United States History Semester 2 Review

Flashcards for United States History Semester 2 Review

What were the results of D-Day?

More than 175,000 troops and more than 20,00 vehicles. The Allies invaded France and took an important step towards Berlin

Describe the woman of the 1920’s.

Close fitting hats, Bright waistless dresses an inch above the knees and no corsets, skinned tone stockings and heels, strings of beads, cut hair short and dyed it black , began smoking cigarettes, drinking in public, talking openly about sex, and danced all night

What was the goal of the Harlem Renaissance?

New African American cultural awareness that flourished in literature, art, and music in 1920s

What was the cause of the Red Scare?

Violations of civil liberties including freedom of speech/press which led to nativist movements.

What were the causes of Prohibition?

Volstead Act, Speakeasies, Bootleggers

Define buying on margin.

Paying a small percentage of the stocks price as a down payment while borrowing the rest, led many to fall into massive debt

What was the importance of the radio/movies during the 30s?

Offered escape from realites of the GD

List the social/psychological effects of the Great Depression.

1928-1932 suiceide rate rose more than 30%. 3x as many admitted to mental hospitals. More people sacrificed medical care, going to college, getting married, or having children

What was the Dust Bowl?

Extended drought, Usually high temps, poor agricultural practices, and wind erosion. Western KS, eastern CO, western, OK, Texas Panhandle, and eastern NM

What were the goals of the New Deal?

Relief for the needy, economic recovery, and financial reform

Define deficit spending.

Spending more money than the government recipes in revenue

What was the WPA?

Work Progress Administration. WPA spent $11 billion to give jobs to more than 8 million workers, Built 850 airports,651,000 of roads, 300 million garments

Describe the “fireside chats.”

Speeches broadcast nationally over the radio explaining in plain language his New Deal

What event ended the Great Depression?

WWII

Define appeasement.

A foreign policy strategy where a country attempts to avoid conflict by making concessions to another power, often an aggressor, in an effort to prevent further demands or aggression

Who was the President of the U.S. during much of WWII?

Franklin D. Roosevelt

What event occurred on December 7th, 1941?

Pearl Harbor

How did the U.S. prepare and equip for war?

Mobilizing its economy and society, expanding its military, and implementing new agencies to manage the transition to wartime production

What were the causes of the Cold War?

Conflict between the U.S an the Soviet Union in which neither nation directly confronted the other on the battlefield

Who were the two superpowers during the Cold War?

U.S & Soviet Union

What was the cause of McCarthyism?

Anti-Communist attitudes and actions associated with McCarthy that included smear tactics and unsupported attacks

What were the results of the Korean War?

U.S looked to reunite Korea, but China became involved to preserve their own national security

What was the Bay of Pigs?

Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Cuba; hope was to overthrow Castro

Which countries were involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis?

U.S, Cuba, and the Soviet Union

Define flexible response.

A U.S defense strategy during the Cold War; using a wide range of diplomatic, political, economic, and military options to deter an enemy attack

What case ended segregation in public schools?

Crisis in Little Rock

Define segregation.

The action of separating people based on specific characteristics, most commonly race or ethnicity

Compare/contrast MLK and Malcolm X.

MLK advocated for non violent civil disobedience while Malcolm X advocated for the idea of Black Nationalism. Both sought to improve the lives of African Americans.

Who was James Meredith?

First African American to attend the University of Mississippi.

Which civil rights leaders were assassinated in 1968?

MLK

What was the turning point of Vietnam?

Tet Offensive

What led to increased protests of the war?

The unfairness of the war

Why was Vietnam known as a “working class war?”

A large percent of soldiers came from working-class backgrounds

What were the results of the Watergate Scandal?

American public and the media developed a general cynicism (People motivated by self-interest) about public officials that still exists today

Define detente.

Flexible approach of dealing with Communist nations to ease Cold War tensions

What is unique about Ford’s presidency?

He was the only u.s president to ever serve without being elected to either presidency or vice presidency.

What occurred at the Camp David Accords?

Egypt became the first Arab country to recognize Israel's right to exist and Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula

What was the symbolic ending to the Cold War?

The fall of the Berlin Wall nov 9 1989

Why did the U.S. become engaged in the Persian Gulf War?

Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990

What was the significance of Election of 2000?

It was so big it had to be taken to court to figure out would get Florida

What major events occurred under the presidency of George W. Bush?

9/11, invasion of afghanistan, invasion of iraq, hurricane katrina, medicare part d, no child left behind act, economic growth and tax relief reconciliation act of 2001.

What were the major domestic terrorist events of the late 20th century?

9/11/2001

What were the results of 9/11?

Patriot Act, Dept of Homeland security, Air travel safety.

Describe the goal of the Affordable Care Act?

Obamacare, intended to provide coverage to the uninsured, prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to patients with pre-existing medical conditions