A policy aimed at ensuring that entry into the US was as easy as possible for immigrants.

Push factors

Conditions that drive people to leave their home country, such as persecution or economic hardship.

Pull factors

Conditions that attract migrants to a new country, such as opportunities and land availability.

Melting pot

A term used to describe the diverse cultures, languages, and traditions that have blended in the US due to immigration.

Literacy Test (1917)

A requirement for immigrants to read a passage in English; aimed to limit immigration from non-English speaking countries.

Emergency Quota Act (1921)

Legislation that set a limit on the number of immigrants allowed into the US, based on nationality.

National Origins Act (1924)

Legislation that established quotas for immigration, favoring Northern Europeans over other ethnicities.

Xenophobia

An irrational fear or hatred of foreigners that grew in the US during the 1910s and 1920s.

Palmer Raids

A series of government actions aimed at arresting suspected radicals and communists in the US after WWI.

Sacco and Vanzetti case

A controversial trial that revealed racial and political biases against Italian immigrants in the 1920s.

Jim Crow laws

State laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Ku Klux Klan (KKK)

A white supremacist organization that rose to prominence in the 1920s, promoting racism and violence against minorities.

NAACP

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, an organization founded to fight for civil rights and against lynching.

UNIA

The Universal Negro Improvement Association, founded by Marcus Garvey to promote black nationalism and unity.

Prohibition

The period (1920-1933) during which the sale and production of alcohol was illegal in the US.

Al Capone

An infamous gangster during the Prohibition era who rose to power through the illegal alcohol trade.

Wall Street Crash (1929)

A major stock market collapse that triggered the Great Depression, characterized by panic selling and massive financial losses.

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic downturn that took place during the 1930s, following the stock market crash.

Flappers

Young women in the 1920s who rejected traditional norms and embraced modernization, often associated with jazz culture.

Jazz Age

A term used to describe the cultural period of the 1920s characterized by the popularity of jazz music and changing social norms.