1890-1945 Padlet by Lucy Jochaniewicz

Anti-Imperialists League (June 15th, 1898)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:26:47 UTC

The Anti-Imperialist League formed to fight the US annexation of the Philippines. Founded by Gamaliel Bradford with first president being George Boutwell, the league argued that annexing other countries was constitutional, a violation of the Declaration of Independence, and subvert American ideals. The League ultimately failed to prevent an imperialistic US, but the league continued on to the 1920s. The Anti-Imperialists League was significant because it formed a mass movement against the US current foreign policy which would spark future protests and organizations against US foreign policy.

Pearl Harbor (December 7th, 1941)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:27:31 UTC

Pearl Harbor was an American naval base on Honolulu, Hawaii that was attacked by Japanese bombers, which caused 2,403 U.S. personal to die. This event is significant because it gave America a clear reason to join the war and attack the Axis Powers.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points (January 8th 1918)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:28:04 UTC

Wilson’s Fourteen Points was a statement on principles for peace given by Woodrow Wilson. The significance of this event was that these principles would be used to negotiate peace terms in order to end WWI.

Imperialism (1898)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:28:15 UTC

Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force. From 1898 to 1901 the United States went from being a former outpost of the British Empire to an imperial power in its own right. It claimed territory or influence over no fewer than five islands outside its territorial boundaries.

Significance- The United States looked to expand its political, social, and economic influence to other territories and countries.

Woodrow Wilson’s Presidency (March 4th, 1913-March 4th, 1921)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:28:18 UTC

Woodrow Wilson led the US into WWI in 1917 and he was the leading architect of the League of Nations, and he had a progressive foreign policy. During his presidency he enacted many acts such as the Federal Reserve Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 due to his idea of the League of Nations. Post-WWI, Wilson’s plan for rebuilding, the 14 points, was rejected by Europe. Wilson’s presidency is significant because he changed economic policies and led the US into a major world war, and because of his creation of the League of Nations.

Teddy Roosevelt’s Presidency (September 14th, 1901 - March 4th, 1909)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:28:34 UTC

Teddy Roosevelt’s Presidency was filled with major conservative policies and the establishment of reserved land to protect the nations resources. The significance of his presidency was that he increased the power of the executive branch by using his power without being questioned first.

Great Migration (1916-1970)

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:28:44 UTC

The Great Migration initiated in World War I and it is characterized by the mass amounts of African Americans that moved north. It slowed down during the Great Depression years in the 1930s however is sparked back up immediately after, especially during World War II. Unlike in past years, around 50% of America’s African American population lived in northern cities whereas before, around 90% lived in the rural south. Economic lives where organized through sharecropping in the south while industrial northern jobs pulled people to the north. Some cities that absorbed the most amount of African Americans include Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and New York City.

Harlem Renaissance (1918-1937)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:28:46 UTC

The Harlem Renaissance was a development of the Harlem neighborhood in New York where African American music, dance, fashion, art, and literature flourished. Black leaders thought that if black art was revived in a positive light, then it would enhance black communities and lessen the racist atmosphere. The Harlem Renaissance is significant because it brought in a new sense of pride for black Americans, which would build the foundation for the future civil rights movement.

18th Amendment (January 18th, 1919)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:28:53 UTC

The 18th Amendment or Prohibition, which made the manufacture, transportation, or sale of alcohol illegal, was conceived by Wayne Wheeler and later passed through the House and Senate. The 18th Amendment was significant because it brought the Prohibition Era to America in which secret crime rate rose because it was impossible to enforce the law across the country.

World War I (July 28, 1914- November 11, 1918)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:29:00 UTC

World War I started in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. It was a global conflict between the Allies (France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and later joined by the United States and others) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). The U.S. entered the war when Germany attacked U.S. ships. The Treaty of Versailles officially ended the war and imposed heavy penalties on Germany and redrew national boundaries.

Significance- It led to the fall of four great imperial dynasties (in Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey), and laid the groundwork for World War II

Zimmerman Telegram (Jan. 16, 1917)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:29:11 UTC

The Zimmerman Telegram was a secret message from Germany to Mexico promising US territory should Mexico align with Germany during WWI. Ultimately, Mexico did not accept the Zimmerman Telegram because Mexico was in the middle of a civil war and knew that the US would win in a fight against them. Americans felt threatened by the Zimmerman Telegram because it meant to bring the war to US soil, which ultimately persuaded the US to join the war. The Zimmerman Telegram is significant because the recovering of it is considered as one of Britain’s greatest intelligence coup in WWI and because it pushed the US to join the war.

Sedition Act of 1918 (May 16th, 1918)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:29:14 UTC

The Sedition Act of 1918 was made by A. Mitchell Palmer, who was the U.S.’s attorney general, and it limited United States citizens’ freedom of speech during war time. This Act was significant because it led to citizens disliking the government because of this limit to their constitutional right.

Red Scare (1917)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:29:30 UTC

The first Red Scare occurred immediately after World War I. It was an intense fear of communism in the U.S. after the Russian Revolution. People were worried about the spread of communist ideas and the potential threat they posed to society. This led to widespread suspicion, government breakdowns, and the persecution of individuals suspected of being communist.

Significance- The Red Scare led to the deportation of many people and Americans now feared communists and assumed any immigrant or member of a labor union was one.

World War II (1939-1945)

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:29:38 UTC

World War II involved two groups known as the Axis powers and the Allies. Among the Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan while the Allies included France, Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. It is known as the most deadliest war in history with over 50 million dead. What prompted the U.S. to become involved in the war was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The conflict arose partly because of the Great Depression but also because of the tensions left unresolved in World War I. Additionally, the war officially began when Adolf Hitler (Nazi Germany) invaded Poland in 1939. Japan surrendered to the U.S. after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, prompting the end of the war. During WWII, the Holocaust was also taking place in Germany which resulted in 6 million Jews killed in Nazi concentration camps. As a result of the war, the United Nations formed in order to promote and ensure worldwide peace.

Isolationism (1930’s)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:29:42 UTC

Isolationism was the belief that the U.S. should stay out of European and Asian politics and conflicts. Isolationism was brought from the damages the U.S. gained from supporting the Western European nations in WWI and U.S. citizens not wanting to send U.S. soldiers to die in a war they are not apart of.

Bonus Army (July 28, 1932)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:29:43 UTC

The Bonus Army was a group of more than 20,000 WWI veterans and affiliates who marched to Washington DC during the Great Depression to demand what the government owed them for their war service. The government responded by sending the US Army to use force to disperse the marchers. After a brick was thrown, the peace was gone and two marchers were shot by the Army. The Bonus Army is significant because it ruined the reputation for President Hoover, who sent the army and later lost the next election, and because it laid the foundation for the 1944 GI Bill.

National Socialist (Nazi) Party (February 20th, 1920)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:30:11 UTC

The Nazi Party was a political party in Germany that later came to power through the use of numbers and intimidation. This is the political party in which Hitler came to power and spread his anti-Semitic and racist ideologies and corrupted the Germany government and people.

The Great Depression (1929-1939)

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:30:12 UTC

The worldwide crisis known as the Great Depression took place when millions of people from all around the world lost their jobs. Countries that were effected include Japan, Chile, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, and evidently, the United States. Chile, which relied on mineral exports, collapsed and caused joblessness which the government could do little for. German industries went bankrupt and millions were laid off their jobs while Great Britain experiences hunger and unemployment. Canada experienced unemployment as well. In the United States, the combined impact of the stock market crash and a continuous farm depression led to the rapid decline of industrial production since there were no demands for goods. People refer to this period as a national paralysis.

Fair Labor Standards Act (Oct. 24, 1938)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:30:14 UTC

The Fair Labor Standards Act, enacted by Franklin D. Roosevelt was an act that established the minimum wage of 40 cents an hour, the minimum working age of 16, and a maximum workweek of 40 hours, and banned child labor. The Act created better working conditions for workers by setting federal standards. The Fair Labor Standards Act is significant because it provided for the protection of children’s education and the making of a healthier working environment.

Manhattan Project (August 13, 1942)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:30:19 UTC

The Manhattan Project was a program of research and development undertaken during World War II to produce the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States in collaboration with the United Kingdom and with support from Canada. Their main goal was to build an atomic bomb, and to build one before the Germans did.

Significance- the advent of nuclear weapons helped bring an end to World War II and ushered the atomic age

Scopes Trial (July 21st, 1925)

250222tw — 2024-01-30 19:30:30 UTC

The Scopes Trial was a trial between The State of Tennessee and John Thomas Scopes. In the trail Scopes was convicted for teaching the Theory of Evolution and fined $100. This trial was significant because it showed the clash between traditional and modern American values.

Marshall Plan (April 1948-December 1951)

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:30:47 UTC

Named after Secretary of State George Marshall, the Marshall Plan proposed that the United States would provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of post-war Europe. In other words, it was a European Recovery Program that provided US economic assistance to European nations. The Marshall Plan experienced great success with the Western European countries experiencing stability and economic success. The aid provided by the US was much needed capital and material that enabled certain European countries to rebuild their economies. For the United States, it just provided more markets for American goods which created reliable trading partners. Additionally, the Marshall Plan also aimed to keep those nations out of the Soviet Union’s sphere of influence.

Yalta & Potsdam Conference (May 8th, 1945)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:30:47 UTC

The Yalta & Potsdam Conference was a conference held by the Big Three—Stalin, Churchill, and Truman—to discuss terms for the end of WWII. The conference planned how to reorganize Europe, especially Germany and Poland. The Conference is significant because it resulted in the dividing of Germany and Berlin into four allied zones and allowed Poland to fall under communist control, which will eventually lead to the Cold War.

FDR’s New Deal (March 9, 1933)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:30:53 UTC

FDR’s New Deal included new constraints and safeguards on the banking industry and efforts to re-inflate the economy after prices had fallen sharply. New deal programs helped improve the lives of people suffering from the events of the depression. It included initiatives like the creation of jobs, financial reforms, social welfare programs, anf infrastructure programs.

Significance- The New Deal programs set a precedent for the federal government to play a key role in the economic and social affairs of the nation

Spanish-American War (1898)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:31:08 UTC

The Spanish American War was a 3 month war in 1898 between the U.S. and Spain. It was fought in Cuba and the Philippines and ultimately ended Spain’s colonial power in the New World. As a result, the US annexed Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. The war solidified the U.S. as a major power in the western hemisphere.

“Open-Door” Policy (1899)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:31:28 UTC

The “Open-Door” Policy was proposed by the U.S. in 1899. Under the policy, all nations would have equal opportunities to trade with China. It was an attempt by the United States to establish an international protocol of equal privileges for all countries trading with China and to support China’s territorial and administrative integrity.

Significance- prevented any one nation from monopolizing trade with China and outlined the U.S. policy toward China

Treaty of Versailles WW1 (1919)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:31:29 UTC

Definition- The Treaty of Versailles was a treaty signed by Gerry and the Allied powers that formally ended WW1.
People- The Big Four met to negotiate the treaty. These men were Lloyd George of Britain, Vittorio Emanuele Orlando of Italy, Clemenceau of France, and President Woodrow Wilson.
Significance- The treaty formally ended WW1, and also required Germany to pay reparations for the damage and harm caused during the war. The treaty also indirectly caused the breakout of WW2.

Hiroshima & Nagasaki Bombings (August 6, 1945)

250107lj — 2024-01-30 19:31:37 UTC

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings were two atomic bombs that the US detonated over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The US dropped the bombs to get a quick surrender from the Japanese and to get a quick end to the war. However, the bombings devastated the Japanese towns and led to an estimated combined 280,000 deaths along with radiation-poisoned survivors. The Bombings are significant because it led to the end of World War II and showed the world the terrifying capabilities of nuclear weapons, which will eventually lead to the Cold War.

Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:31:41 UTC

The Neutrality Acts aimed to keep the United States out of war. They enforced the prohibition on selling arms to any side and made it illegal for Americans to travel on a belligerent ship. Congress wanted to believe the United States would stay out of all entanglements with other countries. These acts also declared that nonmilitary material could be sold to a nation at war only on a “cash and carry” basis. This ensured that there were no loans to belligerents and that all goods brought in the U.S. had to be taken out of the country in non-U.S. ships. It basically sought to avoid issues with other countries but at the same time protect the U.S. trade industry.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Presidency (1933-1945)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:31:51 UTC

Franklin D. Roosevelt was president of the U.S. from 1933-1945. He had the longest presidency of any president in U.S. history, serving 3 terms. He helped steer the US economy back to normal after the harm caused by the Great Depression. He implemented the New Deal, which was a series of economic reforms between 1933-1938 that helped boost the U.S. economy. He helped propel the US into WW2 and led them to a victory over the Axis Powers.

Lend-Lease Act (March 11, 1941)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:31:55 UTC

Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act on March 11, 1931. The act stated that the legislation gave President Franklin D. Roosevelt the powers to sell, transfer, exchange, and lend equipment to any country to help it defend itself against the Axis powers.

Significance- Gave President Roosevelt virtually unlimited authority to direct material aid such as ammunition, tanks, airplanes, trucks, and food to the war effort in Europe without violating the nation’s official position of neutrality

19th Amendment/Women’s Suffrage (1920)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:32:10 UTC

Definition- the 19th Amendment was an amendment ratified in 1920 that gave women the right to vote and stated that no gender should be excluded from voting.
Significance - Women’s suffrage produced the largest one-time increase in voters ever. It increased equality among women and men across the US, bringing the nation closer all together.

Roosevelt Corollary (1904)

250145sm — 2024-01-30 19:32:16 UTC

The Roosevelt Corollary was an addition to the Monroe Doctrine. The corollary stated that the nations of the Western Hemisphere were not open to colonization by European powers and the United States had the responsibility to preserve order and protect life and property in those countries.

Significance- the Roosevelt Corollary justified U.S. military intervention in Latin America if necessary to forestall interference by European nations

Progressive Era (1890-1920)

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:32:24 UTC

The progressive era is a period in time best known for its push for social and political reforms. At this time, United States Presidents aimed to limit the political influence of big businesses. The 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, is best known for carrying out this type of progressive agenda. The topic the movements at this time focused on included alcohol, child labor and sweat shops, natural resources, sanitation, immigration, and trusts. Overall, progressivists sought to remove the corruption of the government. They also wanted the people to have more direct control over the government. As a result of the progressive era, the United States entered into a period of peace, prosperity and progress.

Platt Amendment (1903)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:32:24 UTC

Definition- The Platt Amendment was a 1903 treaty between the U.S. and Cuba that attempted to protect Cuba’s independence from foreign intervention.
People- The US and Cuba were the two nations involved in this treaty. After the Spanish-American War, Cuba sought independence from the United States.
Significance- The Platt amendment established terms under which the U.S. would end its military occupation of Cuba and leave its government and control of the island to its people.

Japanese-American Internment Camps (1942-1946)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:32:45 UTC

Japanese-American Internment camps were popular during WW2. It involved thousands of Japanese Americans being forcibly relocated to detention camps by the U.S. government. These camps created a culture of hate and discrimination towards Japanese-American immigrants in the years following. Because they were from Japan, they were seen as a threat to the US, even though most of them were born in America. Over 120,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WW2.

Tennessee Valley Authority (1933)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:32:56 UTC

The Tennessee Valley Authority was the largest public power company in the entire U.S. at the time. The TVA Act of 1933 created the corporation to help improve the navigability and to provide flood control of the Tennessee river. It also provided for reforestation and proper use of marginal lands in the Tennessee Valley, as well as agricultural and industrial development.

Panama Canal (1914)

250229mz — 2024-01-30 19:33:06 UTC

Definition- The Panama Canal is constructed waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the Isthmus of Panama.
People- A French company led by Ferdinand de Lesseps along with President Theodore Roosevelt inspired the creation of the canal. It began construction in 1904 and was finished in 1914.
Significance- The canal benefited The US heavily due to the fact that it helped move ships east to west quickly. It helped the US control the oceans and served as a geopolitical tactic to make the U.S. the most powerful nation on earth.

D-Day (June 6, 1944)

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:40:45 UTC

D-Day is the simultaneous landing of US, British, and Canadian forces on five separate locations in Normandy, France. It marks the first stage of Operation Overlord during World War II. Other than the US, Great Britain, and Canada’s involvement, nations like Australia, Belgium, Greece, New Zealand and many more also contributed to the operation. It became known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history, delivering 5 naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France. This led to the liberation of France, limiting Germany’s ability to exploit them any longer.

FDR’s Four Freedoms (December 1940)

250259mc — 2024-01-30 19:41:12 UTC

FDR’s Four Freedoms: Freedom of speech and expression, freedom of every person to worship God in his own way, freedom from want, freedom from fear. They were freedoms announced by President Roosevelt in December of 1940 that became a rallying point for the causes the United States would fight for. They were objectives in the eyes of Franklin D. Roosevelt that he wished to apply not only on Americans but also to people from all over the world. These freedoms provided hope to Americans because they knew they were fighting for freedom. In other words, this provided an idealogical basis for the United State’s involvement in World War II.