Period 7 Vocab

Progressivism

A political philosophy and social movement that believes in progress and the improvement of human society through reform, particularly in the areas of government, society, and the economy. It emerged as a response to the negative effects of industrialization and the perceived inequities of the Gilded Age, aiming to address issues like political corruption, economic exploitation, and social unrest (Important names: Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson).

Preservationists

Like conservationists but wanted to protect historical building and artifacts

Conservationists

Wanted to protect natural resources for responsible future use and promoting sustainable use of the environment

Frontier thesis

As the frontier was coming to an end by the 1890s, historian Frederick Jackson Turner stated that the frontier was crucial to American History as it set them apart from the other European countries.

Anti-imperialists

Opposed the Treaty of Paris and the creation of an American colonial empire, believed they had no business governing far-flung colonies. They also feared that uncivilized people would become citizens.

Spanish-American War

1898 was that began when the US demanded Cuba’s independence from Spain; helped usher the US becoming an imperial power through gaining new territories taken at the end of the war.

World War I

 A global conflict that spanned from 1914 to 1918, was a major war centered in Europe. It pitted the Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and the United States) against the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire). The war resulted in millions of casualties and the end of empires, leaving a lasting impact on the 20th century. It led to the United States beginning a practice of isolationism partially because of the league of nations and now they thought it was going to basically kill everyone in America that are sent out to war so they just thought that ignoring everything was a valid solution. 

Immigration Quotas

Established limits on the number of immigrants allowed in the US, favoring northern and western European immigrants

Great Migration

Mass movement of African Americans from Rural South to urban north and west during the early to mid-20th century, seeking better opportunities.

Treaty of Versailles

1919 peace treaty that officially ended WWI, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany

League of Nations

International organization established after WWI to promote peace and cooperation among countries, proposed by Wilson but the US didn’t join because of the Senate (entangling alliance)

Isolationism

Foreign policy of avoiding political or military involvement with other countries, especially during the interwar period. Led to many proclamations of neutrality that the US passed in the beginning of WWII. Like Washington’s farewell address.

Mass media

Forms of communication designed to reach a large audience, including television, radio, newspapers, and the internet, playing a significant role in shaping public opinion. If seen on exam its talking about radio and Roosevelt’s great depression fireside chats

Harlem Renaissance

Cultural, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem, NY in the 1920s celebrating African American culture and creativity.

Red Scare

A period of intense fear of communism and radical leftism in the US after WWI in the 1920s

Great Depression

A severe global economic downturn that lasted from 1929 to 1939, marked by widespread unemployment, poverty, and business failures. It originated in the United States with the stock market crash of October 1929, and quickly spread worldwide. The Depression resulted in significant declines in industrial production, international trade, and consumer confidence. It led to severe economic hardship, high unemployment, and a decline in industrial production

Modernism

A major cultural movement, particularly in the arts, that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a rejection of traditional values and a search for new forms of expression (People - Hitler)

Liberalism

A political philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, equality before the law, and limited government intervention. It values individual rights, free markets, and democratic institutions. There are different strains of liberalism, including classical liberalism which emphasizes individual freedom and limited government, and social liberalism which supports greater government intervention for social and economic justice.

Limited welfare state

A governmental framework aimed at providing essential social services and minimal economic safety nets, balancing individual responsibility with social support. It seeks to address social inequalities while encouraging personal initiative.

New Deal

First New Deal: During (FRANKLIN D.) Roosevelt's first hundred days in the office he persuaded congress to pass 15 laws in response to the great depression. Second New Deal - Included social security act, national labor relations act, and the works progress administration. One of the strategies used during the new deal were Relief(A law in hopes of giving people jobs), recovery(Ways of improving agriculture and industrialization), and reform(Laws in which the impacts of the great depression are attempted to be fixed) programs which were different categories of the laws passed in the first new deal

Political realignment

A set of sharp changes in party-related ideology, issues, leaders, regional bases, demographic bases, and/or the structure of powers within a government.

Fascism

 A far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized power, militarism, and suppression of opposition. It prioritizes the nation or race above individual rights and interests, often with strong regimentation of society and the economy.

Totalitarianism

A political system where the government exerts complete control over all aspects of life, suppressing opposition and individual rights. It's a form of authoritarianism, often characterized by a dictator or single political party controlling socio-political power.

Pearl Harbor

An attack by the Japanese on the U.S. as an attempt to cripple them. This then led to extreme conflict between the U.S. and Japan.

Holocaust

The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators.

Mass mobilization

The process of rapidly and extensively organizing and preparing a nation's resources, including its people, for a specific purpose, often war. It involves drawing on a wide range of resources to achieve a shared goal, such as winning a war or ending a crisis like the Great Depression.

Island-hopping

A U.S. military strategy in which the allied forces captured key islands while bypassing heavily fortified Japanese strongholds. This then allowed them to cut off Japan

D-Day

June 6, 1944, the day when Allied forces launched the invasion of Normandy, France during World War II, marking the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation

Atomic bombs

A weapon that generates immense explosive power through the fission of heavy elements like plutonium or uranium. The use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had profound and lasting effects on America. It spurred a sense of national pride and relief at the end of World War II, but also ignited a deep fear of the weapon's destructive potential. This fear permeated American society, leading to anxieties about a potential nuclear war and influencing national discourse for years to come.