DE History Exam #5

US VA history

19th Amendment

Ratified in 1920, it granted women the right to vote nationwide after decades of suffrage activism.

American First Committee

Isolationist group in the early 1940s that opposed U.S. involvement in World War II and promoted staying out of foreign conflicts.

Assembly line

Developed by Henry Ford it was a manufacturing process where products move along a line and each worker performs a specific task, greatly increasing production speed and efficiency.

Bank Holiday

In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt temporarily closed banks to stop panic withdrawals and restore trust in the banking system.

Black Tuesday

October 29, 1929, when the stock market crashed, marking the beginning of the Great Depression.

Bonus Army

Group of WWI veterans who marched on Washington in 1932 demanding early payment of promised bonuses; they were forcibly removed.

Buying on Margin

Purchasing stocks with borrowed money, which increased both potential profits and losses and contributed to the market crash.

Cash & Carry Policy

U.S. policy allowing warring nations to buy arms if they paid cash and transported goods themselves, helping Allies while staying neutral.

Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

New Deal program that employed young men in conservation projects like planting trees and building parks.

Consumerism

The cultural emphasis on buying goods, especially in the 1920s when credit and advertising encouraged mass consumption.

Dawes Plan

U.S.-led plan that loaned money to Germany to help it pay WWI reparations and stabilize its economy.

Double V Campaign

African American movement during WWII calling for victory against fascism abroad and racial discrimination at home.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex; it was never fully ratified.

Executive Order 8802

Issued by Franklin D. Roosevelt, it banned racial discrimination in defense industries and created the Fair Employment Practices Committee.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

New Deal agency that insured individual bank deposits, restoring public confidence in banks.

Flappers

Young women in the 1920s who challenged traditional gender roles through fashion, behavior, and greater independence.

Francis Townsend

Proposed a plan to give monthly pensions to elderly Americans, influencing Social Security.

GI Bill

Law passed after WWII that provided veterans with benefits like college education, low-cost housing, and job training, it also facilitated home ownership for veterans.

Great Migration

Movement of millions of African Americans from the rural South to Northern and Western cities for better jobs and to escape segregation.

Harlem Renaissance

Cultural movement in the 1920s where Black writers, artists, and musicians celebrated African American identity.

Hawley-Smoot Tariff

1930 law that raised tariffs on imports, worsening the Great Depression by reducing international trade.

Huey Long

Populist leader who proposed redistributing wealth through his “Share Our Wealth” program.

Ku Klux Klan (KKK)

White supremacist group that promoted racism, nativism, and anti-immigrant beliefs, especially strong in the 1920s.

Lend-Lease Act

Allowed the U.S. to send military aid to Allied nations during WWII without immediate payment.

Manhattan Project

Secret U.S. program during WWII that developed the atomic bomb.

Marcus Garvey

Promoted Black pride, economic independence, and a “Back to Africa” movement.

Margaret Sanger

Advocated for women’s access to contraception and founded organizations that became Planned Parenthood.

Model T

 Affordable automobile produced by Henry Ford that made car ownership common in the U.S.

Motion Pictures

Films that became a major form of entertainment and cultural influence in the 1920s.

Navajo Code Talkers

Native American soldiers who used their language as an unbreakable code during WWII.

National Origins Act of 1924

Immigration law that set quotas favoring Northern Europeans and limiting immigrants from other regions.

Nisei Regiments

Japanese American soldiers who fought in WWII, proving loyalty despite facing discrimination and internment.

Neutrality Act of 1935

Law aimed at keeping the U.S. out of war by banning arms sales to countries at war.

Overproduction

Producing more goods than consumers could buy, contributing to economic collapse during the Great Depression.

Prohibition

Nationwide ban on alcohol (1920–1933) that led to illegal speakeasies and organized crime.

Radio

Mass communication technology that spread news, entertainment, and political messages across the country

Rationing

Government system during WWII that limited consumer goods to ensure enough supplies for the military.

Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC)

Government agency that provided emergency loans to banks and businesses during the Depression.

First Red Scare

Period after WWI marked by fear of communism, leading to arrests and deportations of suspected radicals.

Sacco and Vanzetti Trial

Trial of two Italian immigrants accused of murder; widely seen as influenced by anti-immigrant bias.

Scopes Trial

1925 court case over teaching evolution in schools, highlighting conflict between modern science and religious beliefs.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

 New Deal agency that regulates the stock market to prevent fraud and protect investors.

Selective Service Act of 1940

Established the first peacetime draft in U.S. history as WWII approached.

Social Security Act

New Deal law that created pensions for the elderly and support for the unemployed and disabled.

Tennessee Valley Authority

The TVA built dams and provided electricity. It helped poor rural areas. It improved agriculture and industry. It is significant because it modernized regions.

Tuskegee Airmen

They were African American pilots in WWII. They served with distinction. They challenged racial stereotypes. They are important for civil rights history.

War Bonds

were sold to finance the war. Citizens lent money to the government. This supported military expenses. It is important because it involves the public.

Welfare Capitalism

involved businesses providing benefits to workers. This included higher wages and improved conditions. It aimed to prevent labor unrest. It is important because it attempted to stabilize the workforce.

Works Progress Administration

The WPA created jobs through public works projects. It employed millions of people. Workers built roads, schools, and parks. It is important because it reduces unemployment.