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Civil War
The south was afraid that Abraham Lincoln would outlaw slavery, so they seceded from the Union. The nation was split into the Union--the north--and the Confederacy--the south. First battle was the battle of Fort Sumter. The Union had a better economy, industry, and resources; the Confederacy had better generals. The north tried to wear down the south with their Anaconda Plan, blocking their ports. Robert E. Lee led the southern troops; Ulysses S. Grant led the northern troops. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln issued a decree that freed all the slaves in the states that were still rebelling by January 1, 1863. This was intended to weaken the South and make the war worthwhile. -
13th Amendment
This constitutional amendment banned slavery in the United States. -
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Reconstruction
After the war, there was a period of rebuilding the south. 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments passed. Radical Republicans appeared in Congress and wanted to prevent former Confederates from taking power. Former confederate leaders were not allowed to take positions of power, inspiring carpetbaggers to come from the north to take government positions. -
14th Amendment
This constitutional amendment granted citizenship to anyone born or naturalized in the US. It also declared no state can deprive anyone of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. -
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Industrialization
The United States began to be the worlds leading industrial nation. Natural resources and a large workforce helped stimulate industry. New technologies such as the telephone, the electric lightbulb, and an AC system. Many Americans embraced the idea of laissez-faire. Railroads became big business and the transcontinental railroad connected the nation. Big businesses began appearing, especially in industries such as steel and oil. With the rise of big business, came the rise of industrial unions. -
15th Amendment
This consititutional amendment declared everyone the right to vote despite race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
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The Gilded Age
The US experienced rapid industrial growth, but muckrakers pointed out corruption, poverty, crime, and wealth gaps. Individualism and Social Darwinism be are powerful philosophies. The realist movement became popular in art and literature. Pop culture changed considerably and more people began going out to public entertainment. Eventually, people began trying to reform and help the urban poor with the Social Gospel, Salvation Army, YMCA, and the Settlement House movement. Public ed increased too -
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Urbanization
Cities started growing as more people, especially immigrants, began living in cities. Urban areas had more jobs, tech, and attractions. Skyscrapers started being built and people were separated by class. The middle class expanded. Working class often lived in crowded tenements. Crime, disease, and pollution became growing issues in cities. Political machines, working through graft and fraud, came about. -
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The Progressive Movement
Progressives believed that scientific principles could create solutions for the many social issues that muckrakers revealed such as extreme poverty. Groups worked to make the government more efficient and democratic; the direct primary was set up. Movements for women's suffrage, prohibition, safe working conditions, and the banning of child labor sprung up. A lot was also done to deuce the power of big businesses and trusts. Conservation also came into the spotlight. -
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Buildup of WWI
Germany formed the Triple Alliance with Italy and AusHun to protect himself from France. Franco-Russian Alliance formed against Germany. Germany became militarist, and Britain joined France and Russia in the Triple Entente out of fear. The Slavs in AusHun wanted to live in their independent nation of Serbia, and Russia supported them. Serbian terrorists killed the Archduke of AusHun. AusHun declared war on Serbia. -
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Spanish-American War
Cuba wanted independence from Spain, so they rebelled. Americans felt bad for the Cubans because of yellow journalism telling them stories of Spanish atrocities toward the Cubans. William McKinley tried to negotiate. When an American ship in Cuba called the USS Maine exploded, people demanded war, so the US went to war with Spain. American troops, including the Rough Riders, had many victories and forced Spain's surrender. America took Guam, Puerto Rico and the Phillipines but set Cuba free. -
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America enters WWI
At the beginning, America was neutral. However, thanks to propaganda, businesses and officials supported Britain with financial aid. German subs called U-boats started being used to sink supply ships from America. Subs also attacked passenger ships that had some American passengers. Germany promised to cease. Americans became angry over the Zimmerman telegram, an intercepted German message asking for a deal with Mexico. When Germany started using the subs again, America declared war. -
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WWI Begins
AusHun declared war on Serbia, so Russia declared war on AusHun, so Germany declared war on Russia and France. Germany wanted to attack France, but that would mean crossing through neutral Belgium. When he did, Britain declared war on Germany. The two groups were the Triple Entente and the Central Powers. Triple Entente: France, Russia, Britain, Italy(after 1915), and America(after 1917). Central Powers: Germany, AusHun, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. -
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World War I
At home, citizens bought war bonds and grew victory gardens to support the war. In Europe, the war was fought on two fronts, east and west, using trench warfare. New technologies such as poison gas, gas masks, and armored tanks were used. Russia left the war due to a civil war at home. Other revolutions in Germany and AusHun forced them to surrender or sign an armistice. The Treaty of Versailles was signed, punishing Germany for the war, and the League of Nations was formed. -
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Harlem Renaissance
After World War I, there was a period of African American artistic development and racial pride. Black writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston wrote popular novels and poetry. Jazz music and Blues became popular, and were often played in clubs. During this time, the NAACP still struggled to fight segregation. -
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World War II Buildup
Fascism arose in in Germany during a time of poor economics. Italy became fascist led by Mussolini, and he joined forces with Germany, led by Hitler, and Japan to keep an eye on communist groups. The three became the Axis Powers. Militarist Japan took over Manchuria, upsetting China. When Germany started taking over nearby regions, Britain and France chose to appease him. It didn't work. The Germans formed a treaty with the Soviets, but turned around against it. -
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The Great Depression
After a stock market crash and a closing of banks due to widespread risky investing, the economy hit an all time low. Many people lost their savings and many businesses shut down. Many people flocked to the West Coast for jobs and to escape the conditions of the Dust Bowl. President Hoover did not help much, so F. D. Roosevelt became president and created the New Deal to combat the poor economy. He created many new government organizations that still exist today. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
Japan launched a surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. Japanese suicide bombers called Kamikaze pilots destroyed Americans ships in the harbor. This attack led to the United States revoking their neutrality and joining the war on the side of the Allies. -
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America enters WWII
Before the war, America had declared himself neutral in international affairs, favoring a policy of isolationism. However, the U.S. still supported Britain with supplies through a loophole in policy. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, America decided to join the war. The production of military supplies stimulated the economy. Women joined the workforce. The U.S. fought Japan in the Pacific from island to island while also sending troops to Europe. After many victories and bombing, the Allies won. -
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America Bombs Japan
Throughout WWII, America was working on a new type of bomb, the work code named the Manhattan Project and taking place in Los Alamos, NM. The atomic bomb was created. When Japan refused to surrender, Truman issued a warning to the Japanese that he'd use it. They then dropped "Little Boy" on Hiroshima. Japan still refused to surrender, so "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki. Japan finally surrendered. -
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Korean War
After WWII, Korea was split into north and south along the 38th parallel. America controlled the south and the Soviets controlled the north. In the Cold War, a communist government was formed in North Korea and a democratic one in South Korea. NK, militarily backed by the Soviet Union, invaded SK. American troops were sent to aid SK. China joined in the war on NK's side. Eventually, peace was made. -
The Bay of Pigs
Fidel Castro, a Marxist, took over Cuba and formed an alliance with the Soviets. This worried America, so he trained and armed a group of Cuban exiles to invade Cuba. When the operation began, Kennedy canceled the promised American backup. The exiles' ships also ran aground and were sorely beaten. -
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The Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuba was allies with the Soviet Union. America found out that the Soviets were sending missile to Cuba, too close to home for comfort. A naval blockade was ordered to stop the delivery of more missiles and Kennedy demanded that the current missile be removed. If attacked, America would retaliate with nuclear weaponry. The US and Soviets agreed to remove the Cuban missiles as long as the Turkish missiles be removed.