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The Progressive Era
Starting in the late 19th century, the Progressive Era was a time when the movement's goals were to strengthen the national government and address people's social, economic, and political demands. Progressive leaders worked on such things as labor rights, economic reform, women's suffrage, environmental protections, and the welfare of the poor. -
Period: to
Twentieth Century America - 1900 - 2000
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The Wright Brothers take flight
Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first successful self-propelled sustained flight on December 17th, 1903. The flight lasted 12 seconds and the heavier than air aircraft flew approximately 20 feet above the ground for 120 feet. -
America enters WWI
America remained neutral prior to this, but when Germany sank 3 American merchant ships through submarine warfare, America responded. President Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State, Robert Lansing, stressed to congress the threat that the Imperial German Government posed, so on April 6th, 2017, American entered into the War. -
Women are given the right to vote.
After many decades of fighting for women's suffrage, the 19th Amendment to the constitution finally granted women the right to vote. Women began to organize in the early 19th century but did not see what was considered a radical change until 1920. The amendment did not include all women, and the fight for minority women to gain the vote continued on. -
The Great Depression
Following the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, the Great Depression was a time when businesses and companies closed because people were not buying their product. This led to massive unemployment and lowered wages. The Great Depression lasted from 1929 until 1941. -
Prohibition
Prohibition refers to the time from 1930 -1933 when the 18th Amendment legally prevented the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition was lifted in 1933 through the 21st Amendment. -
The bombing of Pearl Harbor
On December 7th, 1941, The Japanese military launched a surprise attack on the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor killing 2,403 service men and destroying US ships and airplanes. -
America enters WWII
Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1941 which pushed America to enter WWII. After the attack on Pearl Habor, President Franklin D. Rosevelt issued a declaration of war against Germany and Japan on December 11, 1941. -
The Cold War
In 1945, WWII ended with the United States and the Soviet Union being the two world superpowers. The Cold War was a period of tension between Communism and Democracy, and although full-blown war never resulted, it was a time of espionage, propaganda campaigns, military strengthening, and the constant threat of nuclear war. -
The Civil Rights Movement
Until 1968, African Americans were denied the right to vote and were segregated from whites in public schools, transportation, and public places. In 1954, a series of events led to the civil rights movement. Noted events were the arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat and move to the back of a bus, and Dr, Martin Luther King's non-violent march on Washington D.C. where he delivered his famous speech, 'I Have a Dream.'