16th Amendment
the change to the U.S. Constitution that allowed for the collection of the federal income tax
38°
the dividing line between communist, Chino/Russian - supported North Korea and democratic, UN - supported South Korea
advocate
to support or argue for (a cause, policy, etc.)
Allied Powers
the countries of  Great Britain, Russia, and the United States that fought together in World War II
amendment
a change made to the U.S. Constitution
American Expeditionary Forces
U.S. Armed Forces that were sent to Europe in World War I
annexation
the process of adding something
Geographically, it means the addition of territories.
anti-Semitism
hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group
armistice
agreement to stop fighting
assembly line
an arrangement of machines, equipment, and workers in which work passes from operation to operation in direct line until the product is assembled
Axis Powers
the countries of Germany, Italy, and Japan that fought together in World War II
brinkmanship
the practice of pushing a dangerous situation or confrontation to the limit of safety especially to force a desired outcome
bull market
trend of upward (positive) movement in the stock market
canal
a manmade passage or channel used for navigation, irrigation, or draining
characterize
to be a characteristic of; distinguish
checks and balances
each of the three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial) are subject to being checked by the other branches
child labor
use of children as laborers throughout the 19th century
chronology
an arrangement (as of events) in order of occurrence
civil rights
legal and political rights enjoyed by the inhabitants of a country (especially the rights guaranteed by the 13th and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution)
communism
political and economic system in which factors of production are collectively owned and directed by the state
Congressional Bloc
a group of elected officials, usually representatives or senators, that work together on similar legislative tasks and share similar ideas on legislation
conscription
compulsory enrollment of persons especially for military service
conservative
believing in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society
constitutional republic
a government in which officials are elected as representatives of the people, and must according to the laws of the constitution
containment
the U.S. foreign policy of keeping communism within its borders
credit
the provision of money, goods, or services with the expectation of future payment
crematorium
a furnace for cremating; an establishment containing such a furnace
DMZ
demilitarized zone
When an armistice was signed, both sides agreed to a buffer zone between the states into which no one would enter.
deficit
the sum of money that falls short of the required amount
democracy
a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation, usually involving periodically held free elections
democratic republic
a form of government in which legislative, executive, and judicial power reside with the people through elected representatives such as in the United States
despotism
a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power
détente
the relaxation of strained relations or tensions between nations
discrimination
the treatment of a person based upon the group or class to which they belong
domestic policy
public policy that addresses citizens' needs within their nation's borders
Dust Bowl
a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage covering a region of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado during the 1930s
economic impact
the impact made upon the economy or economic system by an event or series of events
embargo
a legal prohibition on commerce
equality
the state of being equal
era(s)
a memorable or important date or event; especially one that begins a new period in the history of a person or thing
executive branch
the branch of government that carries out the laws made by the legislative branch of government
expansionism
policy of a country gaining more land outside of its current borders
export
a product that one country sells to other countries
Federal Reserve System
the privately owned, publicly controlled central bank of the United States
The Final Solution
Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust
flapper(s)
a young woman; specifically, a young woman of the period of World War I and the following decade who showed freedom from conventions (as in conduct)
genocide
the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group
geographic factors
the human and physical characteristics of a place
gross national product (GNP)
the total value of all the products and services produced in one year
Great Depression
a period of severe economic hardship in the United States which began in 1929 and continued until World War II
The Holocaust
a methodical plan orchestrated by Hitler to ensure German supremacy
Called for the elimination of undesirables from German society.
home front
the sphere of civilian activity in war
immigration
to come into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence
imperialism
the domination by one country over the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region
industrialization
a major change in an economy (such as in England in the late 18th century) marked by the general introduction of power-driven machinery or by an important change in the prevailing types and methods of use of such machines
infrastructure
the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)
Iron Curtain
a phrase coined by Winston Churchill that refers to the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe
island hopping
Nimitz's strategy of securing a string of small Pacific Islands in order to defeat Japan
isolationism
foreign policy where a nation refuses to enter into any alliances, foreign trade, or economic commitments
isthmus
a narrow strip of land that connects two larger areas of land
labor unions
an organization of workers formed to protect the rights and interests of its members
League of Nations
international peacekeeping group established by President Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen Points
legislation
the making of laws; the laws passed by a legislative body
legislative branch
a deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws
mass-production
the act of producing in quantity, usually by machinery
McCarthyism
a mid-20th century political attitude characterized chiefly by opposition to elements held to be subversive and by the use of tactics involving personal attacks on individuals by means of widely publicized indiscriminate allegations especially on the basis of unsubstantiated charges
migrant worker
a worker who travels from place to place seeking seasonal work, usually in agriculture
migrate
to move from one country, place, or locality to another
migration
the process of moving from one place to another
mobilization
organization of a nation's armed forces for active military service in time of war or other national emergency
monopoly
complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market
muckraker
investigative writer who investigated the unfair practices of big businesses and exposed the problems they caused workers and the public
nativism
a policy of favoring native inhabitants as opposed to immigrants
neutrality
refusal to take sides in a war between two powers
patriotism
love or devotion to one’s country
per curiam
a very brief unanimous opinion or decision of a court rendered without elaborate discussion of the principles or reason
philanthropist
a wealthy person who gives money and time to help make life better for other people
political impact
the impact made by an event or series of events on the political culture of a nation or state
political machines
organized political systems that traded jobs and other services in exchange for votes
primary source
evidence produced by someone who participated in an event or lived during the time being studied
Letters, diaries, maps, and photos are examples of primary sources.
profit
the degree to which persons or organizations are better off financially at the end of a time period than they were at the beginning
Progressive Movement
an effort to cure many of the ills of American society that had developed during the great spurt of industrial growth in the last quarter of the 19th century
progressive tax
a tax in which the tax rate increases as the taxable base increases
prohibition
the period of time from 1920 to 1933 in the United States when it was illegal to make or sell alcohol
protest(s)
an event at which people gather together to show strong disapproval about something
reform
to put an end to (an evil) by enforcing or introducing a better method or course of action
reparations
legal repayment for crimes committed
rationing
the act of distributing sparingly
reformer(s)
those who make changes by putting an end to corruption by introducing a better method or course of action
resolution
a formal decision reached by Congress as a result of a vote
Rough Riders
name given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, who were led by Theodore Roosevelt and fought in the Spanish-American War
"runs" on the bank
occurs when a large number of people withdraw their money at the same time, causing the bank to not have enough in reserves to cover all those withdrawals
separation of powers
the system of the federal government in the United States with three separated powers: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
slavery
the state of a person who is the property of another
social impact
the societal or cultural impact of and event or series of events upon a group of people
sphere of influence
geographical area in which one nation is very influential
The Square Deal
the domestic policy of Theodore Roosevelt that addressed conservation, corporations, and consumerism
strategic
ideally located for the purposes of trade or military
strike
to stop work in order to force an employer to comply with demands
suffrage
the right to vote
tariff
a tax on imported goods
tenements
a large building that has apartments or rooms for rent, usually located in a poorer part of a city
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
authorization from Congress for President Lyndon Johnson to increase American military involvement in Vietnam without an official declaration of war
trusts
a combination of firms or corporations formed by a legal agreement; especially one that reduces or threatens to reduce competition
turning point
a time when an important change happens
urbanization
the process by which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more and more people begin living and working in central areas
unrestricted submarine warfare
naval warfare in which submarines are used to attack without warning
War Powers Act
act passed on November 7, 1973, requiring the President to inform Congress within two days of any use of American troops in a foreign country and to withdraw the troops within 60 days if Congress did not support their deployment
Yellow Journalism
the practice of using graphic pictures, sensationalized headlines, exaggerated or sometimes inaccurate information to report events in newspapers and magazines; was common during the Spanish-American War