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Jamestown
Established by the Virginia Company, Jamestown was one of the first British settlements of the new world. Jamestown is also notable for its heavy tobacco export, first planted by James Rolfe. Because tobacco was laborious to farm and there was a tiny population, the headright system emerged to encourage travel to Jamestown to farm the tobacco. -
Forced Labor
Slavery - African and Native slaves were seen as early on as 1619. These slaves were seen as property, not fellow humans. They were not given wages and treated poorly. Indentured Servants - People moving to the colonies from Britain that owed money to the government would work to pay off their debts as opposed to real wages. -
Early Politics
The mayflower compact is the earliest example of an American constitution. It set the precedent of majority rule in the colonies. Another example of early politics is the Maryland act of toleration, the first legislation that guaranteeing religious freedom to a group of people. This would set the precedent for the first amendment. Video -
Pilgrims/Puritans
The strict religious values of the Puritans shaped life in the colonies. The governor of the Mass Bay Colony, John Winthrop, describes the colony as a "city on a hill," meaning that their puritan society is an example for how other colonies should act. For example, puritans believed lazy hands were sinful. Puritans were also very exclusive about membership into their churches, which was lessened by the halfway covenant, which allowed partial membership to those not yet inducted. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Virginia farmers, sick and tired of being pillaged and murdered by the surrounding native tribes with no government interference, started an uprising headed by Nathaniel Bacon against the lack of action by the government, specifically the Governor, William Berkeley. Video -
Great Awakening
A slow decline of puritan values and religion in everyday life allowed for a sudden outbreak of religious need within the colonies.
Effects: Introduction of religious piety, unified the colonies. Site -
Mercantilism/Salutary Neglect
Mercantilism - The idea that colonies in the new world were created so that the mother country could obtain easy access to raw materials. Salutary Neglect - The act of England not enforcing laws that would restrict and upset American colonists. This ended after the French and Indian war. Video -
End of the French and Indian War: Effects
Proclomation of 1763 - Americans were prohibited past the Appalachian mountains, this was created to soothe the temper of the natives after the war. However, this angered Americans as they felt they deserved to colonize the conquered areas. Stamp Act: Special stamp required on all paper materials such as newspapers, made to acquire revenue from the colonies, but upset them at the same time. -
Declaration of Independence
A document who's ideas were heavily inspired by the enlightenment and enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke. The document legally formalized the separation of the colonies from Britain. -
Revolutionary War
During 7 years war, France allied with the American colonies and delivered supplies to them, circumventing the British blockade. The alliance enabled America to win the war, and this was solidified when America gained independence after signing the treaty of Paris. -
British violations of the Treaty of Paris
Part of the treaty ensured that Britain relinquish all forts in the territories now owned by the independent America, but they did not in the great lakes region as this part of the land was politically destabilized (the natives were still hurting from their losses in the 7 years war). -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles inspired a weak central government that did not have the amount of power necessary to establish and enforce laws upon the people it governed. This was further shown by Shay's Rebellion, where farmers in Mass were sick of the debt they were in and wished for lower taxes. They attempted to achieve this through protesting, but this was deflated after a short while.
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Land Ordinance of 1787
Territories in the northwest could apply for statehood with a population of at least 60,000. The Atlantic Slave Trade is to be stopped, no new slaves me be imported, but slaves already here are not free.
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United States Constitution
Establishes that the central government has control over all the citizens of this country, and lays out the specific powers of the government over the laws governing the land. There was fighting over the representation of people in the congress, but this was quelled when a compromise was met in the form of the Connecticut Plan (both the Virginia plan and the New Jersey plan). -
Deism
The idea that God isn't active in human affairs after creation. This led to a decline in community participation in religious events and decreased church attendance. -
Hamilton Economic Plan
Hamilton wanted to tax foreign goods to protect the growth of American industrialism, he wanted to build a national bank that the government would own stock in (putting him at odds with Jefferson), he wanted to pay off all the debt the U.S. incurred during the revolutionary war, and he wanted all the states to work together to pay off remaining debt. This was very controversial, and helped drive the political system into two parties.
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Constitution Aftermath
The founding fathers did not envision that an established government would give way to differing "factions" of political ideology, but that's certainly what happened. They were generally opposed to political parties, believing politics to be a collaborative matter. Bill of Rights - Put forward by anti-federalists who feared a government that was too big would infringe upon the rights and liberties of the common man. -
Eli Whitney
Inventor, indirectly responsible for extension of slavery (we can't all be winners). Cotton gin - Allowed for the speedy, mechanical picking of seeds out of cotton. This made cotton insanely profitable to large southern plantation owners. Interchangeable parts - Allowed for machines to have parts swapped out for identical parts when certain parts stopped working. -
Washington's final years as president
Neutrality Proclamation - Washington states that the United States would stay neutral in the conflict between France and Britain during the French Revolution. Farewell Address - Washington stresses that America maintain independence and not to make political ties with other countries unless absolutely crucial. Jefferson was opposed to this as he supported allying with France.
Site -
Alien and Sedition Acts
Alien Act - Deport and arrest aliens on the basis that they present a danger to the public or are from a nation at war with the U.S. Naturalization Act - You can be naturalized after living in the U.S. for 14 years (previously 5) Sedition Act - Illegal to post defamation against the federal government. These were all overturned by the Kentucky and Virginia resolves. -
Cult of Domesticity
Pre-cursor to the women's rights movement, this movement held that married women were in charge of the religious and moral values of the people in the household and must not involve themselves in politics so they can keep themselves able to perform this role. -
19th Century Authors
Emerson, Thoreau, etc.
A bunch of romanticized writers from the 19th century famous for being American and having writing simply above average. Their descriptions of untamed American wilds and their strange fetishization of nature are unimpressive and lacking in real content, as well as narrow-minded. Their lack of empathy for Native American customs and their narcissism make them gross and unremarkable, but that can also be said about other American historical figures. -
Election of 1800
Peaceful transfer of power. Race between Jefferson and Burr, Hamilton supports Jefferson and Jefferson wins. Precursor to Burr/Hamilton Duel -
Marbury v. Madison
Some shady stuff goes down with the people elected to congress in between Adams and Jefferson, and this case results in the establishment of JUDICIAL REVIEW. Quizlet with all important court cases -
Lousiana Purchase
Jefferson, a man who has always been for a strict interpretation of the constitution, interprets the constitution loosely so he can buy the Lousiana territory from Napoleon for 15 million dollars. This doubles the size of the country and gives Americans control of the Mississippi river.
This video is a bit silly but it gets the point across decently -
William Lloyd Garrison
Publisher of "The Liberator", an extremist abolitionist newspaper. Founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society. Really cool dude. -
Hartford Convention
The death of the federalist party!
This convention held and put forward the worries and fears of the federalist party, but this was so inconsequential at the time (the time being the war of 1812) that it was largely ignored. Federalism had drifted far enough from the mainstream that the party fell apart.
Site -
War of 1812
Causes: Impressment, British aid to natives, to obtain Florida, to establish America as a truly independent and powerful nation. War between America and Britain over impressment of American sailors and merchants. Neither side sustained serious damages and the war wasn't fueled by ideology, the only side taking large losses was the natives. The Treaty of Ghent was signed and Jackson's Florida campaign set up his future presidency, as well as the publishing of the Monroe doctrine -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri wanted to join as a slave state, but that would unbalance the slave state - free state balance, so Maine was also admitted as a free state to balance it out. The 36-30 line was established so that anything north of Missouri must be admitted as a free state.
A gov site, classy -
Monroe Doctrine
A piece written by John Quincy Adams during the Monroe presidency who's purpose was to warn other countries that the Americas are under the protection of the United States and Europe will not control these territories. Unfortunately, this was written to Britain as well, even though at the time the U.S. didn't have the navel power to back it up and relied on Britain to do that. Roosevelt Corollary - U.S. will protect it's monetary investments in the Americas by military force. -
Henry Clay's American System
Henry Clay aimed to increase infrastructure through a proposed tariff, support the national bank, and create a transport network by supporting railroads and canals. These canals would be pivotal in the steam boat revolution, allowing a quick and safe exchange of goods in the north.
This video is good for a laugh, and very informational -
Lowell System
Lowell factory was unique in that it was one of the first notable times women worked outside of the house at a time that didn't have the men away at war. Single young women would board at the factory and work for cheap wages, but it allowed them to gain autonomy and independence from male family members. -
Andrew Jackson
What a mess.
His racism and southerner's need to expand into the west led to him evicting Natives from the Georgia, except he couldn't get rid of the Cherokees, who sued Georgia. Courts ruled in favor of the Cherokees, but Jackson relocated them anyways, causing the trail of tears.
Jackson also expanded suffrage to all white men. Cool.
Jackson had a vendetta against the second BUS, so he drained the capital using pet banks and it eventually shut down without a new charter. Wow. -
Irish Immigration
Ireland was politically unstable, so a bunch of Irish immigrants flooded the United States from the 1830's on. They competed with freedmen for low paying jobs and both groups were looked down upon. The Irish were discriminated against for being catholic. The large influx of immigration prompted the creation of the nativist party, a group of racists getting together to be racist. They were also known as the know-nothing party. Was it because they were secretive or stupid? We'll never know. -
Transcendentalism
Transcendentalists like Emerson believed in revering nature and shunning materialism. This movement had a profound cultural impact on American literature.
These two dudes did a nice project on transcendentalism -
Nullification Crisis
Tariffs were passed in the early 19th century that increased taxes on imported goods to encourage the growth of American Industrialism. These tariffs hurt the south as they could only obtain goods through import. These tariffs increased in intensity through the 1830's until the south threatened to nullify them, which is where Henry Clay stepped in and resolved the crisis via the compromise tariff of 1833.
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Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny is the idea that the white settlers were given the "go ahead" from god himself to conquer this land from sea to shining sea. Whigs strongly opposed manifest destiny on the grounds that the land doesn't belong to us and that luring Mexico into an unnecessary war to steal it's land is morally wrong. Democrats were all for manifest destiny because a lot of democrats were slave owning farmers, and more land meant more fertile soil, which means more room to farm and more money. -
Mexico
James K. Polk won the election of 1844 by displaying a wish to annex Texas on his political platform.
The Whig party opposed the war with Mexico, as starting a border scuffle and deceiving Mexico was an underhanded way to trick Mexico into starting a war that America believed it could use to gain Texas. -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Treaty that ended the Mexican-American war. Mexico cedes California for 15 million dollars. Manifest Destiny has been achieved.
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Seneca Falls Convention
First women's rights convention in the United States. Elizabeth Cady Stanton presents the declaration of sentiments. Convention sets a goal: to achieve women's suffrage.
Other notable women's rights advocates: Susan B. Anthony
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Compromise of 1850
Establishes:
-No slave trade in D.C
-California admitted as free state
-Tougher fugitive slave law, encourages judges to give freedmen to slavers for more money than to let them go free, people are encouraged to hunt runaways. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
A slave sued Sandford for trying to put him into slavery in a non-slave state, and the court ruled that slaves are property and therefore not U.S. citizens, so they cannot sue in a court of law. This case established that it is unlawful to restrict the expansion of slavery. This repealed the Missouri compromise, as it restricted the spread of slavery. Northerners were disgusted, and this furthered sectionalism in the U.S. -
Kansas - Nebraska Act
Encouraged building of the transcontinental railroad Officially repeal Missouri compromise and replace with popular sovereignty Video -
John Brown
Believed that he was God's punishment for the whites perpetuating slavery. Him and his family slaughtered 5 slavery supporters during bleeding Kansas. He also attempted a slave revolt by raiding Harper's Ferry for weapons, but no slaves showed up and he was apprehended and eventually hung.
Northerner's martyred him and southerner's found his actions disgusting and terrifying. This furthered sectionalism in the U.S. and sped up secession.
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Abraham Lincoln
Gained fame from the Lincoln-Douglass debates.
Strongly opposed slavery, but would allow the continuation of slavery as long as no more slave states were introduced. This was official public stance to preserve the union, his ultimate goal. Presided over the American civil war. -
Civil War
Causes: Increased sectionalism over slavery and states right to choose. Ex: Bleeding Kansas North: Outnumbered south, better infrastructure, more money.
South: Battling on home turf, one of the best military leaders to graduate from west point. South banked on backing from Britain, but Britain didn't need the south's cotton because they found plentiful cotton in India.
Video Part 1
Video Part 2 -
Emancipation Proclamation
After a pivotal union win during the civil war, Lincoln announced that all slaves in the confederacy free. Many slaves left the confederacy and joined up ranks as soldiers in the union army. Many escaped into union territory. After the end of the war, only the border states continued to have slavery, but even then that was abolished with the ratification of the 13th amendment. -
Sharecropping
A legal substitute for slavery. Black people in the south were usually unable to be employed in other occupations, and this line of work had them making as legally little as possible, and what money they did make had to be re-invested, as they had to supply their own tools for the job. The job was very similar to traditional farm slavery, and the workers would plant crops on other people's farmland, but in return the owner got a share. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nowsS7pMApI] -
Republican Reconstruction
The reconstruction era followed the conclusion of the civil war. After the immense destruction done to southern towns, the government set out on a project to invest in southern infrastructure. After the death of Lincoln, Andrew Johnson used reconstruction to backpedal on a lot of the civil rights given to black citizens, as well as pardoning confederate leaders. -
Black Codes
Freedmen who wished to participate in free labor were heavily restricted by black codes. These codes were local or state laws put in place to restrict the freedoms of black people. They usually dealt with forcing black people into cheap labor, keeping black people from voting, and keeping them from existing in white spaces. -
Transcontinental Railroad
A government funded (30 year bonds) infrastructure project to create a rail line that spans from coast to coast. The U.S. Gov also provided land grants to the companies building the rail line, so they could continue to extend its reach. After the completion of this railroad, items could now be shipped over land incredibly far, incredibly fast, for much cheaper than before. This contributed to industrialism, as factories could create and ship products en masse. -
Election of 1876
While Tilden won the popular vote, there was some problems with counting the electoral votes and Hayes won the election by striking the Compromise of 1877, allowing Hayes to get 1 more electoral vote if he pulled federal troops out of southern states who were resisting the changes brought on by the civil war. Website -
Social Darwinism
Darwin's theory of natural selection, except it's been warped to fit the needs of the industrial elite. This propaganda pushes the idea that only those who are the hardest workers can rise to the top, and was used to subjugate the working class. Video -
Dawes Act
Took reservation land from the Native Americans and put it up for sale to American settlers. This act stole 90 million acres from native tribes, caused trouble between tribes that were now forced to live on the same reservation, and pushed natives into assimilating into white culture and therefore losing their own. -
Gospel of Wealth
An idea started by Andrew Carnegie that the super rich have a responsibility to the public to disperse their wealth in a way that is beneficial to the public. His rhetoric is religiously charged, and he condemns the use of riches on personal luxuries. -
Sherman Anti-trust act
An act that was originally passed to stop the creation or "trusts," AKA monopolies big businesses had on certain markets. The wording of this act, however, was too vague, and it was difficult to use it to persecute businesses. However, it was so vague some businesses were able to use it against labor unions. Web -
Laissez-Faire Economics
A truly free economy, with no government intervention. The U.S. government has always intervened in economic matters in some way or another, and this idea was pushed by the ultra-rich so they could get away with low wages and inhumane conditions without intervention from the government. Website -
Gilded-age business cycles
As production boomed, the GDP of the U.S. fluctuated heavily depending on several major factors, such as stock markets and political climate. While some business practices were detrimental to the working class and thus detrimental to the overall GDP by keeping money from circulating, some practices, such as Lowell factories providing housing and an occupation to young girls, helped the GDP. Video -
Populism
The populists were farmers in the 1890's who were upset that this new industrialism meant they were being largely overlooked. Some of their policies included the use of a silver as a national currency, public ownership of railroads, and graduated income tax. The populist party never gained that much traction, however, as the white southern elite couldn't stop being racist, as well as WJB losing the 1896 election. The farmers were mostly upset about railroad prices, as it cut deeply into profits. -
Frontier Thesis
The idea that since America had finally expanded from sea to shining sea, the American frontier was dead. The American Frontier also supposedly symbolized other things, like rugged individualism, but these would later prove controversial as statements like these were erasure of the history of slavery. This also provoked the question, where is the frontier now? Is there a new frontier? The answer is yes and it involved colonization and murder. Video -
Growth of Cities
As urban life flourished around factories and railroads, so did other things that usually grow alongside cities, such as widening money gaps between the working class and the elite. On the bright side, at least there was now a necessity for innovation in sanitation. New Sewage systems were built, and codes were established to prevent fire hazards (great fire.) -
Frederick Douglass v. Web Du Bois
Du Bois believed that equality between blacks and whites could be achieved through education, as this would free black people of that time period of the crutch that their ancestors had, (unable to read, write, etc.) Frederick Douglass, born a slave unlike Du Bois, had a firm belief in looking after oneself and maintaining personal freedoms. He believed that black people should have nothing to do with white society, as white society had done enough damage to them already. -
Titans of Industry
One of the largest titans of industry was Rockefeller and his business in oil. One of his greatest contributions to business was horizontal and vertical integration. Horizontal integration being where a company buys up all the smaller competitors, and vertical integration being where a company buys all the middle men from production to distribution. -
Yellow Journalism
A type of sensationalist journalism that arose when Americans found out that people were being put into concentration camps in the Philippines by tyrants ruling over the land in Spain. This in part provoked the Spanish-American war. It's also ironic because during the war America would later have with the Philippines, we would also put the people who lived there in work camps. By ironic, I mean horrible. I hate colonialism. Video -
Spanish American War
Also referred to as "The Splendid Little War," this war lasted for only 3 months and America took an easy victory. This put a spotlight on America as a fierce naval power. This war also happened as an extension of the Monroe Doctrine, in which Roosevelt proclaimed that nobody, even Spain, would continue to govern the Americas except for countries in the Americas. -
Open Door Policy
John Hay put forward this policy. The idea is that there would be an "Open Door" in regards to trade with China, and that restricting trade with China to any one country was unfair to the others. Web -
Immigrants (South and Eastern Europe)
AKA the "New" immigrants, these immigrants faced heavy prejudice as they were different from the "old" immigrants in that they weren't always white, weren't protestant, and some couldn't speak English. The group consisted of consisted of Italians, Slavs, Greeks, Jews, and Armenians. They would mostly settle in northern cities and create ethnic neighborhoods. -
Progressivism
Plenty of reforms were made by progressive movements during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Parties such as the knights of labor and Roosevelt's Square deal created more ideal relations between corporations and workers. Muckrakers such as Upton Sinclair and Jacob Riis exposed the bad parts of American industry to the public. The FTC and Civil Service Act kept as much corruption out of factories and local governments as possible. Video -
Henry Ford and his cool stuff
Henry Ford is credited with the introduction of the first affordable American car. He was able to achieve this through the creation of an assembly line. The assembly line allowed one worker to specialize in one thing, which cut down on costs and time needed to produce a car. -
The Draft
In the first world war, militia was created by volunteers similar to the militia of the civil war. The government saw that not enough people volunteered so Wilson passed the Selective Service Act of 1917. In WW2 the selective service act was altered, as heads of local areas would no longer hand pick men, but a national lottery system was used. Volunteering was also prohibited so as not to drain the manpower needed for war production. Video -
Post WWI
After the first world war, the U.S. experienced a brief period of economic and artistic growth known as the Jazz Age. The overproduction needed for the first world war would boost the economy only to cripple it later, and things such as speculation and bank closures would soon lead to the Great Depression. A lot of the propaganda of the first world war caused riots and racism against German immigrants. -
League of Nations
After the conclusion of WWI, Wilson thought it best to create a global task force dedicated to keeping countries from invading and conquering each other. The U.S. would ultimately not join the League, however, as there was concern that being too involved in European politics would get us dragged into another war. The U.S. not joining the league played a major part in the League's ultimate downfall. -
Naval Building Limitations
During the Washington Naval Conference, the United States and Britain made Japan agree to a limitation on naval vessels within a ratio of 5:5:3, in which Japan would only have 60% of the total naval power of either of these two countries. This was to prevent Japan from taking too much power in the pacific, which was a real concern when you think about the events of WW2. Web -
Mellon Economic Policy
Mellon and Coolidge had an economic policy similar to the infamous "trickle down economics," of Reagan's administration. In the Coolidge-Mellon fiscal program, they proposed tax cuts for the super rich and a more laissez faire economic system. Part of their rhetoric was their worship of entrepreneurs, and they were able to justify this economic policy by making comparisons of factories to temples and workers to church-goers. Web -
1920's Literature
The "Lost Generation", people who grew up during the first world war, found themselves estranged from the perspective of their parents as they experienced the affects of the first world war, as well as the affects of laissez-faire capitalism. A good example of this in literature is "The Great Gatsby", and one of it's prevalent themes is the death of the american dream. Sinclair Lewis also accurately portrayed this feeling through his books, which critiqued life in the midwest. -
The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes
A fake trial set up to attract attention to the conflict between fundamentalist Christians who believed that evolution was inconsistent with the bible and modernist Christians who believed that evolution was consistent with the bible. It also brought attention to the Butler Act, which outlawed the teaching of evolution on Tennessee schools. Web -
Kellogg-Briand Pact
This pact, ratified by 62 nations post WWI, made it illegal to start war with another country except for the purpose of self-defense. This proved useless, as claims of self-defense were easy to create. Video -
Hoover
So, Hoover thought that instead of having the government take direct action, he would have corporations "voluntarily" increase wages and safety. There was also the bonus march fiasco, where Douglas MacArthur torched down the encampments of the marchers and fought them back when they needed help. This would have his name go down in history as a joke. Video -
The Great Depression
After WW1 farmers and factories were producing and everyone was making money and then suddenly everyone stopped making money postwar and then the jazz age happened so people spent lots of money. The farmers were all poor because there were too many crops and no money coming in, the banks stopped having money and people stopped spending money and the economy stopped altogether and the stock market crashed. Then our one true savior FDR came in, saved everyone, and then we killed some Nazis. -
Labor Unions
Gompers - Creator of the AFL
Lewis - Creator of the CIO
AFL - "Bread and butter issues," wages, safety, etc.
CIO - Unskilled workers, as well as industrial workers.
Wagner Act - Established the ability of workers to organize. Part of new deal.
Taft-Harley Act - Anti-union legislation passed under Truman.
Immigrants - New workers that faced prejudice from people who already lived in the U.S.
Sherman Anti-Trust Act - Not very effective, used against labor unions at one point. -
FDR
FDR, the president who overtook office, was uniquely different from his predecessor in that he was charming and a good speaker. He inspired faith in the public through "fireside chats" over the radio. He also did some nasty stuff, like court packing, where he would target judges who didn't agree with him and fill courts with his supporters. His good-neighbor policy allowed him to build better relations with the Americas. His first hundred days rejuvenated the American economy and reformed banks. -
Neutrality Acts
Part of the slow decline in support for isolationism prior to the second world war. Acts were passed prohibiting the sale of arms to belligerent nations, etc etc. The U.S. passed cash and carry, lend lease, and would eventually fully involve themselves in the war. Web -
The affects of WW1
After Americans experienced the horrors of war, people like the America First group started to form to push the agenda of isolationism. At this time, Europe also fell into disrepair as everyone owed everyone else money. Germany owed everybody reparations when they got blamed for the first war, and European countries that were assisted by the U.S. (France and Britain) couldn't repay their debt until Germany repayed its debt. This financially ruined Europe for decades and caused WW2. -
Lend-Lease
The act that really cemented America's future involvement in WW2. At this point, isolationism and neutrality were no longer realistic, as we started supplying with our allies in Europe with arms and not charging them immediately. Web -
World War 2 and the social things that went on
Japanese internment - After the bombing of pearl harbor, Americans thought that Japanese-Americans were spies feeding info to their mother country, so they were sent against their will to work camps.
Women in the workforce - America needed a larger workforce, so while men were out fighting, the women went to work to outproduce the axis.
Racism - Even though all hands on deck was necessary to win the war, some people still wouldn't employ black people in factories. Fixed by exec order 8802 -
Truman
Fair Deal - Spiritual Successor of the New Deal, includes civil rights and the repeal of the Taft-Harley Act
Republican Congress - As the democratic follow-up to FDR, the congress opposed and criticized Truman's initiatives, such as the Fair Deal.
Korean War - In order to contain the spread of communism after the communist takeover of China, Truman supported the southern Korean stand against the red north. Video -
Truman continued
Containment - The policy of keeping Communism from infecting the rest of the world and threatening the status quo in the U.S.
Cold War - A series of proxy wars started by Truman between the U.S. and Russia over Capitalism v. Communism.
Berlin Airlift - U.S. sends in supplies to citizens trapped in Berlin by the USSR.
Greece - Britain terminated it's aid to the anti-communist greek rebels, so Truman made a plea to congress to support them in the name of containment. -
McCarthyism
Started by Joseph McCarthy, the term refers to the irrational fear of and blatantly unsubstantiated claims against communism. Lately, the term can be applied to anything, not just communism -
1950's
Suburbs - Cheaper, cleaner, and mass produced houses replaced the claustrophobic cities for the middle class.
Baby Boom - When men came back from WW2 they got married and spent all their money from the saving period of the 40's on homes in the suburbs, and then they had lots and lots of children.
Nuclear war scare - Russia started testing of nuclear weapons after the bombing of Japan. This contributed to the Red Scare. Video -
1950's continued
Domestic tranquility - I have no idea what this means, but it certainly didn't exist, not with rampant racism and sexism permeating American society.
Rock and Roll - Teenagers were slowly starting the counter-culture movement, and listening to music the older people deemed "loud" was a good start.
Consumerism - Americans keep buying and the act of spending becomes ingrained in their culture.
Economic Boom - The war production boosted the economy, and Britain owed us a lot of money. -
Civil Rights Movement
March on Washington - MLK led a large group of anti-segregation supporters, both black and not black, to a march on Washington in protest.
Radical Black Leaders - People like Malcolm X advocated for violence against racism, and the black panther movement was more vigorous in their approach than MLK's civil rights movement. Web -
Civil Rights Movement continued
Sit-ins - Protesters of segregation would sit inside of businesses until they were served. Some would be sent to jail.
School Desegregation - Brown v. Board ruled the segregation of kids in schools unconstitutional. The schools were to be desegregated with "all deliberate speed", which was vague and some states dragged their feet on it.
MLK - Leader of the civil rights movement. Gave the "I have a dream speech" at the famous march on Washington -
Plessy v. Ferguson / Brown v. Board
Plessy v. Ferguson is a court case that established segregation after Plessy was arrested for violation a state segregation law, one of many that were cropping up in the south at the time. This would later be overturned by Brown v. Board, a court case which established that the "separate but equal" was morally wrong as well as an excuse which white America could use to create underfunded and unsafe environments for black Americans. -
Vietnam
Gulf of Tonkin - One american ship was attacked on the gulf, and LBJ used this to bypass a declaration of war by passing the gulf of tonkin resolution.
Johnson - Great Society, tet offensive, failures in the vietnam war, failure of the great society with war drained funds.
Nixon - Nixon Doctrine: Keep out of the Asian mainland, withdraw from vietnam, continue to fight communism.
Protests - After airing the brutality of vietnam live on T.V, the American public saw how terrible war was. -
Sputnik
The space probe that Russia successfully sent into space. This prompted the space race to happen, as the U.S. had not successfully gotten into space yet at that point. Web -
1960's Protests
Vietnam - Students, usually of highschool and college ages, were some of the most vocal in the protests against Vietnam. There were notable shootings of students at Kent and Jackson state from police trying to quell the protests.
Counter-Culture - The youngins who rejected the social norms of the older generations. They rebelled by listening to rock music and dressing strangely (Hippie movement.)
Women's empowerment - The Feminine Mystique and NOW are examples of this movement. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
USSR missiles were discovered in Cuba by American recon planes. JFK worked out peaceful negotiations with Khrushchev and successfully avoided a war. In order to get the missiles removed from Cuba, JFK removed American missiles from Turkey. This event also led Fidel Castro to believe an invasion of Cuba was likely, and hurt diplomatic relations between Cuba and the U.S. Web -
Lyndon Johnson
Great Society - A series of democratic reforms that included medicare, medicaid, and federal aid to education.
Civil Rights - LBJ was president during the civil rights movement, and was there when Brown v. Board was passed, ending segregation. He passed the civil rights act, the first one in 100 years. Web
