midterm history

Andrew Johnson

Born: December 29, 1808

Importance: 17th U.S. President, took office after Lincoln's assassination, opposed Radical Reconstruction.

Policies: Vetoed civil rights legislation; opposed the 14th Amendment; allowed lenient treatment of the South.

Effect on America: Hindered Reconstruction efforts, leading to continued racial tensions and Southern resistance.

Ulysses S. Grant

Born: April 27, 1822

Importance: 18th U.S. President; Union General during the Civil War; enforced Reconstruction policies.

Policies: Supported civil rights, fought against the Ku Klux Klan, signed the Civil Rights Act of 1875.

Effect on America: Strengthened federal efforts in Reconstruction but faced corruption scandals.

Thaddeus Stevens

Born: April 4, 1792

Importance: Leader of the Radical Republicans, advocate for African American rights.

Policies: Pushed for harsh Reconstruction policies, land redistribution, and full equality for freed slaves.

Effect on America: Helped pass the 14th and 15th Amendments but faced opposition from moderates.

Booker T. Washington

Born: April 5, 1856

Importance: African American educator and leader who promoted economic self-sufficiency for Black Americans.

Policies: Advocated for vocational education and economic progress over immediate civil rights demands.

Effect on America: Criticized by some Black leaders but influential in early African American progress.

Theodore Roosevelt

Born: October 27, 1858

Importance: 26th U.S. President, known for progressive reforms and trust-busting.

Policies: Enforced Sherman Antitrust Act, supported conservation, pushed for consumer protection.

Effect on America: Expanded federal government’s role in business regulation and environmental conservation.

Henry Ford

Born: July 30, 1863

Importance: Revolutionized the automobile industry with mass production techniques.

Policies: Introduced the assembly line, paid workers higher wages ($5 per day).

Effect on America: Transformed industry, boosted consumer economy, but held controversial antisemitic views.

Jane Addams

Born: September 6, 1860

Importance: Social reformer, founder of Hull House, advocate for women's suffrage and social justice.

Policies: Worked on child labor laws, public health, and immigrant assistance.

Effect on America: Helped establish the field of social work and influenced progressive reforms.

Karl Marx

Born: May 5, 1818

Importance: Philosopher and economist who developed the theory of communism.

Policies: Wrote 'The Communist Manifesto,' critiqued capitalism and promoted class struggle.

Effect on America: Influenced labor movements and socialist thought, but also fueled anti-communist sentiments.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Born: October 11, 1884

Importance: First Lady, advocate for human rights, played a key role in the New Deal and the United Nations.

Policies: Promoted civil rights, women's rights, and social welfare programs.

Effect on America: Transformed the role of First Lady into an active political force.

Herbert Hoover

Born: August 10, 1874

Importance: 31st U.S. President, widely blamed for failing to address the Great Depression.

Policies: Believed in limited government intervention; opposed direct federal aid; implemented Smoot-Hawley Tariff.

Effect on America: His response to the Depression led to widespread poverty and the rise of FDR’s New Deal.

African American politics: After the Civil War, African Americans became politically active, with many voting and holding office during Reconstruction. However, Black political power was systematically dismantled through voter suppression and Jim Crow laws.

Post slavery black family: Many African American families struggled economically after emancipation, often working as sharecroppers under exploitative contracts. Despite hardships, they built strong community networks, churches, and schools to support one another.

Black codes: Laws passed in Southern states after the Civil War to restrict the rights of freed African Americans. These laws aimed to maintain a labor force similar to slavery by limiting Black mobility, employment opportunities, and civil rights.

Freedmen’s Bureau: A federal agency established in 1865 to aid freed slaves and poor whites by providing food, education, and legal assistance. It played a crucial role in founding schools but faced resistance and was underfunded.

Radical Republicans: A faction within the Republican Party that pushed for harsh Reconstruction policies to ensure African American rights. They clashed with President Johnson and played a key role in passing the 14th and 15th Amendments.

Redeemers: Southern Democrats who sought to regain control after Reconstruction and restore white supremacy. They rolled back civil rights gains and enforced segregation through Jim Crow laws.

14th Amendment: Ratified in 1868, this amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people. It also guaranteed equal protection under the law, laying the foundation for future civil rights movements.

15th Amendment: Ratified in 1870, it granted African American men the right to vote. However, Southern states later used literacy tests, poll taxes, and intimidation to suppress Black voting.

Civil Rights Act: The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first federal law to affirm that all citizens are equally protected under the law. It aimed to combat Black Codes but faced resistance from President Johnson.

Ku Klux Klan: A white supremacist group formed in 1865 to terrorize African Americans and undermine Reconstruction efforts. They used violence, intimidation, and voter suppression tactics to enforce racial hierarchy.

Sherman Antitrust Act: Passed in 1890, it aimed to prevent monopolies and promote fair competition in business. It was initially weakly enforced but later became a foundation for antitrust legislation.

Dawes Act: A 1887 law that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by breaking up tribal lands and allotting them to individuals. It resulted in the loss of millions of acres of Indigenous land.

Plessy v. Ferguson: An 1896 Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine. It legitimized Jim Crow laws and reinforced racial inequality until it was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.

Red Scare: A period of intense fear of communism and radical leftist movements in the U.S., particularly after World War I and later during the Cold War. It led to government crackdowns on suspected radicals.

Glass-Steagall Act: A 1933 law that separated commercial and investment banking to prevent risky financial practices. It was repealed in 1999, contributing to financial instability before the 2008 crisis.

Works Progress Administration (WPA): A New Deal program that provided jobs for millions of unemployed Americans during the Great Depression. It focused on public works projects like roads, schools, and art programs.

"African American politics": "The political activities, movements, and representation of African Americans, particularly post-Civil War.", "Post slavery black family": "The structure and dynamics of African American families after the abolition of slavery in 1865.", "Andrew Johnson": "17th U.S. President who took office after Lincoln’s assassination; opposed Radical Reconstruction.", "Black codes": "Laws passed in the South after the Civil War to restrict African American freedoms and maintain white supremacy.", "Freedmen’s Bureau": "A federal agency established in 1865 to assist freed slaves with education, healthcare, and employment.", "Thaddeus Stevens": "A leader of the Radical Republicans in Congress who advocated for strict Reconstruction policies.", "North/south economies": "Differences in the industrial economy of the North and the agrarian, slave-based economy of the South.", "Radical Republicans": "A faction in Congress that pushed for harsh Reconstruction policies and full rights for freed slaves.", "Redeemers": "Southern Democrats who sought to end Reconstruction and restore white supremacy.", "Ulysses S. Grant": "18th U.S. President and Union general who led efforts to enforce Reconstruction laws.", "Horatio Seymour": "Democratic candidate who ran against Grant in the 1868 presidential election, opposing Radical Reconstruction.", "Thomas Edison": "Inventor known for the phonograph, electric light bulb, and other innovations in the late 19th century.", "14th Amendment": "Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.", "15th Amendment": "Guaranteed the right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.", "Civil Rights Act": "Several acts, with the most notable being the 1866 and 1964 acts aimed at ending racial discrimination.", "Ku Klux Klan": "A white supremacist group founded in the Reconstruction era to intimidate African Americans and their allies.", "Robber Barons": "Wealthy and powerful industrialists of the late 19th century, often accused of exploiting workers and corrupting politics.", "Cornelius Vanderbilt": "A railroad and shipping tycoon known for his influence on transportation in the U.S.", "Gilded Age": "The period from the 1870s to 1900 marked by rapid industrialization and economic inequality.", "Tenements": "Overcrowded and unsanitary apartment buildings in urban areas, housing many immigrants and poor workers.", "Sherman Antitrust Act": "A federal law passed in 1890 to prevent monopolies and promote fair business competition.", "Lynching": "Extrajudicial killings, often by hanging, used primarily to terrorize African Americans in the South.", "Dawes Act": "1887 law that attempted to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual plots.", "Populism": "A political movement in the late 19th century advocating for the interests of farmers and laborers.", "Westward migration": "The movement of settlers to the western U.S. during the 19th century, encouraged by land policies.", "Homestead Act": "1862 law that granted 160 acres of public land to settlers willing to farm it for five years.", "Wounded Knee": "The 1890 massacre of Lakota Sioux by U.S. troops, marking the end of major Native American resistance.", "Sitting Bull": "A Lakota chief who resisted U.S. government policies and played a key role in the Battle of Little Bighorn.", "Grandfather Clause": "A law that allowed only those whose grandfathers had voted before 1867 to vote, disenfranchising African Americans.", "Poll Tax": "A fee required to vote, used to suppress African American and poor white voters.", "Literacy tests": "Reading and writing tests used to disenfranchise African American voters in the South.", "Convict leasing/labor": "A system where prisoners, mostly African Americans, were leased out for labor, effectively re-enslaving them.", "Plessy vs Ferguson": "1896 Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under 'separate but equal' doctrine.", "Booker T Washington": "An African American leader who promoted economic self-sufficiency and vocational education.", "Immigration restriction league": "An organization that sought to limit immigration, particularly from Southern and Eastern Europe.", "Progressives": "A movement in the early 20th century advocating for political, social, and economic reforms.", "Henry Ford": "Founder of Ford Motor Company and pioneer of the assembly line in automobile manufacturing.", "Unionizing": "The process of forming labor unions to protect workers' rights and negotiate for better conditions.", "Consumerism": "A culture of mass consumption that grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.", "Americanization": "Efforts to assimilate immigrants into American culture and values.", "Mueller vs Oregon": "1908 Supreme Court case that upheld labor laws limiting women’s work hours.", "Jane Addams": "A social reformer known for founding Hull House and advocating for social welfare.", "Knights of Labor": "A labor union that sought to organize all workers and advocate for better conditions.", "Anarchists": "People who oppose government and advocate for a stateless society.", "Socialism": "An economic and political system advocating for collective or government ownership of industries.", "Karl Marx": "A philosopher and economist known for developing socialist and communist theories.", "Haymarket Square": "1886 labor protest in Chicago that turned violent when a bomb exploded, leading to a crackdown on labor movements.", "Triangle Shirtwaist Factory": "The site of a deadly 1911 fire that led to improved workplace safety laws.", "Muckrakers": "Journalists who exposed corruption and social issues in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.", "Margaret Sanger": "A birth control activist and founder of what became Planned Parenthood.", "Anthony Comstock": "An anti-vice crusader who pushed for strict laws against obscenity and birth control.", "Birth Control": "Efforts to provide contraception and reproductive education, often controversial in the early 20th century.", "Gender double standard": "Unequal social expectations for men and women.", "Theodore Roosevelt": "26th U.S. President known for progressive reforms and conservation efforts.", "Spanish American War": "A 1898 conflict between the U.S. and Spain, leading to U.S. control of territories like the Philippines and Puerto Rico.", "Election of 1916": "Woodrow Wilson won reelection with the slogan 'He kept us out of war,' though the U.S. entered WWI soon after.", "Franz Ferdinand": "Archduke of Austria whose assassination sparked World War I.", "War Industries Board": "A government agency that coordinated production during WWI.", "18th Amendment": "Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol (Prohibition).", "19th Amendment": "Granted women the right to vote.", "Alice Paul": "A suffragist who played a key role in the passage of the 19th Amendment.", "Sedition Act": "A 1918 law restricting speech critical of the U.S. government.", "Espionage Act": "A 1917 law punishing interference with military operations or support of enemies during wartime.", "1919 – chaos": "A year of labor strikes, racial violence, and post-WWI instability.", "Red Scare": "A period of intense fear of communism in the U.S.", "League of Nations": "An international organization formed after WWI to promote peace; the U.S. did not join.", "Fourteen Points": "Woodrow Wilson’s post-WWI plan for peace.", "Welfare capitalism": "Company-led worker benefits to discourage unionizing.", "Flapper": "A 1920s woman who defied traditional norms in fashion and behavior.", "Eleanor Roosevelt": "A First Lady and human rights advocate.", "Herbert Hoover": "31st U.S. President blamed for the Great Depression.", "FDIC": "Government insurance for bank deposits.", "AAA": "New Deal farm subsidies program.", "Glass Steagall Act": "Separated commercial and investment banking.", "Emergency Banking Act": "Stabilized banks during the Great Depression.", "WPA": "A New Deal jobs program."