20th Century U.S. History Study Guide

Flashcards for 20th Century U.S. History, covering key terms and definitions from the study guide.

Spanish-American War

1898 conflict where the U.S. defeated Spain, gaining territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, marking U.S. as an imperial power.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news reporting that stirred public emotions and pushed the U.S. into the Spanish-American War.

The Maine

U.S. battleship that exploded in Havana harbor; blamed on Spain by the press, leading to war.

William McKinley

President during the Spanish-American War; annexed the Philippines, citing moral and religious duty.

Imperialism

Policy of extending a nation’s power through conquest or diplomacy; in U.S. history, linked to acquiring overseas territories.

Platt Amendment

1901 provision granting the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and establish naval bases, limiting Cuba’s sovereignty.

Philippine War

Armed conflict (1899–1902) between Filipino nationalists and U.S. forces after annexation; demonstrated U.S. commitment to imperialism.

Theodore Roosevelt

President and war hero; supported Big Stick Diplomacy and expanded American influence globally.

Big Stick Diplomacy

Roosevelt’s foreign policy; emphasized negotiation backed by the threat of a strong military.

Roosevelt Corollary

Extension of the Monroe Doctrine asserting U.S. right to intervene in Latin America to stabilize the region.

Woodrow Wilson

President during WWI; idealistic, advocated for peace via the League of Nations and his 14 Points.

Submarine Warfare

German use of U-boats to attack Allied and neutral ships; a cause of U.S. entry into WWI.

Lusitania

British passenger ship sunk by Germans in 1915, killing Americans and turning U.S. sentiment against Germany.

Zimmerman Telegram

German message encouraging Mexico to attack the U.S. in exchange for lost territories; prompted U.S. entry into WWI.

Committee on Public Information

Government agency created to influence public opinion and promote U.S. war effort during WWI.

14 Points

Wilson’s peace plan for post-WWI world; emphasized self-determination, open diplomacy, and League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

Ended WWI; punished Germany harshly, established League of Nations, but sowed seeds for WWII.

League of Nations

International peacekeeping body proposed by Wilson; U.S. never joined due to Senate opposition.

Progressivism

Reform movement addressing industrialization's problems; focused on labor rights, women’s suffrage, and government regulation.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

1911 fire in NYC that killed 146 workers; led to improved factory safety laws.

19th Amendment

Ratified in 1920; gave women the right to vote.

NAACP

Founded in 1909 to fight racial discrimination through legal action.

Prohibition

18th Amendment banned alcohol (1920-1933); led to speakeasies and organized crime.

Nativism

Anti-immigrant sentiment; led to restrictive immigration laws in the 1920s.

KKK

White supremacist group that resurged in the 1920s, targeting immigrants, Catholics, Jews, and African Americans.

Red Scare

Post-WWI fear of communism; led to crackdowns on suspected radicals.

Herbert Hoover

President at the start of the Great Depression; criticized for ineffective response.

Black Tuesday

October 29, 1929; stock market crash that triggered the Great Depression.

Buying on Margin

Purchasing stocks with borrowed money; contributed to market crash.

Hoovervilles

Shantytowns for the homeless during the Depression; named mockingly after President Hoover.

FDR

Franklin D. Roosevelt; implemented the New Deal to address the Depression.

New Deal

Series of programs and reforms to promote economic recovery and social reform during the Great Depression.

Fireside Chats

Radio addresses by FDR to reassure and inform the public during the Great Depression.

Bank Holiday

1933 temporary closure of banks to stabilize the banking system.

AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Act)

Paid farmers to reduce crop production to raise prices during the Great Depression.

FDIC

Insured bank deposits to restore trust in the financial system.

NRA (National Recovery Administration)

Encouraged fair wages and prices; later struck down by Supreme Court.

TVA

Brought electricity and development to the Tennessee Valley region.

CCC

Employed young men in conservation projects.

Social Security Act

Created pension system and welfare programs for vulnerable Americans.

WPA

Employed millions in public works and cultural projects.

Neutrality Acts

Laws passed in the 1930s to keep the U.S. out of foreign wars.

Cash and Carry

Allowed sale of arms to belligerents if they paid cash and used their own ships.

Lend-Lease

Allowed the U.S. to lend arms to Allies in WWII.

Atlantic Charter

Joint declaration by FDR and Churchill outlining postwar goals.

Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941 Japanese attack that led to U.S. entry into WWII.

Japanese-American Internment

Detainment of Japanese Americans during WWII under Executive Order 9066.

Island Hopping

U.S. strategy in the Pacific to capture key islands during WWII.

D-Day

June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France.

Manhattan Project

Secret U.S. project to develop atomic bombs during WWII.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Japanese cities where atomic bombs were dropped, ending WWII.

Harry Truman

President who decided to use the atomic bomb; shaped early Cold War policy.

Containment

U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism.

Truman Doctrine

U.S. support for countries resisting communism, starting with Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan

U.S. aid to rebuild Europe and prevent communist influence.

NATO

Military alliance of Western democracies against Soviet threat.

NSC-68

Classified report recommending U.S. military buildup to counter communism.

Korean War

1950-1953 war where U.S. intervened to stop communist North Korea.

Domino Theory

Belief that if one country falls to communism, others will follow.

General MacArthur

Led U.S. forces in Korea; fired by Truman for insubordination.

HUAC

House Un-American Activities Committee; investigated suspected communists.

Hollywood 10

Group of filmmakers who refused to testify to HUAC; blacklisted.

Joseph McCarthy

Senator who led anti-communist crusade; accused many without evidence.

Dwight Eisenhower

President during 1950s; warned against military-industrial complex.

Military-Industrial Complex

Alliance between military and industry warned against by Eisenhower.

Space Race

Cold War competition for space dominance; started with Sputnik.

Sputnik

First satellite launched by USSR; triggered U.S. space response.

Consumer Culture

Rise in mass consumption and advertising post-WWII.

Baby Boom

Dramatic increase in birth rate after WWII.

Suburbia

Rapid suburban growth; symbolized postwar prosperity.

Television

Became dominant medium, shaping culture and politics.

Beats

Rebellious writers who rejected conformity of 1950s America.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954 Supreme Court case ending school segregation.

Rosa Parks

Sparked Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give up her seat.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Protest against segregation; led by MLK Jr.

MLK Jr.

Leader of civil rights movement; promoted nonviolent resistance.

JFK

President during Cold War crises; supported civil rights and space race.

Flexible Response

JFK’s strategy to counter communism with multiple methods.

Peace Corps

JFK initiative to aid developing nations and counter communism.

Bay of Pigs

Failed U.S. invasion of Cuba; embarrassment for JFK.

Cuban Missile Crisis

1962 standoff over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

LBJ

Lyndon Johnson; passed civil rights laws and launched Great Society.

Great Society

LBJ’s domestic programs to end poverty and racial injustice.

War on Poverty

Part of Great Society; aimed to reduce poverty through government programs.

Medicare/Medicaid

Health care programs for elderly and poor.

Freedom Rides

Activists challenging segregation on interstate buses.

Civil Rights Act 1964

Banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex.

Freedom Summer

Campaign to register Black voters in Mississippi.

Voting Rights Act 1965

Outlawed discriminatory voting practices.

NLF (Viet Cong)

Communist guerrilla group in South Vietnam.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Gave LBJ authority to escalate Vietnam War.

War of Attrition

Strategy to wear down the enemy.

Pacification

U.S. effort to win over Vietnamese civilians.

Antiwar Movement

Widespread protests against Vietnam War.

Tet Offensive

1968 surprise attack; turned U.S. opinion against war.

Richard Nixon

Promised peace with honor; escalated and then ended U.S. role in Vietnam.

Vietnamization

Nixon’s plan to withdraw U.S. troops and shift fighting to South Vietnam.

Pentagon Papers

Leaked documents showing government deception about Vietnam War.

SDS

Students for a Democratic Society; antiwar and progressive group.

Counterculture

Youth movement rejecting mainstream values; promoted peace and love.