U.S. History II – Semester Review Vocabulary

These vocabulary flashcards cover the major terms, events, policies, and individuals discussed in the lecture notes, providing a comprehensive review for the final exam.

Spanish-American War

1898 conflict triggered by Cuban rebellion, explosion of USS Maine, and yellow journalism; resulted in U.S. acquiring Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

Open Door Policy

U.S. policy (1899) calling for equal trade access to Chinese markets for all nations and preservation of China’s territorial integrity.

Annexation of Hawaii

U.S. acquisition (1898) of the Hawaiian Islands for strategic military location, Pacific influence, and access to resources.

Panama Canal Zone

Territory obtained after Panama’s 1903 independence; U.S. paid $10 million plus annual rent to build and control the canal under the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty.

Roosevelt Corollary

1904 extension of the Monroe Doctrine asserting U.S. right to intervene in Latin America to stabilize economic affairs.

Policeman of the World

Nickname for early-20th-century United States reflecting willingness to use strong military to intervene globally.

Nationalism

Desire of ethnic groups for their own homeland; one of the MAIN causes of WWI.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne whose 1914 assassination sparked World War I.

MAIN causes

Militarism, Alliance System, Imperialism, Nationalism—the root tensions leading to WWI.

Lusitania

British liner sunk by Germany in 1915, killing Americans and turning U.S. opinion toward entering WWI.

Zimmerman Note

1917 German telegram urging Mexico to attack the U.S. in return for lost territory; pushed America toward war.

U.S. Neutrality (WWI)

Initial American stance to stay out of WWI, avoiding full-scale fighting and preserving trade.

Isolationism

Post-WWI policy favoring U.S. withdrawal from international commitments; contributed to rejection of League of Nations.

Rugged Individualism

Herbert Hoover’s belief that people should solve economic problems without federal handouts.

Fireside Chats

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio addresses aimed at reassuring and informing the public during the Great Depression.

New Deal "Three R’s"

Relief, Recovery, Reform—FDR’s goals to aid people, revive the economy, and change systems to prevent future crises.

Alphabet Agencies

New Deal programs such as CCC, TVA, FERA, PWA, NYA, WPA providing jobs and relief.

Social Security Act

1935 law creating pensions for the elderly, unemployment insurance, and aid to disabled persons.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

New Deal agency to develop resources and electrify the Tennessee Valley region.

Rise of Dictatorships

Economic crises and instability in 1930s Europe that allowed totalitarian leaders like Hitler and Mussolini to gain power.

Invasion of Manchuria

1931 Japanese seizure of Chinese territory for resources and imperial expansion.

Munich Pact

1938 agreement of appeasement giving Hitler the Sudetenland, viewed as a diplomatic failure.

Battle of Britain Radar

New technology that enabled RAF to detect and defeat German air attacks in 1940.

Battle of Midway

1942 Pacific battle that crippled Japanese naval power and shifted the war’s balance toward the Allies.

Lend-Lease Act

1941 law allowing the U.S. to supply arms to nations vital to its defense without immediate payment.

Pearl Harbor

Japanese attack on December 7, 1941—“a date which will live in infamy”—bringing the U.S. into WWII.

Rosie the Riveter

Iconic symbol encouraging American women to work in defense industries during WWII.

D-Day

June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy, leading to liberation of France.

Marshall Plan

U.S. program providing aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII to resist communism.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) formed to provide collective security against Soviet aggression.

Containment

Truman-era U.S. foreign policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism.

Truman Doctrine

1947 pledge to aid Greece and Turkey, marking the start of active U.S. containment.

38th Parallel

Latitude line dividing North and South Korea, site of early Cold War conflict.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Congressional committee investigating suspected communists; created by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954 Supreme Court case declaring segregated schools inherently unequal.

Little Rock Nine

Nine African-American students escorted by federal troops in 1957 to desegregate Central High School, Arkansas.

Gandhi’s Influence

Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent philosophy that inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil Rights Tactics

Sit-ins, marches, and boycotts used by African-American activists in the 1950s-60s.

Black Panthers

Militant wing of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement advocating self-defense and Black empowerment. Controversial

Malcolm X

Civil-rights leader advocating Black nationalism and a more militant stance than MLK.

Domino Theory

Cold War belief that if Vietnam fell to communism, surrounding Southeast Asian nations would follow.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

1964 episode involving USS Maddox that led to expanded U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

Tet Offensive

1968 Vietcong assault considered turning point that eroded U.S. public support for the Vietnam War.

Vietnamization

Nixon’s strategy to transfer combat roles to South Vietnamese forces while withdrawing U.S. troops.

Détente

1970s policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions between the U.S. and USSR.

Watergate

Political scandal originating with the 1972 break-in at Democratic headquarters, leading to Nixon’s resignation.

Saturday Night Massacre

Series of 1973 firings and resignations in the Justice Department during Watergate investigations.

Gerald Ford

Only U.S. president and vice president never elected to either office; pardoned Richard Nixon in 1974.