US HISTORY EXAM REVIEW

midterm

what was the 13th amendment?

Abolition of slavery

what was the 14th amendment?

 Citizenship rights for natural-born citizens; Equal protection under the law

what was the 15th amendment?

The right to vote could not be denied on the basis of race

what was the 16th amendment?

 National government could collect a graduated income tax

what was the 17th amendment?

Senators would be elected by popular vote

what was the 18th amendment?

Outlawed the consumption, sale & manufacture of alcohol

what was the 19th amendment?

The right to vote could not be denied based on gender

what was the 21st amendment?

Repealed Prohibition

What was the purpose of articles 1, 2, and 3 of the constitution?

• 1: creates the legislative branch

• 2: creates the executive branch

• 3: creates the judicial branch

What was the conflict between federalists and anti-federalists?

Federalists supported a stronger central government; Anti-Federalists wanted stronger state governments and demanded a Bill of Rights.

What was the purpose of the bill of rights?

To protect individual rights and limit the power of the federal government.

why were the articles of confederation weak?

Weak central government, no power to tax, no executive branch, no national court system, and difficulty passing laws.

giant turtles eating colorful lollipops

what was the purpose of the three-fifths compromise?

To settle disputes over how enslaved people would be counted for representation and taxation—each enslaved person counted as 3/5 of a person.

what was the difference between the Constitutional Republic & Direct Democracy?

A constitutional republic elects representatives to make decisions; a direct democracy has citizens vote on all laws directly.

what is the difference between Federalism, Separation of Powers, Checks & Balances?

• Federalism: divides power between national and state governments

• SOP: splits government into three branches

• C&B: lets each branch limit the others

What was the purpose of the Homestead Act & Dawes Act?

The Homestead Act encouraged settlement by giving free land; Dawes Act attempted to assimilate Native Americans by breaking up tribal lands.

What was the platform of the Populist Party and why did they lose?

They wanted government control of railroads, coinage of silver, and support for farmers. They lost in 1896 because urban voters rejected silver currency.

what was the relationship between government and business during the gilded age?

Government often supported big business with little regulation, leading to monopolies and worker exploitation.

What were the factors that led to labor unions and overall limited success?

Poor wages, long hours, unsafe conditions. Unions struggled due to government opposition, public fear, and frequent strikes.

What were the effects of Railroads, Electricity, and the Bessemer Process?

Railroads sped up travel & trade; electricity increased production; Bessemer process created stronger, cheaper steel.

Why did cities grow rapidly; what issues did this cause?

Industrial jobs attracted people; problems included overcrowding, poor sanitation, crime, and limited housing.

what were Machine politics and the Tammany Hall?

Machine politics grew from urban poverty and new immigrants. Tammany Hall was New York’s powerful political machine, led by Boss Tweed

What were the problems and solutions of government patronage?

Government jobs were given to political supporters rather than qualified people. The Pendleton Civil Service Act created merit-based hiring.

What was Plessy vs. Ferguson? How did this correlate with Jim Crow laws?

The ruling upheld “separate but equal,” legalizing segregation and supporting Jim Crow laws

Contributions of early civil rights leaders; who were they?

W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and Ida B. Wells fought for education, anti-lynching, and equal rights.

How did Progressives increase political power for average Americans?

They created reforms like initiative, referendum, recall, and the direct election of senators

What was the nickname for progressive reformers against corruption

muckrakers

What was Teddy Roosevelt’s square deal? (3Cs)

Control of corporations, Consumer protection, Conservation of natural resources

what were the factors in Woodrow Wilson’s 1912 victory?

Republican Party split between Taft and Roosevelt, allowing Wilson to win with the Democratic vote.

How did Stanton & Anthony contribute to women’s suffrage?

They organized protests, wrote speeches, founded groups, and pushed for the 19th Amendment.

What were the Causes/effects of annexing Alaska & Hawaii?

Alaska provided resources; Hawaii gave naval bases and expanded U.S. influence—both helped U.S. imperial expansion.

Purpose of the Monroe Doctrine and Roosevelt Corollary?

Monroe Doctrine told Europe not to interfere in the Americas; Roosevelt Corollary said the U.S. could intervene to maintain order.

what was the Alfred Thayer Mahan’s influence?

He argued that strong navies and overseas bases create world power—led to U.S. naval expansion.

What was the purpose of the panama canal? What were the obstacles of building it?

Its purpose was faster travel between oceans; challenges included mountains, swamps, and disease.

what were the Foreign policies of William Taft?

Dollar Diplomacy; using economic investment to influence other nations

What are the causes of the Spanish-American War?

USS Maine explosion, yellow journalism, and U.S. support for Cuban independence

what were the new weapons in WWI and their purposes?

Machine guns, poison gas, tanks, airplanes—used to break trench warfare stalemates.

What was the reason for U.S. entry into WWI?

German U-boat attacks (Lusitania), the Zimmerman Telegram, and economic ties to Allies.

what were Violations of civil liberties after U.S. entered WWI?

The Espionage & Sedition Acts punished anti-war speech and restricted dissent.

who Henry Cabot Lodge & what was isolationism after WWI?

He opposed the League of Nations, believing it would drag the U.S. into foreign conflicts.

Why Prohibition was enacted and why it failed?

Enacted to reduce crime & alcohol abuse; failed due to speakeasies, bootlegging, and weak enforcement.

what were the Ideologies in the Scopes Trial; role of Clarence Darrow?

Debate between evolution vs. creationism. Darrow defended Scopes and exposed weaknesses in anti-evolution laws.

what were the automobiles leading to growth in other areas?

Growth in suburbs, roads, gas stations, tourism, and steel/rubber industries

what is Harlem Renaissance & popular music?

A cultural explosion of Black art, writing, and music—jazz became extremely popular.

How did women’s lives changed in the 1920s?

More independence, workforce participation, and new fashions (flappers).

What were the Republican policies of Harding, Coolidge, Hoover?

Pro-business policies, low taxes, little regulation—helped short-term prosperity

beasty turtles run

What was the world event that caused paranoia of radical ideologies?

The Russian Revolution contributed to the Red Scare in the U.S.

Why did Black Americans migrated north after WWI?

To escape Jim Crow and seek better jobs in northern industries.

What was Black Tuesday; when did it happen and why?

The stock market crash on October 29, 1929 in New York, caused by speculation and unstable markets.

what were the differences between Hoover & FDR responses?

Hoover relied on limited government action; Roosevelt used direct federal programs and relief efforts.

how did Overproduction & underconsumption cause the Depression?

Factories produced more goods than people could buy, causing layoffs and economic collapse.

How did tariffs contribute to the crash?

High tariffs like the Hawley-Smoot Tariff reduced world trade and hurt the economy.

what was the purpose & accomplishments of each New Deal Program?

• TVA: Built dams & supplied electricity to rural areas.

• FDIC: Insured bank deposits.

• SEC: Regulated the stock market.

• AAA: Paid farmers to limit production to stabilize prices.

Supreme Court resistance & Roosevelt’s response to the ND programs?

The Court saw New Deal programs as unconstitutional. Roosevelt attempted “court packing” to add more justices who supported his ideas.