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Monroe Doctrine
A US foreign policy that opposed and no longer tolerated European colonization in America. It was established during President James Monroe's seventh annual State of the Union Address to Congress. -
"Influence of Sea Power Upon History"
This book was published by Alfred Thayer Mahan about naval history in 1660-1783. His writings emphasized the importance of sea power and inspired many major navies, leading to the WWI naval arms race. -
Cuban Revolt
Spain canceled the trade pact between Cuba and the US in 1894. More taxes and trade challenged Cubans economically which began the Cuban War of Independence in 1895. Spokesman of this revolution was Jose Julian Marti, a poet and journalist. -
Sinking of the Maine
The United States battleship Maine was suddenly blown up, killing 260 officers and men on board at anchor in Havana harbor. Disagreements about the true cause of the sinking sparked anger throughout the US and pushed the nation closer to war. This event was a turning point to the start of WWI. -
Teller Amendment
Congress passed this Amendment to prevent the possible US annexation of Cuba and proclaimed the US would help Cuban people gain their freedom from Spain. -
Hawaiian Annexation
President William McKinley annexed the Hawaiian Islands in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. It became a formal US territory in 1900 with its first governor Sanford Dole, and the 50th state in 1959. -
Open Door Policy
A policy created by John Hay between China, the US, Japan, and many European powers. It created equal access to Chinese trade for all countries, and established support of Chinese territorial and administrative integrity. -
NCLC
Edgar G. Murphy founded the National Child Labor Committee to challenge child labor through anti-sweatshop campaigns. Their mission was to end child labor, and create free education opportunities for all children. Groups like these led to the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 which set federal standards for child labor. This was a turning point for children rights and ending child labor. -
Square Deal
The square deal was the slogan of President Theodore Roosevelt success during the 1906 presidential campaign. It focused on his domestic policies including control of corporations, consumer protection, and conservation of natural resources, the "Three C's". -
Great White Fleet
The popular nickname for the US Navy battleships that completed a journey across the globe by order of US President Roosevelt. This trip began December 16, 1907 and ended February 22, 1909. -
NAACP
The National Association of the Advancement of Colored People was created to secure political, educational, social, and economic equal rights and to eliminate race-based discrimination. They aided in ending segregation in the United States, and was one of the most influential organizations for the civil rights movement. -
17th Amendment
Ratified by President Wilson, this amendment gave voters the right to elect their senators and the US Senate includes two senators from each state. Each senator also gets one vote in the Senate and are elected for six-year terms. -
Assembly Line
The first moving assembly line was installed by Henry Ford for mass production of automobiles. This invention reduced the time it took to build cars from over 12 hours to only 2 hours, and saved companies money by limiting labor. This was a turning point in mass production helping the economy. -
Submarine Warfare
Began during WWI. Consisted of diesel and nuclear submarines which used torpedoes, missiles, or nuclear weapons to attack enemy submarines or ships. This was a turning point because it changed war by making it easier to fight in water and more effective than boats. -
NWP
National Women's Party was an American political organization that fought for women's suffrage and aided in establishing the nineteenth amendment. This was a turning point for Women's equality. -
Sussex Pledge
This was a promise made by Germany to the United States during World War I. They promised passenger ships would not be targeted and merchant ships wouldn't be sunk until the presence of weapons had been established. -
Sedition Act
During WWI, this act prohibited the printing, writing, publishing, or speaking of anything that discredited or was abusive/disloyal to the US Government. It was aimed at socialist, pacifists, and any anti-war activist, and imposed harsh punishments for anyone found guilty. -
Committee on Public Info
An independent agency of the US government established to influence the public's opinion in order to support the US participation in WWI. The CPI became the government's propaganda and publicity agency. -
War Industry Board
Bernard M. Baruch was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson as chairman of the War Industries Board where he oversaw and promoted industrial production during WWI -
National War Labor Board
Established by President Woodrow Wilson to mediate labor disputes, strikes, and other issues that could disrupt production of war industries during WWI and continued during WWII. -
Palmer Raids
A series of raids conducted by the US Department of Justice under the administration of President Wilson during the First Red Scare. It captured and arrested and deported suspected radical leftists and targeted Italian and Eastern European Immigrants. -
Volstead Act
Formally known as National Prohibition Act, provided enforcement for the eighteenth amendment which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol. It provided federal implementation of prohibition. -
Schenck vs. U.S.
This was a legal case where the US Supreme Court ruled that the first amendment of the constitution, freedom of speech, could be restricted if the words printed or spoken represented to society a "clear and present danger". -
Lost Generation
A generation of artists, writers, and intellects who came of age after WWI and during the roaring twenties. They were considered lost because of their tendency to act aimlessly and live a free lifestyle. -
League of Nations
An international diplomatic group created after WWI to solve disputes between countries to hopefully end warfare. It consisted of Great Britain, France, Japan, and Italy and was founded after the Paris Peace Conference. They helped create a turning point after the war back to normal more peaceful life socially and politically. -
Teapot Dome Scandal
A bribery scandal with the administration of the US President Warren G. Harding and big oil companies. Albert B. Fall, secretary of the interior cabinet was found guilty of accepting a "loan" from a large company for a valuable oil lease, and he became the first individual to be convicted of a crime committed while a presidential cabinet member. -
Five-Power Naval Treaty
Also known as the Washington Naval Treaty signed during 1922 among the major nations that had won World War I. They agreed to prevent an arms race by limiting naval construction. This was a turning point after the war that created political stability. -
Sacco and Vanzetti Case
On April 15, 1920, a paymaster for a shoe company was shot and killed along with his guard. Italian born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed for his murder, despite worldwide support for their innocence. -
Black Tuesday
Share prices on the NY Stock Exchange completely collapsed, more than 26 billion dollars in stock value was lost, and the Great Depression emerged. This event is often though of as the beginning of the Great Depression, and was very much a turning point in the economy but also in society. -
Dust Bowl
A long lasting drought in the Southern Plains region which killed people, livestock, crops, and the economy. It intensified the Great Depression, and forced many farm families to migrate and search for work in better conditions outside of the South. This turning point enhanced the great depression and weakened the economy. It also negatively effected the environment. -
Hawley-Smoot Tariff
Also called the US Tariff Act, raised import duties to help protect American businesses and farmers during the Great Depression's economic crisis. -
Good Neighbor Policy
A US foreign policy doctrine. adopted by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It lowered tariff walls between the US and Latin America allowing for freer trade. Despite its success, the policy ended in 1945 as the Cold War began. This was a turning point into peaceful foreign affairs enhancing the economy. -
Civilian Conservation Corp.
The CCC was a voluntary public work relief program in the US for unemployed, unmarried men, founded by President Roosevelt. Their goal was to conserve the country's natural resources but also provide young men jobs. This was a major economic turning point because more people were getting jobs that didn't have the opportunity before. -
Tennessee Valley Authority
Signed by President Roosevelt as part of his first New Deal. The TVA created a Federal corporation faced with dealing with problems like flooding, providing electricity to homes, replanting forests, and improving the lives of people in the Tennessee Valley. -
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
The FDIC was formed to provide stability for the economy and the failed banking system. It guaranteed checking and savings deposits for its member banks. During the Great Depression this corporation recreated a level of trust in the American banking system. -
Indian-Reorganization Act
Also known as the Wheeler-Howard Act, was enacted by the US Congress and aimed to decrease federal control of American Indian affairs and increased Indian self-government and responsibility. -
Wagner Act
Passed by President Franklin Roosevelt as part of the New Deal reform. Also known as the National Labor Relations Act. It prevented employers from interfering with protests and worker unions. -
Italy invades Ethiopia
Under rule of Benito Mussolini, Italy invaded the Northeast African Kingdom of Abyssinia(present day Ethiopia) without declaration of war. Doing so made the League of Nations limit economic sanctions on Italy. -
The Grapes of Wrath
An American realist novel written by John Steinbeck captured the reality of many Americans who experienced hardships due to the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Although fiction, this book raised awareness and became the impetus for political activist movements. -
Four Freedoms Speech
President Roosevelt gave this speech to the nation in the 153rd state of the Union Address. He expressed the "Four Freedoms" Freedom of speech, worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. These were international war goals that went beyond just defending the Axis powers. -
Lend-Lease Act
Signed by President Roosevelt to permit him to "sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend, or otherwise dispose of to any such government any defense article". The US was then able to provide military support yo its foreign allies. -
Atlantic Charter
A statement that established American and British goals after WWII ended. It outlined goals like no territorial aggrandizement, restoration of self-government to those deprived, and reducing trade restrictions. This helped create a turning point into normal life after the war for society and in politics. -
Pearl Harbor Attack
Japanese Navy Air Service bombers flew over Pearl Harbor, a US naval base, and destroyed over 300 American airplanes and 20 American naval vessels. More than 2,400 Americans died, and another 1,000 got wounded. After the attack, President Roosevelt had Congress to declare war on Japan. Major turning point in history, brought the US into the war. -
Battle of Midway
The US Navy took victory at this air-sea battle and its success in defending the Midway base turned the tide of WWII in the Pacific. It also diminished Japan's plan to neutralize the US as a naval power. -
Manhattan Project
A research and development undertaking during WWII led by the US with support of the UK and Canada that produced the first nuclear weapons.It was started in response to fears that German scientists had been developing nuclear technology. -
Tehran Conference
Code named Eureka, was a strategy meeting of Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill from November 28 to December 1, 1943 after the Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran, held in the Soviet Union's Embassy. -
D-Day
Over 150,000 members of Allied Forces(Britain, America, Canada, and France) attacked German forces in Normandy, France. The Allies won resulting in a turning point for WWII in Europe. -
Yalta Conference
Code-named the Argonaut Conference, was the WWII meeting between the heads of government of the US, UK, and Soviet Union held to discuss postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe.They decided Germany would be split into four zones after surrender, the Soviet Union would attack Japan, and Berlin would also be divided. Big turning point postwar for political and economic reestablishment. -
Japan's Surrender
The surrender of Imperial Japan, announced by Japanese Emperor Hirohito on August 15 and formally signed in September, brought an end to World War II. Large turning point- ended the war. -
Filipino Independence
The Philippines gained independence from the United States through a proclamation issued by President Harry S. Truman. A treaty was also signed between the American and Philippine government. The Treaty of General Relations provided the recognition of the Independence of the Republic of the Philippines and the relinquishment of American sovereignty over the Philippine Islands.
