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Westward Expansion
West Ward Expansion was a time when the United States grew rapidly by moving west across North America. Many Americans believed in “Manifest Destiny,” the idea that they were meant to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This period included events like the Oregon Trail, the California Gold Rush, and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. It brought new opportunities for settlers but also led to the forced removal and violence against Native American tribes. -
The Era of Reconstruction
The Era of Reconstruction was the period after the Civil War when the U.S. tried to rebuild the South and reunite the country. It focused on integrating formerly enslaved people into society, rebuilding the Southern economy, and redefining citizenship and voting rights. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment abolished slavery in the United States, freeing all enslaved people. -
The KKK
A white supremacist hate group founded in 1865 after the Civil War. It used violence and intimidation to oppose Black civil rights and maintain white control, especially in the South. The Klan had several active periods, including a big resurgence in the 1920s. It targeted not only Black people but also immigrants, Jews, and Catholics. Today, it’s known as a hate and terrorist group. -
The 14th Amendment
The 14th amendment granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the U.S., including former slaves, and guaranteed equal protection under the law. -
The 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment gave Black men the right to vote by prohibiting voting discrimination based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business
Industrialization and the Rise of Big Business was a time when the U.S. shifted from farming to factories and large-scale industry. New inventions such as telephone electric light, and improvements in transportation and steel production helped businesses grow quickly. Powerful businessmen like Andrew Carnegie (steel) and John D. Rockefeller (oil) built huge corporations and became very wealthy, often called “captains of industry” or “robber barons.” -
Growing Pains of Urbanization
Growing Pain of Urbanization happened as cities rapidly expanded due to industrial jobs and immigration. Overcrowded tenements, poor sanitation, and unsafe working conditions made life hard for many. Diseases spread easily, and crime and political corruption were common. Immigrants faced discrimination but also built strong communities. These urban problems led to calls for reform, sparking efforts to improve housing, labor laws, and public health. -
Leading the Way The Progressive Movement
A time when reformers worked to fix the problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and corruption. Progressives wanted to make society fairer and improve life for all Americans. They fought for better working conditions, child labor laws, women’s suffrage, safer food and medicine, and government reforms. Leaders like Jane Addams, Upton Sinclair, Ida B. Wells, and Theodore Roosevelt helped expose injustice and push for change. -
The Spanish-American War
This was a short conflict between the United States and Spain. It began after the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, Cuba, which the U.S. blamed on Spain. The war lasted only a few months but marked the U.S. emergence as a world power. The U.S. defeated Spain and gained control of former Spanish colonies like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. -
First Great Migration
Over 1.5 million African Americans moved from the rural South to northern cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York to escape racism and find better jobs. -
The Jazz Age
A vibrant cultural era in the U.S. marked by new music, fashion, and social changes. Jazz music, with artists like Louis Armstrong became wildly popular and symbolized freedom and creativity. The decade saw the rise of flappers, speakeasies, and new attitudes toward gender and race. It was also a time of economic growth and consumerism, with people enjoying cars, radios, and movies. -
The Great Depression
It started with the stock market crash, known as Black Tuesday. This event triggered a severe economic downturn that lasted throughout the 1930s. Banks failed, businesses closed, and millions of Americans lost their jobs and savings. The Depression caused widespread poverty, homelessness, and hunger. It exposed weaknesses in the economy and led to major changes in government policy, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs aimed at recovery and relief. -
World War II
World War II was a big global war that happened from 1939 to 1945. It was mainly between two groups: the Allies, like the US, UK, and Soviet Union, and the Axis, which included Germany, Italy, and Japan. The war started when Germany invaded Poland. There were major events like the attack on Pearl Harbor and D-Day. In the end, the Allies won. It was the deadliest war ever and changed a lot about the world afterward. -
Second Great Migration
Over 5 million moved, many to the West Coast, especially during and after WWII for industrial and defense jobs. -
Pearl Harbor/U.S. Entry into WWII
It is marked a turning point in American history. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing over 2,400 Americans and destroying battleships and aircraft. The next day, the U.S. declared war on Japan, officially entering World War II. This event ended America’s isolationist stance and led to its full involvement in the global conflict. -
D-Day Invasion
This was a major turning point in World War II. On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched a massive invasion of Nazi-occupied France by landing on the beaches of Normandy. It was the largest amphibious assault in history, involving over 150,000 troops from the U.S., Britain, and Canada. The goal was to break through German defenses and begin liberating Western Europe. -
The Postwar Era
The Postwar Era was the time after World War II when the U.S. went through big changes. The economy grew fast, jobs increased, and the middle class got bigger. Soldiers used the G.I. Bill to buy homes, go to college, and start families, which caused the baby boom and suburbs to grow. The U.S. became a superpower, helped rebuild Europe, and started the Cold War. New things like cars and TVs became popular, and the civil rights movement began fighting for equality. -
The Cold War
The Cold War was a tense rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union because of their different ideas capitalism vs. communism. They never fought each other directly but competed in things like nuclear weapons and the Space Race. There were also wars like Korea and Vietnam, and scary moments like the Cuban Missile Crisis. The world was split into two sides: NATO led by the U.S. and the Warsaw Pact led by the Soviet Union. -
Woodstock
Woodstock was a huge music festival in August 1969 in New York that became a symbol of the ’60s counterculture. Over 400,000 people came to celebrate peace, love, and music during a time of social and political unrest. Big artists like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin played there. It showed young people’s rebellion against the Vietnam War and support for civil rights. Even with bad weather, the festival stayed peaceful and became a lasting symbol of hope and unity.