US History Since 1877 Final Exam Review
What areas of the US felt the impact of the New Deal the most?
-The working poor -The big banks
Civil Rights Act
-This act made racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers illegal and gave the government the power to enforce all laws governing civil rights, including desegregation of schools and public places. -Didn't provide a time period that this had to be down, so it had little real effect and was mostly symbolic
What were US foreign policies under JFK and LBJ and how did they differ from previous foreign policies?
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Lend Lease Act
-1941: Britain was in war -FDR pushed for the act to allow US to lend or lease weapons to GB and they in return would pay US back after the war.
What was McCarthyism and why did it dominate American lives during the 1950s?
-A brand of vitriolic, fear-mongering anti-communism associated with the career of Senator Joseph McCarthy. In the early 1950s, Senator McCarthy used his position in Congress to baselessly accuse high-ranking government officials and other Americans of conspiracy with communism. The term named after him refers to the dangerous forces of unfairness and fear wrought by anticommunist paranoia. -Dominated American lives because Red Scare and Cold War was taking place and people were super scared of communism
What exactly was the Cold War?
-A post WWII period of tension between the free US and communist USSR, and their allies. No shots were ever directly fired between the nations. Nations raced to advance past the other in economics, military weapons, science and space exploration, and in the spread of their political systems and ideals. -Each country used spies to gain info on each other (CIA was born) -Both countries agreed on MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction): stated that if any nuke was ever launched from on country to the other, then both would be completely destroyed
Why was a gigantic wall put up in the city of Berlin?
-Berlin was split into the communist east run by Russia, and the West was run by US, Britain, and France. -East was so shitty people would try to flee to the West side, wall was built by USSR to prevent this
Father Charles Coughlin
-Catholic priest from Detroit, Michigan -Had a weekly radio show that criticized the nation's bankers and financial leaders. -Pushed the idea that FDR should federalize all of the banks and inflate money -Was an anti-new dealer -Speech got so fascist and anti-Semitic his higher-ups canceled his program
What led to the US involvement in Korea?
-China becoming a communist country -Communist North Korea invading South Korea -Support of North Korea from USSR and China
What defined the 1950s consumer culture?
-Creation of Suburban America -The introduction of the Television in American homes
Examples of Containment
-Vietnam War -Korean War -Support of West Germany -Marshall Plan -Truman Doctrine
What was the New Deal exactly and what steps did FDR and his administration take to carry out the plan?
-FDR's precursor of the modern welfare state (1933-1939); programs to combat economic depression; it enacted a number of social insurance measures and used government spending to stimulate the economy; increased power of the gov and the gov's intervention in U.S. social and economic life. -How New-Deal was carried out: 1: Seek out capitalist solution to the Depression. Spend government money to fix problems down the road 2: Fix Under-consumption/over production 3: create more jobs specifically Gov jobs. Gov is one of largest employer at the time 4: Save the middle class. Huge gap between wealthy and not so existent middle class. Close imbalance of wealthy to middle class.
Benito Mussolini
-Fascist dictator of Italy from 1922-1943. -Close in relationship with Adolf Hitler, and was apart of Axis Powers. -Used intimidation to limit freedom of speech, arrested political opponents, and restricted voting rights. -Promised Italian people they would be an imperial power
What did Dwight Eisenhower do to take the Americans out of the Korean War?
-Got Americans out of war by getting North and South Korea to come to an armistice agreement -Redrew their border near the 38th parrellel -Made it a DMZ which is still in effect today
Who resisted the New Deal and Why?
-Huey Long: Louisiana Senator, believed Roosevelt's policies didn't too enough for the poor, and were too friendly to banks and businesses. He proposed heavy tax on the wealthy -Father Charles Coughlin: Catholic priest from Detroit, Michigan. He had a weekly radio show that criticized the nation's bankers and financial leaders. He pushed the idea that FDR should federalize all of the banks.
Cuban Missile Crisis
-In October 1962, the United States and the Soviet Union came close to nuclear war when USSR put missiles in Cuba, aimed at large American cities -President Kennedy insisted that Nikita Khrushchev (leader of the USSR) remove the 42 missiles he had secretly inserted -The Soviets eventually did so, nuclear war was averted, and the crisis ended.
What were the lasting legacies of the JFK administration?
-JFK brought that celebrity factor to the presidency -Youth and good looks helped him win because TV was now being used more -Debates were now on TV too, not just radio, and now people got caught up in how President looks and acts -Last President to pull up in a drop top
What steps did the US take to help out the British before entering the war?
-Lend-lease act: Provided guns and ammo -"cash and carry"
Malcolm X
-Minister of the Nation of Islam, urged blacks to claim their rights by any means necessary, promoted violence, and keeping segregation. More radical than other civil rights leaders of the time. -After trip to Mecca, he became more peaceful and began to believe in racial integration
Nazi Party
-National Socialist German Workers' Party. -Hitler led this party
What was Nixon's foreign policy and how did it differ from previous foreign policies?
-Nixon Doctrine: Stated that US would honor all existing defense commitments, but in the future, other countries will have to fight w/o the US -Detente: Policy of reducing Cold War tensions with USSR -Implemented SALT I & II: cut down on US & USSR ballistic missiles -He also established diplomatic relations with China -Differed because he would reach out more to countries and would try to develop relations
What was the importance of television in the 1950s?
-No cultural medium ever grew so huge, so quickly and so reinforced the public mood. Businesses introduced the TV Guide and TV dinners and used the TV for advertising -Was big during the 50's which was the height of consumerism -Political: Allowed politicians to appeal to all audiences and allow Americans to see political candidates. The use of advertisements for political campaigns increased campaign costs, but reduced the content level of political discussion.
Who was J. Robert Oppenheimer and what was his contribution to the war effort?
-Physics professor at U.C. Berkeley and Caltech, -Developed the atomic bomb for the US and leader of the Manhattan Project. Once the bomb was built, he argued against using it on Japan
Senator Joseph McCarthy
-Republican senator who accused hundreds of people as being Communists -His philosophy flourished in the seething Cold War atmosphere of suspicion and fear -Red-hunter who was the most ruthless and did the most damage to American traditions of fair play and free speech -Created the Black List -Removed from the Senate when he attacked the the US Army
Joseph Stalin
-Russian leader who succeeded Lenin as head of the Communist Party and created a totalitarian state by purging all opposition (1879-1953) -Led USSR through WWII and part of Cold War
What were the lasting legacies of the New Deal?
-Social Security -FDIC -Shift in Gov.'t power (People now saw Fed. Gov. as responsible for country's economic health)
Winston Churchill
-Soldier, politician and finally prime minister, Winston Churchill was one of Britain's greatest 20th-century heroes. He is particularly remembered for his indomitable spirit while leading Great Britain to victory in World War II. -First to use the title "Iron Curtain"
What was Black Nationalism and how did it differ from the traditional civil rights movement?
-Spurred by Malcolm X and other black leaders, a call for black pride and advancement without the help of whites; social and political movement advocating the separation of blacks and whites -Traditional Civil Rights movement promoted the integration and harmony of blacks and whites
What was Title IX and its lasting significance?
-Stated: "No person in the US shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance" -Lasting Signif.:
Iron Curtain
-The Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas in the post-WWII and Cold War era. The boundary lay vertically through the middle of Germany. On the west side was the Soviet Union, Poland, Finland, Hungary, Austria, Romania and West Germany, and on the east side was England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and East Germany. -Term was first used by Churchill
Why did US send troops to Vietnam and what was the lasting impact of the Vietnam War?
-Why send troops: Domino theory caused US to think that if Vietnam fell to communism it would spread throughout all of SE Asia -Lasting Impact: American's reexamined the power of the president, the struggle against communism, and America's overall role in the world. Economy was also suffering from cost of war, and Vets were outcasts and suffered from homelessness and addiction
Where is Yalta and what is its significance?
-Yalta is in the Ukraine -Meeting of FDR, Stalin, and Churchill -Russia agreed to declare war on Japan after the surrender of Germany and in return FDR and Churchill promised the USSR concession in Manchuria and the territories that it had lost in the Russo-Japanese War
What was Social Security exactly and what was its impact in 1935?
-a system for providing pensions, guaranteed regular payments, for many Americans age 65 and older based on the automatic collection of taxes from employees and employers throughout people's working careers -Impacted elderly by letting them to retire and receive money from pensions -Part of 2nd New Deal
Pearl Harbor
-japan attacked America on December 7, 1941; only time America had been attacked by a foreign country before 9/11 -"awoke a sleeping giant" -One of the reasons US got involved in WWII
Cold War
45 year diplomatic tension between the United States and the Soviet Union that divided much of the world into polarized camps, capitalist against communist. Most of the international conflicts during this perioud, particularly in the developing world, can be traced to the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union
Civil Rights Movement
A political movement for racial quality primarily used non-violent civil disobedience to resist unjust laws and pushed for an end to segregation
Dwight D. Eisenhower
American general and 34th president of the United States. He was the principal architect of the successful Allied invasion of Europe during WORLD WAR II and of the subsequent defeat of Nazi Germany. As president, he ended the Korean War, but his two terms (1953-1961) produced few legislative landmarks or dramatic initiatives in foreign policy. His presidency is remembered as a period of relative calm in the United States.
What was Operation Overlord and how was it significant to world history?
D-Day attack of Allied troops on the coast of German-occupied Normandy. Although it held heavy costs, the attack succeeded in providing a foothold for further Allied encroachment into continental Europe. -Cause the Nazi's to now fight a war from 2 fronts: British & US on the west, and Soviet on the East -Liberated France from Germany
Who was Rosa Parks and what did she really do?
December 1955 - In Montgomery, Alabama, she refused to give up her bus seat for a White man as required by city ordinance. It started the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
National Recovery Administration (NRA)
Directed by Hugh John, this agency set up a system of codes of business practice, including giving fair wages and work hours. Businesses and labor unions who followed such codes could advertise as such and thus gain more membership. Was limited in success.
Richard Nixon
Elected President in 1968 and 1972 representing the Republican party. He was responsible for getting the United States out of the Vietnam War by using "Vietnamization", which was the withdrawal of 540,000 troops from South Vietnam for an extended period. He was responsible for the Nixon Doctrine. Was the first President to ever resign, due to the Watergate scandal.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)
Elected to four terms in office, he served from 1933 to 1945 and is the only U.S. president to have served more than two terms of office. Led US through Great Depression and a majority of WWII. Well known for his New Deal policy.
2nd New Deal
Focused on economic and social reform by tightening banking regulations and instituting more programs. Overall resolution was that best thing to do was to increase wages and get more money flowing to encourage people to spend more. -Banking Act of 1935 (established FDIC) -Social Security Act of 1935
1st New Deal
Focused on making programs to create jobs and support the poor and unemployed. -(Civil. Conserv. Corps, TN Valley Auth., Nat.'l Recov. Admin.) -Implemented 3 R's (Relief, Recovery, Reform)
John F. Kennedy (JFK)
He was the youngest, most glamorous, and first Catholic president ever elected. He won the 1960 presidential election against Nixon. During his presidency, he sent the Green Beret (Marines) to Vietnam and he helped develop the Peace Corps. His foreign policy was Flexible Response and his domestic program was the New Frontier. He appointed his brother, Robert Kennedy as Attorney General. Robert Kennedy dealt with the Civil Rights issue as well. John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov.22, 1963.
Tennessee Valley Authority, 1933 (TVA)
It built a hydroelectric network that supplied cheap power while also developing a flood-control system, recreational facilities, and soil conservation program. Created hella jobs.
How did Watergate unfold and how did it change the way the media portrayed the government, especially the White House?
June 17, 1972 - five men arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee's executive quarters in the Watergate Hotel. Two White House aides were indicted; they quit, Senate hearing began in May, 1973, Nixon admitted to complicity in the burglary. In July, 1974, Nixon's impeachment began, so he resign with a disbarment. -Media portrayed the government as mysterious, secretive, and collusive
Adolf Hitler
Leader of the Nazi Party and the Third Reich in Germany during World War II. His philosophy was embodied in his book Mein Kampf (1925-1927), attracted widespread support, and after 1934 he ruled as absolute dictator of Germany. Hitler's invasion of Poland (1939) led to the outbreak of World War II. His regime was infamous for the extermination of millions of people, especially European Jews. He believed Jews were the reason Germany was in economic hardship. He committed suicide when the collapse of the Third Reich was imminent (1945).
Huey Long
Louisiana Senator, believed Roosevelt's policies didn't DO enough for the poor, and were too friendly to banks and businesses. He proposed heavy tax on the wealthy, that would be given to poor as welfare checks
Marshall Plan
Massive transfer of aid money to help rebuild postwar Western Europe, intended to bolster capitalist and democratic governments and prevent domestic communist groups from riding poverty and misery to power; was first announced by Secretary of State George Marshall in 1947
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Military alliance of Western European powers and the United States and Canada established to defend against the common threat from the Soviet Union, marking a giant stride forward for European unity and American internationalism
How did Hitler and Mussolini come to power and why did the rest of Europe appease them?
Mussolini: In 1919, Italy was in a desperate political state, and had a poor economy. He gathered support from veterans and discontented Italians for the Fascist Party. The king made no effort to stop him, the March on Rome gave him the position of prime minister. Hitler: Initially given the position of Chancellor. He was legally given emergency power and used it to make himself a dictator, country was enduring a great depression, identified Jews as scapegoats and people bought in, propaganda abused people's fears. -Rest of Europe appeased because some felt Treaty of Versailles was too harsh, people didn't want to spoil the peace after WWI, France was suffering divisions in their country.
GI Bill (Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944)
Provided college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans, as well as one-year of unemployment compensation. It also provided loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses.
Fascist Party
Party that believes a military dominated government that controls all aspects of life. Nation is more important than individual. Anti-communist.
Truman Doctrine
Pres.'s universal pledge of support for any people fighting any communist or communist-inspired threat; presented to Congress in support of his request for $400 million to defend Greece and Turkey against Soviet-backed insurgencies
3 R's
Relief: -Get money to the impoverished Recovery: -Get jobs to the unemployed Reform: -Regulate economy in order to prevent future depressions 1st New deal
How did the roles of African Americans change during the Second World War?
Served in segregated units. Unlike WWI, they served in combat groups and not just grunt service work. (Ex: Tuskegee Airmen, and US 761st Tank Batallion)
FDR Foreign Policy
Stay Neutral but assist allies. Knew we weren't prepared for war cause of Great Depression. -Lend lease act -"cash and carry" -Neutrality Act
What is the lasting impact of Brown v. Board?
Supreme Court decision that overturned the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision (1896); led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Court ruled that "separate but equal" schools for blacks were inherently unequal and thus unconstitutional. The decision energized the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. -Little rock 9 was a product of this (showed reluctance of southern states to accept the new ruling)
Island Hopping
The American navy attacked islands held by the Japanese in the Pacific Ocean. The capture of each successive island from the Japanese brought the American navy closer to an invasion of Japan.
D-Day
The first day of the Normandy landings which started the invasion of western Europe and liberated France from the Germans.
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan project was a secret research and development project of the U.S to develop the atomic bomb. Its success granted the U.S the bombs that ended the war with Japan as well as ushering the country into the atomic era.
Neutrality Act
The Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937 stipulated that when the president proclaimed the existence of a foreign war certain restrictions would automatically go into effect. No American could legally sail on a belligerent ship, or sell or transport munitions to a belligerent nation, or make loans to a belligerent. This displayed that America was not willing to go to war and desired to remain neutral and isolationist.
Watergate
The members of an association working to have Nixon re-elected, CREEP, were involved in a burglary of the democratic party at the DNC at the Watergate Hotel. The three men were found with contact information of white house personnel that was connected to Nixon. The CREEP group had also gotten lots of money from unidentifiable places. Suspicion set in and Nixon was accused of getting illegal help in being re-elected. Nixon tried to use government to cover-up his involvement. Impeachment proceedings were started but Nixon resigned from his office in August of 1974.
Vietnam War
The prolonged struggle between nationalist (w/ help of USSR) forces attempting to unify the country of Vietnam under a communist government and the United States (with the aid of the South Vietnamese) attempting to prevent the spread of communism.
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty that ended World War I; it was much harder on Germany than Wilson wanted but not as punitive as France and England desired. It was harsh enough, however, to set stage for Hitler's rise of power in Germany in 1930s.
MLK Jr.
U.S. Baptist minister and civil rights leader. A noted orator, he opposed discrimination against blacks by organizing nonviolent resistance and peaceful mass demonstrations. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Why did the US remain isolationist during the early years of the war?
US wanted to avoid conflict. The war was far away and they felt it didn't concern them, and was also worrying about coming out of depression and didn't want to worry about a war across the ocean.
How did US foreign policy change during the Truman Era?
US was a country that would stay primarily try to stay out of foreign conflict, but under Truman and the implementation of the Truman Doctrine, the US began to provide military and economic aid to any country under the threat the communism.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
Was created by the Unemployment Relief Act of 1933. It provided employment in government camps for 3 million uniformed single, young men during the Great Depression. The work they were involved in included reforestation, fire fighting, flood control, and swamp drainage.
Berlin Airlift
Year-long mission of flying food and supplies to blockaded West Berliners, whom the Soviet Union cut off from access to the West in the first major crisis of the Cold War
What was the containment policy and what were its objectives?
a U.S. foreign policy adopted by President Harry Truman in the late 1940s, in which the United States's objective was to stop the spread of communism by creating alliances and helping weak countries to resist Soviet advances. Plans: -Spend money to make sure countries don't fall into communist influence -Create National Security Council to better assess threats -Outproduce Soviets in every aspect i.e. Arms race and space race -Espionage: Creation of CIA -Use of Anti-Soviet propoganda
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
a public corporation, established in 1933, that insures, up to a specified amount, all demand deposits of member banks; created so that another Great Depression could not occur because a complete bankruptcy could not occur
Executive Order 8802
an order signed by President Roosevelt in 1941 that prohibited "discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin" and established the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC)
Social Security Act of 1935
created a federal insurance program based on the automatic collection of taxes from employees and employers throughout people's working careers. They would receive this money in a monthly pension when they reached the age of 65. The unemployed, disabled, and mothers with dependent children would also receive this money.
"cash and carry"
policy adopted by the United States in 1939 to preserve neutrality while aiding the Allies. Britain and France could buy goods from the United States if they paid in full and went to US to pick them up and transported them themselves
Holocaust
took place in Europe between 1993 and 1945. Six million Jews were systematically and brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaberators. Millions of non-Jews, including Roma and Sinti(Gypsies), Serbs, political dissidents, people with disabilities, homosexuals and Jehova's Witnesses, were also persecuted by the Nazis.
Warsaw Pact
treaty signed in 1945 that formed an alliance of the Eastern European countries behind the Iron Curtain; USSR, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania