U.S. History Review

Flashcards for vocabulary review based on lecture notes.

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Annexation

The action of adding territory to one's own territory by appropriation.

Isolationism

A national policy of avoiding involvement in world affairs.

Expansionism

The policy of territorial or economic expansion.

Spanish-American War

A conflict in 1898 between Spain and the U.S., resulting in U.S. control of former Spanish colonies.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news used to provoke public emotions and influence opinion.

Sinking of the Maine

U.S. battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor, used as a cause for the Spanish-American War.

Big Stick Diplomacy

Foreign policy: 'Speak softly and carry a big stick'; use of force if necessary.

Dollar Diplomacy

Use of a country's financial power to extend its international influence.

Moral Diplomacy

U.S. support only for countries with similar moral beliefs.

Militarism

The belief in building up a strong armed forces to prepare for war.

Alliances

Agreements between nations to provide aid and protect one another.

Nationalism

Pride in or devotion to one's country.

Trench Warfare

A type of combat in which opposing troops fight from trenches facing each other.

Total War

A conflict in which the participating countries devote all their resources to the war effort.

War of Attrition

A war based on wearing down the other side with constant attacks and heavy losses.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany's policy of sinking ships without warning.

U-Boats

German submarines used in World War I.

Propaganda

Information used to influence public opinion.

Flappers

Young women of the 1920s who challenged traditional norms.

The New Woman

Women who embraced new freedoms and roles in society.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement celebrating African American culture.

Prohibition

The banning of alcohol; 18th Amendment.

Speakeasies

Secret bars where alcohol was sold illegally.

Bootlegging

The illegal production and distribution of alcohol.

Jazz Age

The 1920s era known for jazz music and dance.

Consumerism

The protection or promotion of the interests of consumers.

Mass Production

The manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products.

Installment Buying

Purchasing products with payments made over time.

Advertising

The activity of attracting public attention to products or services.

Nativism

The policy of protecting the interests of native-born citizens.

Red Scare

A period of intense fear of communism.

Palmer Raids

Government raids to find and deport radicals.

Return to Normalcy

President Harding's campaign promise to return to pre-war life.

Laissez-faire Economics

An economic system with minimal government intervention.

Black Tuesday

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

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic downturn in the 1930s.

Hoovervilles

Shantytowns named after Hoover, blamed for the economic crisis.

Dust Bowl

Severe dust storms during the 1930s that worsened the Depression for farmers.

New Deal

FDR’s program of economic relief, recovery, and reform.

Fireside Chats

FDR’s radio broadcasts to reassure and inform Americans.

Bank Holiday

Temporary closure of banks to stabilize the system.

Social Security Act

New Deal program providing pensions, unemployment aid, and disability insurance.

Totalitarianism

A system where the government controls all aspects of life.

Fascism

A political system led by a dictator, emphasizing nationalism and control.

Appeasement

Giving in to demands to avoid conflict (e.g., Hitler pre-WWII).

Lend-Lease Act

Allowed the U.S. to supply Allied nations with war materials.

Island Hopping

U.S. strategy in the Pacific to capture key islands from Japan.

Atomic Bomb

Nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Holocaust

Systematic genocide of 6 million Jews by Nazi Germany.

Internment Camps

Forced relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Rationing

Limits on goods to support the war effort.

War Bonds

Loans from citizens to the government to fund war.

Rosie the Riveter

Symbol of American women working in factories during WWII.

Cold War

Ideological conflict between the U.S. (capitalism) and USSR (communism).

Containment

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

Truman Doctrine

U.S. support for countries resisting communism.

Marshall Plan

U.S. aid to rebuild Europe and resist communism.

Berlin Airlift

U.S. and Allied response to Soviet blockade of West Berlin.

NATO

Military alliance of Western countries against Soviet threat.

Warsaw Pact

Soviet-led military alliance of communist nations.

McCarthyism

Accusations of communism without evidence; Red Scare era.

Arms Race

Competition between U.S. and USSR to build nuclear weapons.

Space Race

U.S.–USSR competition for dominance in space exploration.

Domino Theory

Belief that if one country falls to communism, neighbors will too.

Détente

Easing of tensions between the U.S. and USSR during the 1970s.

Civil Rights Movement

Struggle for social justice and equality for African Americans.

Civil Disobedience

Nonviolent refusal to obey unjust laws.

Black Power

Movement for racial pride and political/economic control by Black Americans.

Affirmative Action

Policies to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups.