Interwar
Why did the League of Nations fail to prevent future wars?
The League of Nations failed because it had no military force to enforce its decisions, major powers like the United States never joined, and aggressive nations like Germany, Italy, and Japan ignored its authority.
Why did the United States follow isolationism after World War I?
Many Americans believed involvement in World War I had been costly and unnecessary, so they wanted to avoid future foreign conflicts and focus on domestic issues.
What was the purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?
NATO was created to provide collective security, meaning an attack on one member nation would be considered an attack on all, mainly to stop Soviet aggression.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Brown v. Board of Education?
The Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional because separate schools were inherently unequal.
What powers did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution give the president?
It gave President Johnson the power to send combat troops to Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
What was the Harlem Renaissance and why was it important?
The Harlem Renaissance was a major increase in African American artistic, literary, and musical expression during the 1920s. It celebrated Black identity and helped challenge racial stereotypes in American society.
How did the Lend-Lease Act change U.S. foreign policy?
The Lend-Lease Act allowed the U.S. to send military supplies to Allied nations, showing a shift away from neutrality and toward supporting nations fighting the Axis powers.
What was the policy of containment proposed by George Kennan?
Containment was the policy of stopping the spread of communism by preventing Soviet influence from expanding into other countries.
Why were the Little Rock Nine significant?
The Little Rock Nine showed federal enforcement of school integration when President Eisenhower sent troops to protect Black students entering a white high school.
What issues were protested during the 1960s?
Americans protested the Vietnam War, racial injustice, LGBT rights, women’s rights, and college campus policies, and environmentalism reflecting widespread demands for social change.
What environmental and economic factors caused the Dust Bowl?
The Dust Bowl was caused by severe drought and poor farming practices such as overplowing and removing prairie grass, which left the soil loose and vulnerable to wind erosion.
How did rationing affect Americans on the home front during World War II?
Rationing limited consumer goods like gasoline, meat, and sugar so resources could be used for the war effort. It required sacrifices from American families.
How did the Marshall Plan help Europe and limit communism?
The Marshall Plan gave economic aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII, strengthening economies and reducing the appeal of communism.
What were Martin Luther King Jr.’s goals?
MLK wanted peaceful integration, equal rights, and an end to segregation using nonviolent protest.
Why did the Yom Kippur War lead to an energy crisis?
Arab members of OPEC stopped selling oil to the U.S. and its allies, causing oil shortages and rising prices.
How did Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal address the Great Depression?
The New Deal created programs to provide relief for the unemployed, promote economic recovery, and reform the banking system. Programs like Social Security and the CCC helped millions of Americans.
Why did President Harry S. Truman decide to drop atomic bombs on Japan?
Truman wanted to force Japan’s surrender quickly, avoid a costly invasion, save American lives, and demonstrate U.S. military power, especially to the Soviet Union.
Why did the Second Red Scare and Joseph McCarthy gain support?
Fear of Soviet espionage and communist influence caused many Americans to support investigations into suspected communists in government and society.
How did the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington advance civil rights?
They showed the power of peaceful protest and helped build support for civil rights legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Why did Phyllis Schlafly oppose the Equal Rights Amendment?
She believed the ERA would weaken traditional gender roles and family structures, helping stop its ratification.
How did the New Deal expand the role of the federal government?
The New Deal increased federal involvement in the economy by regulating banks, creating jobs, and establishing welfare programs, making the government more responsible for economic stability.
How did World War II contribute to the Great Migration?
The war created factory jobs in northern cities, leading many African Americans to leave the South in search of better economic opportunities and less segregation.
What role did House Un-American Activities Committee and the Hollywood Ten play in the Red Scare?
HUAC investigated suspected communist influence, and the Hollywood Ten were blacklisted after refusing to testify, showing how anti-communist fears affected freedom of speech.
How did other civil rights leaders differ from MLK?
Leaders like Malcolm X and Black Power advocates often supported self-defense, Black nationalism, and faster change rather than nonviolent integration.
How did Ronald Reagan represent the rise of conservatism?
Reagan promoted lower taxes, smaller government, stronger national defense, and traditional values, helping strengthen the conservative movement in American politics.