U.S. History STAAR Review

1898 Spanish American War

USS Maine was sunk by a Spanish mine in Havana Harbor. US declares war on Spain, defeats them, and seizes Spanish possessions (Cuba and Philippians), giving the US a “world empire”.

1898

Hawaii is annexed by the United States.

1914

the Panama canal was completed in this year.

1914 - 1918

this is when World War I happened. A series of global alliances took effect as a small war between Austria and Serbia grew into a full-scale global conflict with more deaths than any other war this century.

1929 Stock Market Crash

this is what begins the Great Depression.

1941 - 1945

this is when World War II happened. A war between European powers escalates around the world and the United States is drawn into the war in December of 1941, after being attacked in the Hawaii Islands by the Empire of Japan, which was an ally of Germany.

1957 Sputnik I

the launch of 1st artificial satellite triggered the space race between the US and the USSR and the NDEA

1968 MLK Assassination

ended the non-violent approach to the Civil Rights movement and resulted in race riots nationwide.

1969

this was the Moon Landing; Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first humans to ever land on the moon.

1991 Cold War Ends

46 years of tension between the US and USSR ends; leading to changes in foreign policy and defense spending practices.

2001 Terrorist Attacks

radical Muslims attack NYC and the Pentagon, killing 2977 people and began a global War on Terror.

2008

this was when Barack Obama was elected as the 1st black President. He was the first and only black president.

1896 Plessy v. Ferguson

set a precedent of Separate but Equal; meaning that racial segregation is constitutional as long a the facilities provided for the blacks and whites are roughly equal.

1954 Brown v. Board

Unanimously overturned Plessy v. Ferguson; ruled that segregated schools are inherently unequal; mandated desegregation.

Imperialism Era

during this Era, Henry Cabot Lodge, Alfred T. Maham, Theodore Roosevelt, and Sandford B. Dole are significant.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

argued a strong navy was necessary to protect an empire but that without the empire, a navy could not be sustained.

Theodore Roosevelt

as president, he moved the US into an important position by using his “Big Stick” policy to build our empire and influence in Latin America and the Pacific; supported the building of the Panama Canal.

1897 - 1920 Progressive Era

a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States that focused on defeating corruption, monopoly, waste, and inefficiency. During this era, Upton Sinclair (writer), Susan B. Anthony (women), Ida B. Wells (anti-lynching), and W.E.B. Dubois (blacks) were significant.

W. E. B. Dubois

Founder of N. A. A. C. P. (National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons) in 1909.

1920s Era

during this Era, Clarence Darrow, William J. Bryan, Henry Ford, Glenn Curtiss, Marcus Garvey, and Charles Lindbergh were significant.

Charles Lindbergh

made the world’s first transatlantic solo flight in 1927.

Henry Ford

created a productive assembly line using standardized parts. Through this process, he was able to create affordable automobiles.

Clarence Darrow

in 1925, he defended John Scopes at his trial for teaching evolution.

William Jennings Bryan

gave the “Cross of Gold” speech (populist issue); as opposed to the teaching of evolution at the Scopes trial.

1929 - 1939 Great Depression Era

during this Era, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Eleanor Roosevelt were significant.

Military Leaders

J. J. Pershing (WWI), Omar Bradley, Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, Chester Nimitz, George Marshall, and George Patton (WWII).

Medal of Honor Recipients

Alvin York (WWI), Vernon Baker (WWII), and Roy Benavidez (Vietnam).

1954 - 1968 Civil Rights Era

during this Era, Martin Luther King, Jr., WEB DuBois, Rosa Parks, Cesar Chavez, Hector P. Garcia, and Betty Friedan were significant.

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta

co-founders of United Farm Workers to help migrant farm workers.

Martin Luther King Jr.

civil rights leader in America in the mid-1900s. Organized a peaceful “March on Washington” where he gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. He became a symbol for the peaceful American Civil rights movement.

Betty Friedan

wrote the feminine Mystique and argued that women should break out of the traditional roles of wives/mothers.

Hector P. Garcia

WW2 veteran, worked to get Hispanics equal treatment in Texas.

Status Quo Enforcers

George Wallace, Orval Faubus, Lester Maddox, Congressional bloc of southern Democrats.

1775 - 1783

American Revolution; 13 of Great Britain’s North American colonies threw off British rule to establish the sovereign United States of America.

1787

The United States Constitution is written.

1861 - 1865

American Civil War; began as a result of a long-standing disagreement over the institution of slavery, fought between the United States of American and the Confederate States of America (collection of 11 southern states that left the Union in 1860-1861).

1898 Spanish American War

Spain attempts to stop the Cuban independence movement, the US intervenes after USS Maine and claims various Spanish possessions as a result of the war.

1914 - 1918 World War I

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by a Serbian. Austria declares war on Serbia, Russia (allied to Serbia) declares war on Austria, Germany (allied to Austria) declares war on Russia and Serbia, England and France allied to Russia, declares war on Germany; so on and so forth. A communist revolution starts in Russia, Russia makes peace with Germany to get out of the war. The war officially ends with the Treaty of Versailles.

1917

United States enters WWI, fighting with England and France.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

threatened American shipping. All boats in British waters would be sunk, even if neutral.

Trench Warfare

the common war of fighting in WWI was to dig massive trenches from which each army fought.

1939-1945 World War II

Germany invaded Poland, and England and France declared war on Germany and its allies. After signing a treaty with the Soviet Union, Germany attacks them, drawing the Soviet Union onto the side of the allies.

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, Japan, etc.

Allied Powers

England, France, United States, Soviet Union, etc.

December 7, 1941

Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbor drawing the United States into WWII.

1942

internment of Japanese Americans begins, violating civil rights

June 1942

US victorious at the Battle of Midway, turning the tide of the war with Japan

June 6, 1944 D-Day

Allied powers invade mainland Europe in order to take it back from German control. The attack begins on the Normandy coast of France.

Atomic Bomb

The US drops 2 nuclear bombs on Japan to avoid invading Japan (it would take a lot of American lives). The two bombs remain, to this day, the only nuclear weapons ever used in aggression.

Holocaust

the name given to the systematic murder of millions of Jews and other ethnic groups by the Nazy government of Germany during the years of and around WWII

Economic Impact on US

rationing, increased female employment, and end of the Great Depression

1950 - 1953 Korean War

US went to war in Korea in order to stop the communist takeover of the country. The war ends in a stalemate. Korea was eventually split into 2 halves. The US still maintains military bases for the protection of South Korea.

1964 - 1973 Vietnam War

undeclared war in Southeast Asia; a war to stop the spread of communism; due to the high loss of life and civil rights movements in the United States, public support for the war was limited. Citizens began to distrust the government’s intentions and the US should leave Vietnam.

Tet Offensive

causes moderates to turn against the war. 1973, the US pulls out of Vietnam and leaves fighting to the Vietnamese people. Only war ever lost by the US.

1991 Operation Desert Storm

US responded to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait

1998 Clinton impeached

charged with perjury and obstruction of justice

Sept. 11 2001 Terrorist attacks

al Qaeda-sponsored hijackers took control of 4 planes and led a direct attack on symbols of US prosperity (Twin Towers of NYC, the Pentagon, and Washington DC); resulting in a global war on terrorism; USA PATRIOT Act and TSA created

2005

Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans.

Communication

telegraph and telephones united the country by making business, military, and personal communications faster and easier.

Telegraph

long-distance communication using Morse code signals.

Electrical Power

inventions such as the Generator in 1870 and Light Bulb in 1879 emerged. This was more convenient, safer, and less expensive than wood, coal, and other fossil fuels. Factories could be built anywhere.

Petroleum Based Products

made possible the development of products such as fertilizer, medicines, plastics, and building materials. Its successful use created a dependence on these products that are now almost all imported from other countries (increasing world trade).

Computers

earliest 1940, personal computers 1980s; enables fast storage, retrieval, and manipulation of data; simplified complex calculations. Creates new industries and fuels economic growth.

Medical Vaccinations

Polio 1954, 1961 and Measles 1963 emerged; new developments in these medicines decrease the infant mortality rate and increased life expectancy of these diseases.

Standard of Living

the quality of living conditions and income levels of citizens over time will raise or lower this standard.

Transportation

improvements in transportation technology led to an increase in the standard of living; more affordable choices improve competition and make it more available to the masses.

Checks and Balances

Each branch of govt. can use checks or controls over others in order to maintain a balance of power within the govt.

Federalism

a system of government in which the power is divided between a central government and smaller political units (such as states)

Free Press

this is vital to a democratic society in order for people to speak out against the government without fear of punishment, and to hold the government accountable for its actions

Free Speech

the ability to speak, act, or demonstrate for or against anything in any way that does not endanger any citizen of the country

Individual (Unalienable) Rights

rights guaranteed by the Constitution under the Bill of Rights. (Rights that cannot be taken away by a government because they are given by God. (EX: Life Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness)

Limited Government

the government and those in it must remain obedient to laws; they are subject to those laws like all citizens

Popular Sovereignty

a government in which the people rule by their own consent. The people maintain the ultimate power within a republican form of government.

Republic

this is a type of democracy (rule by the people) in which representatives are elected to make the decisions and run the government for the good of the people they represent

Republicanism

the power of voting for their representatives rest solely with the people

Separation of Powers

government responsibilities and powers are split into 3 independent branches (Legislative, Executive, and Judicial)

Magna Carta

influenced by the US Bill of Rights, including the concept of trial by jury and limited government

English Bill of Rights

influenced by the Bill of Rights (elections; forbade cruel and unusual punishment and restated right to trial by jury)

1776

Declaration of Independence

Articles of Confederation

first attempt at a national government by the American colonies; its weakness was the lack of a strong central government

Federalist Papers

written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay articles that were written to create support for a new constitution

Treaty of Versailles

ends WWI; Germans are forced to pay reparations and fulfill the “War guilt” clause. Creates massive economic troubles for Germany. (League of Nations forms out of the negotiations, US doesn’t join)

U.S. Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments; they guarantee individual freedoms (or unalienable rights) discussed in the Declaration of Independence

13th Amendment

this abolished slavery in the US

14th Amendment

gave the right of citizenship to all persons born in the United States; it also added new restrictions on the actions of state governments

15th Amendment

gave black men the right to vote

16th Amendment

gave Congress the power to levy income taxes

17th Amendment

allowed for the direct election of senators

18th Amendment

prohibition: made the production, distribution, and consumption of alcohol illegal

19th Amendment

gave women the right to vote (suffrage); maintained that voting rights could not be limited based on gender

Social Security Act

welfare program; mandatory retirement/unemployment insurance gathered by taxes

GI Bill of Rights

this was a bill guaranteeing educational benefits, unemployment insurance, low-interest loans to soldiers serving in the armed forces

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; this is a mutual defense pact between the US, Canada, and several European allies

1964 Civil Rights Act

prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, origin, or gender; equal public facilities

24th Amendment

Abolition of Poll Taxes; maintained that the government could not tax elections, therefore no one could be charged a fee for voting

26th Amendment

establishes the voting age at 18

Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America

outlined that there are 5 critical values crucial to America’s success: liberty, egalitarianism (everyone is equal), individualism, populism (value of the average man), and laissez-faire (limited governmental intervention in business).

14 Points

President Wilson’s plan for peace after WWI; proposed a league of nations which was never adopted by the US because it required intervention in European conflicts.

Civil Rights Movement

a movement beginning in the 1950s to bring about social change in order to maintain the treatment of all citizens under the constitution as equal

1947 - 1991 Cold War

struggle between the capitalistic US and the communist Soviet Union which desired to spread communist ideas throughout the world. US policies countering communism led to the Korean and Vietnam wars.