Presidential Decisions
This president’s executive order freed enslaved people in the Confederate states, shifting the focus of the Civil War toward ending slavery.
Who was Abraham Lincoln?
This conflict, fought from 1861 to 1865, centered on issues of states' rights and slavery, ultimately leading to the abolition of slavery.
What was the Civil War?
This constitutional amendment formally abolished slavery throughout the United States.
What was the 13th Amendment?
This type of economic system allows private businesses to operate with little government interference, focusing on profit and competition.
What is capitalism?
The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand westward across North America was known by this name.
What was Manifest Destiny?
This 1823 policy warned European nations against interfering in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere, reinforcing U.S. influence in the region.
What was the Monroe Doctrine?
The United States officially entered this global conflict in 1917 due to aggressive naval attacks and a secret communication urging Mexico to side against the U.S.
What was World War I? (Lusitania, Zimmerman Telegram)
This Supreme Court case upheld racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine, reinforcing Jim Crow laws.
What was Plessy v. Ferguson?
This industrialist revolutionized automobile production by implementing the assembly line, making cars more affordable.
Who was Henry Ford?
This amendment granted African American men the right to vote, a major milestone in post-Civil War Reconstruction.
What was the 15th Amendment?
Theodore Roosevelt emphasized a foreign policy that relied on diplomacy backed by military strength. What was the name of this approach?
What was Big Stick Diplomacy?
The sinking of this U.S. battleship fueled public support for war against Spain, marking the beginning of American imperialism.
What was the USS Maine? (Spanish-American War)
This Civil Rights leader advocated for nonviolent resistance and led the movement to end racial discrimination, delivering a famous speech in Washington, D.C.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.? (I Have a Dream speech)
This economic disaster, triggered in 1929 by a stock market crash, led to widespread unemployment and poverty.
What was the Great Depression?
This term refers to journalists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who exposed corruption, social injustices, and unethical practices in business and government.
What were muckrakers?
Facing one of the worst economic crises in U.S. history, this president launched a sweeping set of government programs designed to provide relief, recovery, and reform.
Who was Franklin D. Roosevelt? (The New Deal)
The Treaty of Paris in 1898 ended this war and resulted in the U.S. gaining control over territories such as Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
What was the Spanish-American War?
This landmark legislation outlawed discrimination based on race, gender, and religion in public places and employment.
What was the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
This law was passed to prevent monopolies and promote fair business competition in the U.S. economy.
What was the Sherman Antitrust Act?
The nationwide movement to ban alcohol led to the passage of this amendment in 1919.
What was the 18th Amendment?
During World War II, this president faced a difficult decision that would bring an end to the war but introduce a new era of nuclear warfare.
Who was Harry Truman? (Use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki)
This long and controversial conflict in Southeast Asia sparked protests in the U.S. and ultimately ended without a clear victory
What was the Vietnam War?
This movement from the 1890s to the 1920s sought to combat corruption, improve labor conditions, and push for government accountability.
What was the Progressive Movement?
This protectionist economic policy raised tariffs on imports, harming international trade and worsening economic conditions.
What was protectionism?
This sensationalized style of journalism exaggerated news stories to influence public opinion, especially leading up to the Spanish-American War.
What was yellow journalism?
Following the Civil War, this U.S. president oversaw Reconstruction efforts, including the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, despite strong resistance from Southern states.
Who was Andrew Johnson?
During World War I, Germany used a naval warfare strategy that allowed its submarines to attack any ship, including civilian vessels, without warning. This policy was a key factor in the U.S. decision to enter the war.
What was unrestricted submarine warfare?
Congress passed this landmark legislation, which aimed to eliminate barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting.
What was the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
During the early 20th century, factory workers faced long hours, dangerous conditions, and low wages. In response, groups began organizing to demand better treatment and legal protections, leading to key labor reforms.
What was the rise of labor unions and workers’ rights movements?
Ratified in 1920, this amendment granted women the right to vote, marking a major victory for the suffrage movement.
What was the 19th Amendment?
This U.S. president promoted economic investment in Latin America instead of using military force, aiming to stabilize foreign economies while benefiting American businesses. His approach became known as Dollar Diplomacy.
What was Dollar Diplomacy, and who was William Howard Taft?
The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I but included harsh penalties against Germany that ultimately set the stage for World War II.
What were the war reparations that crippled Germany’s economy and the territorial losses that reduced its power and fueled nationalist resentment.
After the Civil War, Southern states passed restrictive laws designed to limit the rights and freedoms of formerly enslaved African Americans. What were these laws called?
What were Black Codes?
Industrialists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries developed business strategies to maximize profits and control industries. These two specific methods helped them eliminate competition and dominate markets.
What were horizontal integration (Rockefeller consolidating all oil refineries) and vertical integration (Carnegie controlling every step of steel production)?
In the early 20th century, concerns over government corruption led to a major reform in the way U.S. senators were chosen. The passage of which Amendment removed state legislatures’ power to elect senators, instead allowing citizens to vote for them directly, increasing democratic participation.
What was the 17th Amendment?