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Volstead Act
The Volstead Act was enacted to help enforce the 18th amendment. This was significant because it prohibited the manufacture and selling of alcohol in the 1920's. -
Census Revealed 50% urban population
The Census revelation showed a change in American way of life. This revealed that 50% of Americans were living in Urban populations more than rural, this was a new way of life, the city life. -
19th Amendment
The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote and prohibited someone being discriminated when trying to vote based on sex of the person. This was significant because it was the first time that women were given power in the government and the beginning of women being seen as equal. -
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was the beginning of black culture in history. It gave African American writers and artists control over the way that black culture was represented in history. -
Universal Negro Improvement Association (Marcus Garvey)
The Universal Negro Improvement Association was the beginning of black nationalism. This idea was significant because it was a dedication to racial pride and overall black pride. -
Dawes Plan
The Dawes plan was a way for Native Americans to assimilate into modern America. This was significant because it was a way that Americans bought the land they had and tried to force them into social traditions in the American way of life. -
Immigration Act
The Immigration Act of 1924 limited the number of immigrants allowed into the United States. The significance of this was that the quota of immigrants led to immigration visas and allowed the government to keep the numbers of people coming in to a minimum while trying to build a country ready for millions of people. -
Scopes Trial
The Scopes Trial was important because there was a law in Tennessee banning the teaching of evolution. The trial was about a man who taught evolution in order to get to court and fight for the right to teach evolution without fear of punishment. -
Transatlantic Flight
The Transatlantic Flight was the first man to fly solo, nonstop, from New York to Paris. This is significant because it was a major technological step and could be advanced into commercial airlines as we know it now. -
The Jazz Singer
The Jazz Singer was the first movie length film where people spoke. This was significant because it was the end of silent-film era and blossomed into movies we know now. -
Kellogg-Briand Pact
The Kellogg-Briand Pact was important because it prevented war being used to dispute conflicts. This pact established war as a more serious case rather than a way to end minor conflict that could be solved in court or government. -
Stock Market Crash
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 was said to have helped cause the Great Depression. This crash was so important because it led to global economic crash, American bankruptcy, and 30% of the workforce in America being unemployed. -
St. Valentines Day Massacre
The St.Valentines Day Massacre was a mass murder of a group of bootleggers in Chicago. This was significant because it showed the rivalry for control of bootlegging alcohol during a time of prohibition. -
Bonus Army
The Bonus Army was a group of around 20,000 World War I veterans who met in Washington D.C. demanding bonus pay for their help in the war. This is significant because it showed the negative impacts that the Great Depression had on every in America's pay and the hostility to make life better again soon. -
"Hundred Days"
The "Hundred Days" were the first 100 days of Roosevelts presidency. He was in a position where he had to design Congress initiatives that would help the country and Americans get out of the Great Depression and try to successfully recover. -
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Adminstration was created to build public works such as bridges, hospitals, dams and schools. This was important because it provided jobs, power and hoped to revive the economy. -
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority was an agency created that would aid in planting trees, building dams, better farming methods. It was important because it helped with electricity, jobs and conservation of water power. -
Emergency Banking Relief Act
The Emergency Banking Relief Act was aimed to help banks and give more control to the president to help them stimulate the economy. This act was important because it gave the banks an emergency currency backed by assets of a regulated bank. -
U.S. off gold standard
The importance of the U.S. going off the gold standard is that there was not enough gold to keep up with the amount of money needed in the United States. The U.S. abandoned the standard in hopes to get rid of inflation. -
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps aimed to provide jobs in natural conservation for young unmarried men, This is important because it was an effort to get unemployed people working again. -
Federal Emergency Relief Act
The Federal Emergency Relief Act was one of the first initiatives by Roosevelt to boost and work with states to provide federal grants for economic relief throughout the country. This was significant because it was the beginning of trying to help Americans and the country recover. -
National Industrial Recovery Act
The National Industrial Recovery Act was passed by Congress in order to regulate fair wages and prices in the industry. This was important because it was passed in order to help the nation stimulate economic recovery. -
Civil Works Administration
The Civil Works Administration was a program established to create manual-labor jobs for the millions of unemployed workers. This was significant because it was a temporary job for those who lost their jobs due to the Great Depression. -
Second New Deal
The Second New Deal was a program that was set up to provide Social Security Act, Union protection programs, and aid to farmers and migrant works. This was important because it helped stimulate the citizens. -
Social Security Act
The Social Security Act was a system established to aid old-age benefits, victims of work related accidents, unemployment, dependent mothers, and those who are handicapped. This was beneficial because it created assistance for those that can't work and ensured they were still receiving money to live off of. -
Jesse Owens wins four gold medals
The 1936 olympics were significant when Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track. This was important because it was held in Germany in the heart of Nazi and Hitlers reign. -
Neutrality Act (Cash and Carry)
The Cash and Carry Neutrality Acts were significant because it stated that other countries could buy products from the United States but that they couldn't buy any weapon. This was significant because it proved the United States ability to be neutral and not influence any war. -
Destroyers for Bases Deal
The Destroyers for Bases Deal was an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom. This deal was 50 US Navy destroyers that were transferred to the Royal Navy in exchange for British land. -
Lend-Lease Act
The Lend-Lease Act was an act that showed that the United Staes would lend military aid to any country whose safety was vital for the United States security. This was significant because it created allies, the idea was that the United States would provide aid to a country that would benefit them. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
The significance behind the attacks on Pearl Harbor were showing the United States were not ready and armed as a military. This caused a unity within the country where people pulled together in order to get ready for a war and make sure that their country was in good hands. -
Midway
The battle that occurred to protect Midway was a major point in World War II in the Pacific. It ruined Japan's plans of neutralizing United States in hopes to use their naval power. -
Rationing Begins
Rationing began to help the United States be more successful in World War II. This rationing was with supplies such as gasoline, butter, canned milk all in effort to save in case of lack of products throughout the war. -
D-Day
D-Day was a military invasion that begin to end World War II. It was important because within a year after D-Day the allies accepted the Nazi Germany's surrender, ending World War II. -
Korematsu v. United States
The case of Korematsu v. United States was to prevent Japanese immigrants from participating in the war in Japan. This was important for many reasons because it was to prevent spies, or the killing of people of their heritage. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was a conference to discuss plans for the future of the world. This was significant because it was the start of the Cold War with Russia. -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was important because it was a meeting between President Truman and Stalin in which Truman expressed that the United States had successfully detonated the first atomic bomb. This was to ensure that the Soviet Union understood what power the United States has. -
V-E Day (May 9th)
V-E Day was observed to commemorate the day the Surender of Nazi Germany to allied forced and the end of World War II in Europe. -
V-J Day (August 15th)
V-J Day was a day of celebration for the victory in World War II. This was significant because the allies being U.S., Britain, and others were victorious over Japan. -
Iron Curtain Speech
The Iron Curtain Speech was a speech that unified Americans as an anti-communist country. It was significant because it led to Americas perspective on the Soviet Union. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine established that the United States would help provide political, military or economic aid for any democratic nation that is dealing with threat from other countries. This was important because they were providing aid in hopes it would stop the spread of communism. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a plan to aid countries who were suffering economically after World War II. This is important because many countries were having to take aid from the Soviet Union who in turn was requiring the spread of communism, in hopes to stop this they believed helping economically so that other countries wouldn't have to rely on the soviets would benefit everyone. -
Containment Policy
The Containment Policy was a strategy to help prevent the spread of communism that highlighted the negative effects of it. The policy was important because the Soviet Union was planning to spread communism throughout Eastern Europe, China, Korea and Vietnam. -
NATO Formed
The NATO was an important step for the United States because it was a group of countries who agreed to stop the spread of communism. These countries would provide security to countries that couldn't defend themselves so that there would be less spread. -
China Goes Red
China going red was important to the Cold War because they denied the USSR's policy and aided the communist North Korea. This was where America began to aid South Korea in what was now seen as the Korean War. -
Korean War Begins
The Korean War was important in the Cold War because the Soviet Union was fighting for North Korea and the United States were fighting for South Korea. This meant that the two superpowers were now fighting a "war" not in their home countries. -
Alger Hiss Convicted
The conviction of Alger Hiss was significant because it was a case based around a Soviet spy in the government during World War II. He served in a spy ring for the Soviets before and during World War II while holding a position in American government. -
Rosenberg's Convicted of Espionage
The Rosenbergs were convicted of Espionage for revealing atomic secrets to Soviet spies during and after World War II. This case is significant because they were passing on secrets to the enemies about what the United States was doing only giving the Soviet's a leg up. -
McCarthy Allegations
McCarthy allegations are accusations made of subversion or treason without having evidence. -
SEATO Formed
The SEATO formation was important because it was another alliance that hoped to stop the spread of communism into these areas. These areas included were United States, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Philippines, Thailand and Pakistan, which meant a new spot of land that the Soviet's couldn't target. -
Domino Theory
The Domino Theory originated form a speech that President Eisenhower gave. This term was significant because it became known as an expression of how important it was to aid South Vietnam and the need to stop the spread of communism. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was significant as it was the beginning of integration in the United States. This boycott was a 13 month long protest which began with Rosa Parks being arrested for not sitting in the assigned colored people rows. -
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was significant in changing the values and morals of the white American society. As a musician who also served in the military he created a new sound of music and changed the way of life for many people. -
Sputnik I
Sputnik I was the beginning of the space age. It was the first human-made object to to be successfully launched into space and it was done by the Soviet Union, giving them a head start into the race to space. -
Berlin Crisis
The Berlin Crisis began when the USSR demanded that all armed forces be pulled from Berlin. This was significant because it caused the erection of the Berlin Wall which separated West Berlin from East Berlin. -
U-2 Incident
The U2 Incident was significant because it can be said to have elongated to the Cold War and peace. It is the case of an American U-2 spy plane being shot down while trying to spy on the Soviet Union. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was signifiant because it was a failed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba. It was a fail because the B-26 bombers were unable to wipe out all of Castro's airfields and the Cuban exile fleet hid a coral reed, damaging the boats. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was significant because it was the closest that the two superpowers came to a nuclear war. It was a dangerous confrontation following America's attempt to overthrow communism and Castro in Cuba. -
James Meredith (University of Mississippi)
James Meredith is significant because he was the first African American student at the University of Mississippi. He was a civil rights activist who fought in order to get the same higher education as the white people had. -
Gideon v. Wainwright
The case of Gideon v. Wainwright was the case where the Supreme Court ruled that if a person was not able to hire an attorney they would be given an attorney in order to receive a fair trial. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Acts can be said to be one of the most significant acts because it banned segregation and employee discrimination on race, gender, religion, or color. This was important because it was a new life for African-Americans who could integrate and women who were now able to apply for any job that only a man could previously hold. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was significant because it gave President Johnson the authority to take any necessary measures to protect the United States from any forced to prevent further problems. -
Great Society
The Great Society was a set of policies with hopes to eliminate poverty, and racial injustice within the United States. This was significant because its goal was to improve the environment for those in poverty, those of color or anyone living in the major cities because it aimed to reduce crime. -
Miranda v. Arizona
The Miranda v. Arizona trial is significant because it led to what is now known as the Miranda rights. It stated that when a criminal suspect is being detained they must be informed of their rights such as a right to an attorney. -
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was the first African American Supreme Court justice. This is signifiant because he helped to end segregation and worked on the case of Brown v. Board of Education. -
MLK, Jr. Assassinated
The assassination of MLK Jr. was significant because it led to an uproar of angry African-Americans in the country. They were hurt and doubtful but his death helped speed up the process to finally integrate in housing, schools, and day to day life. -
Tet Offensive
Tet Offensive was important because it was the beginning of the end of public support for the U.S. in Vietnam.The offense was created to end the conflict. -
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai massacre was significant because it was a point for antiwar and the United States desperation to end war. A group of armed American soldiers killed a majority of the population of My Lai. -
SALT
The SALT Treaty was to restrain air missiles and nuclear weapons. It was significant because it allowed each side to crate two defense sites in case of missile fights. -
Massive Demonstrations Against Vietnam War
The demonstrations against Vietnam war were significant because it was the first time that the people in America expressed their feelings about a war. They were fed up and felt that it wasn't our fight anymore, they wanted the government to pull out. -
Kent State Shooting
The Kent State shooting was important because it showed the deep divide in the nation about thoughts on the Vietnam war. Four students were shot and killed by military forces while protesting along campus. -
Nixon Opens Relation with China
The opening of relations with China was important because he was hoping to gain leverage of the Soviet Union. Nixon's goal in total was to resolve the war as he could tell that his country was no longer backing him. -
Nixon Resigns
The Nixon resignation was important because he was facing the Watergate scandal and said that he wouldn't have political or congressional support to carry out the actions he needed to as the president. -
South Vietnam Falls to Communists
South Vietnam falling to communism was due to lack of air support and weapons. It was the end of the Vietnam war but the spread of communism issue still remained. -
American Hostages in Iran Released
The hostages in Iran being released was significant because it showed that the hostage-takers were rather just punishing them because of Carter's support for Shah. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
The importance behind the Strategic Defense Initiative is strictly protection. The initiative was designed to protect the United States from nuclear weapons. -
Iran-Contra Arms Deal
The Iran-Contra Arms Deal is significant because it led to people wanting Reagan impeached. The Deal was that Reagan sold arms to Iran secretly in exchange for the hostage Americans, and then in turn used the money to illegally support right-wing insurgents that were based in Nicaragua. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
The Fall of the Berlin Wall was significant because it symbolized the unification of the Berlin as a whole country once again. This was also seen as the end of the communist take over in Eastern Europe which would lead to the end of the Cold War. -
Germany Reunified
The Germany reunification was important because it was the official end of the Cold War. The Soviet Union had dissolved and all countries were back in tact. -
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Desert Storm was the first conflict since the Cold War. It was important because it was the first time that missiles were regularly used in fight, it created an issue but American became a superpower. -
Breakup of the USSR
The Breakup of the USSR led to a complete end to the Cold War. This was important because it was long overdue and Americans were fed up with their involvement.