World War I
(1) Germany tried to encourage Mexico to attack the United States to get back lost territory. They sent this message to them in the Zimmerman Telegram.
(2) The Germans invaded Belgium and treated the Belgians very badly. This was propagandized in English-language newspapers.
(3) The Germans sank a US passenger boat called the Lusitania and killed many Americans onboard.
(4) American businessmen lent a lot of money to the British and French governments and put pressure on the US government to help get their money back.
What are the reasons for US entry to World War I?
What is Black Friday?
Attack on Oahu by the Japanese. Immediate cause of US entry into World War II.
What is Pearl Harbor?
The United States decided to help countries (like Greece and Turkey) contain domestic communist groups. The US gave these countries a lot of money to help them do this.
What is the Truman Doctrine?
Civil Rights activist that tried to help Black Americans gain more rights through nonviolent protest and civil disobedience. He led a march through Selma, Alabama, where many people were beaten and arrested. He also led a big protest on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for job opportunities and political freedoms. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.
Who is the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?
World government group that was supposed to bring countries together to talk to each other and avoid conflict. Unfortunately, many strong countries didn't join (USA - chose not to, Soviet Union - didn't want to, Germany - not allowed to). They also didn't have a military force to enforce their rules. The countries that did join couldn't agree on anything.
What is the League of Nations?
President that ignored the problems of Americans. He did not believe that the government should be where people look toward for help.
Who is Herbert Hoover?
Supreme Court Case over treatment of a group of Americans of Asian descent. The Supreme Court decided that this was legal due to "clear and present danger" from World War II. In the 1980s, the US government would pay each person involved $20,000 in reparations.
What is Korematsu v. United States?
The United States gave money to European countries to help them rebuild after World War II. This was supposed to help contain the spread of communism and to give the US more places to export goods.
What is the Marshall Plan?
This person looked at other forms of protests during the Civil Rights movement and did not think they were working. Instead of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience, this person wanted to use forceful (even violent) action to make change for Black Americans. This person led the Black Nationalist movement that wanted self-determination for Black people. Groups like the Black Panther Party which provided social services and protection for Black people were inspired by him.
Who is Malcolm X?
Main causes for world war I the start of World War I. Made up of four long-term causes and one immediate (short-term cause).
What is MANIA?
Severe ecological problems where the environment became very dry. The wind created big dust storms and many farms failed. Many people abandoned the Great Plains and moved to California.
What is the Dust Bowl?
The United States did not originally want to get involved in World War II. These laws were supposed to prevent the United States from entering the war or getting involved in European affairs.
What are the Neutrality Acts?
This group is made up of countries in Europe and North America. This group started in 1949 to help defend against the Soviet Union. Countries that are part of this group agree that "an attack against one country is an attack against all of them."
What is NATO?
Supreme Court case that led to desegregation of schools across the United States. This case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson by deciding that separate facilities for Black and white Americans were never actually equal (only separate).
What is Brown vs. Board of Education?
Supreme Court Case that ruled that freedom of speech can be reduced during times of war.
What is Schenck v. United States?
A series of programs created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. These programs were supposed to improve the economy and help people live better, healthier lives. Some programs included the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) which helped the environment, Works Progress Administration (WPA) which helped people find jobs, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) which provided financial help to the elderly and disabled.
What is the New Deal?
This law allowed the United States to get war materials (bullets, guns, food, etc.) to France and Great Britain so long as they were returned later. This policy was accompanied with the idea of "cash and carry" that required these countries to come to the US to get them (the US would not deliver).
What is the Lend-Lease Act?
These are when two countries fight against each other using another country. During the Cold War the United States and the Soviet Union fought several of these to expand their spheres of influence. The United States wanted to contain communism. The Soviet Union wanted to spread communism. The two most important of these are Vietnam and Korea.
What are proxy wars?
These tried to help Americans during the post-world war period when the economy grew very quickly and American society became very economically unequal. Some of the programs that were included during this included Medicare and Medicaid (healthcare for the elderly and the poor) and Head Start and other education programs (investments for poor kids, more special education services, and more learning materials).
What are Great Society programs?
President Woodow Wilson's plan for the world after the war. As part of this, Wilson was trying to achieve world peace, end slavery, and get all the strong countries to join a new group called the League of Nations.
What are the Fourteen Points?
President Roosevelt was afraid that his new laws would not be approved by the Supreme Court. His plan was to add more judges to the Supreme Court that would support his ideas.
What is court packing?
Caused a lot of damage in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Ended World War II. The United States was significantly criticized for doing this. Other countries started trying to make their own versions.
What is the atomic bomb?
This is when nuclear weapons spread from one country to another. During the Cold War many countries wanted to make sure that nuclear weapons did not spread after seeing what happened at the end of World War II. One example of when this almost happened was during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the Soviet Union sent nuclear weapons to Cuba, 90 miles away from the United States. They did this because the United States put nuclear weapons in Turkey.
What is nuclear proliferation?
Laws that were passed to expand rights to Black Americans. These laws helped protect Black Americans' voting rights (Voting Rights Act), end segregation (Civil Rights Act), and increase access to housing (Fair Housing Act).
What is civil rights legislation?