History Exam 2

U.S. History since 1877

Zoot Suit Riots

1943 riots which sailors attacked Mexican-American youths wearing flamboyant clothing in Los Angeles. This was significant because it showed the failure of Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy.

Teapot Dome Scandal

Secretary of the Interior accepted nearly 500,000 from private businessman to who he leased government oil reserves. This was significant because this was the first cabinet member to be convicted of a felony

Andrew Mellon

Told Hoover, P. 1929-33,that economic downturns were a normal part of capitalism, which weeded out unproductive firms and encouraged moral virtue among the less fortunate. He was significant because he was the key Republican economic strategist who set the agenda during the 1920s.

Buddy Bolden

An African American man who made the Buddy Bolden’s Band which was the first jazz band. This was significant because jazz is the link between civic belonging, cultural expression and mass media in our consumption.

Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

A non-aggression treaty between the Soviet Union and Germany, dividing the territories of east Europe between the two. It’s significance is that it made the beginnings of WW2 in Europe possible because Germany could invade Poland without fear of Soviet retaliation

Calvin Coolidge

He was a Republican President, 1923-29, who was pro-business and continued with Harding’s policies, the new republican agenda. His significance was that he helped economic growth during the 1920s.

Four Freedoms

Principles outlined by P. FDR,1933-45, —freedom of speech, worship, freedom from want and fear. Its significance was that it became a rallying cry for America during the WW2.

Japanese Internment

Japanese-Americans were removed from their homes on the West Coast to government internment camps during WW2. This applied to all ages. This was significant because it showed the prejudice and racism towards the Japanese after Pearl Harbor and was the largest violation of American civil liberties in the 20th century.

Bracero Program

A system agreed to by Mexican and American governments. Mexicans entered the US to work temporarily in agricultural jobs. This was significant because it prevented labor organization among farm workers since they could get deported even though they are helping their agricultural industry.

Texas Guinan

“Queen of the Nightclubs” who was a flapper before they became popular and was like a den mother to the 1920s flappers. She was significant because the flappers based their style off of and was basically like todays “influencer”.

Operation Torch

Americans and British move into French North Africa and then push into Italy during WW2. This was significant because it was the first major Allied offensive, eating away edges of Nazi territory.

Neville Chamberlain

British Prime Minister who was at the Munich Conference where Europe gave more land to Hitler, prepping him for WW2. After coming back from the conference he guaranteed “peace in our time” because he believed compromising with Hitler prevented war.

American G. I. Forum

Mexican veterans’ organization founded by Mexican-Americans. It was significant because it allowed them to advocate for their rights and fight against discrimination.

Okies

Were migrants from Oklahoma who moved to California during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. They were significant because they worked in agriculture and helped developed the agriculture industry.

Felix Longoria

A Mexican-American soldier who fought died during WW2, he was refused a burial in Three Rivers because of segregation. Dr. Héctor García wrote to LBJ about the situation and Felix was buried in a prestigious cemetery for the military.

“Crazy Blues”

Sang by African American Mamie Smith after the original white singer couldn’t record. This song was significant because it was the first blues song recorded by an African American vocalist and marketed as such.

Rosie the Riveter

Was the face of women joining the industrial workforce during WW2. She was significant because the media sued her to show that women in the workforce is encouraged and ok.

FDIC

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, created during the Great Depression, was insurance for banks. It was significant because it guarantees/insures peoples deposits if a bank fails so it stopped bank runs.

Alfred Sloan

An American business executive who shifted how we think of our relationship to consumer goods. He was significant because he proposed the idea to have different types of models of cars to keep people buying, we can see it in phone models today. 

Edward Bernays

Considered the father of public relations. He was significant because of his insights of consumers needs and had the idea of making people desire goods, ex. 9/10 dentists recommend.

John Steinbeck

A writer whose works focused on labor struggles, poverty, and Okie migration in California. He was significant because he brought attention to these economic and social issues.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an alliance founded by European nations, the US, and Canada to deter Soviet expansion. This was significant because it was the first long-term military alliance between US and Euro since the American Revolution, showing how much they were worried about Soviet after they made their own atomic bomb.

Destroyers-for-bases Deal

A deal between the US and UK where US would give naval destroyers in exchange for access and partial control over naval bases in Caribbean. This was significant because it was the US getting prepared/siding for war without officially joining.

Social Security Act

Apart of FDR New Deal, a system for pension and disability payments. This was significant because it showed Roosevelt’s idea that the national gov. had a responsibility to ensure the material well-being of Americans.

Modern Republicanism

What Eisenhower, P. 1953-61, called the party, it combined New Deal social policies at home with militant anti communism abroad. It was significant because it bridged the divide between the conservative and progressive wings of the Rep party.

Truman Doctrine

Truman’s, P. 1945-53, announced program of aid to European countries threatened by communism. It was significant because he officially embraced the Cold War and describe it as a worldwide struggle over the future of freedom. Its downside is that it created tunnel vision.

Containment

George Kennan proposed this idea that Soviet needed to expand to succeed so all we needed to do was to keep them contained and they’ll breakdown. This was significant because it showed the lesson they learned after WW2 and it set up the plan for future action until the Soviet’s collapse.

Immigration Act of 1924

Act established strict guidelines for who can come to US, only so many people from each nation can come every year. It’s was significant because it greatly affected immigration population for decades.

Tom Collins

Cocktail?

Popular Front

From 1935-45, it was a working class cultural movement that embraces diversity and the experience of the common person. It was significant because it became an important movement to fight against fascist regimes

Huey Long

Critic of FDR New Deal, the populist long advocated a radical redistribution of wealth, making “every man a king”. He was significant because his message influenced later policies and helped shape the modern welfare state.

Wagner Act

This act was apart of the Second New Deal and protected the right of workers to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining. It was significant because it brought democracy into the American workplace.

Court-Packing Plan/Scheme

FDR failed attempt to increase the number of Supreme Court justices after they keep turning his policies away. It was significant because after its failure FDR stopped proposing new legislation and the SC didn’t dismantle anymore of his ND policies.

Francis Townsend

FDR critic, believed he was not doing enough to stimulate the economy. He was significant because of his idea that all citizens should have a guaranteed income provided by the government, influencing the development of Social Security.

American Liberty League

Formed by conservative businessmen and politicians to mobilize opposition to Roosevelt’s policies, believing they were unconstitutional. It was significant because it paved the way for modern conservative movement despite its failure.

The Grapes of Wrath

Novel written by John Steinbeck and a popular film. It was significant because the book captured the Dust Bowl affects and the migration of Okies, capturing their plight to California.

Henry Wallace

He was represented the Progressives in the 1948 election. He proposed that the US should focus on world peace, expansion of social welfare, and denounced racial segregation. He was significant because his ideas influenced the Democratic Party shift further left.

Dust Bowl

Great Plains counties where topsoil was blown away from from parched farmland. It was significant because it was the cause of massive migration to California.

Hawley-Smoot Tariff

1930 act that raised tariffs to an unprecedented level, raised priced, and discouraged trade. It was significant because it worsened the Great Depression since people needed foreign goods to make their own.

Frances Perkins

Secretary of Labor during the New Deal, first woman appointed to the U.S. cabinet. She was significant because she drafted the social security act, fair labor standards act and others creating a lasting impact on the country. She made significant contributions to American society through her work in government and her advocacy for workers' rights and social justice

Korean War

1950-53, a former Japanese colony, the soviets and Americans had divided Korea after WW2. In 1950 the North invaded the south in an attempt at reunification.

Stage one - Kim North Korea motivated by nationalism and communism talks to Stalin asking for backup, Stalin says wtf no we just fought a war and lost a lot, we’ll back you up economically but but not joining the war, so then the north takes almost all of south

Stage 2 - West responds, US world through the UN to create a coalition of UN forces and push back the North almost to china border

Stage 3 - China invades to protect their own border and to secure communist North Korea as a buffer state and they push the Americans back toward today’s division of North and South Korea

There was no official peace treaty in place but there was a truce, the lesson US takes from the Korean War is containment, push beyond like they did and you get trouble, Cold War is all about maintaining balance, contain them where they are they succeed