American History midterm study guide for 1/21/26

Laissez-Faire

"Hands-off" economics where the government does not interfere with business.

Captains of Industry

Wealthy business leaders seen as helping the country.

Robber Barons

Wealthy business leaders seen as greedy and cruel.

John D. Rockefeller

The king of the Oil industry.

Andrew Carnegie

The king of the Steel industry.

JP Morgan

A powerful Banker who controlled many industries.

Cornelius Vanderbilt

A leader in the Railroad industry.

Philanthropy

Giving away massive amounts of money to help others.

Monopoly

When one company controls an entire industry.

Corporation

A large business owned by many people (stockholders).

Labor Unions

Groups of workers fighting for better pay and safety.

Strikes

When workers refuse to work until they get better conditions.

Famous Riots/Strikes (Haymarket, Homestead, Pullman)

Violent clashes between workers and owners that often led to the government siding with owners.

Muckraker

A journalist who exposes corruption or bad social conditions.

Immigrant

Someone who moves to a new country permanently.

Push & Pull Factors

Push are reasons to leave home (war, poverty); Pull are reasons to come to the U.S. (jobs, freedom).

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 law that banned Chinese workers from entering the U.S..

Gentlemen's Agreement

An unofficial deal between the U.S. and Japan to limit Japanese immigration.

Quota System (1924 Act)

Laws that set strict limits on how many people could enter from certain countries.

Nativism

Favoring people born in the U.S. over immigrants.

The New Colossus

The poem on the Statue of Liberty that welcomes immigrants.

Ellis & Angel Island

Places where immigrants were processed (Ellis in NY, Angel in CA).

Imperialism

A strong nation taking over a weaker one for power or money.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the U.S. was meant to expand across North America.

Annexation of Hawaii

The U.S. taking control of Hawaii for its Sugar and naval bases.

Queen Lili'uokalani

The last Queen of Hawaii who was overthrown by Americans.

Yellow Journalism

Exaggerated or "fake news" used to push the U.S. toward war.

U.S.S. Maine

An American ship that exploded; Spain was blamed, starting a war.

Spanish-American War

A war that ended with the U.S. gaining Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Open Door Policy

The plan to keep China open for trade with all countries.

Dollar Diplomacy / Roosevelt Corollary

U.S. policies to control and protect Latin America.

MAIN causes of WWI

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism.

Woodrow Wilson

The U.S. President during WWI who wanted world peace.

Wilson 14 Points

Wilson's plan to prevent future wars.

Propaganda

Ads or posters designed to make people support the war.

Espionage & Sedition Acts

Laws that made it illegal to speak out against the war.

Trench Warfare

Fighting from deep ditches, leading to a long, slow war.

Great Migration

Large numbers of Black Americans moving North for factory jobs.

Treaty of Versailles

The agreement that ended WWI and punished Germany harshly.

League of Nations

An organization intended to keep peace; the U.S. refused to join.

Traditional vs. Modern Values

Conflict between old-school religious views and new city lifestyles.

Prohibition

The era when alcohol was illegal (18th Amendment).

Red Scare

Intense fear that communists were trying to take over the U.S..

Harlem Renaissance

A celebration and explosion of Black art, music (Jazz), and writing.

Consumerism

A culture focused on buying new products like cars and radios.

Credit / Installment Buying

"Buy now, pay later"—allowing people to buy things they couldn't afford.

Advertising

Using Billboards and commercials to convince people to buy their product.