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Period: to
Transforming the West
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Homestead Act
The Homestead Act was promised to issue 160 acres of land to settlers that promised to "improve" it for 5 years. Because land back east, was much more expensive, landless farmers, former slaves, and single women took advantage of this opportunity. The Homestead Act, however, was only partially successful. Lots of lands ended up in the hands of companies, in which they paid people to buy for them. Farmers that did tend the land, however, often went bankrupt because of the isolation and droughts. -
Department Stores
Department stores are named the way they are because the goods sold were systematically organized into different "departments". The first few were opened in 1846. This was also one of the first times that fixed prices were introduced, getting rid of the bartering eras. Because some saw it as a luxury, many shopped for the experience, not just the deals that were advertised. Later on, more discount stores were introduced, such as Five and Dime and ones that sell necessary items in bulk form. -
Period: to
Becoming an Industrial Power
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Cattle Drives
Cattle Drives became very popular during this time period because of the introduction of the Longhorn, which was a mixture between a Spanish and an English cow. Cowboys, who were often symbols of masculinity and independence, led large herds of cattle through vast plains in order for them to feed off the grass. This movement only lasts about 20 years in the end due to the dropping of beef prices, the upcoming popularity of barbed wire, and more significantly, the expansion of railroads to Texas. -
Knights of Labor
The Knights of Labor was a secret organization that strived to get rid of market competition for a cooperative one as well boycotted certain business. The group was open to all workers in the lower classes that wanted to join but was strictly kept a secret in order to avoid being sabotaged by their employers. These men and women established an 8 hour work day and equal pay between both genders. They also established Labor Day, a modern national holiday still celebrated in the states today. -
Oil
John Rockefeller was basically the Carnegie of oil production. He controlled about 90 percent of the oil production and excretions in the United States. In order to help maintain his monopoly over this oil production, he invents two important elements: Trusts and Holding companies. Trusts brought different companies in the same industry under the control of a board of trustees. In the 1890's, Holding companies replaced Trusts. They were large corporations that bought and ran other companies. -
Granges
Patrons of Husbandry, also known as Granges, was a farmer's movement that allied many of them together. It was initially formed in order to come up with solutions for problems with local agriculture. By 1870, the number of members of this organization reached up to hundreds and thousands. And because of its popularity, it was able to become its own political party in 1873 after the nation's economy dropped dramatically. Once the economy recovers, however, granges will eventually disappear. -
Red River War
The Red River War was a conflict fought by the local Native Americans and whites in the Southern Plains region of Oklahoma and Texas. The Indians were upset over the settlement of whites in "their" territories as well as the intentional devastation of the buffalo population, which they knew the native people needed to survive. The Indians attacked the white settlements first but were crushed after a year of the war. As a result, whites wiped out the native's resistance on the Southern Plains. -
Battle of Little Big Horn
The Battle of Little Big Horn was a short war that lasted only a few days. On the American side, George Custer led the troops. Custer was someone whose goal in fighting the battle was to become a national hero. He had underestimated the size of the native forces and led the offensive attack before reinforcements were arranged to bring more troops. The natives ultimately defeated these soldiers and slaughtered Custer. The media, however, portrayed the leader as a hero and downplayed his errors. -
Psychology of Selling Products
As the market for mass production skyrocketed, producers began looking for other ways to gear towards a certain path of audience, hence hiring psychologists to learn people's desires. They often brought on famous individuals to promote their product, as well as creating catchy phrases. Costs of advertising soared as well, which increased sales that weren't from the product itself. Many people began showing loyalty towards certain brands in which they favored more over others of the same kind. -
Nativism
As immigration from around Europe and Asia continued to flow into America, many citizens became weary of these newcomers. They tried to do many things in order to prevent even more from coming over, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act. This limited the immigration of the Chinese coming to the states. Another form of limitation was immigrant deportation. They would deport those that had a criminal background or were too poor to pay fees. This also established literacy tests, preventing illiterates. -
Tenements
Tenements were living spaces in poorer areas that were created in order to house those that could not afford to live in the big city. Each consisted of 4 to 6 stories in which multiple families dwelled. In each living space, dozens of families were fitted in so that rent could be split among them. These rooms had very poor ventilation and were poorly lit, creating open opportunities for diseases to exist. Due to overpopulation, rent increasingly soared because of the competitive consumers. -
Period: to
The Gilded Age
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Exploitation
Exploitation of workers was a large issue during the industrialization of America. Strict rules were placed on employees, limiting many of their human interactions, such as being forced to work in silence and having to work long hours to support their families. Managers were hired in order to put enforcement into the workplace and make sure all the hired employees followed the rules. Blacklists, a list of "bad" workers that circulated around employers, were also implemented into the system. -
Currency Reform
Issues began to surface as the country tried to implement a standard currency throughout the nation. Republicans and business owners wanted "hard money", which came in the form of gold. Democrats and laborers, on the other hand, wanted "soft money (paper money)", because they thought that hard money couldn't support the economy. Silver would increase inflation, causing worker wages to increase. A compromise was created. The Silver Act was given to the Democrats and the Republicans raised tariff. -
New Woman
As the large middle class was created, a whole new group of people emerged out of it. These "New Women" were not living in poverty or poor, so they had lots of leisure time on their hands. But they were also not extremely well off people, so by working, they increased their roles in society by taking on occupations such as nursing and teaching. And in order to do this, many of them attended a college. They increased their physical mobility through a popular invention back then: the bicycle. -
Native Americans
In the isolated west part of North America, the native peoples roamed freely through the Plains, Northwest, and Southwest parts. After the introduction of horses, their hunting form and weaponry stayed the same, but their range changed in a positive way. As white settlers began settling the west, the conflicts between the tribes and these people increased. For example, because the whites knew the importance of buffalos to the tribes, they purposely killed off buffalos and left them to die. -
Social Darwinism
Charles Darwin created the theory of Social Darwinism in the mid-1800s, which relates to the controversial theory of the evolution of people. He believed that those that were wealthy would be the ones that would survive in the end due to their abundance of intelligence, strength, and adaptability. Those that were poor, on the other hand, were the underlings and should stay at the bottom because they were unfitting. His advocation against helping the poor was also one that was highly recognized. -
Immigrants
Many immigrants from Europe, such as the Swedish, Norwegian, and Germans, moved to the western parts of the United States of America in order to bask in the new opportunities available. Wage worker immigrants, like the Irish and Chinese, face harsh racism and violence. The Chinese, especially. In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was enforced. This banned further immigration from China into the United States because many whites believed these people were replacing them and taking their jobs. -
Pendleton Act
Before the Pendleton Act was embedded into America, the spoils system was a very prominent way in which many politicians got what they wanted. They were able to place people they were familiar with into office, instead of someone that was more qualified for the job. After the assassination of President Garfield by Charles Guiteau, changes were made so that favors were not allowed. It also established the civil service exam, giving equal opportunity to those that were applying for the position. -
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show
The Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show was a colorful and live form of entertainment in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth century, which portrayed the West as a world that was full of adventure and romance, featuring professional cowboys and Native Americans performing. It rarely depicted the reality of life in the west as it should have. The first of these shows was organized by William F. Cody, also known as "Buffalo Bill", which later on became part of the iconic name for the show. -
Steel
Before this industrial era, steel could not be mass-produced in the early 19th century, but then afterwards became the building block of industrial America. Andrew Carnegie, a poor Scottish immigrant, was the first to invest in the Bessemer Process, which brought mass production of this metal at the lowest prices possible for consumers. He then soon bought out all the supply sources and competition available, giving him the monopoly over the production of steel. He uses this resource for deals. -
Farmer's Alliance
The Farmer's Alliance group had first derived its ideas from the Granger Movement of the past eras, consisting of approximately 5 million members of white origin. Farmers were being overcharged to ship their crops, which caused high-interest loans. This group united the farmers together, negotiating high prices for their crops, better loan rates, and insurance among them. Soon, they became such a big organization that it became a political group. They ended up winning big in the year 1890. -
Haymarket Riot
On May 4, a protest was planned to occur for the killed workers a few days prior at the Haymarket Square in Chicago. Police heard about it, so the department sent down 300 officers in hopes of breaking up the protest. A bomb exploded near the police, triggering the Haymarket Riot. The angry police attacked the crowd with various weapons, which resulted in 7 deaths. Afterwards, the press exaggerated the riot on the news, spreading the word throughout the nation.This damages the lab movements. -
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor, or AFL, replaced the Knights of Labor but was very different from its original source. Unlike the KOL, they did not allow unskilled workers, blacks, immigrants, or women to be part of their community. Another big difference that could be spotted right away is the fact that they strove towards a capitalist economy, instead of the prior cooperative. By the year 1904, the American Federation of Labor had gained approximately 1.6 million members across the states. -
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was industrialized America's first attempt at limiting the number of control businesses will have. This would make creating inter-company deals, as well as be making special deals between businesses completely illegal. Later on, many realized how weak this act was because of the loose implementation of it to the people. The Supreme Court of the United States would then declare the Interstate Commerce Commision as unconstitutional and overruled it entirely. -
Ghost Dances
Ghost dances consisted a group of Native Americans who performed the "ghost dance", in hopes of saving their way of life. The movement called for a return to a more traditional way of life and challenged the dominance of whites in society. It was believed among the Native Americans that by doing the dance that the white man would forever leave them alone, and the buffalo would come back into existence. Because it seemed like a threat to the whites, they were physically forced to stop performing. -
Railroads
Railroads during this time consisted of numerous tracts that expanded all across the country, creating a new transportation network that opens up new market systems. Because of its quick movements from coast to coast, farmers were able to see their products and goods on a national level, unlike time periods before. Many towns began to boom as well. In 1883, modern time zones were created in order to properly indicate the departure and arrivals of trains in different regions of the United States. -
Period: to
Imperialism
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People's Party/ Populist Party
As elections were only a few years away, a 3rd party emerged: The People's Party (or the Populist party). They sought to fight against the flaws of corruption and greed in their economy by eliminating monopolies and the coinage of silver. They also fought to graduated income tax and the storage of surplus supplies. Although the party was popular locally, it didn't perform very well at the national level like the other parties did. -
Depression of 1893
The Depression of 1893 was one of the worst panics in the United State's history. It drastically affected the income of banks, railroads, as well as everyday businesses owned by local people. Many began to question the notion of laissez-faire capitalism, which stated that no one should interfere with the course of destiny, especially in an economic ring. This led to Coxey's Army's march to Washington that peacefully protested capitalism, showing true patriotism among the people themselves. -
Pullman Strike
George Pullman was a very wealthy man who had a company that built luxurious railroad cars for those that were traveling. His company was hit pretty hard during the Depression of 1893, forcing him to lay off some of his workers and cutting the remaining salaries. The workers began to go on strike, creating the American Railroads Union. It intensified so much, they President Cleveland had to intervene. These strikers gained public support as well as increased media attention towards their cause. -
Child Labor
Children had to work in order to keep their families financially going. Because many started out very young, they were not able to start off with an education. While some claimed that child labor built character, others claimed that it ruined their childhood by damaging their health and lack of education. SCOTUS found this a problem and issued new laws to prevent other problems from happening. School attendance would now be mandatory, causing a sharp decrease in the child labor demographics. -
Period: to
The Progressive Era
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Election of 1896
The election of 1896 was between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan. McKinley supported the gold standard of money, while Bryan opposed, supporting silver. In the end, McKinley won 51 percent to 47 percent. The Republicans take on the Midwest and Northeast for 30 years, while the Democrats dominated the South and newly expanded West. Third parties, such as the Populist Party, disintegrated due to lack of support on the national scale. Although the party is gone, their ideas remained. -
Yellow Journalism
Yellow Journalism was first given its name during the Spanish America War when it was used as a method to gain the approval of the American population. It consisted of dramatic and highly exaggerated stories that are written against specific peoples, in this case, the Spanish. Stories of rape and murder across Cuba of white people made many Americans want to continue the war. William Randolph Hearst stated this infamous quote regarding it, "You furnish the pictures, I will furnish the war." -
Treaty of Paris (1898)
The ending of the Spanish-American war was relieved through the Treaty of Paris, which was signed in 1898. Spain was to rid of all claims to Cuba, give the United States all rights to Guam and Puerto Rico, and transferred rule of the Philippines to the United States for a total of $20,000,000. After Spain’s defeat, they had to turn their attention away from overseas colonization and more towards their domestic needs. The United States, on the other hand, came out of the war as a world power. -
U.S.S. Maine Incident
This incident was one of the main causes of the start of the Spanish-American war. The U.S.S. Maine set sail to Havana, which is located in Central America. On February 15th, 1898 after its arrival, it explodes out of nowhere in the Havana Harbor. The American media, having no evidence, immediately blamed it on the Spanish saying they set a harbor mine. Years later, Americans realized a more likely conclusion about the explosion could have been made about the faulty design of the U.S.S ship. -
Hawaii
Hawaii first gained the attention of the United States through its flourishing business of sugar. They wanted to annex the small country so that the sugars produced over there could be transported over without any taxation. The ruler at the time, Queen Liliuokalani opposed and was later overthrown by her people. Sanford Dole, an American, helped to eradicate the Hawaiian religion and gained the people's support to be annexed by the U.S. Hawaii was ultimately annexed by Congress in the year 1898. -
Open Door Policy
Before this policy was proposed, China had very little opportunities in which other countries could trade with it. Through this new policy introduced by the United States in 1899, every nation would have equal opportunities to trade with China. It was, however, nonbinding, which means that they were able to be relinquished of it if they wanted to. Along with the right to trade, there would also be no taxations attached to it. The Chinese would be the ones to collect all the product fees. -
Alcohol
As industrialization picked up, so did the consumption of alcohol by men. From 1885 o 1900, the production of alcohol increased by 2 times as much. Women, the main victims to this occurrence, came out as the champions of temperance in the end. They united together to form the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) to help decrease their husband's consumptions. Carrie A. Nation was an extreme advocator of being sober. She walked around with a bible and a small ax in which she hit alcohol with. -
Teddy Roosevelt
After the assassination of President McKinley, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn into office in 1901. Many described him as an energetic child, as well as a likable person. He received his nickname "Teddy" after he refused to shoot a tied up cub. A toy maker decided to make bear stuff animals and name them all "Teddy Bears." Roosevelt was someone that was also against large monopolies. He filed many lawsuits against trusts because he believed that the common people were more important. -
Philippine-American War
The Philippine-American War was an armed military conflict between the United States of America and the Philippine Republic, fought from the year 1899 to July of 1902. The conflict arose from a Filipino political struggle against the U.S. occupation of the Philippines after the ending of the Spanish-American War. Besides it being an armed conflict, guerrilla warfare was also an important tactic used in the war. Ultimately, over 220 thousand Filipinos died, compared to the 4 thousand Americans. -
Progressives
As many began to work in factors in urban parts of the country, people known as progressives began to arise. They took a more philosophical approach, rather than being a large movement like ones in other eras. The advocated for the safety and health of those working in factories and industry, not just wage wise. They were also supportive of women's suffrage as well as the ongoing temperance movement. Many belonged to the middle class, which sort of leads them to support a capitalist economy. -
The Jungle (by Upton Sinclair)
The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, was a novel published in 1906 that portrayed the filthy, horrendous conditions in Chicago's meatpacking industry. Although the characters and plot were fictional, it still shined truth to the American people through what Sinclair had personally seen. After many read it, it caused a public uproar that cried for change in the food industry. Ultimately, the book had contributed to the passing of the Pure Food and Drug Act, as well as the Meat Inspection Act or 1906 -
Gentleman's Agreement
The Gentleman's Agreement came about due to the combination of constant worries about the Japanese-American relations as well as the fear of Asians overrunning California. This direct order from President Roosevelt limited the Japanese from immigration to the U.S. Hawaii, however, was in need of sugar workers, so it was the only place in the United States that did not limit their immigration. The Japanese that did make it over began to issue passports to their family back in their home country. -
Henry Ford
Henry Ford revolutionized the auto industry by creating a cheap automobile that was available to the everyday person. Through an assembly line process, he was able to produce more cars for less, and so these savings were passed on to the consumers. His first model was the Model T automobile. Not only were there benefits for the buyers, there were also great benefits for the employees as well. Each employee was paid $5 a day, which was a substantially large amount, so they were able to save up. -
W.E.B. DuBois
W.E.B. DuBois, like Booker T. Washington, played an important role in the African American community. He co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which sought to relinquish racial barriers. He contradicted Washington's plan by believing that economic equality was not possible unless social equality was achieved first. He established the "Talented Tenth", which was a group of black leaders that would pave way for the advancement in their community. -
Great White Fleet
Its original intention was created by the United States' effort to modernize its naval fleet in the 1880s with new modern steel ship. It was nicknamed the "Great White Fleet" because all the ships were painted all white. They set sail together on the morning of December 16, 1907, from Hampton Roads, Virginia on its long voyage around the world to show off the new technology the U.S. had updated to. Admiral Robley Evans commanded the whole fleet from his flagship, the U.S.S. Connecticut. -
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington was a prominent member of the African American community and also the founder of the Tuskegee Institute
He was an advocator of education in agriculture and industry. His main philosophy revolved around the idea that blacks should aim towards economic, not social, equality and that they should accept racial discrimination for now and focus on economic improvements. Through this method, blacks would be able to gain white respect and will better integrate into their society. -
Angel Island
Angel Island was an immigration station located in San Francisco Bay which operated from January 21, 1910, to November 5, 1940, where immigrants entering the United States were detained and interrogated. It opened originally to help identify immigrants and keep documentation of them. California ruled that the Japanese people were ineligible for ownership of property, hoping to limit them due to fear of overtaking the agriculture industry. Congress would them ban Asian immigration in 1924. -
Election of 1912
The election of 1912 was one fought between three major candidates running for the large position. For the Republican party, William Howard Taft had been nominated. Theodore Roosevelt, who failed to receive the Republican nomination, had created his own party, the "Progressive Party". As for the third party, the Democrats, Woodrow Wilson was nominated, thanks to the support of William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic presidential candidate who still had a large and loyal following through 1912. -
Western Front
Although the Western Front was smaller in area, it was much larger population wise. Trenches were a prominent factor in which soldiers fought and were used from the years 1914 to 1917. These dugout ditches were never moved more than 20 miles. New developments, such as mustard gas, airplanes, and machine guns, helped the increase of total deaths among all nations and turned the war into a very deadly one. The Americans would later on enter into the Western Front to assist the British and Frnehc. -
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal was a project that was first initiated by the French, but was stopped after diseases and mudslides kept reappearing. Theodore Roosevelt then purchased the right to continue to build it, costing the nation $40 million. The structure of it consists of a system of locks and an artificial lake. Unlike the French, the United States came up with a solution that eradicated the mosquitos in the area, therefore lessened the possibility of diseases. It officially opened in the year 1914. -
European Alliances
Although the assassination of the Archduke of Austria-Hungary played a huge factor in the start of World War 1, but alliances had a role in it too. Germany was Austria-Hungary's only alliance. On the Bosnia end, Russia was its biggest ally. Connected to Russia, was the French, and connected to the French, was Great Britain. Germany had declared war on all 3 alliances of Bosnia as well as Bosnia itself, resulting in the start of WW1. The U.S. did not enter the war early on, remaining neutral. -
Eastern Front
The Eastern Front of World War 1 mainly consisted of the interactions in Russia. Because of the massive size of the country, this front was the biggest among the two areas. And unlike in the Western Front, it consisted of a trenchless terrain. After the collapse of imperial Russia, Vladimir Lenin will push the country to become a communist state. They will sign a peace treaty with the Central Powers in March of 1918, stepping out of Wolrd War 1 entirely. The war will now be a one front war. -
Trench Warfare
Trench Warfare was a type of combat used in World War 1 in which the opposing troops fight from dugout trenches facing each other. Most soldiers spent intervals of 3 weeks in these trenches, then they would have 1 week off. In the middle of enemy trenches was an area known as "No-Man's Land," where barbed wire, artillery shell holes, and barbed wire filled up the open gaps. Many that came out also came out with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), also known during World War 1 as Shell Shock. -
Period: to
World War I
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National Park System
The National Park System was first created by President Theodore Roosevelt in order to help protect the important lands of the U.S that were being exploited by large industrial companies. This national federal agency manages almost all national parks, many prominent national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. It was created on August 25, 1916, by Congress, who passed the National Park Act of 1916 allowing it to take hold in America. -
RMS Lusitania
The RMS Lusitania was a British cruise-liner. The ship is best known for being sunk by Germany. Many believe the Lusitania was carrying ammunition to British troops when it was torpedoed by a German U-Boat early during World War I. There were 128 Americans on board. They were killed when the ship sank. At first, President Woodrow Wilson only asked the German government to apologize and compensate the families of the victims. This, and other events, led to the U.S. joining World War I. -
German-American Discrimination
Because the ultimate enemy of the whole war was Germany, many German-Americans faced many forms of discrimination and oppression. Some began to change their family's last names and completely stop speaking their native tongue in hopes of not being recognized as what they are. If Americans were to figure out someone was of German descent, they would be ridiculed and assaulted in public in front of large crowds of people. If they were among the unlucky, they would be killed off by lynch mobs. -
Zimmerman Telegram
The Zimmermann Telegram, written by a German named Arthur Zimmerman, was a secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office in January 1917 that proposed a military alliance between the Germany empire and Mexico. It offered Mexico territory that currently belonged to the United States, such as New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The British, who were on good terms with the U.S. had intercepted this telegram and deciphered it, letting the U.S. know about the details of it. -
President Woodrow Wilson
Wilson became President of the United States in 1913 after defeating both president William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt in the election. After his election, he immediately set about putting some of his ideas into play in the U.S. government. He was also the commanding president during World War 1, and directly afterward, helped to form the League of Nations in hopes of bringing peace to the world. Wilson would nominate the 14 points, but it would later on be shut down and not used. -
Spanish Flu
The Spanish of 1918 was a heavy pandemic that influenced the lives of many people. About 500 million people were infected across the world, even spreading to remote Pacific Islands and the Arctic. It killed 50 million to 100 million people—3 to 5 percent of the world's population at the time. This means it was one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. In most cases, the outbreaks killed the young and elderly, unlike the 1918 pandemic, which mainly killed healthy young adults. -
Treaty of Versailles (after WW1)
The Treaty of Versailles was the ending result of World War 1. It was signed on the 6th anniversary of the death of the Archduke of Bosnia, which was the initial cause of the war. Because Germany was not invited to attend the signing of the treaty, many of the disadvantages went to them. The Germans had to take full responsibility for the war, as well as pay reparations. These reparations would the cripple their economy, setting them into a depression. They also had to give up their colonies. -
18th Amendment
The eighteenth amendment was finally passed after a long period of temperance movements by women with drunkard husbands. It outlawed the manufacturing, sales, and transportation of any kind of alcoholic, intoxicating liquor. This amendment was passed in the year 1917, but wasn't ratified until January of 1919. It would, later on, go on affecting the citizens of the United States in 1920. In 1919, the Volstead Act was also passed, making it illegal to sell alcohol, publically and privately. -
First Red Scare
In 1916, as Russia was transforming into a communist nation under the Bolshevik Revolution, many Americans feared that communism was going to take over the rest of the world. They thought that immigrants would bring over socialist ideas that would then lead to communism in the United States. General Palmer, a believer of this theory, rounded up thousands of those that he suspected were socialists and deported those that were recent immigrants. He ended up sending back alot more innocent people. -
Period: to
1920's
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The Lost Generation
The "Lost Generation" is a term used to describe a number of American writers and artists who went to live in Europe after the First World War. After the battling in World War 1, members of the Lost Generation decided that they no longer want to live a normal life in America. They moved to Europe, and while away from America, those of the Lost Generation often drank heavily, had affairs and tried to find meaning in life. The Lost Generation produced some of the finest writing of the time -
Benefits for Workers
As work-life increasing improved its conditions, the government, too, added workers benefits to a list of importance. They first guaranteed laborers safety, unions, and good wages in World War 1. After the war, however, these wages could no longer be guaranteed, causing many to go on strike. As a result, the government added another list of benefits. They would allow sick leaves, the ownership of stocks, pensions, medical insurance, and paid vacations (if the workers had to show loyalty). -
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican immigrant that believed in the economic empowerment of African Americans, similar to Booker T. Washington. He created the UNIA to help their improvement. Unlike other philosophers, however, his ideas revolved around black people migrating back to where their origins were, Africa. He wanted to buy land there for all the black people of the world to reside in. The government feared this movement would become a violent one, so they convicted him of mail fraud in 1923. -
Explosion in Car Ownership
As Henry Ford's idea of the Model T vehicle began to take shape, many of the American people became immediately interested. In order to create affordable products, Ford used a system of assembly lines. These savings were passed on to the people as well. Another reason for the boom in sales was the creation of credit. Many were able to buy these cars without money, later paying back the bank for what they had borrowed. As cars grew popular, the government began to build infrastructure to go with. -
Education
During the 1920's there was much debate on how the concept of evolution should be taught. There were two sides to this argument, the science-based side, and the fundamentalist approach. Science claimed that the evolution of the human derives from the evolution of the monkey. Fundamentalists believe that Christ is the one that created the whole universe, including us humans. Even though many people debated on this topic, most school systems made it a rule where only fundamentalism was taught. -
Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan is a movement of people that advocate ideas such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration. The Klan was initially suppressed by the government but then allowed due to the first amendment. By the 1920's, they had gained millions of members. Many of these whites were upset over the Great Migration, wanting African Americans to stay in one place. Blacks, along with Jews, Catholics, immigrants, and feminists, were often harassed, assaulted, and some even killed. -
Charles Lindberg
Charles Lindberg was the first man ever to fly on an airplane across the Atlantic, from New York City to Paris, nonstop. His entire trip was a total of 3,610 miles, a shocking number to many. He had not brought a radio nor radar with him, only the necessities like water and sandwiches. His flight became very popular, turning him into quite the celebrity. Due to his large wealth, a kidnapper stole his son and demanded a ramson. He did not agree to it, causing him to lose his son in the process. -
The Crash
The initial crash towards the Great Depression was an accumulation of an overproduction of goods, the country's unequal income distribution between families, and high tariffs. On October 20, 1929, the first 10 days of plummeting stocks began. Many investors sold off their stockpile, sparking the rush of thousands of Americans to the bank to retrieve their savings. Millions, however, will lose their life savings and begin the great depression of the century with close to nothing in their pockets. -
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger, a nurse and feminist, was the 20th century's most important and renowned birth control advocator. She believed in having a blooming sex life without having to deal with children afterward. Her family planning and birth control clinic, the United State's first ever, was opened in 1916 in Brooklyn, New York. Nine days later, she was arrested for it. She was well known for educating women the danger of illegal abortions, and showing the benefits and advocating contraceptives. -
Herbert Hoover
Young Herbert Hoover began his life as an orphaned child. He built his way up the political ladder, and eventually, in 1928, became President of the United States. Though the beginning of his term went quite smoothly, the public soon began to realize he might not be the right man for the great depression. He was a very poor public speaker and an overall introverted person. He was also very disconnected to the public citizens, saying, "...none suffer from hunger or cold amongst our people..." -
Period: to
The Great Depression
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Bonus March
After World War I, thousands of veterans were promised a payment in the future due to their duties in the war. 40 thousand of these men demanded an early payment on these bonuses because of the recent stock crash of the great depression. These men marched outside of Washington D.C. in protest, some even setting up tents for a temporary stay. McArthur sends a request for the army to forcefully remove these veterans, but this whole transaction was blamed on Hoover, increasing the people's hatred. -
Huey Long "The Kingfish"
Huey Long was a former corrupt governor of Louisiana who later on became a senator. His political ambitions led him to become the greatest threat to Franklin Roosevelt's presidency in the year 1936. He was initially a supporter of FDR's "New Deal", but later on criticized it because of the length of the process. Long also believed in the distribution of wealth among the people, so that no one would be able to make over $1 million. Later on, he would be assassinated in September of 1935 -
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)
In the election of 1932, Herbert Hoover ran against the Democratic Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Due to Hoover's unpopularity, Roosevelt wins overwhelmingly. FDR was former president Theodore Roosevelt's cousin. He was diagnosed with polio before his election as president, but the public never found out about it until his death in 1945. Many future presidents would, later on, compare themselves to him, his 100 first days in office, and charisma. Because of his popularity, he was elected 4 times. -
The Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl was a large environmental problem during the Great Depression in which topsoil was blown away by drought and poor farming techniques. From the years 1930 to 1940, blankets of dust covered major cities in the south, especially the southern plains region. People barricaded themselves in their own homes to escape the dust, but things that could not, such as cattle and animals, died due to suffocation. The government ended up intervening, paying farmers to plant back into the soil. -
Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt was Franklin Roosevelt's spouse (and cousin), as well as the niece of Theodore Roosevelt. Because of FDR's polio disease, she was considered his "right hand" and took care of many administrative aspects of his presidency. She was never really in the White House and traveled a total of 30,000 miles, making her the first outspoken First Lady. Eleanor hated the way that African Americans were treated through Jim Crow, so she visited almost every state, except the southern ones. -
Social Security Act
Social Security was first introduced by Dr. Frances Townsend. He campaigned for old age pensions and economic security for geriatrics. The Social Security Act would pay through payroll taxes and would be collected by those that were unemployed (not fired). The first to receive them were retirees who first go their checks in 1940. Though the liberal political force of the people forced Roosevelt to sign on this act, the Conservatives were not too thrilled that their money would be used for it. -
Father Charles Coughlin
Father Charles Coughlin was a famous Catholic priest from the Detroit suburbs who had weekly sermons broadcasted nationally over the radio. He was famous for his sympathy for the fascist party. Before this, however, he was known primarily as a major advocate for changing the currency systems and proposed reforms that he insisted would restore prosperity and ensure economic justice during the Great Depression. By1935, he had one of the largest radio listener populations in the United States. -
African Americans
Though the Great Depression was tragic for almost everyone, towards the end of it, African Americans were able to receive benefits for the first time. Eleanor Roosevelt drew the American Citizen's attention towards this cause through the Democratic Party. Many blacks joined the New Deal Coalition, which included a collection of liberals, union members, and Catholics. This Coalition allowed Roosevelt to pass the New Deal legislation, giving the blacks their social and economic benefits. -
Adolf Hitler
The horrible conditions of the depression throughout Germany helped to give rise to a new leader: Adolf Hitler. He was a naturally charismatic who spoke up about political issues. His powerful leadership role in the Nationalist Socialist Party (NAZI) helped him to successfully take action as the new chancellor of Germany. His 9 month stay in prison led him to write his one and only book, "Mein Kampf" (My Struggle in English). In this book, he would express his want for Eastern Europe territory. -
Alliances
Just like in World War I, Wolrd War II was also sparked by two sides of alliances. On the Axis power's side were most of the communist and dictatorship nations, which included Germany, led by Hitler, Italy, led by Mussolini, and Japan, led by Emperor Hirohito. The Allied Powers side consisted of nations that were more considered a Democracy or Republic. They were: Great Britain, the British Commonwealth Nations, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States, who joined the war later on. -
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World War II
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The Battle of Britain
Hitler ordered a massive air raid/attack on British Ships that were stationed in the English Channel. On the night of June 10, 1940, almost 2000 aircrafts sent from Germany swarmed around the skies of Great Britain, hoping to destroy property through bombs. Initially, there were aiming to bomb military targets, but then turned to terror bombing major cities in Britain. In response, Winston Churchill responds by ordering bomb raids on the city of Berlin in Germany, which causes Hitler to be mad. -
Race Issues
Throughout all of World War II, many forms of racism could be seen through the fighting nations. Firstly, German's holocaust was one of the worse examples. The extermination of the Jewish people can be considered as such event because Hitler believed in the superiority of the Aryan race. An example in American would be the Zoot Suites. This was a style of clothing started by African Americans. Mexican Americans started wearing it, so they were viewed as gangsters and resulted in assaults. -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese executed a surprise attack on the American naval ships located in Pearl Harbor of Hawaii. A total of eight battleships were damaged and the supplies for planes were destroyed. Japan's goal, however, was to cripple the American fleet, which was not successful, because major aircraft carriers and battleships were located somewhere else. This event would be one of the bigger reasons why the United States would enter the war in the Pacific Theater against Japan. -
The Holocaust
The Holocaust was the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and murder of European Jews by the Nazi party of Germany and its allies from 1933 to 1945. Though Jews were the primary victims with about 6 million murdered, Gypsies, the handicapped, and POW were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons. Upon the liberation of the concentration camps, Germans were forced to ver the dead bodies of those they had killed and were forced to bury the dead. -
Europe First Strategy
The "Europe First" Strategy during World War II was one that was created in the very beginnings of the war. This plan was created by the allied nations and stated that the greatest defensive side to the war should be focused on Germany, not the Pacific theater against Japan. This was because the threat of Hitler and his regime, "Third Reich", seemed a lot more serious, therefore, the Allied Nations wanted to focus on what was more important at the moment and not stray off to something else. -
D-Day
D-Day, also known secretly as Operation Overlord, was the invasion of Normandy beaches, leading to the Battle of Normandy. Because of the distraction caused a few days earlier, the Nazis were caught off guard. 175 thousand troops (Americans, British, and Commonwealth troops), 6 thousand aircraft, and 6 thousand ships landed on 5 different beaches on the coast of Normandy. This invasion required those that landed at sea to stealthy walk inwards to the shore without getting caught or shot down. -
Atomic Warfare
The most prominent events of atomic warfare presented in World War II were the first two bombings in Japan. On August 6, 1945, a bomb named "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan by the Enola Gay. In Nagasaki later on, a bomb named the "Fat Boy" was dropped. These atomic bombs created an explosion that would cause much suffering to the people of Japan. Even today, some people can still feel the effects of these events and will be part of their genetic makeup for a long, long time. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was an event in which Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin met at Yalta to call upon an agreement in alliances. Russia would agree to declare war on Japan (causing the war to come to an end) after the surrender of Nazi Germany and in return, Roosevelt and Churchill would promise the Soviet Union concession into Manchuria and the territories that it had lost during their defeat in the Russo-Japanese War. This helped to end the war in the Pacific Theater.
