USHistory Final Study Guide
There are 50 multiple choice 1 point each, 10 fill in the blank (part of one question)worth 10 points total, 3 short responses and 1 matching question (4-parts worth 4 points).
You will be expected to answer the short answer questions thoroughly using details and specific information from what you have learned.
Directions: For each of the following topics, be able to define and explain the significance of each.
** This study guide covers key terms and concepts from various significant periods in American
history. Use this as a starting point to delve deeper into each topic for a comprehensive
understanding. **
Reconstruction Era
Reconstruction Era (1865-1877): The period after the Civil War focused on rebuilding the United States, particularly the South, and integrating formerly enslaved people into society.
Significance: Rebuilding the South because they thought it would help restore and unite peace between the North and South. Lincoln tried to reunite the nation.
13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery in the United States.
freed all slaves in the United States (all slaves free)
14th Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States and guaranteed equal protection under the law.
Gave newly freed African Americans citizenship after the Civil War
15th Amendment (1870): Prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Freedmen’s Bureau (1865-1872): A federal agency established to aid freed slaves in the South during the Reconstruction era by providing food, housing, education, and medical care.
Significance: Help former slaves (give resources and help them back into society) (houses, education, aid…)
Carpetbaggers: Northerners who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era to seek personal gain or to participate in the rebuilding process.
Significance: Economic opportunities (northerners moved south to take advantage of the damage in the south)
Scalawags: Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party after the Civil War.
Significance: Scalawags were particularly hated by Southern Democrats, who called Scalawags traitors to their region
Muckrakers - Exposed corruption - journalists/writers and photographers who claimed to expose corruption (propaganda)
expose corruption in big business and government
journalists (writers for newspapers and magazines) who exposed the dirt, corruption, and ills of American society
Black Codes: Laws passed by Southern states after the Civil War to restrict the rights of freed African Americans and force them into labor contracts.
Significance: The South attempted to restrict former slaves right after the Civil War
What began to be enforced immediately after the Civil War in the south to ensure African Americans did not enjoy their new found freedom? Black codes
Sharecropping: A system where freedmen and poor whites would work on land owned by someone else in return for a share of the crops produced on their portion of land.
Significance: very difficult for them to leave (still kind of enslaved). These people were constantly in debt. Better off working on the land for necessities
Yellow Journalism - headlines just to buy the newspapers
Abraham Lincoln's 10% Plan: A Reconstruction plan that allowed a Southern state to be readmitted into the Union once 10% of its voters swore an oath of allegiance to the Union.
Significance: Radical Republican plan stricter than Abraham Lincoln’s plan
Too lenient compared to what radical republicans thought
Radical Republicans wanted to punish the “rebels” from the South after the war
Which of the following was part of Lincoln's reconstruction plan that made it too "lenient" for Radical Republicans to support?
The plan offered amnesty to Confederates who swore an oath of loyalty to the United States.
Abolitionist: A person who advocated for the ending of slavery.
The Main Goal of the Reconstruction Era: To rebuild the South, integrate freed slaves into society, and ensure their civil rights.
Emancipation Proclamation (1863): An executive order by President Lincoln declaring all slaves in Confederate states to be free.
Significance/purpose: To declare all slaves in Confederate states to be free
19th Amendment (1920): Granted women the right to vote in the United States
After the Civil War; falling during the Roaring Twenties, but beginning of this
Industrialization
Industrialization: The process of developing industries in a country or region on a wide scale.
Significance: need to understand that there was a shift in home making products to industry(factories)
Nativist Movements: Political and social movements that sought to limit immigration and preserve the interests of native-born citizens.
Significance: Due to a lot of people from other places coming in and taking jobs there started to be a lot of competition and that is why the nativist movements started.
Second Industrial Revolution (Late 19th Century): MANUFACTURING A period of rapid industrial growth and technological innovation, particularly in steel, electricity, and chemicals.
Significance: led to more industrialization and inventions to make things easier. The inventions also helped produce more goods.
Impact of Second Industrial Revolution: Led to urbanization, economic growth, and significant social changes, including improved transportation and communication.
Homestead Strike (1892): An industrial strike at the Homestead Steel Works in Pennsylvania, which resulted in a violent conflict between workers and private security.
Significance: It started because the government stepped in to help the private security and not the workers. This led to conflict between workers and private security.
Effects of Child Labor: Exploited children, hindered education, and led to physical and psychological harm.
Significance: led to highlight a need for labor laws.
Gilded Age in America (1870s-1900): FACTORIES RAIL ROADS COAL MINING. A period marked by rapid economic growth, political corruption, and stark social inequalities.
What was produced or made during this time: steel, oil, telephone, lightbulb.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): Federal law that prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers.
Social Darwinism: The application of Darwin's theory of natural selection to human society, used to justify political conservatism, imperialism, and racism.
What was it used for: competition on who's stronger and better. Before that it was based on economics.
WWI, 1920s, Great Depression
Causes of WWI: Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism, along with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
US Involvement in WWI: The US entered the war in 1917, aiding the Allies with fresh troops and resources, which helped tip the balance in their favor.
Significance: they brought in fresh strong military which gave them the upper hand and this led to them winning.
Zimmerman Telegram (1917): A secret communication from Germany to Mexico proposing a military alliance against the United States, which helped push the US into WWI.
Significance: one of the reasons the US went into war and this was because they were upset that Germany wanted Mexico to join them even though Mexico and the US were allies.
Good Neighbor Policy (1933): FDR's foreign policy initiative aimed at improving relations with Latin American countries.
Significance/purpose: To improve relations with Latin American countries
New Deal: a series of programs and reforms introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat the Great Depression
Importance: policies put into place to help combat the Great depression.
FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) The 32nd President of the United States who led the country through the Great Depression and WWII
Stock Market Crash (1929): The collapse of the stock market, which marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
Harlem Renaissance (1920s): A cultural, social, and artistic movement centered in Harlem, New York, celebrating African American culture.
Great Migration (1916-1970): The movement of over six million African Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West.
Buying on Margin: Purchasing stock with borrowed money, contributing to the stock market crash when prices fell.
What does "buying on margin" refer to? Purchasing stock with borrowed money
Flappers: Young women in the 1920s who defied traditional norms with their fashion and behavior.
Teapot Dome Scandal (1921-1923): A bribery scandal involving the Secretary of the Interior and oil companies, reflecting corruption in the Harding administration.
Banana Wars (1898-1934): US military interventions in Central America and the Caribbean to protect American commercial interests
WWII
Diplomatic Policy of Appeasement: The policy of making concessions to dictatorial powers to avoid conflict, most notably used by Britain and France towards Nazi Germany.
What is appeasement: giving people what they want to prevent them from harming you or being on bad terms with you.
Hideki Tojo: Prime Minister of Japan during much of WWII, responsible for many military decisions.
Benito Mussolini: The Fascist leader of Italy during WWII.
Battle of Midway (1942): A decisive naval battle in the Pacific Theater that turned the tide in favor of the Allies.
Treaty of Versailles (1919): The peace treaty that ended WWI, imposing harsh terms on Germany and contributing to WWII.
Stalingrad (1942-1943): A major battle on the Eastern Front of WWII, marking a turning point with a Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Battle of Britain (1940): European theatre A major air campaign fought over the UK, where the Royal Air Force defended against the German Luftwaffe.
Significance: A major air campaign fought over the UK
Pearl Harbor (1941): A surprise attack by Japan on the US naval base in Hawaii, leading to the US entry into WWII.
Purpose of the Lend-Lease Act (1941): Allowed the US to supply Allied nations with vital war material while staying formally neutral.
Japanese Internment Camps: The forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII.
Why did this happen: after the Japanese hit the harbor, Americans thought they were spies so they made the internment camps.
Anti-Semitism: Prejudice against, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews.
Cold War
What was the Cold War? A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, and their respective allies, after WWII.
Soviet Union Occupation after WWII: The USSR established communist governments in Eastern European countries, leading to divisions with Western democracies.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): A military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries to counter Soviet influence.
Significance/purpose: To counter Soviet influence with a military alliance
Warsaw Pact (1955): A military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe organized in response to NATO.
Significance: soviet union created this as a result of NATO
Goal of Truman Doctrine (1947): To contain the spread of communism by providing political, military, and economic assistance to threatened nations.
Focus of Marshall Plan (1948-1952): To rebuild war-torn Europe, promote economic recovery, and prevent the spread of communism by providing financial aid.
Significance/focus: To rebuild war-torn Europe and promote economic recovery
Proxy Wars: They were mini wars that were happening during the cold war. Conflicts where two opposing countries or groups support combatants that serve their interests instead of waging war directly. One of the main things that were used in the cold war.
Major Cold War Conflicts: Korean War, Vietnam War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Soviet-Afghan War.
Korean War (1950-1953): A war between North Korea (with support from China and the USSR) and South Korea (with support from the US and UN), resulting in a stalemate and division at the 38th parallel.
Vietnamese War (1955-1975): A conflict between communist North Vietnam and US-backed South Vietnam, ending with the unification of Vietnam under communist control.
38th Parallel (Korean War): The dividing line between North and South Korea was established after the Korean War.
Ho Chi Minh: Leader of North Vietnam and the communist movement during the Vietnam War.
Domino Theory: The belief that the fall of one country to communism would lead to the spread of communism to neighboring countries.
Significance: As one thing starts to spread in a country it travels through other countries.
Purpose of Vietnamization (1969): A US policy to end American involvement in the Vietnam War by transferring combat roles to South Vietnamese forces.
Significance: we were retreating to let vietnam do their thing and we transferred responsibility to the government of vietnam.
Short Answers:
One specific example and explain it. Provide specific examples of cultural changes or developments during the 1920s in the United States.
Music
Harlem renaissance
Prohibition
Great migrations
flappers
Provide ONE example of ethnic persecution or genocide carried out during World War II.
The Holocaust
Summary: The Holocaust was led by Hitler, the Nazi leader of Germany during WWII. It started with Kristallnacht, the "Night of Broken Glass," when Nazis attacked Jews across Germany. This marked the beginning of a campaign to exterminate Jews. In 1942, Hitler's "Final Solution" aimed to kill all Jews in Europe. Jews were taken to concentration camps where they were forced to work or were killed.
Explain why the US got involved in both World War I and World War II.
WWI:
Summary: At first, the United States stayed out of the war in Europe, seeing it as a distant and unnecessary conflict. But when German submarines began attacking American ships, including both military and civilian ones, opinions started to change. The sinking of several U.S. ships and the discovery of the Zimmerman Telegram in 1917, where Germany asked Mexico to join them against the U.S., pushed Americans towards supporting the war. By April 1917, the U.S. declared war on Germany and its allies, sending many fresh troops to help in the fight.
WW II:
Summary: The United States entered World War II on December 8, 1941, following the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Japanese fighter pilots attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet, sinking several ships, including the USS Arizona.
USHistory Final Study Guide
There are 50 multiple choice 1 point each, 10 fill in the blank (part of one question)worth 10 points total, 3 short responses and 1 matching question (4-parts worth 4 points).
You will be expected to answer the short answer questions thoroughly using details and specific information from what you have learned.
Directions: For each of the following topics, be able to define and explain the significance of each.
** This study guide covers key terms and concepts from various significant periods in American
history. Use this as a starting point to delve deeper into each topic for a comprehensive
understanding. **
Reconstruction Era
Reconstruction Era (1865-1877): The period after the Civil War focused on rebuilding the United States, particularly the South, and integrating formerly enslaved people into society.
Significance: Rebuilding the South because they thought it would help restore and unite peace between the North and South. Lincoln tried to reunite the nation.
13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery in the United States.
freed all slaves in the United States (all slaves free)
14th Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States and guaranteed equal protection under the law.
Gave newly freed African Americans citizenship after the Civil War
15th Amendment (1870): Prohibited the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Freedmen’s Bureau (1865-1872): A federal agency established to aid freed slaves in the South during the Reconstruction era by providing food, housing, education, and medical care.
Significance: Help former slaves (give resources and help them back into society) (houses, education, aid…)
Carpetbaggers: Northerners who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era to seek personal gain or to participate in the rebuilding process.
Significance: Economic opportunities (northerners moved south to take advantage of the damage in the south)
Scalawags: Southern whites who supported Reconstruction and the Republican Party after the Civil War.
Significance: Scalawags were particularly hated by Southern Democrats, who called Scalawags traitors to their region
Muckrakers - Exposed corruption - journalists/writers and photographers who claimed to expose corruption (propaganda)
expose corruption in big business and government
journalists (writers for newspapers and magazines) who exposed the dirt, corruption, and ills of American society
Black Codes: Laws passed by Southern states after the Civil War to restrict the rights of freed African Americans and force them into labor contracts.
Significance: The South attempted to restrict former slaves right after the Civil War
What began to be enforced immediately after the Civil War in the south to ensure African Americans did not enjoy their new found freedom? Black codes
Sharecropping: A system where freedmen and poor whites would work on land owned by someone else in return for a share of the crops produced on their portion of land.
Significance: very difficult for them to leave (still kind of enslaved). These people were constantly in debt. Better off working on the land for necessities
Yellow Journalism - headlines just to buy the newspapers
Abraham Lincoln's 10% Plan: A Reconstruction plan that allowed a Southern state to be readmitted into the Union once 10% of its voters swore an oath of allegiance to the Union.
Significance: Radical Republican plan stricter than Abraham Lincoln’s plan
Too lenient compared to what radical republicans thought
Radical Republicans wanted to punish the “rebels” from the South after the war
Which of the following was part of Lincoln's reconstruction plan that made it too "lenient" for Radical Republicans to support?
The plan offered amnesty to Confederates who swore an oath of loyalty to the United States.
Abolitionist: A person who advocated for the ending of slavery.
The Main Goal of the Reconstruction Era: To rebuild the South, integrate freed slaves into society, and ensure their civil rights.
Emancipation Proclamation (1863): An executive order by President Lincoln declaring all slaves in Confederate states to be free.
Significance/purpose: To declare all slaves in Confederate states to be free
19th Amendment (1920): Granted women the right to vote in the United States
After the Civil War; falling during the Roaring Twenties, but beginning of this
Industrialization
Industrialization: The process of developing industries in a country or region on a wide scale.
Significance: need to understand that there was a shift in home making products to industry(factories)
Nativist Movements: Political and social movements that sought to limit immigration and preserve the interests of native-born citizens.
Significance: Due to a lot of people from other places coming in and taking jobs there started to be a lot of competition and that is why the nativist movements started.
Second Industrial Revolution (Late 19th Century): MANUFACTURING A period of rapid industrial growth and technological innovation, particularly in steel, electricity, and chemicals.
Significance: led to more industrialization and inventions to make things easier. The inventions also helped produce more goods.
Impact of Second Industrial Revolution: Led to urbanization, economic growth, and significant social changes, including improved transportation and communication.
Homestead Strike (1892): An industrial strike at the Homestead Steel Works in Pennsylvania, which resulted in a violent conflict between workers and private security.
Significance: It started because the government stepped in to help the private security and not the workers. This led to conflict between workers and private security.
Effects of Child Labor: Exploited children, hindered education, and led to physical and psychological harm.
Significance: led to highlight a need for labor laws.
Gilded Age in America (1870s-1900): FACTORIES RAIL ROADS COAL MINING. A period marked by rapid economic growth, political corruption, and stark social inequalities.
What was produced or made during this time: steel, oil, telephone, lightbulb.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): Federal law that prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers.
Social Darwinism: The application of Darwin's theory of natural selection to human society, used to justify political conservatism, imperialism, and racism.
What was it used for: competition on who's stronger and better. Before that it was based on economics.
WWI, 1920s, Great Depression
Causes of WWI: Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism, along with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
US Involvement in WWI: The US entered the war in 1917, aiding the Allies with fresh troops and resources, which helped tip the balance in their favor.
Significance: they brought in fresh strong military which gave them the upper hand and this led to them winning.
Zimmerman Telegram (1917): A secret communication from Germany to Mexico proposing a military alliance against the United States, which helped push the US into WWI.
Significance: one of the reasons the US went into war and this was because they were upset that Germany wanted Mexico to join them even though Mexico and the US were allies.
Good Neighbor Policy (1933): FDR's foreign policy initiative aimed at improving relations with Latin American countries.
Significance/purpose: To improve relations with Latin American countries
New Deal: a series of programs and reforms introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat the Great Depression
Importance: policies put into place to help combat the Great depression.
FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) The 32nd President of the United States who led the country through the Great Depression and WWII
Stock Market Crash (1929): The collapse of the stock market, which marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
Harlem Renaissance (1920s): A cultural, social, and artistic movement centered in Harlem, New York, celebrating African American culture.
Great Migration (1916-1970): The movement of over six million African Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West.
Buying on Margin: Purchasing stock with borrowed money, contributing to the stock market crash when prices fell.
What does "buying on margin" refer to? Purchasing stock with borrowed money
Flappers: Young women in the 1920s who defied traditional norms with their fashion and behavior.
Teapot Dome Scandal (1921-1923): A bribery scandal involving the Secretary of the Interior and oil companies, reflecting corruption in the Harding administration.
Banana Wars (1898-1934): US military interventions in Central America and the Caribbean to protect American commercial interests
WWII
Diplomatic Policy of Appeasement: The policy of making concessions to dictatorial powers to avoid conflict, most notably used by Britain and France towards Nazi Germany.
What is appeasement: giving people what they want to prevent them from harming you or being on bad terms with you.
Hideki Tojo: Prime Minister of Japan during much of WWII, responsible for many military decisions.
Benito Mussolini: The Fascist leader of Italy during WWII.
Battle of Midway (1942): A decisive naval battle in the Pacific Theater that turned the tide in favor of the Allies.
Treaty of Versailles (1919): The peace treaty that ended WWI, imposing harsh terms on Germany and contributing to WWII.
Stalingrad (1942-1943): A major battle on the Eastern Front of WWII, marking a turning point with a Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Battle of Britain (1940): European theatre A major air campaign fought over the UK, where the Royal Air Force defended against the German Luftwaffe.
Significance: A major air campaign fought over the UK
Pearl Harbor (1941): A surprise attack by Japan on the US naval base in Hawaii, leading to the US entry into WWII.
Purpose of the Lend-Lease Act (1941): Allowed the US to supply Allied nations with vital war material while staying formally neutral.
Japanese Internment Camps: The forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII.
Why did this happen: after the Japanese hit the harbor, Americans thought they were spies so they made the internment camps.
Anti-Semitism: Prejudice against, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews.
Cold War
What was the Cold War? A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, and their respective allies, after WWII.
Soviet Union Occupation after WWII: The USSR established communist governments in Eastern European countries, leading to divisions with Western democracies.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): A military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries to counter Soviet influence.
Significance/purpose: To counter Soviet influence with a military alliance
Warsaw Pact (1955): A military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe organized in response to NATO.
Significance: soviet union created this as a result of NATO
Goal of Truman Doctrine (1947): To contain the spread of communism by providing political, military, and economic assistance to threatened nations.
Focus of Marshall Plan (1948-1952): To rebuild war-torn Europe, promote economic recovery, and prevent the spread of communism by providing financial aid.
Significance/focus: To rebuild war-torn Europe and promote economic recovery
Proxy Wars: They were mini wars that were happening during the cold war. Conflicts where two opposing countries or groups support combatants that serve their interests instead of waging war directly. One of the main things that were used in the cold war.
Major Cold War Conflicts: Korean War, Vietnam War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Soviet-Afghan War.
Korean War (1950-1953): A war between North Korea (with support from China and the USSR) and South Korea (with support from the US and UN), resulting in a stalemate and division at the 38th parallel.
Vietnamese War (1955-1975): A conflict between communist North Vietnam and US-backed South Vietnam, ending with the unification of Vietnam under communist control.
38th Parallel (Korean War): The dividing line between North and South Korea was established after the Korean War.
Ho Chi Minh: Leader of North Vietnam and the communist movement during the Vietnam War.
Domino Theory: The belief that the fall of one country to communism would lead to the spread of communism to neighboring countries.
Significance: As one thing starts to spread in a country it travels through other countries.
Purpose of Vietnamization (1969): A US policy to end American involvement in the Vietnam War by transferring combat roles to South Vietnamese forces.
Significance: we were retreating to let vietnam do their thing and we transferred responsibility to the government of vietnam.
Short Answers:
One specific example and explain it. Provide specific examples of cultural changes or developments during the 1920s in the United States.
Music
Harlem renaissance
Prohibition
Great migrations
flappers
Provide ONE example of ethnic persecution or genocide carried out during World War II.
The Holocaust
Summary: The Holocaust was led by Hitler, the Nazi leader of Germany during WWII. It started with Kristallnacht, the "Night of Broken Glass," when Nazis attacked Jews across Germany. This marked the beginning of a campaign to exterminate Jews. In 1942, Hitler's "Final Solution" aimed to kill all Jews in Europe. Jews were taken to concentration camps where they were forced to work or were killed.
Explain why the US got involved in both World War I and World War II.
WWI:
Summary: At first, the United States stayed out of the war in Europe, seeing it as a distant and unnecessary conflict. But when German submarines began attacking American ships, including both military and civilian ones, opinions started to change. The sinking of several U.S. ships and the discovery of the Zimmerman Telegram in 1917, where Germany asked Mexico to join them against the U.S., pushed Americans towards supporting the war. By April 1917, the U.S. declared war on Germany and its allies, sending many fresh troops to help in the fight.
WW II:
Summary: The United States entered World War II on December 8, 1941, following the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Japanese fighter pilots attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet, sinking several ships, including the USS Arizona.
