US History Unit 5

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