Spring mid term

The Railroads

The expansion of railroads across the U.S. during the 19th century that revolutionized transportation, commerce, and the economy, leading to the development of industries and cities.

Freedmen’s Bureau

A federal agency created in 1865 to assist freed slaves by providing food, housing, education, and medical care during Reconstruction.

10% Plan

President Abraham Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction, which allowed Southern states to rejoin the Union if 10% of voters swore loyalty to the Union.

Social Darwinism

The belief that certain people or nations are more "fit" for success based on Darwin's theory of natural selection, often used to justify inequality and laissez-faire economics.

City Bosses

Political leaders who controlled local governments in the U.S. cities, often through corrupt practices and patronage systems during the Gilded Age.

Impeachment of Johnson

The attempt to remove President Andrew Johnson from office in 1868 due to his opposition to Radical Reconstruction. He was acquitted by one vote.

Robber Barons/Captains of Industry

Business leaders of the late 19th century, sometimes viewed negatively for exploiting workers (Robber Barons) or positively for creating industries (Captains of Industry).

Wade-Davis Bill

A 1864 proposal for Reconstruction that required 50% of Southern voters to take an "ironclad" oath of loyalty, much stricter than Lincoln's 10% Plan.

Compromise of 1877

An agreement that ended Reconstruction by withdrawing federal troops from the South in exchange for Rutherford B. Hayes becoming president.

The Birth of a Nation

A 1915 film that glorified the Ku Klux Klan and reinforced racist stereotypes, leading to protests from civil rights organizations.

The Lost Cause

A Southern perspective on the Civil War that romanticized the Confederacy and its fight, often downplaying slavery's role in the war.

The Redeemers

Southern political leaders who sought to "redeem" the South from Reconstruction governments and restore white supremacy.

Steel/Gilded Age

The rise of the steel industry during the Gilded Age, led by figures like Andrew Carnegie, which became a major driver of industrialization in the U.S.

Oil/Gilded Age

The booming oil industry during the Gilded Age, symbolized by John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company, which dominated the market.

Finance/Gilded Age

The growth of banking and finance during the Gilded Age, with figures like J.P. Morgan shaping the financial landscape.

Black Codes

Laws passed in the South after the Civil War that restricted the rights of freedmen, often leading to conditions similar to slavery.

The New South

A vision promoted by some Southern leaders after Reconstruction to build a more diversified economy, emphasizing industrial growth and less reliance on agriculture.

Ida B. Wells/Anti-Lynching

A prominent African American journalist who campaigned against lynching in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sharecropping

An agricultural system in the South after the Civil War where landowners allowed tenants to farm the land in exchange for a share of the crops, often leading to cycles of debt.

13/14/15 Amendments

13th: Abolished slavery.

14th: Grants citizenship and equal protection under the law.

15th: Grants voting rights regardless of race.

Immigration in the Gilded Age

Mass immigration to the U.S. during the Gilded Age, largely from Europe, contributing to urbanization and the growth of the labor force.

Sand Creek Massacre

An 1864 massacre of Cheyenne and Arapaho people by the U.S. Army in Colorado, killing over 100 Native Americans, mostly women and children.

Little Big Horn

The 1876 battle in which Lieutenant Colonel George Custer and his forces were defeated by Sioux and Cheyenne warriors, known as Custer's Last Stand.

Reservation Schools

Schools set up by the U.S. government to assimilate Native American children into white culture by removing them from their families and teaching them English.

Urbanization in the Gilded Age

The rapid growth of cities due to industrialization and migration from rural areas and immigration.

Ghost Dance

A religious movement among Native Americans in the late 19th century, promising a return to traditional ways and the end of white oppression.

Dawes Act

An 1887 law that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing tribal land into individual plots, undermining communal land ownership.

JP Morgan

A powerful banker and financier in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who played a major role in the development of corporate finance in the U.S.

Wounded Knee

The 1890 massacre of Native American Lakota at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, marking the end of major Native American resistance to U.S. expansion.

Treaties of Fort Laramie 1851/1868

Two treaties between the U.S. government and Native American tribes, establishing boundaries and promises of land, but were often violated by the U.S.

The Populist Movement

A political movement in the late 19th century that advocated for the rights of farmers and laborers, supporting bimetallism, direct election of senators, and other reforms.

Homestead Act of 1862

A law that provided 160 acres of land to settlers willing to work the land for five years, encouraging westward expansion.

Vanderbilts

A wealthy family that became prominent in the railroad and shipping industries, particularly Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Andrew Carnegie

A steel magnate who led the expansion of the steel industry in the late 19th century and became a major philanthropist.

Vertical and Horizontal Integration

Vertical Integration: Controlling all aspects of production from raw materials to finished products.

Horizontal Integration: Buying out competitors to control a larger portion of the market.

Thomas Edison

An inventor and businessman who developed the electric light bulb and founded General Electric.

Glenda Gilmore’s Thesis

A historian’s argument that post-Reconstruction Southern politics and culture were shaped by both white supremacy and economic exploitation.

Sherman Antitrust Act

An 1890 law that prohibited business practices that restrained trade or created monopolies, aiming to promote competition.

Migration to Cities

The movement of people from rural areas to urban centers, driven by job opportunities and industrial growth during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Communism

A political and economic ideology advocating for a classless society in which all property is owned collectively, often associated with Karl Marx.

Socialism

A system where the means of production are owned and regulated by the community or government, aimed at reducing inequality.

Women in the Workplace

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, more women began entering the workforce, especially in factories, offices, and education.

Alliance System WWI

The network of alliances between countries before and during World War I, which escalated the conflict after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

John Shivington

A U.S. Army officer who led the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, where nearly 150 Cheyenne and Arapaho Native Americans were killed.

Samuel Gompers

The founder and long-time president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), which advocated for better wages, hours, and working conditions for skilled workers.

AFL

The American Federation of Labor, a federation of unions that represented skilled workers and aimed to improve labor conditions through collective bargaining.

CCC/Square Deal

CCC: Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal program that provided jobs in natural resource conservation.

Square Deal: Theodore Roosevelt’s domestic program focused on conservation, controlling corporations, and consumer protection.

Knights of Labor

An influential labor organization in the late 19th century that sought to unite all workers into one large union to advocate for labor rights and reforms.

Muckrakers

Journalists in the early 20th century who exposed corruption, social injustices, and corporate abuses in society, leading to reform movements.

Collective Bargaining

The process by which workers, usually through a union, negotiate with employers over wages, hours, and working conditions.

Eugene Debs

A labor leader and socialist who founded the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and ran for president five times, advocating for workers' rights and socialism.

Anarchism

A political theory that advocates for the abolition of all forms of hierarchical authority, including the state, often associated with violent revolutionary movements.

Gospel of Wealth

An idea promoted by Andrew Carnegie, suggesting that the wealthy have a moral obligation to give back to society through philanthropy.

William Tweed

The corrupt leader of Tammany Hall, a political machine in New York City, who was involved in embezzlement and other illegal activities in the 1860s and 1870s.

Farmers Alliance

A movement of farmers in the late 19th century advocating for economic reform, including the regulation of railroad rates and the establishment of a sub-treasury system.

People’s Party

Also known as the Populist Party, it was a political party formed in the 1890s that sought to represent farmers and laborers, advocating for bimetallism and other reforms.

Goals of Populism

The Populist Party aimed to address the issues of farmers and laborers, calling for the free coinage of silver, government ownership of railroads, and direct election of senators.

Susan B. Anthony

A leading figure in the women’s suffrage movement who co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association and campaigned for women’s voting rights.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

A suffragist and abolitionist who was instrumental in organizing the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls in 1848 and co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association.

William Jennings Bryan

A populist politician who ran for president three times and was known for his support of bimetallism and his "Cross of Gold" speech advocating for the free coinage of silver.

Rough Riders

A volunteer cavalry regiment led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War, famous for their charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba.

Remember the Maine

A slogan used during the Spanish-American War, referring to the USS Maine, which exploded in Havana harbor in 1898, sparking U.S. intervention in Cuba.

Spanish American War

A conflict between the U.S. and Spain in 1898, resulting in the U.S. gaining territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Teller Amendment

A 1898 resolution that declared the U.S. had no intention of annexing Cuba after defeating Spain in the Spanish-American War.

Platt Amendment

A 1901 amendment to the Cuban constitution that gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and established a U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

Roosevelt Corollary

An addition to the Monroe Doctrine by Theodore Roosevelt, stating that the U.S. had the right to intervene in Latin American countries to maintain stability and protect American interests.

George Dewey

A U.S. naval officer who achieved fame for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War in 1898.

TR/Imperialism

The foreign policy of Theodore Roosevelt, which emphasized the U.S. taking an active role in world affairs and expanding its influence, including through military intervention.

Battles of Kettle and San Juan Hill

Two major battles in the Spanish-American War (1898) in Cuba, where Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders played a significant role in the U.S. victory.

Yellow Journalism

A style of sensationalized, exaggerated reporting used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often associated with newspapers like those of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer.

1912 Election

The presidential election in which Woodrow Wilson won, defeating Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive Party) and William Howard Taft (Republican Party), marking a shift toward progressive reforms.

Triple Wall of Privilege

Woodrow Wilson’s term for the banking system, tariffs, and trusts, which he aimed to reform through his New Freedom program.

Progressivism/State Level

Progressivism at the state level focused on reforms like the direct election of senators, prohibition, and child labor laws, led by governors like Robert La Follette.

Progressivism/Local Level

Local-level progressivism focused on improving city governance and addressing issues like corruption, poverty, and sanitation.

Progressivism/National Level

National-level progressivism focused on economic regulation, workers’ rights, and social reforms, championed by figures like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.

Woodrow Wilson

The 28th president of the U.S. (1913-1921), known for his progressive reforms, leadership during World War I, and advocacy for the League of Nations.

Paine Aldrich Amendment

A 1909 compromise on tariff reform, which aimed to lower tariff rates but retained higher tariffs than progressives had hoped, leading to dissatisfaction among some reformers.

NWP

National Woman’s Party, an organization led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns that focused on securing a federal constitutional amendment for women’s suffrage.

Wilson and Progressivism

Woodrow Wilson promoted progressive reforms, including the Federal Reserve Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act, and the establishment of the Federal Trade Commission.

Taft and Progressivism

William Howard Taft, while considered a progressive, was more conservative than Roosevelt and was criticized for not pushing progressive reforms as aggressively as Roosevelt.

TR and Progressivism

Theodore Roosevelt was a key figure in the progressive movement, advocating for trust-busting, conservation, and regulatory reform.

Imperialism

A policy where a country extends its power and influence over other nations through diplomacy or military force, often associated with the U.S. during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Australian Ballot

A secret ballot used in elections to ensure voter privacy and reduce corruption, adopted by many states in the late 19th century.

NAWSA

National American Woman Suffrage Association, an organization formed to advocate for women's right to vote, led by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Alice Paul

A suffragist and activist who led the National Woman’s Party and fought for a constitutional amendment to grant women the right to vote.

NWP

National Woman’s Party, an organization that used more radical tactics than NAWSA to secure a constitutional amendment for women's suffrage.

Lucy Burns

A key leader in the women’s suffrage movement and co-founder of the National Woman’s Party, who worked closely with Alice Paul.

Silent Sentinels

A group of suffragists, led by Alice Paul, who protested outside the White House during World War I, demanding the right to vote for women.

Night of Terror

November 1917, when suffragists from the National Woman’s Party were arrested and mistreated by authorities while protesting for women’s suffrage.

4-Minute Men

A group of volunteers during World War I who gave short speeches in public places to encourage support for the war effort and promote patriotism.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany’s military strategy in World War I, which aimed to quickly defeat France before turning to fight Russia, ultimately failing and leading to a prolonged two-front war.

Central Powers

The alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria during World War I.

Triple Entente/Allies

The alliance of France, Russia, and Great Britain (and later the U.S.) during World War I.

U.S. Neutrality in WWI

The U.S. initially remained neutral in World War I, following a policy of non-intervention until 1917, when it joined the Allies after Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare.

Wilson’s Declaration of War

In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany, citing the need to protect democracy and ensure a just peace.

Battles in WWI/US Perspective

From the U.S. perspective, key battles in World War I included the Battle of Argonne Forest, which helped the Allies achieve victory.

16th, 17th, 18th, 19th Amendments

16th: Authorized federal income tax.

17th: Direct election of U.S. Senators.

18th: Prohibited alcohol (Prohibition).

19th: Granted women the right to vote.

TR and Northern Securities

The case where Theodore Roosevelt's administration used the Sherman Antitrust Act to break up the Northern Securities Company, a railroad monopoly.

Moral Diplomacy

Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy, which emphasized supporting democratic nations and spreading democratic ideals.

Germans in Belgium/1914

Germany’s invasion of neutral Belgium in 1914, which led to widespread outrage and helped push the U.S. into World War I.

Richard Harding Davis

An American journalist and writer who covered major events, including the Spanish-American War and World War I, known for his war correspondence.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany’s policy of sinking any ship, including civilian and neutral vessels, around Britain, which led to the U.S. entering World War I.

Causes of WWI

The causes of World War I included nationalism, militarism, imperialism, the alliance system, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Zimmerman Telegram

A secret German telegram sent to Mexico in 1917, promising territory in exchange for joining the war against the U.S. It helped bring the U.S. into World War I.

Spark and the Cause of WWI

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist in 1914 sparked the start of World War I.

The Lusitania

A British passenger ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, killing 128 Americans, which angered the U.S. and shifted public opinion toward entering World War I.

CPI

Committee on Public Information, a U.S. government agency during World War I that created propaganda to build public support for the war.

George Creel

The head of the Committee on Public Information (CPI) during World War I, responsible for disseminating propaganda to promote the war effort.

J Edgar Hoover/WWI

The future head of the FBI, Hoover led wartime efforts to monitor potential threats from radicals and anti-government activists during World War I.

Anti-German Campaign WWI

During World War I, anti-German sentiment led to the vilification of Germans, censorship of German culture, and discrimination against German-Americans.

Herbert Hoover WWI/Food Administration

Herbert Hoover served as the head of the U.S. Food Administration during World War I, promoting food conservation and voluntary rationing to support the war effort.

Preparedness Program

A program initiated by President Wilson before the U.S. entered World War I, designed to prepare the military and economy for war.

Women in WWI

Women in World War I worked in a variety of roles, including in factories, as nurses, and in volunteer organizations, marking a significant change in gender roles.

American Battles in WWI

Key American battles in World War I included the Battle of Belleau Wood and the Battle of the Argonne Forest, where U.S. forces played a crucial role in the Allied victory.

14 Points

Woodrow Wilson’s post-WWI peace plan, which emphasized self-determination, freedom of the seas, and the creation of the League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that ended World War I, which imposed heavy reparations on Germany and established the League of Nations.

Red Scare 1919

A period of intense fear of communism and anarchism in the U.S. following World War I, marked by government crackdowns on suspected radicals.

Red Summer

The summer of 1919, marked by race riots in cities across the U.S., fueled by racial tensions, the return of Black veterans from WWI, and competition for jobs.

Espionage Act

A 1917 law that punished individuals for interfering with military operations or supporting U.S. enemies during World War I.

Sedition Act/WWI

The 1918 Sedition Act expanded the Espionage Act, making it a crime to speak out against the government or war effort during World War I.

War Industries Board

A U.S. government agency during World War I that coordinated the production and distribution of war materials to support the military.

League of Nations

An international organization founded after World War I, aimed at ensuring peace and cooperation between nations; the U.S. did not join due to opposition in the Senate.

War Guilt Clause

Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles, which placed full responsibility for World War I on Germany and its allies, requiring reparations.

German War Reparations

Payments that Germany was required to make under the Treaty of Versailles to compensate the Allies for the damage caused during World War I.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

A 1928 international agreement in which countries pledged not to use war as a means of resolving disputes, though it lacked enforcement provisions.

Dawes Plan Post WWI

A plan in 1924 to restructure Germany’s reparations payments, stabilizing its economy and allowing it to recover after World War I.

Warren G. Harding

The 29th president of the U.S. (1921-1923), known for his "Return to Normalcy" post-WWI and the Teapot Dome Scandal.

Calvin Coolidge

The 30th president of the U.S. (1923-1929), known for his pro-business policies, emphasizing limited government intervention in the economy.

US Policy Vs Russia Post WWI

After World War I, U.S. policy towards Soviet Russia was one of hostility, especially during the Red Scare, due to concerns about the spread of communism.

Teapot Dome Scandal

A major political scandal in the 1920s during the Harding administration, involving the secret leasing of federal oil reserves to private companies.

Sacco and Vanzetti

Two Italian anarchists convicted of murder in the 1920s, whose trial and execution became a symbol of nativism and anti-radical sentiment in the U.S.

Prohibition

The nationwide ban on the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol in the U.S. from 1920 to 1933, leading to widespread illegal alcohol production and organized crime.

Scopes Trial

The 1925 trial of John Scopes for teaching evolution in a Tennessee public school, highlighting the conflict between modern science and religious fundamentalism.

Jazz

A genre of music that became popular in the 1920s, characterized by improvisation and syncopation, and a defining feature of the Harlem Renaissance.

Film 1920s

The 1920s saw the rise of Hollywood as the center of the global film industry, with the introduction of sound in movies and the growth of major studios.

Self Help 1920s

In the 1920s, many Americans embraced a culture of individualism and self-reliance, focusing on personal success and economic mobility.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem during the 1920s, particularly among African Americans, emphasizing African American culture and identity.

Sports 1920s

The 1920s saw the rise of sports as major forms of entertainment, with figures like Babe Ruth in baseball and Jack Dempsey in boxing capturing national attention.