WWI & WWII (U.S. History)

American Imperialism

The desire to extend America's political, economic, and cultural influence beyond the boundaries of the US

Woodrow Wilson

28th U.S. President serving from 1913-1921. Known for his Fourteen Points speech during WWI.

World War II (WWII)

Fought from 1939-1945 between the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) and Allied powers (France, Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union).

League of Nations

A diplomatic group of countries set up following World War I. The US did not join.

Spanish-American War

Conflict in 1898 that ended Spanish colonial rule in American territories, also resulted in the US acquiring territories in Latin America and the western Pacific

Annexation

the formal incorporation of one territory or region into another, often through political, legal, or military means

USS Maine

A battleship that was sunk in the port of Havana; the US blamed the Spanish and declared war.

Panic of 1893

global economic depression that impacted America's economy and politics significantly

Treaty of Paris (1898)

Ended the Spanish American War in 1898

The Scopes Monkey Trial

A landmark trial in 1925 that sought to overturn the Butler Act. While it did not, it is seen as an important trial that paved the way for teaching evolution in public schools

Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)

32nd U.S. President serving from 1933-1945. Known for his New Deal to try to fix the Great Depression and leading the US during World War II. Only President to serve more than 2 terms.

The Federal Reserve (The Fed)

The central bank of the United States; responsible for setting interest rates, other monetary policy and regulating private banks and financial institutions

Big Stick Diplomacy

Foreign policy of US president Theodore Roosevelt: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Queen Lili‘uokalani

Queen of Hawaii prior to U.S. takeover of the islands; she was the last Hawaiian queen

Progressive Era

The rapid economic expansion of the Second Industrial Revolution also led to an increase in the difference between the haves and the have-nots, as well as the growth of oligopolies and monopolies

Fourteen Points

A speech about progressive ideals by Woodrow Wilson that served as the starting point for the Treaty of Paris

Nazi Party

the National Socialist German Workers Party led by Adolf Hitler; responsible for the Holocaust, which killed millions of Jewish people, political prisoners, and others

Panama Canal

A man-made waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.

World War I (WWI)

Fought from 1914-1919 between the Central Powers (mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey) and the Allied Powers (mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States).

Pearl Harbor

Site of a surprise attack on the port of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii by the Japanese Navy. After, the United States had no choice but to enter the war.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

An agreement between 13 nations in response to Soviet aggression that an attack on one would be viewed as an attack on them all.

Cold War

The period after WWII in which the United States and the Soviet Union never truly engaged in warfare, but was marked by political disagreements between the capitalist and communist countries

Butler Act

A Tennessee state law that made it a crime to teach evolution in public schools

Paris Peace Conference (1919)

Decided the terms of peace following the first World War and established plans for the league of Nations