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Monroe Doctrine
U.S. foreign policy that was against European colonization in the Western Hemisphere, installed the U.S. as a protector nation over the Hemisphere and encouraged Isolationist policies in foreign policy. -
Hawaiian Annexation
The U.S. overthrows Queen Liliuokalani for the benefit of American cash crop farmers who had slowly become the most economically prosperous in Hawaii and sought U.S. control for further gain. Hawaii became a territory in 1900. -
De Lome Letter
Written by Señor Don Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, Spanish Ambassador to the U.S. under President McKinley who critiqued U.S’s involvement in Cuba. When the letter was leaked many called for his resignation and increased hostilities with Spain, contributing to Spanish American War. -
Sinking of the Maine
U.S. ship The Maine is blown up in Havana Harbor at night, killing over 200 U.S. sailors. The cause of the incident is unknown, but accusations by the U.S. of it being an attack against the U.S. pushes the nation into the Spanish American War. -
Teller Amendment
Cuba is declared its own nation free from Spain and would not be annexed by the U.S., but U.S. troops would remain only to help set up the new Cuban government and would eventually leave. -
Anti-Imperialist League
An organization that imposed Imperialism by the U.S. on moral, racial, economic, and political grounds. Was formed in response to the U.S. seeking to annex the Philippines. -
Square Deal
Theodore Roosevelt’s domestic plan of the three Cs: conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection. Acted as a middle ground between corrupt corporations and bad trusts while not fully aligning with labor organizations. -
Platt Amendment
Altered U.S. ability to interact with Cuba, with all treaties needing senate approval, and gave U.S. the right for military forces to intervene in Cuba if the government broke down and allowed for the U.S. to gain land for long term military usage such as Guantánamo Bay. -
Socialist Party of America
U.S. political party formed by merging several existing socialist groups into the larger democratic socialist party. Popular amongst immigrants, progressives, and labor unions the groups sought to advance Socialist goals of giving the means of production to the people through labor rights and strikes, making the group unpopular with many and leading to claims in some cases of communism. -
Panama Canal
An 82 kn waterway across Panama used for trade and was purchased by President Theodore Roosevelt from the French who had attempted the canal in 1880s and for throwing support behind the plan for an independent country of Panama from originally Colombian territory. -
Russo-Japanese War
Feb 8, 1904 – Sep 5, 1905 War between the Empire of japan and the Russian Empire over territory in Korea and Manchuria as the Russian Empire desired more warm water ports. Peace talks were negotiated by President Theodore Roosevelt at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which earned him a Nobel peace prize. Some see the conflict as a build up to World Wars One and Two. -
The Jungle
Novel by American journalist Upton Sinclair which revealed the corrupt and unsanitary practices of the U.S. meatpacking industry, leads to the establishment of the FDA and was a prime example of the progress brought about by the Progressive Movement. -
Pure Food & Drug Act
A U.S. organization brought into existence during Roosevelt’s term, serves to manage the quality of food and drugs in the U.S. to protect the public health from altered products or products prepared in unsanitary conditions. Set up standards of production in industries such as meat and pharmaceuticals. -
16th Amendment
Allowed Congress to establish an income tax without the apportionment of the states, regardless of population. -
17th Amendment
Established popular election of U.S. senators and allowed for state governors to fill with temporary appointments until a special election could be held. -
Federal Reserve Act
Signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, established the U.S. Federal Reserve as the national bank of the United States and established the Federal Reserve System for the economic security of the states. -
Federal Trade Commission
An independent group from the United States government that seeks to enforce U.S. antitrust laws and promote fair trade and protect the consumer. Founded in President Woodrow Wilson's term. -
Clayton Antitrust Act
Sought to prevent anti-competitive actions between corporations such as monopolies, price fixing, and misuse of copyrights. -
Selective Service Act
Brought into existence in President Woodrow Wilson’s term and as a response to World War One, established a draft through conscription in the U.S. -
Espionage Act
Made it criminal in the U.S. to try and oppose the U.S military’s actions and to support the enemies of the U.S. Made to ensure citizen support in World War One, has been a hot topic in the discussion of freedom of speech ever since. -
Volstead Act
Established prohibition in the U.S. by making alcohol consumption illegal while severely regulating the usage of alcohol of other uses such as medicinal use. -
WWI Armistice
Brought about the official end of air, land, and naval conflict between the Allied forces and Germany in World War One, signed at Le Francport. -
Palmer Raids
A series of raids done by the U.S. Department of Justice during President Woodrow Wilson’s term to remove anarchists, socialists, and communists from the country as a response to the Red Scare. Targeted mainly Italian and Eastern European immigrants and led to riots and several bombings. -
Treaty of Versailles
Ended the state of War between the Allied powers and Germany and established the reparations Germany had to pay to the Allied nations in money while also severely limiting the German army and fully blaming Germany for the war. Caused resentment to stir among the German populace and is seen as contributing to World War Two. -
Harlem Renaissance
1920s-1930s A cultural movement centered around Black music, art, culture, and experience that focused around Harlem, New York City. Also worked towards the progression of black rights and increased pride in racial identity. -
Red Scare
1917-1920s A fear of mass spread Communism and Anarchism throughout the U.S. post World War One and the Bolshevik Revolution, also caused in part by anti-immigrant sentiments towards Eastern Europeans and socialists. -
League of Nations
Founded in part by President Woodrow Wilson although the U.S. did not join the league, was intended to be an international alliance of nations dedicated to world peace and establishment of prosperity. Failed due to a lack of strength and authority when it came to world conflicts, replaced by the United Nations post World War Two. -
Jones Act
Maritime law that regulates U.S. trade and commerce. Requires goods shipped in between U.S. ports to be shipped by U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. Residents and on U.S. boats, while also protecting sailor's rights and altering shipping costs unattached U.S. states or territories. -
Sedition Act
Extended the Espionage act to cover a wider range of critiquing the U.S. in terms of war efforts or for attempted prevention or disruption of the sale of war bonds. -
Teapot Dome Scandal
1921-1923 A bribery scandal that hit the administration of U.S. President William G. Harding when Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall was the first cabinet member to go to prison for leasing Navy petroleum reserves at the Teapot Dome for oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding. -
Scopes Trial
Temporary high school teacher John Scopes was accused of violating the Tennessee Butler Act for teaching children darwinian evolution, which at the time was seen as sinful and was illegal in many states due to dominance of creationism. Scopes was found guilty. -
Kellogg-Briand Treaty
An international agreement amongst originally France, Germany, and the U.S. to prevent the usage of war as a solution to conflict which ultimately failed to prevent any conflicts such as World War Two. -
Dust Bowl
1930s A time period of environmental drought and severe dust storms throughout the mid U.S. and Canada during the Great Depression that placed greater struggle upon the U.S. with food shortages and the destruction of property. -
Good Neighbor Policy
1930s A term for the foreign policy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt with Latin America in which the U.S. did not interfere with Latin American politics and received benefits such as trade within Latin America as part of the exchange. -
New Deal
1933-1939 A series of public work projects, reforms, and systems set up by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States to help the country recover from the economic turmoil of the Great Depression while also establishing a stronger presence of federal programs in economics. -
20th Amendment
Sought to limit the period in between transfer of Presidents where neither office could accomplish anything by setting the end of the President’s term to be at noon January 20th, while also establishing plans about what will occur if a new President could not assume the position due to instances such as death. -
21st Amendment
Repealed the 18th Amendment in the U.S. and ended Prohibition in the United States. -
Wagner Act
Made into law under President Franklin D. Roosevelt guaranteed to U.S. citizens the rights to organize unions, to bargain with corporations as a collective, and to allow for strikes from the workers. Seen as a way to stabilize the balance between workers and employers. -
Social Security Act
Established social security as part of the New Deal to give pensions to older U.S. citizens to get them out of the job marker to ensure jobs for the younger generations. Provided insurance for unemployment and to aid children and single mothers. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
Establishes the right to a minimum wage and to overtime, as well as establishing the minimum age for minors to work and thus preventing child labor, though only applying for jobs dealing with commerce or interstate commerce. -
Manhattan Project
1939-1946 A secret research project conducted by the U.S. and Canada during World War Two to establish the first nuclear weapons in order for the allies to end the war. -
Holocaust
1941-1945 The imprisonment of Jews, Romani, LGBT, and other “undesirables” by Nazi forces into camps designed for the systematic deaths of large populations of these groups as part of the Nazi’s plans to purify the Aryan race and cleanse the world of those considered lesser. -
Atlantic Charter
Established between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill the goals of the U.S. and the British Empire post World War Two, including advocating for self determination among nations, no territory changes, and a greater establishment of global cooperation and unity among the nations. -
Pearl Harbor attack
An attack upon a Hawaiian naval base at Pearl Harbor by the Japanese as a preemptive strike at the U.S. that finally caused the U.S. to enter World War Two as an active member rather than supplying the Allied forces as before. -
Japanese internment
February 19, 1942- March 20, 1946 The imprisonment of Japanese-American citizens and Japanese immigrants by the U.S. along the Western Coasts into Midwestern internment camps for fears of Japanese spies and conspiracy, uprooting thousands from their homes due to misplaced racist concerns. -
D-Day
The Allies invaded the country of Normandy in what was known as Operation Overlord, starting the reclaiming of France from Germany and signaling the fall of Germany to the Allied forces, causing the end of the war in Europe. -
Hiroshima & Nagasaki
August 6 (Hiroshima) and August 9, 1945 The usage of atomic bombs against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan by the U.S. as an attempt to quickly end the war by gaining the unconditional surrender of the Empire of Japan, which worked. -
Japan’s surrender
The unconditional surrender of the Empire of Japan which ended World War Two on the U.S’s terms, leading to U.S. occupation post war. -
United Nations
Formed as a successor to the failed League of Nations, was meant to serve as an International agency that sought world peace and stability through different organs that centered around various issues, Presented before World War Two ended as a plan to prevent future conflict and to guarantee stability among nations that still may harbor hostility towards each other.
