Founding Docs
what is the Declaration of Independence ?
The Declaration of Independence is the foundational document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, announcing that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent sovereign states, no longer under British rule.
what is the Urbanization ?
Urbanization is the increasing concentration of populations into cities, shifting from rural to urban living, usually driven by employment opportunities, industrialization, and modernization.
what is the U.S.S. Maine ?
The USS Maine (ACR-1) was a United States Navy second-class battleship, commissioned in 1895, famously sunk by an explosion in Havana Harbor, Cuba, on February 15, 1898.
what is the Sacco and Vanzetti ?
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian-born anarchists executed in 1927 for a 1920 armed robbery and murder in Massachusetts.
what is the Sputnik/Space Race ?
The Sputnik/Space Race was a 20th-century Cold War competition (roughly 1957–1969) between the USSR and the USA for superiority in space exploration
what is the July 4th, 1776 ?
July 4, 1776, is the day the Continental Congress approved the final draft of the Declaration of Independence.
what is the Tenement Housing ?
Tenement housing refers to low-cost, multi-family, 5–7 story apartment buildings, common in 19th and early 20th-century cities (notably NYC), designed to house rapid influxes of immigrant workers.
what is the Panama Canal ?
The Panama Canal is an 82-kilometer (51-mile) artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
what is the Roaring Twenties ?
The "Roaring Twenties" is a term for the 1920s decade, specifically in the United States and other Western countries, characterized by significant economic prosperity, rapid social change, technological innovation, and a vibrant cultural scene following World War I.
what is the Containment ?
Containment is the act, process, or policy of preventing the spread or expansion of something dangerous, hostile, or undesirable, such as a wildfire, disease, or hostile nation.
what is the Mayflower Compact ?
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony, signed on November 21, 1620, by 41 English colonists aboard the Mayflower.
what is the Knights of Labor/AF of L ?
The Knights of Labor (K of L) was the first major, inclusive 19th-century American labor movement (founded 1869), organizing skilled/unskilled workers, women, and minorities.
what is the Big Stick Policy ?
The Big Stick Policy, or "Big Stick Diplomacy," was Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy (1901–1909) emphasizing peaceful negotiations ("speak softly") backed by the credible threat of military force ("a big stick").
what is the Consumerism ?
Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts, often equating personal happiness and status with material possessions.
what is the Truman Doctrine/Marshall Plan ?
The Truman Doctrine (1947) and Marshall Plan (1948) were foundational US Cold War policies to contain Soviet expansion by providing economic/military aid ($13+ billion) to rebuild Western Europe, prevent communist spread, and secure democratic stability.
what is the Northwest Ordinance ?
The Northwest Ordinance, adopted on July 13, 1787, by the Confederation Congress, established the framework for governing the Northwest Territory—the land west of the Appalachians, south of the Great Lakes, north of the Ohio River, and east of the Mississippi.
what is the Sharecropping ?
Sharecripping is an agricultural system, prevalent in the post-Civil War American South, where landowners allow tenants to use land and tools in exchange for a large share of the harvested crop.
what is the Good Neighbor Policy?
The Good Neighbor Policy was a 1930s U.S. foreign policy initiative under President Franklin D. Roosevelt designed to foster friendly relations with Latin America, emphasizing non-intervention and mutual cooperation.
what is the Buying on Margin ?
Buying on margin is borrowing money from a brokerage to purchase securities, using existing account equity as collateral.
what is the Second Red Scare ?
The Second Red Scare (late 1940s–1950s) was a period of intense anti-communist paranoia in the US, driven by Cold War fears of Soviet expansion, spy scandals, and communist infiltration.
what is the Federalists ?
he Federalists were advocates for a strong centralized U.S. government and supporters of the ratification of the Constitution (1787–1789).
what is the Political Machines ?
A political machine is a highly organized party group, led by a single boss or small clique, that commands enough votes to maintain political and administrative control of a city, county, or state.
what is the League of Nations ?
The League of Nations was the first worldwide intergovernmental organization founded on January 10, 1920, following World War I to maintain world peace, promote international cooperation, and ensure collective security.
what is the Black Tuesday ?
Black Tuesday refers to October 29, 1929, the most devastating stock market crash in U.S. history, marking the end of the "Roaring Twenties" and signaling the start of the Great Depression.
what is the HUAC ?
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was a standing investigative committee of the U.S. House of Representatives (1938–1975) tasked with identifying subversion and disloyalty, particularly regarding communist influence in the U.S..