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Period: to
1920-1991
Units 10-13 -
Volstead act
The 18th Amendment which prohibited the sale and consumption of Alcohol. -
19th amendment
Women get the right to vote, the 19th amendment recognized a citizen's right to vote regardless of gender/sex -
Census reveal 50% urban population
This is the first time majority of Americans lived in Urban areas -
Harlem Renaissance starts
Period of the artistic development of African American Artists. -
Universal Negro Improvement association
Led by Marcus Garvey the association advocated for the mass migration of African Americans to Africa. -
Dawes Plan
Plan to revive German Economy. US gives Germany money, who gives it to Britain and France, who then give money to US. -
Immigration Act
Limits the number of migrants allowed into the US through a national origin quota -
Scopes Trial
court case where Evolution being taught in schools is debated -
Transatlantic Flight
The World's first solo nonstop Transatlantic Flight piloted by Charles Lindbergh. He flew from New York to Paris -
The Jazz Singer
First movie with audio ever (A "Talkie"). It was about famous Jazz singer Al Jolson -
Kellogg-Briand pact
Signed by US, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, and other countries. The pact renounced aggressive war and prohibited the use of war as national policy except in self defense. -
Stock Market Crash
Major American Stock Market crashes in fall of this year -
St. Valentines Day Massacre
On Valentine's Day, seven members and associates of George "bug" Moran's bootleg gang were lined up and executed in a garage on North Clark Street -
Bonus Army
WWI Vets who want a early payment as a bonus pension for their service -
Civilian Conservations Corps
A voluntary public work relief that was open to unemployed, unmarried men from ages 18-25, later extended to include 17 year olds as well. -
Civil Works Administration
Short-lived organization for to create jobs as a part of the New deal during the Great Depression -
Hundred Days
The first 100 days of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency -
US off gold standard
FDR made it illegal for citizens to own most gold, they were forced to sell to the Government and accept paper currency, this stopped loaners ability to be paid in gold rather than the US dollar. -
Tennessee Valley Authority
Authorized the completion of a dam and the building of others. These dams could generate, then sell electricity to the public. -
Public works Administration
Public works Administration budgeted several billions of dollars for the construction of public works and providing employment to improve public welfare. -
Emergency banking relief
A conservation bill to protect primarily larger banks from being pulled under by the weakness of smaller banks. The US treasury had to inspect these banks before reopening -
National Industrial Recovery Act
US labor law that allowed the President to regulate fair wages and prices to stimulate the economy. -
Federal Emergency Relief Fund
A grant making agency that was allowed to distribute federal relief to states for Aid. -
The Second new deal
FDR's second attempt at economic reform -
Social Security Act
A two-tiered system of social insurance programs and well tested assistance. -
Jesse Owens wins 4 gold medals
Jesse Owen wins gold for the 100m, 200m 4x100 relay, and the long Jump at the 1936 Olympics -
Neutrality act
Series of laws passed by congress that prohibits the sale or loan of firearms to countries at war. -
Destroyers for base deal
The trade of US navy destroyers in return for land rights as FDR's way around the Neutrality act. -
Lend-Lease Act
The act gave FDR nearly unlimited ability to provide direct material aid to the Allies in WWII without violating the Neutrality act -
Japan attack Pearl harbor
Imperial Japan does a surprise airstrike on Hawaiian Navy base. This pulls the US into WWII -
Midway
Biggest Carrier battle of WWII fought by Japan and America at Midway Island -
Korematsu v. United States
Supreme court case that upheld the exclusion of Japanese Americans from Westcoast military areas during WWIII -
D-Day
The allied nations attempt to win back Nazi Germany Occupied France. Troops landed on Normandy Beach 4.414 allied soldiers died. -
Yalta Conference
Meeting of Allied Forces leaders. FDR, Churchill, and Stalin were all present -
Potsdam Conference
Last meeting of America, England, and USSR. Stalin, Churchill, and New president Truman were present. -
V-E day
Germany surrenders ending the war efforts in Europe -
V-J Day
Japanese Surrender end of WWII -
Iron Curtain Speech
Churchill's speech that calls US and Britain guardians against Soviet Communism -
Truman doctrine
Establishment that US would provide aid to all democratic nations under external or internal authoritarian forces -
Containment Policy
US policy that uses numerous strategies to stop the spread of Communism. -
Marshall plan
US Aid program that focused on Western Europe after WWII -
NATO is formed
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization pledges to ally with each other if any of the allied nations are attacked. These nations were Britain, the US, Canada, France, and other western European countries -
The Korean War begins
Truman announces US support for South Korea in the North-South Korea war. This enters the US into the war on South Korea's side. -
Alger Hiss Convicted
Alger Hiss accused of being a soviet spy in the 30's. He would be convicted for lying under oath. -
Rosenberg’s Convicted of Espionage
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are convicted of espionage. They passed atomic secrets during and after WWII -
McCarthy Allegations
Hundreds of Americans are accused of being communist, these Americans were subject to aggressive government investigations -
SEATO is formed
An alliance similar to NATO South East Asian countries agree that a soviet attack on one country is an attack against them all. -
Domino Theory
The Theory that a political event in one country will cause similar events in neighboring countries like falling dominoes. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat, this inspires MLK to lead a boycott of city buses. -
Elvis Presley
Famous American Singer. Known for "Jailhouse Rock" -
Sputnik I
USSR surprises world by launching the first artificial orbital satellite -
Berlin Crisis
USSR blockaded all routes in and out of west Germany, creating a series of yearlong airdrops of supplies to the stranded citizens -
U-2 Incident
American U-2 spy plane is shot down by the USSR -
Bay of Pigs
The CIA funded and trained groups infiltrate Cuba with the intent to topple to Communist regime there -
Cuban missile crisis
The Nuclear threat from the USSR over missiles in Turkey by placing Missiles in Cuba. This was the Closest to Nuclear war America and the USSR ever got. -
James Meredith
The first black student admitted to the previously racial segregated University of Mississippi. -
Gideon v. Wainwright
Supreme Court case that upheld the 6th amendment right to an attorney and that the state must provide one if the defendant can not afford one. -
Civil Rights Act
The act prohibits discrimination of race, sex, religion, or nationality in the work place. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Authorized Lyndon B. Johnson to take any necessary action to protect America from Communist North Vietnam and brought America into the Vietnam war. -
Great Society
Congress passed measures to provide Medicare, federal aid for education, more civil rights legislative -
Miranda v. Arizona
Supreme Court Case that created the need for Miranda Rights. As without them everything a defendant says is inadmissible to the court system. -
Thurgood Marshall
The First African American Supreme court Justice -
Tet offensive
A series of major attack in Vietnam that allowed North Vietnam to briefly hold several major cities -
My Lai massacre
One of the worst incidents of violence committed against Vietnamese civilians during the Vietnam war. -
MLK jr. Assassination
Civil Rights Activist Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated at age 39 -
SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the USSR and the US. The first agreements to limit important armaments -
massive demonstrations against Vietnam War
The largest anti-war protest was led in D.C. and many more across the nation. -
Kent State Shooting
Ohio national guard shoots 13 unarmed protesters, killing 4 at Kent State Univeristy. -
Nixon Opens Relations with China
President Nixon visits the People's republic of China in an important strategic and diplomatic overture -
Nixon Resigns
Amid calls for Nixon to be impeached for the Watergate scandal, Nixon instead Resigns from office. -
South Vietnam Falls to Communism
South Vietnam falls to communist North Vietnam marking the end of the Vietnam war -
American Hostages in Iran Released
52 American Hostages taken from the American Embassy in Iran were finally released after two years -
Strategic Defense Initiative
A program to develop a sophisticated anti-ballistic missile system to protect the US from missile attacks from other nations -
Iran-Contra Arms deal
Reagan went on national TV to admit to an arms deal with Iran but denied the allegation the trade was for hostages. -
Fall of the Berlin wall
Political changes and pressure in Eastern Europe as well as Civil unrest in Germany forced Eastern Germany to loosen regulations on travel to West Germany including the fall of the wall that separated Berlin. -
Reunification of Germany
German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany unify and form the reunited nation of Germany -
Operation Desert Storm
The Military operation to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia -
Break up of USSR
Many countries leave the USSR fueled by the Fall of Berlin Wall and Romanian Revolution