Studied by 9 people
containment
the policy or process of preventing the expansion of a hostile power
muckraker
a journalist who uncovers abuses and corruptions in a society
direct primary
a vote held by all members of a political party to decide their candidate for public office
initiative
the right of citizens to place a measure or issue before the voters or the legislature for approval
referendum
the practice of letting voters accept or reject measures proposed by the legislature
recall
the right that enables voters to remove unsatisfactory elected officials from office
suffrage
the right to vote
prohibition
laws banning the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages
Social Darwinism
a philosophy based on Charles Darwin's theories of evolution and natural selection, asserting that humans have developed through competition and natural selection with only the strongest surviving
arbitration
settling a dispute by agreeing to accept the decision of an impartial outsider
insubordination
disobedience to authority
direct tax
a tax imposed directly on a person or their property
indirect tax
a tax that someone pays, but the tax burden falls on someone else
income tax
a tax based on the net income of a person or a business
unfair trade practices
trading practices that derive a gain at the expense of competition
imperialism
the actions used by one nation to exercise political or economic control over a smaller or weaker nation
protectorate
a country that is technically independent but is actually under the control of another country
yellow journalism
type of sensational, biased, and often false reporting for the sake of attracting readers
autonomy
the quality of or state of being self-governing
jingoism
extreme nationalism marked by aggressive foreign policy
sphere of influence
section of a country where a foreign nation enjoys special rights and powers
Open Door policy
a policy that allowed each foreign nation in China to trade freely in the other nations' spheres of influence
dollar diplomacy
a policy of joining the business interests of a country with its diplomatic interests abroad
guerillas
armed fighters who carry out surprise attacks
gross national product
The total value of goods and services, including income received from abroad, produced by the residents of a country within a specific time period, usually one year.
entrepreneur
A person who organizes, manages, and takes on the risks of a business.
laissez-faire
Idea that government should play as small a role as possible in economic affairs.
land grant
a grant of land by the federal government, especially for roads, railroads, or agricultural colleges
corporation
A business owned by stockholders who share in its profits but are not personally responsible for its debts
economies of scale
the reduction in the cost of a good brought about especially by increased production at a given facility
monopoly
total control of a type of industry by one person or one company
trust
a combination of firms or corporations formed by a legal agreement, especially to reduce competition
holding company
a company whose primary business is owning a controlling share of stock in other companies
deflation
a decline in the volume of available money or credit that results in lower prices, and therefore increases the buying power of money
industrial union
an organization of common laborers and craft workers in a particular industry
lockout
a company tool to fight union demands by refusing to allow employees to enter its facilities to work
injunction
a court order whereby one is required to do or to refrain from doing a specified act
closed shop
an agreement in which a company agrees to hire only union members
immigrant
one who enters and becomes established in a country other than that of his or her original nationality
nativism
A policy of favoring native-born individuals over foreign-born ones
skyscraper
a very tall building
tenement
multifamily apartments, usually dark, crowded, and barely meeting minimum living standards
political machine
an organization linked to a political party that often controlled local government
party boss
the person in control of a political machine
graft
the acquisition of money in dishonest ways, as in bribing a politician
individualism
the belief that no matter what a person's background is, he or she can still become successful through effort
philanthropy
providing money to support humanitarian or social goals
settlement house
an institution located in a poor neighborhood that provided numerous community services such as medical care, child care, libraries, and classes in English
Americanization
process of acquiring or causing a person to acquire American traits and characteristics
populism
a political movement founded in the 1890s representing mainly farmers that favored free coinage of silver and government control of railroads and other large industries
greenback
unit of paper currency first issued by the federal government during the Civil War
inflation
an ongoing increase in prices and decrease in the value of money
cooperative
a store where farmers buy products from each other; an enterprise owned and operated by those who use its services
graduated income tax
a tax based on the net income of an individual or business and which taxes, different income levels at different rates
poll tax
A tax of a fixed amount per person and payable as a requirement for the right to vote
segregation
Separation of people based on racial, ethnic, or other differences
Jim Crow laws
statues enacted to enforce segregation
lynch
to execute, by hanging, without lawful approval
propoganda
the spreading of ideas about an institution or individual for the purpose of influencing opinion
militarism
a policy of aggressive military preparedness
nationalism
loyalty and devotion to a nation
contraband
goods whose importation, exportation, or possession is illegal
Stock Market
a system for buying and selling stocks in corporations
bull market
a long period of rising stock prices
speculation
act of buying stocks at great risk with the anticipation that that prices will rise
margin
buying a stock by paying only a fraction of the stock price and borrowing the rest
margin call
demand by a broker that investors pay back loans made for stocks purchased on margin
bank run
persistent and heavy demands by a bank's depositors, creditors, or customers to withdraw money
installment
regular periodic payment made to pay off the cost of an item when buying it on credit
bailiff
minor officer of the courts
hobo
a homeless and usually penniless wanderer
soap opera
a serial drama on television or radio using melodramatic situations
public works
protects such as highways, parks
relief
aid in the form of money or supplies for those in need
foreclose
to take possession of a property from a mortgager because of defaults on payments
polio
abbreviated term for poliomyelitis, an acute infactious disease affecting the skeletal muscles, often resulting in permanent disability and deformity
concentration camp
a camp where persons are detained or confined
extermination camp
a camp where men, women, and children were sent to be executed
strategic materials
items needed for fighting a war
internationalism
a nation policy of actively trading with foreign countreis t ofoster peace and prosperity
charter
a constitution
satellite nations
nations politically and economically dominated or controlled by another more powerful country
Iron Curtain
the political and military barrier that isolated Soviet-controlled countries of Eastern Europe after World War II
limited war
a war fought with limited commitment of resources to achieve a limited objective, such as containing communism
censure
to express a formal disapproval of an action
fallout
radioactive particles dispersed by a nuclear explosion
massive retaliation
a policy of threatening a massive response, including the use of nuclear weapons, against a Communist state trying to seize a peaceful state by force
brinkmanship
the practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the limit to force an opponent to back down
covert
not openly shown or engaged in; secret
developing nation
a nation whose economy is primarily agricultural
military-industrial complex
an informal relationship that some people believe exists between the military and the defense industry to promote greater military spending and influence government policy
disenfranchise
to deprive of the right to vote
cost-plus
a government contract to pay a manufacturer the cost to produce an item plus a guaranteed percentage
Sunbelt
a new industrial region in southern California and the Deep South that developed during World War II
Victory Suit
a men’s suit with no vest, no cuffs, a short jacket, and narrow lapels, worn during WWII in order to save fabric for the war effort
rationing
restricting the amount of an item an individual can have due to a limited supply
victory garden
garden planted by citizens during war to raise vegetables for home use, leaving more for the troops
amphtrac
an amphibious tractor used to move troops from ships to shore
kamikaze
during World War II, a Japanese suicide pilot whose mission was to crash into his target
Periphery
the outer boundary of something
Note
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