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Pendleton Civil Service Act
This act stated that positions within the federal government should be rewarded on the basis of merit instead of political affiliation. Before this act people were given positions in the government based on who they knew. This prevented the people who deserved the job for getting it. This act helped to stop this form happening as often and gave consequence to those who still took part in it.
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Plessy v. Ferguson
U.S. Supreme Court case from 1896 that upheld the rights of states to pass laws allowing or even requiring racial segregation in public and private institutions such as schools, public transportation, restrooms, and restaurants. This court case all began when a black shoemaker by the name of Homer Plessy refused to leave the all white train car. During this time period there were two of everything, one for blacks and one for whites. This case ruled " Separate but Equal." -
Meat Inspection Act
The broadest public attention to the Chicago packinghouses came with the work of Upton Sinclair and his book "The Jungle." This booked exposed the deplorable conditions in the meat industry. These condition were so bad that the president became involved and created the Meat Inspection Act. This act insured that meat products are slaughtered and processed in sanitary conditions.
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Schenck v. U.S.
Charles T. Schenck printed and distributed 15000 leaflets calling drafted men to resist military service. He was arrested and tried, convicted and sentenced to 10 years. The court ruled that the Constitution's First Amendment could be restricted if the words spoken or printed represented to society a “clear and present danger.”
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Scoped Trial
High school teacher John Thomas Scopes was charged because he was teaching about evolution in his high school class room. Tennessee had law against this in hopes that it would prevent modernist ideas form infiltrating their school system. The traditionalist did not agree with what was happening in the class room so he was removed from his position and charged for breaking the law.
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Bonus Army
45000 WWI veterans marched on Washington in hops that congress would authorize imitate bond payments that they had been promised for the loses they suffered during WWI. Congress refused to pay the bonus and the army pushed them away. Congress didn't authorize their payments until 1945.
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Court Packing
President Franklin Roosevelt announces plan to expand the Supreme Court to 15 seats. Stating that by doing this it will the the court more efficient. Critics immediately said was trying to “pack” the court and neutralize Supreme Court justices not accepting to his "New Deal" plan. This would then give more power to the Executive branch of the government, completely trashing the checks and balances system.
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Manhattan Project
Manhattan project was the code name for the research and development of the nuclear war heads during the cold war. This project was started in response in fear that Germany was working on a weapon using nuclear technology. There was also a large fear that Hitler was ready to use this new weapon.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSf3GOMziOg)
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Bracero Programs
U.S. signed the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement with Mexico. During WWII many men left the home front to go fight. Many of these were farmers. These farms which proved the resources need to survive were now left vacant. To fix this issue the U.S. made a deal will Mexico to allow Mexican farm workers to come to the U.S. to manage the farms.
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Berlin Airlift
Germany was was split into East(communist) and west Germany. The capital Berlin, Germany was also split into ease and west Berlin. For the U.S. to get supplies into west Berlin they had to go through communist territory. Communist Soviets did not like this so they put up a block aid to prevent supplies from getting to west Berlin. Western Powers begin airlifts into the city to provide supplies. The airlifts flew over the block aid.
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Brown v. Board of Education
Linda Brown was denied admission into a white elementary school. Oliver Brown, Linda's father, challenged Kansas's school segregation laws in the Supreme Court. This case lasted from Dec 9, 1952 - May 17, 1954. The court ruled that "'Separate but Equal' was not Equal."
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public transit system of Montgomery, Alabama. It all began because one African American woman, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white man. This lead the African Americans to boycott the transit system by all means possible, even if it me walking 10 miles to work both ways no matter what the weather.
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Cuban Missile Crisis
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev saw an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the Soviet Union and Fidel Castro's Cuba and make good its promise to defend Cuba from the United States. This was dangerous for the United States because is put the Soviet warheads within reach of the US. Kennedy began great negotiation with the Soviets to have them removed. The settled the issue by both removing missiles close to the others homelands.
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The Feminine Mystique
The Feminine Mystique is a book written by Betty Friedan which is credited with sparking the beginning of second-wave of feminism in the United States. This book broke new ground by exploring the idea of women finding personal fulfillment outside of their traditional roles. It explored the causes of the frustrations of modern women in traditional roles.
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March on Washington
Around a quarter million people gathered at the nation's capital to demand civil rights for African-Americans. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was one of the largest political rallies in history. This is also the event at which Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. This speech called for an eradication of racism in all aspects of life.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q_I_2m5TbA)
