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Monroe Doctrine
James Monroe, in a speech to Congress, wanted the European nations that the U.S. would not tolerate any colonizing efforts, or any interference of the Western Hemisphere. Monroe addressed this because, a string of Latin American nations established independence and he was afraid that the European powers will attempt to reinstall imperialism. The doctrine was used to justify American presence, such as in the Cuban Missile crisis. started in 1823 -
Jingoism
Extreme patriotism characterized by advocating for more aggressive, war-like actions against another country, rather than peace. This was heavily seen in political cartoons in America, the media. -
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"Jingoism"
Aggressive foreign policy in the form of extreme patriotism that is characterized by the advocacy of war and overall aggressive efforts as opposed to peace. An example of such is political cartoons that attack other nations. -
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Yellow Journalism
The public exaggeration of ideas of embellishment of facts in newspapers, for the purpose of creating sensation, or "buzz". Largely contributed to American involvement in the Spanish-American War, resulting in the gaining of overseas territories. -
Hawaiian Annexation
From the annexation of the island, the U.S. was able to expand their military presence into the Pacific waters, they also gained an economic advantage because Hawaii was originally annexed for the prospect of business in dealing with Hawaiian sugars. This is also where the attack on pearl harbor had occurred. -
Sinking of the Maine
The USS Maine exploded and sank in the Havana Harbor, killing most of those on board. And although, it was only speculation, the blame was placed on Spain, between the explosion and yellow journalism there was pressure for the Spanish-American war. -
Filipino independence
The Philippines declared their independence from Spain on June 12th, 1898, but the U.S. made an effort to make them a territory until the anti-imperialist league shut that down, and U.S. granted them their independence on the 4th of July. -
Anti-Imperialist League
An organization tasked with battling imperialism and any and all colonization efforts. It battled the American annexation of the Philippines. The justification for such, was that the ignoring of filipino sovereignty is a direct contradiction of democracy. -
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Open Door Policy
Created by John Hay, who decide that all countries should have equal access to the form of Chinese trade. This ensured protection for all engaging in trade with China. It ultimately ended in 1949, with the end of China's Civil War. -
Square Deal
President Theodore Roosevelt had three main goals that are commonly referred to as the three Cs
-conservation of natural resources
-control of corporations
-consumer protection. -
The Jungle
Upton Sinclair published this novel in effort to expose the harsh working conditions faced by immigrants in the industrialized cities similar to that of Chicago. It also exposed the meat-industry, leading to the meat-inspection act. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
Effective in 1907, first of many food safety protection laws; Led to the formation of the Food and Drug Administration -
Meat Inspection Act
Federal law passed in order to ensure the quality and health concerns of American meat products; made it illegal to misbrand meat and regulated the sanitary conditions of slaughterhouses and such -
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
One of the deadliest and largest industrial "disaster". A fire had started in the upper floors of the factory, leaving 146 dead. The fire had ultimately exposed the unsafe working conditions and the court case, convicting the factory owners, allowed for future improvements in the workplace -
17th Amendment
This amendment developed the popular election of United States senators by the people of the states. It also outlined the powers given to the senators, as in their vote. -
16th Amendment
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes -
Assembly Line
Ford installs the first assembly line which transformed the manufacturing process by allowing for the easy construction of smaller parts for a larger product. This only increased the presence of industry within America. -
Federal Reserve Act
This act created the Federal Reserve System to serve as the national bank. The U.S. was concerned with creating a new currency system with regulation, in order to strengthen the financial system. -
Clayton Antitrust Act
In a time where the acts of trusts and big business were being exposed, this act was created to define unethical business practices, such as price-fixing and monopolies, and upholds various rights of labor -
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil U.S. antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection -
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Red Scare
The First Red scare was brought about by the perceived threat of the American labor movement. A Red Scare is the widespread fear of the rise of Bolshevism and anarchism. -
Selective Service Act
The act required all men in the U.S. between the ages of 21 and 30 to register for military service; the draft. -
Espionage Act
Outlawed the exchange of information or giving of information regarding the United States, that could easily undermine the American war effort or benefit the other side in any manner. Simply put; NO Spies. It was passed soon after the U.S. had entered the First World War. -
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Harlem Renaissance
Deemed the New Negro Movement. It was an explosion of art, music, sports, and culture all at the hub in Harlem, New York -
Fourteen Points
Drafted by Woodrow Wilson, the Fourteen Points guideline for peace that was to be used for peace negotiations in order to end WWI. -
WWI Armistice
At the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, he armistice was signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea and air in World War I between the Allies and Germany. The war was ended with the armistice because both sides had suffered too much to continue the war. -
Schneck v U.S.
During World War I, Charles T. Schenck produced a pamphlet stating that the military draft was illegal, and was convicted under the Espionage Act. He was found guilty. The significance of the trial is the lines the freedom of speech can or cannot cross. -
Volstead Act
Enforced the 18th amendment, prevented the sale of alcoholic beverages. -
League of Nations
Founded by Woodrow Wilson, this was one of the first intergovernmental organizations tasked with the maintenance of world peace. Their diplomatic efforts are meant to solve disputes before the eruption of warfare. The four main members were Italy, France, Japan and Britain. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers, bringing World War l to an end. Germany was the only one blamed and charged with paying the reparations following the war. -
Sedition Act
Outlawed any effort to "willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of the Government of the United States". Basically the sedition act placed a cap on slander and in doing so, cut very close to free speech. The government did this mainly as an effort to silence those that disagreed with the war effort. -
Quota Law of '21
First change to the immigration allowance in America. First to ever place numerical limits on the country's intake of immigrants. -
Quota Law of '24
Made the numerical limits from '21 slimmer. This also made immigration into the U.S. much stricter and permanent. -
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Dust Bowl
A period of sever dust storms that struck American arable land, resulting in the devastation of those reliant on agriculture, such as farmers. Alongside the Great Depression, there was not much opportune for Americans anywhere. But, the dust bowl did result immigration to industrial cities in search of work. -
Hawley-Smoot Tariff
Was an act in order to protect and regulate trade. -
Good Neighbor Policy
The Good Neighbor policy encouraged interaction between the United States and Latin America as equals.This allowed the U.S. to revise trade with Latin America. -
21st Amendment
Reversed the nationwide prohibition placed on alcohol -
20th Amendment
It defines when elected officers end their term in office and determines who succeeds the president. -
USSR Recognition
After 16 years of non-recognition of the Soviet Union, FDR, following a series of negotiations in Washington, D.C. with the Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Maxim Litvinov, finally recognized the USSR. The U.S. was the last nation left to offer recognition. -
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Holocaust
World War ll Genocide of the European Jews. The Open immigration policy of the United States changed as a result. There was no room for total refuge of the German Jews. This led to the installation of the quota system. -
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New Deal
Following the Great Depression, the New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It called for
-Reform
-Relief
-Recovery -
Social Security Act
Following the economic devastation of the Great Depression, FDR decided that he make a plan that protected American futures.
-Public Assistance
-Unemployment Compensation
-Old-Age Insurance -
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Neutrality Acts of the 1930s
These acts were all passed in effort to remain isolated from the issues breaking out in Eurasia that eventually led to the Second World War -
Neutrality Act '35
Prevention of American export of “arms, ammunition, and implements of war” to warring nations. -
Neutrality Act '36
expanded the limitations expressed in the 1935 Act, closed loopholes; No loans to belligerents or export of war materials -
Neutrality Act '37
Banned sell of war materials to Spain, anticipating the Spanish Civil War that broke out in 1936 -
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The act was passed in order to assert regulations regarding "minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, recordkeeping, and child labor standards". This was needed in this time because of the drastic change in the job field, as well as public awareness of poor working conditions. -
Neutrality Act '39
Put sale of warring materials under the term "cash-and-carry" -
The Grapes of Wrath
Published by John Steinbeck, it depicted a family, so strongly affected by the dust bowl and the great depression. -
Pearl Harbor Attack
Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii was attacked that morning by the Imperial Japanese in an aggressive act towards the United States. In 1939, almost 3 years before, the U.S. had passed their Neutrality Acts. However, Roosevelt, had gained an almost-unanimous vote to go to war with Japan after the attack. -
Battle of Midway
The United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against Midway Atoll, marking a turning point in the war. -
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Japanese Internment
Following Japanese aggression, there was the American fear of espionage and infiltration that allowed for overall fear of anyone with a Japanese ancestral line. -
Korematsu v U.S.
ruled that the internment of those of Japanese descent, given the circumstances, was constitutional. The American fear of Imperial Japan was only strengthened by this. -
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Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The U.S. dropped an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima and three days later dropped one another over the city of Nagasaki, which resulted in the Japanese "unconditional surrender". Roosevelt felt that there was no winning without that unconditional surrender, that without it, there was always the possibility of another war. -
Japan's Surrender
Japanese Emperor Hirohito formally signed on September 2, 1945, bringing World War II to a close -
United Nations
The United Nations was founded as a method of peace-keeping, internationally. It was meant to ensure security and promised the development of international cooperation. In 1945, there were 51 founding members.