American History Study Guide Test 2

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key concepts and events in American history for test preparation.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

A naval officer who wrote 'The Influence of Sea Power upon History', emphasized the importance of naval power.

Spanish-American War of 1898

Conflict between the US and Spain that resulted in the US emerging as a world power.

USS Maine

The American battleship whose explosion in Havana Harbor led to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War.

De Lome Telegram

A letter written by the Spanish ambassador criticizing President McKinley, which increased tensions between the US and Spain.

Teller Amendment

Legislation that promised the US would not annex Cuba after the Spanish-American War.

Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

Teddy Roosevelt led this volunteer cavalry regiment in a famous charge during the Battle of San Juan Hill.

Treaty of Paris 1898

Treaty that ended the Spanish-American War and ceded territories, including Puerto Rico and the Philippines, to the US.

Consequences of War

Led to US expansion and increased involvement in international affairs.

Platt Amendment

Permitted US intervention in Cuba and allowed the US to lease a naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

Puerto Rico

Acquired by the US as a result of the Spanish-American War and currently a US territory.

Philippines

Acquired by the US after the Spanish-American War, leading to a conflict with Filipino nationalists.

Philippine Response to US Policies

Filipino resistance to US control led to the Philippine-American War.

Big Stick Diplomacy

Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy that emphasized military strength to achieve diplomatic goals.

Panama Canal

A canal constructed by the US to facilitate maritime trade and military movement.

Dollar Diplomacy

William Howard Taft's policy of promoting American financial and business interests abroad.

Wilson's Moral Diplomacy

Woodrow Wilson's approach to foreign policy that emphasized democracy and moral principles.

Balance of Powers in Europe

A political strategy aimed at preventing any one nation from becoming too dominant.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's military strategy for a quick victory in World War I by invading France through Belgium.

Franz Ferdinand

Archduke of Austria whose assassination triggered the outbreak of World War I.

Trench Warfare

A type of combat in which soldiers fight from deep trenches, characterized World War I.

Use of Poison Gas

Chemical weapons used for the first time on a large scale during World War I.

Total War

Warfare that employs all of a nation's resources to achieve victory.

US Policy toward World War I

Initially neutral but shifted toward intervention due to various factors.

U-boats

German submarines used during World War I to disrupt Allied shipping.

Lusitania

British passenger liner sunk by a German U-boat, influencing US public opinion against Germany.

Sussex

French passenger steamer sunk by a German U-boat, leading to protests and increased tensions.

Peace without Victory

Wilson's idea that peace should be achieved without punitive measures against the defeated.

He Kept Us Out of War

Slogan used by President Wilson during his re-election campaign in 1916.

Zimmerman Telegram

A secret message from Germany proposing a military alliance with Mexico, leading to US involvement.

First Russian Revolution

The 1917 revolution that led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and established a provisional government.

Make the World Safe for Democracy

Wilson's justification for entering World War I, advocating for democratic principles.

US Declares War

The US officially entered World War I on April 6, 1917.

Second Russian Revolution

The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 that led to the establishment of a communist government.

AEF

American Expeditionary Forces, the US troops sent to fight in World War I.

Meuse-Argonne

A major battle during World War I that was part of the final Allied offensive.

Armistice Day

November 11, 1918, the day World War I ended.

Lever Food Control Act

Legislation that allowed the government to regulate food production and distribution during WWI.

Railroad War Board and William McAdoo

An agency created to oversee railroad operations and logistics during WWI.

Fuel Administration

A wartime agency that managed the United States' fuel supply during World War I.

War Industries Board and Bernard Baruch

Board created to coordinate industrial production for the war effort.

Food Administration and Herbert Hoover

Agency responsible for managing food supplies and rationing during WWI.

Committee on Public Information (Creel Committee)

Government agency created to promote the war through propaganda.

Espionage and Sedition Acts

Laws that imposed severe penalties for anti-war activities and dissent.

Schenck v. the US

Supreme Court case that upheld the Espionage Act and limited free speech during wartime.

Fourteen Points

Wilson's proposal for a just peace following World War I.

David Lloyd George

British Prime Minister during WWI who played a key role in the Treaty of Versailles.

George Clemenceau

French Premier at the end of World War I, pushed for harsh reparations on Germany.

Vittorio Orlando

Italian Prime Minister during WWI who participated in the Treaty of Versailles negotiations.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations on Germany.

War Reparations

Compensations required from a defeated nation for damages caused during war.

Ratification Debate over Treaty of Versailles

Controversy in the US Senate over whether to ratify the treaty and join the League of Nations.

Alvin C. York

Hero of the Battle of Argonne Forest who received the Medal of Honor.

The Prosperity of the 1920s

Period characterized by economic growth, technological innovation, and cultural change.

Development of Mass Culture and Implications

The emergence of consumer culture, mass media, and shared daily experiences.

Flappers

Young women in the 1920s who challenged traditional norms of behavior and dress.

Prohibition

The nationwide ban on alcohol sales and production established by the 18th Amendment.

Fundamentalism

A movement emphasizing strict adherence to religious texts and traditional beliefs.

Scopes Trial

1925 legal case challenging the teaching of evolution in schools, symbolizing the conflict between science and religion.

Thomas Dixon's The Klansman

A novel that helped promote the Ku Klux Klan during the early 20th century.

D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation

A controversial film that glorified the KKK and perpetuated racial stereotypes.

Rebirth of KKK

Revitalization of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, promoting white supremacy.

Why did KKK fail?

Internal conflicts, public backlash, and legal pressures led to its decline.

Warren G. Harding and Failures of Administration

His presidency was marked by scandals and corruption, notably the Teapot Dome scandal.

Calvin Coolidge

President known for his laissez-faire approach and pro-business policies.

Herbert Hoover

President at the beginning of the Great Depression, criticized for his response to the economic crisis.

Stock Market Crash

The October 1929 collapse of stock prices, leading to the Great Depression.

Great Depression and Causes

Severe worldwide economic downturn caused by stock market crash, bank failures, and reduced consumer spending.

Hoover's Response to Depression

Efforts included public works programs but were seen as inadequate.

Reconstruction Finance Corporation

Government agency established to provide financial support to banks and businesses during the Great Depression.

Election of 1932

Defining election where Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Herbert Hoover.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

President who implemented the New Deal to address the Great Depression.

The New Deal and the 3 R's

Programs initiated by FDR focused on Relief, Recovery, and Reform.

SEC

Securities and Exchange Commission, established to regulate the stock market.

FDIC

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, created to insure bank deposits.

TVA

Tennessee Valley Authority, a New Deal program focused on regional economic development.

WPA

Works Progress Administration, created to provide jobs for unemployed Americans.

NRA

National Recovery Administration, aimed at stabilizing prices and improving labor conditions.

CCC

Civilian Conservation Corps, provided jobs in environmental conservation.

AAA

Agricultural Adjustment Act, aimed at boosting agricultural prices by reducing surpluses.

Social Security

Federal program to provide financial assistance to retired workers and disabled individuals.

Fireside Chats

Radio broadcasts by FDR to communicate directly with the American public.

Court Packing

FDR's controversial proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court justices.

Axis Powers

Alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II.

Allied Powers

Coalition of nations opposing the Axis Powers in WWII.

Hitler

Leader of Nazi Germany who initiated WWII through the invasion of Poland.

Mussolini

Fascist leader of Italy allied with Hitler during WWII.

Tojo

Japanese general and Prime Minister during much of WWII.

Hirohito

Emperor of Japan during WWII, whose role was largely symbolic.

Czechoslovakia/Sudetenland

Region ceded to Germany in the Munich Agreement, symbolizing the policy of appeasement.

Munich Summit

1938 meeting where European leaders allowed Hitler to annex Sudetenland.

Neville Chamberlain

British Prime Minister known for his policy of appeasement toward Hitler.

Appeasement

Policy of conceding to aggressor nations to avoid conflict.

September 1, 1939

The date Germany invaded Poland, marking the beginning of WWII.

US Policy Toward War in Europe

Initially isolationist, gradually shifted to support Allies through Lend-Lease.

US Toward Japan

Became increasingly hostile, leading to sanctions and eventual war declaration.

Churchill

British Prime Minister who rallied Allied forces against the Axis Powers.

Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union who played a key role in the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Non-Aggression Pact

Treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union before WWII, which was later violated by Hitler.

Lend-Lease

US policy to provide military support to Allies before entering WWII.