Causes of World War 1 - Militarism
increase in spending, competition, and military build up of weaponry.
Causes of World War 1 - Alliances
“web of treaties” before war; ex: Triple Alliance and Triple Entente
Triple Alliance
alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Triple Entente
alliance of Britain, France, and Russia
Causes of World War 1 - Imperialism
countries competing for colonies globally
Causes of World War 1 - Nationalism
pride and devotion to one’s country
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
heir to Austrian throne, killed by a Serbian nationalist group; war was declared between Austria-Hungary and Serbia on July 28, 1914
Allied Powers
Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Belgium, Italy (1915), USA (1917)
Central Powers
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire
Sinking of the Lusitania
English passenger liner that was sunken by a German submarine; outraged the Americans and called for war
Zimmerman Note
telegram sent from Germany to Mexico that was intercepted by the British; Germany would assist Mexico in attacking America, caused America to declare war on April 1917
Sussex Pledge
called for German submarine captains to make sure they provide safety of passengers and crew and no surprise attacks.
President Woodrow Wilson
President during the WWI, believed in neutrality for the Americans until the Americans were attacked by German u-boats
Selective Service Act
required all men to register for military service
Liberty bond
they were bonds that people could cash in after the war in exchange for money with interest
War Industries Board
organized the mobilization of war; helped make sure soldiers were getting their weapons and transportation etc.
Food administration
took measured to conserve food for the war effort; reduce consumption of wheat, meat, sugar etc. also encouraged people to grow food at home and donate to the militaries
Espionage Act
prohibited obtaining information, recording pictures, or copying descriptions of any information relating to the nation and using it to harm the US
Sedition Act
made it a crime for citizens to print, say, or publish any false or malicious writing about the government
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
a plan for World peace which included: self-determination of nations, fair boundaries, and weaponry reduction
League of Nations
international organization to discuss and resolve international disputes and keep peace; America did not join
Treaty of Versailles
1919, signed to end World War 1
Germany’s punishment stated by Treaty of Versailles
take responsibility for war, pay reparations, lose colonies in Africa/Asia, reduce territory, lose military
Flappers
a symbol of the new energetic, fun-loving, rebel youth. fashion and styles changed as women began to lift their skirts, drink, smoke, and cut their hair short
Radio
broadcasted new, commercials, sporting events, etc. was a popular form of entertainment for many Americans
Jazz Age
music of the decade that was influenced by African Americans
Lost Generation
Americans authors from postwar era who felt disconnected from their country and its values and rebelled in forms of literature
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby
Ernest Hemingway
The Sun Also Rises
Harlem Renaissance
NYC’s cultural center for African American Jazz music, literature, art, poetry, and culture
18th Amendment
banned the sale, manufacturing, and distribution of liquor
Volstead Act
provided exceptions to the law to make it easier to enforce prohibition
Prohibition
a movement to stop the consumption of alcohol to reduce crimes and other problems
Bootleggers
Americans who defied prohibition laws and made and sold their own alcohol
Speakesies
underground nightclubs, bars, saloons that operated illegally and had alcohol.
Al Capone
leader of Chicago’s crime syndicate who made a fortune from bootlegging alcohol
Fundamentalism
the belief in the literal interpretation of the Bible
Scopes Trial
High School teacher John T. Scopes was charged for violating state law by teaching Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution because it was unlawful to teach anything against the divine creation of man taught by the Bible.
Ku Klux Klan
a very large organization that spread hatred and violence against African Americans, Jew, Catholics, and other immigrant groups
Red Scare
Americans feared a communist takeover of the government because Russia was taken over by communists
Communism
political and economic ideology that advocates for a classless system; means of production are owned communally
Palmer Raids
suspected radicals, Communists, Socialists, and anarchists were arrested because of the fear of communism; many were innocent
Sacco & Vanzetti
two anarchist Italian immigrants who were arrested for robbery and murder; was proven innocent after their execusion
Installment Plan
monthly payments to buy home appliances and cars etc.
Charles Lindbergh
flew the Spirit of St. Louis, non-stop from NY to Paris across the Atlantic Ocean
Automobiles
Henry Ford created America’s first cars on assembly lines; a common product Americans had
Great Migration
6 million Black people moved from the South to the North and other places to escape poor economic conditions and segregation/racism
Marcus Garvey
leader of the “Back to Africa” movement; believed that black people are always gonna be segregated and should leave America
Hollywood Golden Era
the peak of filmography and film technology during the Great Depression
Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act
raised US tariffs on imported goods
Speculation
buying or selling stocks that have an increased chance of losing profit
Dividend
distribution of a company’s earnings to its shareholders
Buying on Margin
borrowing money from a broker to buy stock
Bull Market
when the stock market prices are increasing
Bear Market
when the stock market prices are decreasing
Causes of the Depression - Easy Credit
Americans were buying things on credit which ended up in debt a lot larger than they can afford
Causes of the Depression - Imbalance in foreign trade
Unemployment rose in industries that were dependent on exports
Causes of the Depression - uneven distribution of income
workers and farmers did not earn enough in comparison to how much they were producing
Causes of the Depression - mechanization of industry
products were being produced too quick, people were not able to consume that many products, resulting in producers losing profit
Black Tuesday
the stock market crashed; pivotal factor of the Great Depression
Dust Bowl
Midwestern states faced heavy winds and severe droughts that ruined farms and houses
President Herbert Hoover
believed that the Great Depression will fix itself
Hoovervilles
shantytowns that were built by unemployed people during the Depression
Bonus Army
WWI veterans who were not given their bonuses from WWI; protested in front of the White House in demand for the money
Keynesian Economics
consumption, investment, or government spendings can cause a change to the economy
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
he believed that the economy could change if he provided more programs that increased spending in the economy; gave America the New Deal
Three R’s
Relief, Recovery and Reform
Hundred Days
Roosevelt implemented the most legislation than any other President in US history within his first 100 days in office
Fireside Chats
radio broadcasts that over 6 million Americans listened to. they were words of affirmation from Roosevelt himself that helped people feel relieved about the Depression
Bank Holiday
a week in March 1933 when all banking transactions were suspended in an effort to stem bank failures and restore confidence in the banking system
Court packing plan
a plan to replace all the Supreme Justices that agreed with Roosevelt’s New Deal plans so that he can easily have his programs approved by Congress/Court
New Deal Programs
a series of programs and projects that were instituted by President Roosevelt that aimed to restore prosperity to Americans
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
an organization that assisted the unemployed; young people ages 18-25 were given outdoor conservation work for money
Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA)
welfare; provided the unemployed with life necessities such as food, shelter, and money
Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA)
supported farmers who were suffering from low prices of crops; provided compensation for farmers who destroyed their crops
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
advocated Federal development of water resources; helped bring electricity to southern states along the Tennessee River; provided public utilities
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
gave out depositors insurance which restored trust and faith in the depositors who had once lost their savings
Wagner Act
established laws that guaranteed workers rights to organize labor unions
Social Security Act
created a national system of compensation for those who lost their jobs or retired
Emergency Banking Act
provided stability and funds for withdrawal requests
Securities and Exchange Commission
supervised financial markets and reformed the way the stock market did business
Huey P. Long
established the Share our Wealth program that called for massive federal spending, a wealth tax, and wealth redistribution
Dorothea Lange
famous photographer that took many pictures of people during the Great Depression
John Steinbeck
an author who wrote “The Grapes of Wrath” that was about a family of sharecroppers who were forced to migrate during the Dust Bowl
21st Amendment
end of Prohibition; set the legal age of alcohol consumption at 21