Unit 4 Vocab

Unrestricted submarine warfare

A naval strategy where submarines attack merchant ships without warning, rather than adhering to traditional prize rules.

Zimmerman Telegram

A secret diplomatic communication sent by German Foreign Secretary to the German ambassador in Mexico in January 1917, proposing a military alliance between Germany and Mexico.

Great Migration

The massive movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban centers in the North and West.

Espionage Act

Federal law passed on June 15, 1917, aimed at preventing interference with U.S. military operations, especially recruitment and the draft.

Fourteen Points

A set of principles for peace outlined by President Woodrow Wilson on January 8, 1918, aimed at preventing future conflicts and promoting international cooperation.

Red Scare

Occurred in the aftermath of World War I and the Russian Revolution of 1917, leading to the establishment of a communist government in Russia.

League of Nations

An international organization founded in 1920 after World War I, aimed at preventing future wars through diplomacy and collective security.

18th Amendment

Ratified on January 16, 1919, it prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States.

19th Amendment

Ratified on August 18, 1920, it granted women the right to vote.

Mass production

The efficient manufacture of large quantities of standardized products, often using assembly line techniques and division of labor.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural, artistic, and intellectual movement during the 1920s centered in Harlem, NY, characterized by profound Black cultural expression.

Stock market speculation

The practice of buying and selling stocks with hopes of making quick profits, often based on emotions or trends rather than actual company value.

Dust Bowl

Severe environmental disaster during the 1930s in the Great Plains, caused by drought, over-farming, and high winds, leading to agricultural collapse.

Hoovervilles

Makeshift shantytowns that arose during the Great Depression, named after President Herbert Hoover, who was blamed for the crisis.

Social Security Act

Law passed in 1935 that aimed to provide financial assistance to vulnerable populations during the Great Depression.

Lend-Lease Act

Law passed in March 1941 allowing the U.S. to provide military aid to Allied nations without direct payment.

Battle of Midway

A pivotal naval battle between the United States and Japan from June 4 to June 7, 1942, during World War II.

Manhattan Project

Top-secret U.S. research and development project during World War II aimed at building the first atomic bomb.

D-Day

The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, marking the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation.

Fall of Berlin

The final major battle of World War II in Europe marking the end of Nazi Germany.

Rationing

The process to ensure that enough resources were available for the military during wartime.

Wartime conversion

The process of shifting civilian industries to support military needs during World War II.

Integration of defense industries

Efforts to ensure the defense sector was efficient and collaborative to maximize production capabilities for the war effort.

Japanese-American internment

The forced relocation and incarceration of around 120,000 Japanese-Americans during World War II by the U.S. government.