Test Review

World War I (WWI) 🌍❤

Key Topics:

• Henry Cabot Lodge’s Opposition to the League of Nations/Treaty of Versailles: 🌟 A prominent Republican senator who said 'no thanks' to the Treaty of Versailles! He worried the League of Nations would pull the U.S. into overseas troubles without a thumbs up from Congress.

• Main Points of the Treaty of Versailles: 🕊 This treaty brought WWI to a close and imposed big consequences on Germany. It also reshuffled borders, set up the League of Nations, and tried to keep peace through teamwork!

• Effects of War on U.S. Economy: 💰 The war was a boost for U.S. factories, kicking off a cheerleading economic boom! But after the confetti settled, the post-war blues hit with inflation and joblessness.

• Reasons for U.S. Neutrality & Entry into WWI: 🤔 At first, the U.S. played it cool and stayed neutral, influenced by isolationist feels, trade interests, and a desire to dodge fights. But then came the Lusitania and other dramatic events in 1917 that changed the game.

• Causes of WWI: 🤯 The main troublemakers were militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism! And then there was the shocking assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which ignited the whole thing.

• Fourteen Points (Woodrow Wilson’s peace plan): ✌ President Wilson's plan for peace called for open talks, free trade, and helping nations decide their own futures, all leading to the idea of the League of Nations!

• Isolationism: 🏠 After WWI, isolationism became popular in America. Everyone wanted to focus on home sweet home instead of tricky international affairs.

Great Depression & Dust Bowl 🌾💔

Great Depression:

• Causes: 😢 The stock market crash of 1929 and a string of bank troubles led to a sad economic fallout.

• Economic Characteristics: 📉 Unemployment soared, poverty spread like a dark cloud, and prices dropped, changing the country’s social fabric.

• President Hoover’s Reaction: 🏛 Hoover thought individuals should be tough and self-reliant, which didn’t sit well with folks struggling for help.

• Hoovervilles: 🏚 Shantytowns popped up, full of people without homes, reflecting tough times.

• Reconstruction Finance Corporation: 💼 In 1932, this agency tried to save the day by helping banks and businesses stay afloat.

Dust Bowl:

• Causes: 🌵 A heartbreaking drought in the 1930s combined with poor farming practices wrecked the earth, causing crops to fail.

• Effects: 🚶‍♀Families hit the road from Oklahoma to California hoping for better fortune, worsening the Great Depression.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) 🌈

• 1932 Election: 🎉 FDR won decisively with promises of a New Deal, shaking up U.S. politics!

• First Hundred Days: ⏳ It was all about action and solutions during FDR's first months, focusing on economic recovery.

• Fireside Chats: 📻 FDR spoke to the nation via radio, restoring faith and involving citizens in recovery efforts.

• Court Packing: ⚖ This bold plan to expand the Supreme Court faced a lot of opposition but signified FDR’s commitment to his New Deal programs.

• New Deal Programs: 🌟 Relief, recovery, and reform were on FDR’s list to combat the Great Depression, changing government involvement forever!

• Alphabet Soup Agencies: 🤗 Programs like the AAA, SSA, NRA, CCC, and TVA were all about providing jobs and improving life.

• Bank Holiday: 🏦 FDR declared a temporary shut down for banks to restore calm and prevent chaos.

• Changes in Government Role: 🏗 The New Deal reshaped how government participated in economic matters, paving the way for future programs.

• Successes & Failures of the New Deal: 🌈 Great relief and reform happened, but some challenges and inequalities remained unsolved.

• 21st Amendment: 🍻 Bye-bye Prohibition, hello 21st Amendment! This change reflected how public views evolved regarding alcohol.

• Charles Coughlin: 📻 A radio priest who wanted even bigger changes to the economy while critiquing FDR.

• John Steinbeck: 🌾 The inspiring author of "The Grapes of Wrath" told the tale of struggling migrant workers, shining a light on social issues.

• Eleanor Roosevelt: 💪 A groundbreaking First Lady focused on civil rights and the needs of the people, changing the role of women in politics!

World War II (WWII) 🌏⚔

Pre-War Policies:

• Cash and Carry: 💸 This policy said, 'Sure, we’ll sell you goods, but you gotta pay cash and pick them up!' It marked a cautious shift away from strict neutrality.

• Lend-Lease Act: 🤝 In 1941, the U.S. began helping allies with military aid to bring down the Axis powers.

• Neutrality Act of 1939: ❌ This act tried to keep America out of foreign wars while permitting arms sales on a cash-and-carry basis.

• Isolationism: 🚪 Even with global tensions brewing, many Americans wanted to stay focused at home rather than jump into international squabbles.

Home Front & Social Impact:

• Rosie the Riveter: 🦸‍♀ The fabulous symbol of women joining the workforce, showing that women can do it all!

• Rationing: 🚰 To save resources for the war, everyone had to make sacrifices, keeping everything from food to gasoline in check.

• Executive Order 9066: 📄 An order that led to the internment of Japanese Americans based on fear rather than facts.

• Korematsu v. United States (1944): ⚖ A historic Supreme Court case that upheld Japanese internment, facing backlash for its impact on civil rights.

• War Bonds & Victory Gardens: 🌱 Citizens helped fund the war by buying bonds and planting gardens, showcasing teamwork and creativity!

Role of Minorities:

• Tuskegee Airmen: ✈ A brave group of African American pilots who wowed everyone and challenged racial stereotypes during WWII.

• Flying Tigers: 🐯 An American volunteer group that helped China, becoming a beacon of support!

• Navajo Code Talkers: 🌊 Native Americans who used their language to create unbreakable codes, integral to military success!

Key Battles & Events:

• Battle of Midway: 🎖 A major naval victory in June 1942, turning the tide in the Pacific!

• Bataan Death March: 💔 A tragic forced march that showcased the horrific consequences of war.

• D-Day (June 6, 1944): 🌊 The grand Allied invasion of France, leading to major advances in Europe!

Dictators & Fascism:

• Definition of Fascism: 🚫 A serious political ideology of dictatorship and extreme nationalism that spells trouble.

• Key Dictators: ⚔ Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hideki Tojo were pivotal figures leading fascist regimes, pushing for expansion and conflict!

Major WWII Events:

• Japan’s Imperialistic Goals: 🗺 Japan aimed for dominance in Asia and the Pacific, stirring big conflicts!

• Attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941): 📅 This surprise attack launched the U.S. into WWII, signaling a full-scale war effort.

Atomic Bomb:

• Creation: 💥 The Manhattan Project aimed to develop atomic weapons to swiftly end the conflict.

• Dropping on Hiroshima & Nagasaki (Aug. 1945): ☢ The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Japan, leading to surrender and the end of the war.

Military Leaders:

• Omar Bradley: 🏅 A pivotal U.S. general during key victories in Europe.

• Dwight Eisenhower: 🇺🇸 The Supreme Allied Commander who led D-Day!

• Chester Nimitz: 🌊 Commander of the Pacific Fleet making strategic moves!

• Douglas MacArthur: 🌟 Promised to return after the Philippines fell and did!

• George Marshall: 🎖 Oversaw military mobilization and created the Marshall Plan for post-war recovery!

• George Patton: 🚙 Known for his dynamic tank warfare, leading swift advances in Europe!