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Monroe Doctrine
This document opposed the establishment of European colonies in the United States. The U.S. told England that they were in violation of the Monroe Doctrine because U.S. had possession over the land. England ignored the document and almost went to war over it -
Yellow Journalism
The false or exaggerated stories that some newspaper journalists reported on. Often the subject of these articles were about sex or scandals happening. The point of yellow journalism was to help sell more papers and make more money. Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst were known as the "lurid yellow press". -
"Influence of Sea Power Upon History"
In 1890, Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote this book claiming that all powerful countries have to set up an equally powerful navy. This idea began to a naval race between the U.S. and other nations. This helped bring the Panama Canal pass into action as a way to achieve easier access to other countries as well with the setting up of friendly ports world wide. -
Spheres of Influence
After China had been defeated by Japan, Americans were worried that they would lose their missionary and other religious strongholds and businesses worried that they would lose business opportunities because they didn't want to export their products to the enemy. -
Cuban Revolt
After long periods of misrule, Cuba rebelled against Spain. In the hopes of getting Spain to leave or getting America involved in the midst of their affairs, the Cubans burnt their sugar stick fields. America supported Cuba and then after Spanish General Weyler came to Cuba in an attempt to end the revolt, many people ended up being placed in inhumane imprisonments that ended up murdering lots of people. -
Anti-Imperialist League
This organization was created to battle the American annexation of the Philippines as an insular area. -
De Lome Letter
The Spanish minister in Washington, Dupuy de Lome wrote a letter about President McKinley because he didn't believe he had good faith. After William Randolph Hearst discovered the letter, de Lome was forced to resign. With its publication, the Spanish-American wars spark was ignited. -
Sinking of the Maine
The U.S.S. Maine suffered from a mysterious explosion in the Havana Harbor which killed 260 men and officers. As a result of this Spain was blamed even though the cause of the explosion is unknown. -
Teller Amendment
America tried to overrun Spain's authority and promised that it would give Cuban's heir freedom and make them impossible to conquer. -
Hawaiian Annexation
This occurred after Queen Liliuokalani surrendered all lands to "the superior forces of the United States" in 1893. When she was overthrown as Queen, the islands became a United States protectorate. -
Open Door Policy
The United States policy proposed by John Hay in the late 19th century and early 20th century that would allow for a system of trade in China openly and equally among all participating countries. This was a means of instilling American imperialism in overseas markets whilst also maintaining peace among nations. -
Insular Cases
These are the opinions of the Supreme Court when they were dealing with the recent annexation of various countries and islands. These new places demanded the rights of citizenship and the Supreme Court ruled that the constitution didn't always have to do this and so the rights of Puerto Rican's and Filipinos were denied. -
Platt Amendment
This act was passed as a part of the 1901 Army Appropriations Bill, stipulating seven conditions for the withdrawal of United States troops from Cuba at the end of the Spanish-American War and an eighth conditions stating Cuba's acceptance of all stipulations. Although U.S. troops were removed from the island, the conditions outlined that the United States may intervene with Cuba's government to instill peace among its society. -
Square Deal
The name in which President Theodore Roosevelt's domestic program was referred. It outlines a set of policies that attempted to prevent further labor abuses and improve working conditions, whilst also protecting America's natural landscape. -
Newland's Reclamation Act
President Roosevelt's act to preserve beauty found in nature that allowed the federal government to sell public lands which resulted in more money for irrigation projects and a more expanded agriculture on lands that were previously desolate. -
Panama Canal
The panama canal was built as a means of having quicker passage to the Pacific from the Atlantic and it cost $400,000,000 to build. This was partly inspired by the book the "Influence of Sea Power Upon History" because it helped strengthen America's navy. After America helped assist Panama in the Panamanian Revolution, Columbia agreed to let them build it. -
Support of the Panamanian Revolt
A revolution was started after a Chinese civilian was killed along with a donkey in Panama. When Columbia was trying to stop this, America wouldn't let them based on a previous treaty signed in 1846 with Columbia. Although Roosevelt didn't intentionally plan on tearing Panama away from Columbia, the public believed that was his goal all along. -
NCLC
A group formed in the hopes of abolishing child labor from occurring ever again, they were highly concerned with the children and their health. -
Roosevelt Corollary
This was an addition to the original Monroe Doctrine (1823) articulated by President Theodore Roosevelt in his State of the Union address in 1904 after the Venezuelan Crisis of 1902-1903. This was an attempt to stabilize the economy in smaller areas and finally pay off their debts. -
Russo-Japanese War
A military conflict between both the Empire of Japan and the Empire of Russia, in what is now northeastern China. Both empires disagreed on who was able to get what territory and this led up to the Japanese invasion on Manchuria -
Meat Inspection Act
This law provided for only limited supervision of interstate sales of meat and meat products and was a reformation of the meatpacking industry. -
16th Amendment
This amendment allows the federal government to levy or collect an income tax from all Americans. Other taxes, such as those collected from homeowners and property owners, are considered to be "direct" taxes in the Constitution. -
The Jungle
A book written by Upton Sinclair that exposed the horrors that went on behind the meatpacking industry and forced them to make changes to the way it was done. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
This act prohibited for any food or drug that had been falsely branded from entering interstate commerce and was a means of protecting the consumer. -
Great White Fleet
Roosevelt sent an entire battleship fleet on a world tour in the attempts of impressing Japan, it impressed several other countries who saluted it. -
NAACP
The NAACP, or the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People, was founded February 12 of 1908 by W.E.B Dubois. It helped give opportunities for African Americans and was one of the most important civil rights organizations. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
A company that caught on fire and killed 146 of its workers who were primarily female. This led to more protection for women workers because of the constitution. -
Scientific Management
A theory that aims at improving economic efficiency and labor productivity. -
17th Amendment
This amendment essentially gives voters the power to directly elect their senators. It also states that the U.S. Senate includes two senators to be selected from each state for six-year terms. -
Bull Moose Party
The unofficial representation of Teddy Roosevelts political party after he stated that he "felt as strong as a bull moose" upon receiving the Progressive nomination. -
Socialist Party of America
Debs who was a representation of this party was accused of espionage and sent to a prison for ten years because of a speech that he made in Ohio. Even though he had been in jail he still ran for President and gained many votes. -
NWP
A suffragist group who took to the streets for the cause of convincing the government to let them have the right to vote. They also participated in hunger strikes and parades as part of their cause and were led by Alice Paul. -
Federal Reserve Act
This was an act of Congress that created the Federal Reserve System and which created the authority to issue Federal Reserve Notes as legal tenders. -
Initiative, Referendum, Recall
Progressives were in favor of having voters hold the power to directly propose legislation, vote on laws that affect them and remove bad officials. -
Assembly Line
A manufacturing process which speeds up the amount of labor that is able to be produced because an item is moved from one machine to the next automatically. -
Clayton Anti-Trust Act
This was a part of the United States Antitrust Law with the goal of adding further substance to the U.S. antitrust law regime. Clayton, however, sought to prevent noncompetitive practices in incipiency. -
Submarine Warfare
Germany was using unrestricted submarine warfare by the British Isles and warned the United States that it would even attack neutral ships, which Wilson vowed they would strictly be held accountable for. -
Federal Trade Commission
This was an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act which promoted the protection of consumers and pushed to eliminate anti-competitive business practices. -
Lusitania
The sinking of the Cunard ocean liner occurred during the first world war, as Germany waged submarine warfare against the United Kingdom which had implemented a naval blockade against Germany. -
Sussex Pledge
The document that the Germans promise to no longer sink any ships unless giving warning prior to firing upon them. -
Jones Act
Formally known as the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916, this statute announced the intention of the United States government to"withdraw their sovereignty over the Philippine Islands as soon as stable government can be established therein". -
Zimmerman Telegram
A telegram that was intercepted by British forces that when deciphered read that Germany was trying to convince Mexico to join them and in exchange they would be given American land that they had once owned. It was a nudge for America towards its already favored Allied side. -
Selective Service Act
This act authorized the United States government to raise a national army for service in World War I through the use of conscription, or drafting of men, which angered many Americans. -
Espionage Act
A United States federal law passed on June 15, 1917, shortly after the United States entry into World War I. Although it had been amended numerously over time, its original purpose was to make it illegal to write or say anything critical of American involvement in war, similarly to that of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. -
Red Scare
A time in which many people, especially in America feared the growing powers of communism. If you were found out to be with the Communist party you wouldn't be able to have the same job positions, because people were so afraid of its spreading influence. -
Committee of Public Info
An independent agency whose sole purpose was to convince Americans to participate in joining the war efforts and the U.S.'s participation in WWI. -
War Industry Board
An agency which was established to increase the efficiency in war related industries and discouraged waste. -
Fourteen Points
This was a statement of principles for peace that was to be used for peace negotiations to hopefully reach a end to World War I. The principles were originally outlined in a speech on war and peace terms to the United States Congress by President Woodrow Wilson. -
Sedition Act
This act of the United States Congress was used as an extension of the Espionage Act to cover a broader range of offenses, notably speeches and the expression of opinions that cast the United States government or war effort in a particularly negative light. -
The Harlem Renaissance
Was an expansion of intellectual, social, and artistic movements that took place in NY. Instilled pride in African Americans as their culture and themselves gained acceptance. -
Schenk v. U.S.
A landmark United States Supreme Court case concerning the enforcement of the Espionage Act during World War I, this had a huge strain on the first amendment right freedom of speech by ruling for the act and thus confining speech to non-incriminating talk at times of war. -
Treaty of Versailles
This would become the most important treaty of peace during World War I that essentially ended the state of war between Germany and allied powers. Because most of the blame was put on Germany however this led to the beginning of WWII. -
Palmer Raids
During the first Red Scare these series of raids were conducted by President Wilson in the hopes to catch anyone who was a suspected communist, which mostly consisted of immigrants. -
Volstead Act
After the 18th Amendment prohibited alcohol the Volstead Act was put in place to make sure there was proper reinforcement on this law. -
Jazz
A time when Jazz was first created, made African Americans and their culture more accepted. It originated in New Orleans. Helped to create what is known as the Roaring Twenties. -
The Lost Generation
After people witnessed the horrors of WWI it led to many people feeling disillusioned and in despair, several facing severe PTSD. They felt aimless in society. Several pieces of art and books came out that depicted these hopeless emotions and conveyed the tragedies that came from war. Lasted from 1900-1920. -
League of Nations
This diplomatic group was composed of several nations at the end of WWI in the hopes that they could stop future wars from happening. -
Sacco & Vanzetti Case
The names Sacco and Vanzetti were two Italian immigrants who were convicted in the murders of both a guard and a paymaster along with a robbery in Massachusetts. -
Radio & Phonographs
With the invention of the radio and the phonograph it allowed for mass distribution of news and collective knowledge of same info to be spread quicker and easier. -
Teapot Dome Scandal
President Harding was accused of releasing prisoners who had been arrested on account of their opposition to the first World War, this scandal along with a few others such as bribery scandals greatly damaged Harding's reputation as both a man and a president. -
The Nine-Power Treaty
This was a treaty that served as a testament of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China as per the Open Door Policy. -
Five-Power Naval Treaty
An international treaty that limited the amounts of naval ships the countries were allowed to have including the U.S., France, Britain, Japan, and Italy,and imposing a ratio of 5:5:3:1.75:1.75, -
Dawes Plan
This was a plan made in 1924 to resolve the World War I reparations that German had to pay that were essentially straining diplomacy following World War I and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. -
Quota Laws of ’21 & ‘24
This law limited the amount of immigrants that were able to come over to America, and made the quotas more strict as well as permanent. -
Scopes Trial
This was an American Supreme Court case of July 1925 in which a substitute teacher was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which had made the teaching of the Biblical origin of mankind unlawful -
Kellog-Briand Pact
This was a 1928 international agreement in which signatory states promised not to use war to resolve "disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or whatever origin they may be". -
Black Tuesday
Following the period of frenzy in the purchase of over-speculated stocks, this day refers to the day the stock market fist began to crash, October 24, 1929. On this other day, October 29, panic set in as millions of shares of stocks traded at ever-falling prices. -
Dust bowl
After a severe drought and the lack of dry land farming methods, a series of intense dust storms were brought on that damaged American and Canadian agriculture and ecology. -
Hawley-Smoot Tarrif
This was an act implementing protectionist trade policies, raising United States tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods sponsored strongly by Senator Reed Smoot and Representative Wills C. Hawley. -
Japan takes Manchuria
This invasion of Manchuria gave Japan the opportunity to occupy China when the Kwantung Army took over. This event was a direct violation of the League of Nations, however they lacked power to stop it from happening. This event ended up shattering the Leagues credibility because it demonstrated that they lacked actual authority. -
Bonus March/Army
This was lead by a group of over 43,000 people- mostly veterans of WWI and their families- known as the Bonus Army, who gathered in Washington D.C. in the summer of 1932 demanding cash-payment redemption of their service certifications. -
Reconstruction Finance Corp.
This was a government program that helped local and state governments by providing financial support. It also made loans to businesses such as banks, railroads and mortgage associations. -
Good Neighbor Policy
During Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency he initiated this act as a way to emphasize trade and cooperation with Latin America in the attempts to establish themselves as equals. It also aimed to help the reduction of economic nativism. -
Civilian Conservation Corps.
This organization aimed at providing relief for people, it was a voluntary program that recruited young men from the ages of 17 all the way up to 28. The young men were either unemployed or single, and it was founded by FDR. -
20th Amendment
This amendment shortened the "lame duck" period that oftentimes followed elections by officially moving inaugurations of presidents, vice presidents, senators, and representatives from March to January. -
New Deal
This program helped provide all sorts of different relief to those who had been affected by the tragedy of the Great Depression. It helped serve to balance economic stability and reduce unemployment rates. -
Tennessee Valley Authority
This government agency was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the hopes of tackling issues regarding flooding, providing electricity to homes, opening new businesses and replanting forests all in response to the issues the Valley was facing. -
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
This corporation was meant to restore the people's faith in the American banking system and insured deposits in case of bank failures. It encouraged economic stability to help America after the hit of the Great Depression. -
1st Hundred Days
A term coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt while he was giving a radio address. He talked about how the first hundred days in a Presidents term in office can be used as a benchmark to measure their early success, and it has been used ever since. -
USSR Recognition
After 16 years of not recognizing the USSR, President FDR, in the hopes of establishing a relationship with the Soviets, formally recognized them. -
21st Amendment
The 21st amendment was a repeal of the 18th amendment where the buying and selling of alcohol in the United States was made illegal. While this was a law, many people violated it and just increased criminal activity because now everyone had to sneak to get it. -
Securities & Exchange Commission
Provides investors with honesty in what they choose to deal in. Creates a more reliable market for people so there faith in the American market was able to be restored with the passing of this act in 1934. -
Indian-Reorganization Act
The passing of this act allowed more control and forms of self government for Native Americans. President FDR signed this along with several tribal members. -
Neutrality Acts ’35, ’36, ’37, ‘39
The Neutrality Acts were written in the above given years as a way for America to prevent its involvement in any other future war. This was highly due to many Americans anger at their involvement in WWI and seeing it as unnecessary and disillusioned. -
Italy invades Ethiopia
In an attempt to boost Italy's patriotism they decided to invade Ethiopia and the League of Nations condemned their actions of being the aggressor. This invasion is often referred to as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, and resulted in Italian victory. -
Wagner Act
This act was instrumental in aiding protests and was signed by FDR in an attempts to prevent employers from interferring in workers protests. It gives workers the right to organize into trade unions if they should choose to do so. -
Social Security Act
In the attempts to encourage the elderly to retire and open up new job markets for the younger and more capable citizens of America, President FDR created the Social Security Act which is specific to each individual and has a number of benefits for old age workers, mothers and children who need the aid, and any of the disabled who physically can't work. -
Spanish Civil War
A war in Spain fought between a Republican form of government going against a Nationalist form of government. They both fought for control of the country but ultimately it ended in a Nationalist victory. -
Court Packing Scheme
After Roosevelt won the reelection he proposed that if a justice reached the age of seventy and failed to retire that he would reorganize and add a new justice member. This would help Roosevelt obtain rulings in his favor but the court deemed it unconstitutional. -
Quarantine Speech
This speech was given by FDR in the midst of WWII that attacked Germany for performing as if they were spreading an "epidemic of world lawlessness" and that the rest of the world should hopefully remain quarantined from it. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
This was a law passed to prohibited the use of child labor in factories and established a minimum wage for workers. This also payed them time and a half if they worked more than 40 hours per week. -
The Grapes of Wrath
A novel written by John Steinbeck which depicts the hardships many Americans went through when the Dust Bowl hit along with the Great Depression. The novel was able to open his audience's eyes and invoke compassion for those suffering. -
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a secret construction of the Atomic bomb built in the hopes to win WWII. -
Atlantic Charter
This document outlined the goals of the U.K. and the U.S. in their alliance for the aftermath of WWII. This declaration was made by FDR after a meeting in Newfoundland. -
Holocaust
During WWII, Hitler held extreme prejudice against European Jews along with gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped, politicians, etc. He and his followers blamed them for the loss of WWI and as a result he sent them all to be in Concentration camps which resulted in the death of an estimated 11 million people. This mass genocide of an entire race and people led to the term Holocaust being created. Those who were liberated often died after soldiers offered them food because they were so malnourished. -
Four Freedoms Speech
In the Four Freedoms Speech FDR outlined the freedoms all people were entitled to that went beyond the defeat of axis powers. These freedoms are the freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from fear, and freedom from want. -
Lend-Lease Act
This was an American program that was set in place as a means of stopping the Axis powers by the U.S.'s distribution of food, oil and other materials to whoever it deemed would protect them. -
Oil & steel embargo (Japan)
When Hitler invaded Russia and Japan moved into southern Indochina, FDR ordered that the U.S. was to freeze all Japanese exports including oil and steel. This was an attempt to stop all of their assets and weaken the axis powers. Some believe it is in response to this that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, although there are several other probable causes. -
Pearl Harbor Attack
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a day when the Japanese Navy Air Strike launched an attack in Hawaii against one of the United States naval bases. This was a surprise attack that resulted in high casualty lists along with the destruction of U.S. naval ships. This was the turning point for many Americans and is what helped support the United State's decision to enter the war. There was no reason to even have a draft because so much anger from this event caused many men to volunteer. -
War Production Board
This was another government created agency, developed by Franklin Roosevelt in his presidency, and given by Executive Order 9024. This agency supervised the war production that was occurring during WWII and replaced the other organizations that had previously been in charge of production. -
Battle of Midway
This battle was one of the most significant of those fought in WWII because it was a turning point for the Allied powers. American code breakers were able to decipher what the Japanese were planning on doing and stopped their maneuvers. This naval battle was fought just six months after the strike of Pearl Harbor and increased American patriotism, and happened in the Pacific theater. The U.S. conducted a surprise attack on the larger Japanese fleet and they never fully recovered. -
National War Labor Board
The board was compiled of various representatives from both business and labor which hoped to settle the disputes among the workers and their employers, which would diminish the war efforts. -
Japanese Internment
During WWII, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. held fear that there was going to be another attack on one of its military bases and as a result felt they could not trust anyone coming from Japanese descent. This led to President Franklin D. Roosevelt giving an executive order 9066 that all Japanese-Americans must be placed in internment camps. This required them to leave their friends and homes behind because of suspicion that they could be potential spies. -
Island-hopping
A strategy utilized by the Allied powers primarily against the Japanese empire. The Allied forces together would attack the islands one at a time, especially those that were not as well enforced, and then set up a military base there to attack the next closest island. This helped end the war quicker and resulted in less casualties. -
Office of War Info (OWI)
This organization was created by the government as a means of spreading the information of what was happening in the war to the civilians not serving on the war front. It's ultimate goal was to keep the public informed The information was spread to the communities by means of radio, films, newspapers and other forms of media. -
Braceros program
A set of diplomatic agreements between the United States and Mexico that brought people over the border to help farm in order to not have food supply shortage and replace the shortage of men due to WWII. -
Tehran Conference
The Tehran Conference was the first time the Allied leaders assembled during WWII. Because of this conference they were able to set their objectives and how they planned to defeat Germany and came to the conclusion of opening up a second front against them. -
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter is a very iconic symbol of culture during WWII. She was the representation of all the strong women who had taken their husbands jobs in factories while they were away at war. They helped produce munitions and other war supplies. -
D-Day
D-day is the day in World War II when the Allied forces invaded northern France by landing on the beach in Normandy under Operation Overlord. The day is recorded in history as the largest seaborne invasion to ever happen. -
Korematsu v U.S.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, America had an extreme hatred for Japan and so all Japanese-Americans were sent to internment camps as a result of the U.S.'s fear and arguably what was already preexisting racism. In this case, the Supreme Court argued in favor of the ruling to send all persons of Japanese Ancestry away from the West Coast Military Area during World War II. -
Potsdam Conference
This was a meeting and compromise between Joseph Stalin, Harry S. Truman, and Winston Churchill to discuss post World War II in which each side would take reparations from the control zones of its claims. -
United Nations
Very similar to the League of Nations, the United Nations was another group composed of various nations in the hopes of forming alliances and achieving a realistic version of peace after WWII had ended. It was their goal to prevent future world wars from happening. -
Hiroshima & Nagasaki
After the United States got permission from the United Kingdom, it dropped two Atomic bombs over Japan and completely annihilated the people and the cities. This helped bring WWII to a conclusion, but some Americans argue whether this method of destruction was completely necessary, especially because of it's high civilian casualty rates. This was also the first time nuclear weapons had been used in a war. -
Japan's Surrender
The surrender of Japan came after both Atomic bombs had completely decimated the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With their surrender WWII came to an official close. This made the nation of Japan not capable of controlling major operations. -
Filipino Independence
This is when the Philippines declared their independence from Spain. Two days before the U.S. ratified this treaty fighting that was led by Emilio Aguinaldo broke out because he along with numerous others wanted independence instead of a leadership change. -
Jingoism
The concept of Jingoism is an aggressive, nationalistic and patriotic form of expansion. President Theodore Roosevelt along with many others thought that this was the unprecedented way to gain more territory for the United States.
