90 Multiple Choice Questions
You should be able to finish the test in 60 minutes, although
you have up to 3 hours and 10 minutes if needed.
Questions require a range of thinking skills.
Identify, describe, explain, analyze, evaluate
Some questions involve reading a short excerpt from a
primary or secondary source.
Some questions require interpretation of a graph, map or
table.
Many questions involve mental processes such as
recognizing cause and effect; contrast/compare; classify
information or give examples.
American Government/Civics = 18%
US History to 1865 = 26%
US History since 1865 = 25%
Geography = 13%
World History = 18%
Read everything carefully.
Remember there are NO trick questions.
Consider every choice.
Guess intelligently.
Spend your time wisely. Skip harder questions if
necessary and go back later.
The Renaissance – means “rebirth”; in Europe was the
rebirth of ideas and culture connected with ancient Greece
and Rome. Mainly in urban centers.
Florence – where the Renaissance began; spread to other
areas of Europe over 200 years.
Politics – Medici family (wealthy merchants) ruled Florence
Economy – based on shipping trade with Byzantine & Islamic
Empires as well as England and the Netherlands.
Socially– time of recovery from Black Plague & political
instability. Importance of the individual. Material comforts,
art emphasizing positive human qualities, and humanistic
ideas.
Renaissance Man describes a well educated person who
excels in many fields and has many talents.
Machiavelli – From Florence; Wrote The Prince, describing
the skills required by a ruling prince to maintain power
and order.
Leonardo da Vinci – The original Renaissance Man; expert
in painting, sculpting, engineering, physics, anatomy, and
other subjects. He is most known for the Mona Lisa and
The Last Supper.
Michelangelo – Renaissance artist who is best known for
idealized paintings and sculptures of the human body.
Reflected the beauty of God.
Humanists studied history, philosophy, and poetry of the ancient
Greeks and Romans.
Petrarch – argued that no conflict existed between secular
achievements and a person’s relationship with God. He
believed that God gave people intelligence and talents that they
should use to the fullest.
Dante – Took humanist ideas and incorporated them into
literature written in the common language of his day; not in
Latin.
Erasmus – was a Dutch Christian Humanist who believed in
reforming the Catholic Church from within. He believed in free
will instead of predestination ideas found in the Protestant
movement.
A movement against certain practices of the Catholic Church
which had dominated religious practice & politics in Europe
for hundreds of years.
Martin Luther – his ideas were considered a catalyst of the
Protestant Reformation. He publicly protested and posted
the 95 Theses attacking the selling of Indulgences for the
release from the punishment of sin. He broke from the
Catholic Church, and the Lutheran Church was formed as the
first Protestant faith.
John Calvin – Leader in the Protestant faith; believed in
predestination (God is all powerful and has already decided
who will receive salvation & who won’t)
Henry VIII – established the Anglican Church in England
(Protestant Church) so he could divorce his wife. He
remained very Catholic in his beliefs.
Elizabeth I – Henry VIII’s daughter turned the Anglican
Church to moderate Protestantism during her reign.
Johannes Gutenberg – printed the first Bible in Europe with
moveable type. This allowed the ideas of the Protestant
Reformation to spread rapidly. The printing industry
encouraged people to learn to read, and gave them access to
a variety of religious texts, literature, and scholarship.
Jesuits – group of Catholics who believed in
restoring Catholicism to newly Protestant areas of
Europe. Were recognized as a new religious order
within the Catholic Church. They turned many parts
of Europe back to Catholicism through education.
Council of Trent – body of Catholic Bishops who met
for 18 years to work on reforming corrupt practices
within the Catholic faith. Stopped the selling of
indulgences.
Vasco da Gama – sailed to Eastern Africa & Western India;
helped Portugal establish strategic positions along Indian
Ocean. Portuguese controlled trade routes in this area.
Christopher Columbus – Italian sailing for Spain; looked for
route from Spain to India; helped establish a permanent
European settlement on Hispaniola; connected Europe with
the Americas.
Ferdinand Magellan – sailed for Spain; 1st explorer to
successfully sail around the earth. Helped prove that the
earth was round.
Samuel de Champlain – sailed for France; established the
first French colony in North America. His colony in New
France was called Quebec City. Helped establish trade
routes between France and New France.
Mercantilism – idea that countries need a large supply of
gold and silver to have prosperity. They earn the gold and
silver by exporting goods. Colonies provided European
nations the raw materials they needed to make finished
goods. The colonies then were a market for these finished
goods.
Columbian Exchange – large scale exchange
of plants, diseases, animals, and people
between the eastern and western
hemispheres following Columbus’ first
voyage to the Americas
Astrolabe – technology that allowed sailors
to locate and predict the position of the
moon, sun, stars making navigation more
efficient.
Copernicus – believed in heliocentric solar system (the earth
revolved around the sun); this challenged the Catholic Church’s
opposite belief.
Galileo Galilei – proved Copernicus’ theory through use of the
telescope.
Johannes Kepler – astronomer who believed that the planets in the
solar system moved in an elliptical orbit around the sun.
Sir Isaac Newton – considered the father of calculus; famous for
his laws of gravity and motion; proved Kepler’s theory of elliptical
orbit through mathematics.
European Settlement
GPS: SSUSH 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d
Founded by the Virginia Company of London as a business
venture.
First permanent English colony in North America.
Settled on a swampy site on the James River in Virginia.
Problems:
Settled on a swamp
Illness
Lack of food & fresh water
Fights with Native Americans
Wanted to look for gold instead of work
The colony almost did not survive.
1614 – Pocahontas married John Rolfe,
an English tobacco grower.
The marriage led to good will between the
colonists & the Powhatans for a while.
Conflict began again when colonists
expanded onto Powhatan lands to grow
tobacco.
Virginia’s economy became dependent on
tobacco for its existence.
1619 – VA Company let Jamestown establish
its own government with the right to create
colonial laws.
Residents elected representatives, called
burgesses to the House of Burgesses.
The VA House of Burgesses was the first
representative government in America.
The governor was appointed by the VA
Company.
This elected body acted on behalf of the
colonists.
Poor English and slave colonists staged an
uprising against the governor and his
landowning supporters. The landless rebels
wanted harsher action against the Native
Americans so more land would be available to
the colonists. The rebellion was put down, and
the VA House of Burgesses passed laws to
regulate slavery so poor white colonists would
no longer side with slaves against rich white
colonists.
New England colonies
Established by Puritans in present
day Massachusetts.
Strict religious beliefs.
Not tolerant of differing religious
beliefs.
Rhode Island was founded by religious dissenters from
Massachusetts who were more tolerant of different religious
beliefs.
Many New England communities were run through town
meetings.
In colonies run by the King, a royal governor was appointed
Church membership was required for men to have voting
rights.
Church membership was tightly controlled by the minister and
congregation. As more children were born in America, many
grew up to be adults who lacked a personal covenant
(relationship) with God.
Mid-1600’s – the Puritan ideal was under pressure to change.
1662- church ministers agreed to the “Half - Way Covenant”
Children of church members were admitted as “half way” members
who could be baptized into the church, but did not have the right to
vote or take communion. Hope was to increase church
membership with these 2nd and 3rd generation Puritans.
Late 1600’s – a fear of witchcraft was prevalent in New England.
1692- in Salem, MA – dozens of women, men & children were
accused of witchcraft & jailed.
During the 10 months of the Salem Witch Trials, nineteen people
were found guilty of practicing witchcraft and were hanged.
PENNSYLVANIA
1681 – William Penn got a large piece of land from King
Charles II and founded Pennsylvania.
Quakers settled Pennsylvania
Practiced religious tolerance
Were pacifists
Religious equality for women
No established church ministry
Quakers were often persecuted for they way of life.
1683 – Pennsylvania established a legislative assembly.
NEW YORK
1626 – Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam was founded
after buying Manhattan Island from the Manhattan people
(Native Americans) for some beads and other goods.
It became a major trading port.
Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant turned the colony over to
England in 1664.
It was renamed New York after the Duke of York, who was
the brother of King Charles II.
Tolerant of different religions.
Mercantilism – inspired Parliament to control
the trans-Atlantic trade with its American
colonies.
All goods shipped to or from British North
America had to travel in British ships, and goods
exported to Europe were subject to British taxes.
These restrictions were designed to keep the
colonies from competing with Britain.
Tobacco & other cash crops
required a large labor force.
African slaves were used for this
work.
In 1607, there were no African
slaves in North America, but by
1700, there were thousands.
Most of them were found in the
Southeast, where the economy
was agriculturally based.
The Middle Passage was the part
of the triangular trade through
which the slaves came to North
America.
African American culture grew in
America.
Slave communities were rich with music,
dance, basket weaving, and pottery
making.
Slaves brought these skills with them
from their various cultures.
The Enlightenment was a new way of thinking
that came about during the scientific revolution
in Europe. It was based on reason.
JohnLocke and others talked about the
natural rights of individuals.
Rousseau- argued in favor of the social
contract, allowing governments to exist and
rule only with the consent of the people.
1. Granted a charter in 1628, the
Massachusetts Bay Colony became a haven
for which of the following interest groups?
THERE WAS A GROWING BELIEF THAT COLONISTS’ RIGHTS AS
ENGLISHMEN WERE BEING VIOLATED.
French & Indian War – 1754 – 1763: Fought between Great Britain, the
French & their Native American allies. It was fought over territory in the Ohio
Valley. Native Americans supported the French because they built forts for
trade instead of permanent settlements. Great Britain won the war, but would
need money to help pay war debts. Was called the 7 Years War in Europe.
Treaty of Paris: 1763 - Ended the French
and Indian War. France lost Canada to
Great Britain. France also gave up all land
east of the Mississippi River except New
Orleans. The British kept control of all
American colonies, which colonists resented.
RESULT: Redrew the entire political map of
North America & brought Great Britain into
conflict with both France and the colonies.
Proclamation of 1763: Parliament told
the colonists they could not purchase land
west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Britain sent 10,000 troops to the colonies.
Western settlers were ordered to vacate
Indian land, and only those British settlers
with licenses could trade.
Stamp Act (1765) – was passed to raise money for
defending the colonies. Taxed legal documents,
newspapers, pamphlets, etc. It was the first direct
tax ever placed on the colonies & a violation of the
principle that only the colonies’ legislative
assemblies could impose taxes.
Colonists opposed taxation without
representation & boycotted the stamps. No
taxes were ever paid and the tax was finally
repealed.
Sons of Liberty – secret organization formed
to show colonists’ dislike for British policies.
They were led by Sam Adams. They
damaged British property and promoted civil
disobedience.
Daughters of Liberty - protest group of
females. Helped make homemade items so
that colonists could continue to boycott
British goods.
• Committees of Correspondence – formed because
American patriots could not communicate publicly.
They would exchange written communication with
each other. They were the first organization linking
the colonies in their opposition to British rule. They
played an important role in planning for the First
Continental Congress.
• Intolerable Acts – passed by Britain to punish
Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. Closed
Boston Harbor, and required colonists to house
British soldiers in their homes. Reduce colonists’
rights to self government.
Common Sense – Thomas
Paine published this pamphlet
encouraging Americans to
support independence from
Great Britain.
• Declaration of Independence – 1776- written by
Thomas Jefferson using the ideas of John Locke
and Charles de Montesquieu. The language of it
was very direct and simple for everyone to
understand. It explained the reasons for the
colonies seeking independence from Great Britain.
It listed examples of how King George III had
violated colonists’ rights. It discussed the colonists’
many unsuccessful attempts to get relief from Great
Britain, and ended by stating that the only way for
the colonists to restore their rights was to do it
themselves by declaring independence.
• Important People
• Benjamin Franklin – American ambassador to France.
The French began to secretly support the Americans in
early 1776.
• Marquis de Lafayette – French soldier who joined the war
against the British. He helped train American forces and
was a key strategist in the Yorktown campaign that led to
the British surrender.
• Lord Cornwallis – was the commander of the British
forces during the American Revolution. He surrendered
at Yorktown and returned to Britain.
e had a good chance of being badly hurt or dying in battle.
Named commander in Chief of the
Continental Army.
Extraordinary leadership abilities
Reorganized the army
Got additional equipment and supplies
Started a training program for a professional
military.
Crossing the Delaware River – 1776- Christmas Eve – Was the
turning point of the Revolutionary War. Washington & his men
crossed the river during a snowstorm for a surprise attack on a
fort held by Hessian mercenaries working for the British. The
American victory there proved that American troops were a
serious opponent. THIS VICTORY RAISED AMERICAN
MORALE.
Valley Forge -Washington’s troops spent a harsh winter in
1777-1778 there. Problems for the army were at their worst
during that time. Disease spread through the camp. 4,000
men were too weak or ill to fight. Even though, Washington
ordered an intense training program that made the
Continental Army much more confident and capable.
Important Events
Yorktown , VA– British General Cornwallis planned
to move the battles to the south in an attempt to
separate the southern & northern states. He
followed American troops into VA, where he was
defeated by the American-French alliance. He
surrendered, and the Revolutionary War ended.
1783 Treaty of Paris – Ended the Revolutionary war.
America now had independence without
qualification.
France
Haiti
Latin America
Other areas that experienced revolution
French Revolution
Moderate Phase – constitutional monarchy
Radical Phase – Reign of Terror
Final Moderate Phase – Republic
Caused by a lack of central leadership.
Extreme margin between rich and poor.
Estates General met & promised to double the vote of the
common people against the votes of the clergy and nobility.
This failed, and the Third Estate (commoners) rebelled and
took the “Tennis Court Oath” that they would be the national
assembly & would not separate until a constitution was
established.
France got a constitution in 1791
Reign of Terror began when Louis XVI tried to
flee. Tens of thousands were executed
(mostly nobility and clergy)
A new constitution was written in 1795.
The government was unstable, and people
wanted a strong political figure.
Napoleon entered the scene and established
the French Empire.
Haitian Revolution (1791) was similar to US Revolution in its causes.
Haiti was controlled by France
Strict mercantilist policies
Denied them a voice in government
Slavery
Division in Haiti over issues.
Declaration of the Rights of man issued by the Estates General in 1789.
Raised issue of slavery for France and her colonies.
Slave rebellions started in 1791
1794 – all free people in colonies were considered equal
Slavery did not end there
Inspired slave rebellions around the world
Loss of Haiti as a colony led to France giving up much territory in Western
Hemisphere.
Early 19th century was dominated by revolutions throughout Latin
America.
These revolutions led to the establishments of the independent
territories of Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina,
Chile, Brazil and Bolivia.
Many began after the success of the American and French Revolutions.
The revolutions revolved around issues of mercantilism, slavery and self-
government.
Many were influenced or inspired by the efforts of Simon Bolivar, who
believed in self government of the Spanish colonies.
He established the Gran-Colombia, (a federal republic); it was his dream
of a Latin-American state, and lasted until 1830,when it dissolved after
his resignation.
Which of the following were factors leading
the colonists to revolt against England?
I. the use of slave labor in the Southern
colonies
II. taxing the colonists without allowing them
representation in England's Parliament.
III. taxes levied on tea, sugar, and paper
IV. the growing cost of living in the colonies
Written by the 2nd Continental Congress to establish a
new central government for America.
Was the first constitution (written plan for government)
for our nation.
Made sure that the central government was WEAK, and
state governments were STRONG.
No federal power to tax, regulate commerce, or
establish a national currency.
Led to conflicts among the states that threatened the
existence of the nation.
An attempt by a group of indebted farmers
to secure weapons from a Federal Armory.
Became the catalyst for the US to
recognize the need for a new constitution.
With no power to tax, the federal
government could not repair the national
economy.
Federalists (pro Constitution) focused on weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation, and the benefits of a national
government as formed by the Constitution.
They believed a strong central government would foster the
commercial growth of the new country.
Anti-Federalists (against Constitution) feared too much
power in the new central government.
They worried that the rights of common people would be
suppressed by those in power.
Authors of the Federalist Papers
These papers communicate the central ideas of the
Federalists:
The benefits of a union between the states
The problems with the confederation as it stood at the
time
The importance of an effective federal government
Defense of republicanism
The need for a federal government to preserve order and
secure liberty.
• Settled dispute between large and small states.
• Combined Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan
• Established a national legislature with elected
representatives based on a state’s population.
• Two house legislature
• House of Representatives: representation
based on population
• Senate – equal representation for all states.
Slavery Issue
3/5 Compromise:
3/5 of a state’s slaves would count as part of the
population
Counting formula to be used for calculating
taxation & representation
Slave Trade:
Congress would not interfere with the slave trade
for 20 years.
Congress could limit the slave trade after that
time
Return of runaway slaves by Northern states.
Federalism (sharing power between federal and state governments)
was the basis for the new government.
Constitution would be the supreme law of the land.
Limited government with divided powers.
Powers divided between national and state government
Power of national government was divided between the executive,
legislative and judicial branches.
Checks and balances – ensured that none of the 3 branches
became too powerful (example- President can veto a bill passed by
Congress)
• The Bill of Rights (1st ten amendments to the
Constitution) was added in 1791.
• Guarantees personal freedoms such as
freedom of speech and religion; right to bear
arms, etc.
▪ The Constitution took effect in 1789
• George Washington became America’s first president
• He set important precedents for other presidents to
follow.
• Was a period of booming trade with Great Britain.
• The US did not get involved in foreign conflicts.
(neutrality)
• He warned against political parties and foreign
entanglements.
• Tax policies were a major issue; taxes were passed on
liquor; this hit the small whiskey makers in western
settlements hard.
Farmers in western Pennsylvania rose up
to protest the government over taxation.
They attacked federal tax collectors.
Washington showed the power of the
federal government when he sent troops
in to stop the protest.
He said if Americans did not like a law,
they should petition Congress peacefully.
1796 – two political parties had emerged
Alexander Hamilton led the Federalists
Believed the Constitution granted the federal government implied
powers (not specifically mentioned in the Constitution)
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were Republicans
Believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution. No powers
not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.
1796 Election – John Adams (Federalist) was elected President,
and Thomas Jefferson (Republican) was elected Vice President.
Political parties had begun to play an important role in the
government process.
1796 Election – John Adams (Federalist) was elected
President
Plagued by conflicts with France and Great Britain that
crippled the nation’s economy.
Received harsh criticism from supporters of Vice
President Thomas Jefferson.
Congress passed a law that increased citizenship
requirements so that Jefferson would lose support from
the immigrant community.
Congress also tried to stop the criticism with limits on
speech and press rights of Jefferson’s followers.
The United States Constitution retained
which of the following features in the
Articles of Confederation?
Positive changes in France
Higher education
Civil law (Napoleonic Code)
Declared himself Emperor and established a
hereditary monarchy.
Established a modern secular state
Development of modern warfare
His military strength motivated other European
nations to form alliances & lay the foundation for
many of today’s international systems.
1800 – Thomas Jefferson was elected 3rd president
of the US
He was very curious about undiscovered “treasures”
of the western lands.
Jefferson sent ambassadors James Monroe &
Robert Livingston to France to purchase New
Orleans & West Florida for $10 million.
Napoleon Bonaparte sold the Louisiana Territory
to the US for 3 cents an acre ($15 million).
The Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the
size of the US (1803)
Meriwether Lewis & William Clark were chosen by Jefferson
to explore the Louisiana Purchase and lands west.
They led 50 other explorers in the Corps of Discovery.
Started at St. Louis and traveled up the Missouri River
28 months
8,000 miles
Went to the Pacific Ocean and back.
RESULT of the expedition – Opened the door to western
expansion and brought a huge change to the lifestyle of
Native Americans on both sides of the Mississippi River.
Control of Atlantic Trade continued to create conflict between France and
England.
American merchant ships were caught in the middle of the conflict.
1807 – Congress imposed an embargo (halt) of foreign trade directed
against France and Great Britain.
The embargo stopped trade for American merchants and farmers, causing
a severe economic depression in the United States.
American merchant ships were seized at sea by both France and Great
Britain.
The British forced thousands of American sailors into service in the British
Royal Navy (impressment)
Members of Congress believed that the British were arming Native
Americans & causing their aggression toward the US.
June 18, 1812 – Congress declared war on
Great Britain.
Two years later, the Treaty of Ghent was
signed to end the war.
Military stalemate
White House was burned
Brought a new spirit of nationalism that
expanded trade & westward movement
1823 – President James Monroe issued the
Monroe Doctrine.
Put Europe on notice that the US would
not tolerate any additional European
colonies in North America.
Became the basis for US foreign policy in
the Western Hemisphere
American domestic policy focused mainly on movement west
1807- steamboat changed river travel
By 1830, the steam locomotive would lead to a railroad network
stretching from the East Coast to the MS River.
1825 - Erie Canal opened and connected Lake Erie to the Hudson River
Canals and railroads allowed goods to move from east to west
New York was a central point for America’s trade and banking
NY had a population of over 200,000 by 1830.
As the infrastructure developed, America’s inner cities began to grow.
Economic Growth & Reform
GPS: SSUSH 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e
Began in England in 1700s & eventually spread to the
United States.
Advances in science & technology
Had far reaching socioeconomic effects
Industrialization involved a transition from manual to
power driven factory labor.
Factories began producing goods such as cloth &
furniture previously made by hand in small shops or
at home.
As industries grew, people began to leave rural farms
& villages to move to the cities for factory work.
1794 – Eli Whitney makes cotton production easier
with the invention of the cotton gin, which separated
seeds from cotton.
This invention resulted in increased cotton
production, which led to more fields being planted
with cotton, and an increased need for slaves to pick
the cotton.
By 1840, cotton represented 52% of goods exported
from the United States.
US industrialization began in 1800 in New England,
where coal and iron were plentiful.
• Parts that can be used for more than one product, instead
of parts made one at a time for individual machines.
• Eli Whitney used interchangeable musket parts, which
resulted in a large musket contract for him.
• These parts became a key component of industrialization
in both the United States and Europe.
• Most Americans desired to own their own land.
• Gold and other valuable resources were
discovered in the West.
• Manifest Destiny – belief of
Americans that it was our
“obvious fate” to expand from
coast to coast.
87
Term refers to the presidency of Andrew Jackson
(1829-1837)
He believed in Manifest Destiny
Jackson expanded the power of the presidency
Encouraged people from all social classes to be
involved in government & vote
He used the spoils system, where he gave friends
and political supporters jobs in the government
(even if they weren’t qualified)
Responsible for Indian Relocation
88
Expanded during Jackson’s presidential
campaigns.
Accusations against each side
Mud slinging
These were publicized in songs, pamphlets,
posters, lapel buttons and posters.
Campaign rallies and barbecues.
• As a people, Americans in Andrew Jackson’s day
believed in Manifest Destiny.
• They believed their nation was different than, and
superior to, other nations because most Americans of
that time shared the Protestant religion, English
ancestry, and culture.
• They believed it was their duty to expand the hold of
their religion, language, ancestry and culture all the
way to the Pacific Ocean.
• Together, these beliefs comprise American
nationalism.
90
Temperance
Abolition
Public School
Women’s Suffrage
• Temperance is the belief that people
should limit or eliminate the use of
alcoholic beverages.
• Impact – increased the size of
Protestant religious organizations &
their influence in western & rural
sections of the country. Also laid the
foundation for the women’s movement
because women played such an important
role in this movement.
92
Issue – Slavery should be abolished
and not allowed in new states.
Impact – made slavery and its
expansion an important political
issue. Women played an important
role, which laid the foundation for
the women’s movement.
93
Abolition movement was an effort to end slavery. It
took place mainly in the North.
William Lloyd Garrison – writer and editor; white
radical abolitionist; published anti-slavery
newspaper.
Frederick Douglass – former slave; worked for
Garrison; traveled and made speeches against
slavery; later published his own newspaper.
Until 1920, most women in the US did not have suffrage
(right to vote).
Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized a large assembly in Seneca
Falls, NY in 1848.
More than 2,000 people attended the Seneca Falls Convention.
It was the first women’s rights convention in the US.
They wrote & voted on the Declaration of Sentiments, which
called for equal rights for women in education, property
ownership, and voting.
This convention kicked off the women’s suffrage movement, and
conventions were held every year.
Eventually (1920), 72 years of persistence would lead to the
19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
95
Issue – all children should be required to attend
free schools supported by taxpayers and staffed
by trained teachers.
Impact – Established education as a right for all
children and as a state and local issue. Improved
the quality of schools by requiring trained teachers.
Missouri wanted to enter the Union as a state.
Their constitution allowed slavery. One half of the states in
the Union were free and one half allowed slaves.
Missouri would upset the balance.
So, the Missouri Compromise was enacted.
Missouri would enter the Union as a slave state
Maine entered the Union as a free state
No slavery would be allowed in the northern part of the
Louisiana Purchase except Missouri.
Vice President, John C. Calhoun disagreed with President
Andrew Jackson over rights of states to nullify (cancel)
federal laws that they opposed.
Trouble started when southern states tried to nullify a high
tax (tariff) placed on goods from Europe.
The tax helped northern manufacturers, but hurt plantation
owners.
John C. Calhoun, who resigned from the VP, was from South
Carolina, so that state led the fight for states’ rights
against the federal government.
RESULT (CONSEQUENCE) – SECTIONALISM GROWS
STRONGER IN THE SOUTH.
In 1845, Texas became part of the United States
(it had formerly been part of Mexico).
The US then wanted the Mexican territories
of California and New Mexico.
War broke out between the US and Mexico in 1846.
The US occupied much of northern Mexico during the war. The
US eventually won the war, and this region was ceded
(given) to the US in the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo.
During the Mexican – American War, Congress
debated whether slavery would be allowed in New
Mexico and California if these territories were
gained from Mexico.
The anti-slavery provision was outlined in a
proposal called the Wilmot Proviso.
The House of Representatives failed to approve it,
and the question of slavery in those areas
remained unanswered.
Five laws written to deal with issue of slavery in new states.
The state of New Mexico would be established by carving
its borders from Texas.
New Mexico voters would determine whether slavery
would be permitted or prohibited.
California would enter the Union as a free state
All citizens would be required to catch runaway slaves &
return them to their owners or face fines or imprisonment.
The slave trade would be abolished in the District of
Columbia, but the practice of slavery would be allowed to
continue there.
1854 – Congress had to deal with the question of
slavery in the new territories of Kansas and
Nebraska.
The idea was suggested by Senator Stephen Douglas for
two reasons:
1) He wanted Chicago to benefit from western
development (railroads could be built on Kansas &
Nebraska land & crops could be sent to Chicago)
2) He wanted support of Southern Democrats when he
ran for President. Allowing the people to decide on
slavery would make North & South happy.
Kansas – Nebraska Act
Established POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY (rule by the people) in all new
territories for people to decide if the state would be free or slave.
Pro – slavery & anti-slavery groups rushed to Kansas to try to create a
voting majority there.
Pro – slavery voters elected a legislature.
Abolitionists elected a rival Kansas government with an anti-slavery
constitution, established a different capital city, and raised an army.
Pro-slavery Kansans raised their own army.
Violence broke out between the two factions – Kansas was called
“Bleeding Kansas”.
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY HAD FAILED !!
Dred Scott Decision
1857 – US Supreme Court issued the Dred Scott decision. A
slave named Dred Scott had sued his owner for his freedom
when his owner moved him to a free state. The Supreme
Court’s ruling stated that a slave could not be a citizen, so
he could not sue.
The Court also said that Congress could not prohibit slavery in
federal territories.
The Court found that popular sovereignty and the Missouri
Compromise were unconstitutional.
SIGNIFICANCE – The US Constitution
protected slavery..
John Brown was a famous abolitionist who decided to fight
slavery with violence and killing.
He thought he was chosen by God to end slavery.
He led family members and other abolitionists in an attack on
pro-slavery settlers in Kansas.
In 1859, he led a group of black and white men in an attack on
the federal armory at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.
He planned to deliver the weapons to slaves to use in an
uprising against slaveholders & federal officials.
The raid failed and Brown was captured.
He was convicted of treason against VA & executed.
In the North he was a martyr; in the South he was a traitor.
Lincoln was elected in 1860.
South Carolina seceded from the Union (separated),
followed by MS, FL, AL, GA, LA & TX.
These states formed a new country called the
Confederacy (Confederate States of America)
They attacked the US Army base
at Fort Sumter, SC in 1861 and
the Civil War began.
Lincoln believed that preserving the Union was his
most important job.
He saw the southern states as merely rebelling
against the government.
Lincoln called for a volunteer army to preserve the
Union, and more states joined the Confederacy: VA,
AR, NC, & TN.
At first, Lincoln only wanted to restrict the spread of
slavery, but later decided to end it in the US.
Lincoln was re-elected in 1864.
The Union had a certain victory.
Lincoln expressed sorrow that the states had not been able to
resolve their differences peacefully.
He stated that slavery was evil.
He urged Americans not to seek revenge on slaveholders and
Confederate supporters.
He urged Reconstruction of the South with “malice toward
none”.
Said the war was fought to preserve the Union and end slavery.
The legal rule that anyone imprisoned must be taken
before a judge to determine if they were being held in
custody legally.
Lincoln suspended this constitutional right in some
states during the Civil War.
He had the right to do this in times of national
emergencies.
This enabled over 13,000 Confederate sympathizers to
be arrested and held in the North.
Lincoln used his emergency powers to issue it.
Freed (emancipated) all the slaves in the Confederate
States.
He hoped the news would reach the slaves in the
South & they would flee to the North.
He thought this would lessen the number of men
able to join the Confederate Army.
It did not free slaves living in the North.
New goal for Union troops – abolishing slavery.
Maryland – 1862
First major battle on Union soil.
Bloodiest one day battle of the Civil War
Robert E. Lee’s Confederate forces retreated, and
the Union claimed victory.
Significance of this battle - Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation afterwards.
Pennsylvania – 1863 – Three day battle
that was the turning point of the war
More than 50,000 men killed or wounded.
Lee failed to show Britain & France they should
help the Confederacy.
Devastating losses for the Confederates
Lee withdrew his forces back to Virginia
Lee gave up attempts to invade the Union.
1862 – Vicksburg was important to the
Confederacy because it guarded the Mississippi
River & access to New Orleans.
In 1863, Union forces sneaked past the
Confederates during the night, and set up south
of Vicksburg, where they gained control of the
Mississippi River.
This basically cut the Confederacy in half.
Vicksburg was lost on July 4, 1863.
Sherman’s plan was to force
the Confederate forces to stop
his advance. If they refused to
fight, he planned to seize
Atlanta.
Confederate General James
Hood engaged Union forces,
and lost thousands of soldiers.
Sherman’s forces were able to
capture Atlanta, a major rail
and industrial center of the
Confederacy.
1863 – Lincoln’s speech to dedicate a military
cemetery at the Gettysburg battlefield.
Lincoln spoke for only two minutes, but his speech is
considered to be one of the greatest in the English
language.
It shaped popular opinion in favor of preserving the
Union.
It helped raise the spirits of the northerners who had
grown tired of the war.
He was able to convince people that the US was one
indivisible nation.
President Johnson’s plan:
Amnesty for Southerners who swore allegiance to
the Union.
Pardon high ranking Confederate soldiers.
Voting rights for white men
All southern states would ratify the 13th Amendment.
Johnson would appoint new southern governors.
Re-admit southern states to the Union as quickly as
possible.
Republicans in Congress were angry because
new southern state governments were denying
newly freed slaves their rights.
Congress forced southern states to re-apply for
admission to the Union.
They had to ratify (accept) three new
amendments to the Constitution.
Ended slavery in the US.
Freedmen’s Bureau – to meet the needs of
former slaves; food, land, shelter & medical
care.
It also established schools & made labor
contracts for freedmen.
Black colleges (Morehouse in Atlanta)
Granted full
citizenship to all
people born in
the US. (14th)
Gave all citizens
the right to vote.
(15th)
Many children could attend school for the first time.
African Americans started newspapers, served in public
office, and attended new colleges and universities.
Morehouse College was founded in Atlanta in 1867.
Freedmen’s Bureau was created by Congress to help the
newly freed slaves.
Provided food, clothing, jobs, medicine and medical
facilities.
Congress did not grant them land or the absolute right
to own land. Many worked as tenant farmers or
sharecroppers.
Johnson ignored laws passed by Congress to
limit presidential powers.
They passed these laws to stop Johnson from
curbing Radical Republicans’ hostile
treatment of former Confederate states and
their leaders.
Johnson missed conviction by one vote.
He was impeached mainly because he had
differing opinions than those who had the
power to impeach him.
Black Codes (1865 – 1866) – Series of laws
passed by Southern legislatures to restrict the
rights of newly freed blacks.
Vagrancy laws; banned from owning
farmland; minors could be “indentured” until
21 years old.
Black Codes would later be overturned.
Formed in 1866 in Tennessee as a
social club. Then became a
“white supremist group fighting
to keep African Americans from
receiving their rights.
Terrorized African Americans as a
way to maintain the segregation
and disenfranchisement of
blacks.
Dressed in white robes & hoods
depicting the “ghosts” of dead
Nathan Bedford Forrest Confederate soldiers.
Railroads
Oil and Steel Industry
Immigrant Labor
Rise of Big Business
Labor Unions
Movement West
Progressives
Why were they important?
1. Could cross long distances
2. More reliable transportation
3. Increased westward expansion
4. Government gave land grants to RR’s
Mostly Chinese immigrants
The work was harsh and
dangerous.
The pay was poor.
They worked long hours in all
kinds of weather.
Andrew Carnegie – Used vertical
integration to make his company
grow.
He bought all the supplies & gained
control of all parts of the steel
production process.
He created more product more
cheaply.
He also attracted talent to work in his
company.
Carnegie gave away 90% of his
wealth!!
•John D. Rockefeller used horizontal
integration to make his company grow &
create a monopoly.
•He controlled 90% of all the oil refinery
businesses in the US.
•He paid low wages & kept his
profits high.
•Rockefeller also gave much of his wealth
to charities.
Immigrants from Europe arrived on the East Coast at Ellis
Island
It was called the Golden Door (New York City)
They traveled 2 – 3 weeks to get here in terrible conditions;
faced thieves and criminals who took advantage of them;
settled together in communities; made low wages, and faced
discrimination. Likely to be poor.
Immigrants from Asia arrived on the West Coast at Angel
Island.
Chinese & Japanese were targets of suspicion, hostility &
discrimination.
They worked mostly for the railroads.
American labor unions were against them.
One of the leading labor unions in the US
Was led by Samuel Gompers
Used collective bargaining as a method to
help workers – this was a negotiation tactic
where each side makes compromises.
Used strikes – all workers walked off the job
until the company agreed to the Union’s
requests.
Harmful effect on Native Americans.
Settlers & railroads took their land.
Violence occurred between US
troops & Native Americans.
They were relocated to reservations.
Their way of life was disrupted.
Muckrakers were journalists who alerted
the public to wrongdoing in politics and
business.
Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle about the
meatpacking industry.
Ida Tarbell exposed unethical business
practices of Standard Oil.
Progress of business and industry inspired
reformers to make improvements in the political
and social environment.
Strengthened American democracy in ways we
carry forward into our own time.
Supported new ideas and policies they believed
would improve people’s lives.
Supported increase government regulation of
business and industry, efforts to protect consumers
and workers, and policies to conserve natural
resources.
• There was corruption in the government; several
reforms were made to end it.
• Initiative – Citizens can put proposal on ballot by
petition
• Recall – Voters can remove public officials from
office
• Referendum – Process allowing citizens to approve
or reject a law.
• Direct election of Senators – 17th Amendment
(1913) – Voters won the right to elect their US
senators. Previously, each state’s legislature chose
the senators.
Asian immigrants face discrimination in the
1880’s.
Chinese workers accepted low wages for jobs
whites had held, employers lowered the
wages for all workers.
The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882
and banned all future Chinese immigration.
Pro – Imperialists
Gain new frontier to keep our
competitive edge
A celebration of American traditions &
spirit
Practicality of gaining foreign markets
Good Military strategy
Anti – Imperialists
Rejection of nation’s foundation of “liberty for all”
Laws should follow the flag – areas controlled by the US
should get the rights of its citizens.
Threatened our democratic freedom
Racism – fear that policies would encourage people of
different racial backgrounds to move to the US.
Economic reasons – too many costs
Competition for US jobs
Background & Causes:
US vs. Spain in 1898
Fighting happened near Cuba & the Philippines.
Spanish naval squadron was completely destroyed.
Spain’s defeat marked the end of their colonial empire & established
the US as a global military empire.
Causes:
▪ Cuba was trying to gain independence from Spain; suffered brutality
▪ Yellow Journalism – American newspapers used sensationalism in reporting
events & increased US sympathy for Cubans.
▪ US imperialism
▪ The US battleship Maine exploded mysteriously in Havanna, Cuba
Philippine people wanted total independence from US
War lasted 2 years
Filipino troops used guerilla warfare
Teddy Roosevelt declared an end to the war in 1902.
US controlled the Philippines until after WWII. (July 4, 1946)
Caribbean region and Latin America remained
unstable.
Teddy Roosevelt feared European countries
would take advantage of the instability to gain
power and influence in the region.
Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine – US
would maintain stability in Latin America even
with force.
Panama Canal – created a faster route between
the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Biggest engineering project of the era.
Balkan nationalism- people of the Balkans believed that Bosnia should be
part of a new Slavic state. European powers placed Bosnia under Austro-
Hungarian control. Russia secretly helped finance the assassination of
Archduke Francis Ferdinand, which was a catalyst for WWI.
Entangling Alliances – late 1800’s – early 1900’s; European nations began
to ally with each other. This alliance system made some countries feel an
obligation to aid their allies in the event of war.
Militarism – late 1800’s and early 1900’s – countries like France, Germany,
and Great Britain were engaged in an arms race. France and Germany
doubled the size of their armies during this period. Great Britain and
Germany fought for naval dominance by introducing battleships to the
seas.
Western front was characterized by trench
warfare between German and French armies.
They stayed in nearly the same positions for
four years. (stalemate)
On the eastern front, Germany was able to
defeat Russian and Serbian forces decisively.
This allowed the German army to focus more
attention on the western front.
Treaty of Versailles – peace treaty signed at the
Palace of Versailles near Paris ended WWI.
One of the most important aspects of the treaty
was the reparations (payment of war debts)
required of Germany.
Reparations- Germany had to pay for the
damages they had inflicted on the Allies. This
would cause Germany much economic stress in
the post war period. Many Germans felt that
they were being punished personally for the
actions of their government.
Mandate System – To gain Arab support
against the Ottoman Empire during the war,
the Allies promised to recognize the
independence of Arab states. Some western
powers changed their minds and established
the mandate system.
France controlled Lebanon and Syria, while
Great Britain controlled Palestine and Iraq.
These nations did not officially “own” the
territories.
Fall of the Romanovs – Russian Czar Nicholas II
was the last of the Romanov family to rule
Russia. His downfall was his poor military
leadership, his tendency to listen to his wife,
and Rasputin. He was also unable to handle the
economic crises facing Russia.
He stepped down in 1917 and was assassinated
in 1918.
Fall of the Hapsburgs – the Hapsburgs had
ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the
time of WWI. Archduke Francis Ferdinand
was the heir to the empire (he was
assassinated).
Their downfall was due to the inability to
create an identity among the people of the
empire and their apathy toward including the
growing middle class in decision making.
Neutrality at first
Immigrants were sympathetic with their native countries
Socialists thought it was a struggle between European capitalists over
Asian markets
Pacifists thought the US should stay neutral to set an example of peace
US mobilized for war by 1917
Germany threatened the US with U-boat attacks
The passenger ship, Lusitania, was sunk & Americans killed
Zimmerman Note (Germany tried to get Mexico to
attack the US)
Russia withdrew from the war
Great Migration – 1.5 million southern blacks
moved to the cities
Faced residential segregation ordinances &
restrictive covenants, so access to housing was
a problem.
Created cities within cities during the 1920’s.
▪ Harlem was the largest
Allies won the war – Wilson devised a
14 Point Plan for peace
No secret treaties
Free seas for all nations
Free trade for all
Lower arms for domestic safety only
Change imperialistic policies
# 6 – 13 dealt with boundary changes in
Europe
#14 – Create a League of Nations as a
place to settle disputes and avoid wars.
(Was rejected by other allied nations &
US senators) US never joined.
1919 – the 18th Amendment was passed.
Was the Prohibition Amendment that prohibited
the manufacture, sale or transportation of
alcohol. Was hard to enforce & led to bootlegging
and organized crime.
1920 – The 19th Amendment was passed.
Gave women the right to vote.
Russian Revolution – Russia suffered military
and economic failures during WWI. After Czar
Nicholas II stepped down, a provisional
government formed.
The Bolsheviks were a party of soviets
(councils of workers and soldiers)
They were led by V.I. Lenin
They took power away from the provisional
government.
Made promises to the Russian workers
to gain their support.
Promised to transfer ownership of
factories from capitalists to the workers.
Also promised to end Russia’s
involvement in WWI.
Leader of Soviet Union and Communist Party
He took over after Lenin’s death
Was a dictator and governed a period that saw over 25
million Soviet people die from his policies and execution
orders.
Five Year Plan- Stalin’s plan to transform the Soviet Union
from an agricultural into an industrial economy in a brief
period of time. The policies hurt the average citizen because
of low wages and lack of housing. Farms were taken away
from private hands and collectivized. Peasants were forced
to work on the collective farms.
Political philosophy that emphasizes the
state over the individual.
Propaganda is used to convince the people
that a strong central government led by a
dictator is the way to economic and military
success.
Opposition is suppressed by the threat of
violence.
Fascist dictators gained power in Europe
during the Great Depression.
Adolph Hitler - Germany Benito Mussolini - Italy Hirohito - Japan
Benito Mussolini- Fascist leader of Italy; never achieved
totalitarian control of Italy.
Adolph Hitler – Fascist leader of the Nazi Party in
Germany; wrote Mein Kampf, a book outlining his belief
in Anti-Semitism (hatred for Jews), Anti-Communism,
and the right of superior individuals to take control of
the masses by force.
Hirohito – Emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989. Reign
included internal conflicts, invasion of China, entry into
WWII, surrender of Japan, and the growth of Japan into
an industrial power. Between WWI and WWII he
personally took control of the military.
Totalitarianism – government controls every aspect of public
and private life in the country. Use propaganda and
surveillance to control people. Opposition is suppressed
through violence.
Police state – No “rule of law” controlling the actions of the
government. The “law” is the same as the personal beliefs of
the dictator. (usually accompanies totalitarianism)
Authoritarian government – leader lacks real legitimacy; is
usually more private than public; lacks charisma that gets
loyalty from the people; relies on behind the scenes
corruption to maintain control.
Late 1800’s and early 1900’s – communism grew out of
socialism.
Communism – no private ownership; dictator rules a single
party
When the communists took control in Russia, and called for a
worldwide revolution to destroy capitalism, people in the US
began to fear communists.
Red Scare – fear of international communism. Red was the
color of the communist flag. This led to the government
pursuing suspected communists and socialists.
Red Scare was one factor that led to new restrictions on
immigration.
Another factor was that people born in America were
superior to immigrants.
A third factor was that America should keep its traditional
culture intact.
Anti-immigrant, anti-Jewish, and anti-Catholic sentiments
contributed to the popularity of a revived Ku Klux Klan
throughout the nation.
This conservative reaction against immigrants resulted in the
passage of legislation that set limits on the number of
immigrants who could come to the US from each country.
1920’s -automobile emerged as a
replacement for the horse.
Mass production made this possible
Henry Ford used mass production to
make his Model T on the assembly
line.
Radio had a major impact by bringing the nation together.
It blurred regional differences & created similar tastes and
lifestyles. Created a national culture.
Phonograph caused piano sales to decrease; created the
“Jazz Age”. Made Duke Ellington & Louis Armstrong popular.
Movie attendance increased; created a new popular culture
with common speech, dress, and behaviors.
Spectator Sports were popular because people needed
heroes. Favorite sports were boxing, football, and baseball.
Jazz combined themes and note patterns
developed by enslaved African Americans
with rhythms worked out by musicians in
New Orleans and elsewhere in the South.
Was very popular in the US in the 1920’s.
Trumpet player Louis Armstrong was one of
the biggest stars of jazz.
Harlem Renaissance - 1920’s wave of
creativity in Harlem celebrating African
American culture through literature and
song.
Best known poet of the movement was
Langston Hughes, who wrote about the lives
of working class African Americans and
sometimes set his words to jazz or blues.
The Great Depression (1929 – 1941) began with the Stock Market
Crash on October 28, 1929. Stock prices fell drastically, and
people withdrew their money from banks in a panic.
Characteristics of the Depression included:
Economic depression
High unemployment
Decline in industrial production
98% decrease in US economic
investment
1920’s economic problems:
Gap between rich and poor grew wider
Banks failed (people withdrew money)
Industry was in trouble
▪ High tariffs to protect US trade led to
decreased international trade
▪ Decline in business investments
Too many crops = less profits for farmers
▪ Farmers stopped buying products
▪ Dust Bowl in Great Plains
Stock Market gambles (speculation)
Weaknesses in the Economy
Competition with foreign
markets
New transportation competed
with RR’s
New methods of energy
competed with coal
Farm debts could not be repaid
Federal Reserve Bank slowed the
money supply instead of
stimulating the economy.
Consumer Problems
High prices
Low wages
Too much buying on credit –
people could not repay loans.
False sense of prosperity in the 1920’s
High unemployment = US had no system of
unemployment insurance; no jobs meant that
people couldn’t buy products.
Unemployment – by 1932 one
fourth of the nation’s families had
no wage earner.
Loss of homes – vagrancy &
hoboes; people lived in
shantytowns and “Hoovervilles”
Soup kitchens and breadlines =
people were hungry
Families were separated (many
men deserted their wives and
children) 200,000 kid with no
home.
Increased racial
violence over jobs
Migration to
California
Hoboes on the RR’s
More diet related
illness (rickets)
Shorter school
year; some schools
closed
Increased suicide
rate
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
21 dams were built to generate
electricity
was created in 1933 as a way to
bring electricity to thousands of
farms in seven southern states.
Wagner Act – (National Labor Relations Act)
Empowered labor unions
Federal government guaranteed the right of
employees to form unions and use collective
bargaining.
Set up the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
which had the power to prohibit unfair labor
practices by employers.
Social Security Act –
Workers 65 and older would get monthly stipends
based on previous earnings.
Gave indigent elderly small relief payments
Assistance to the blind and handicapped
Assistance to children who did not have a wage
earning parent.
Established the nation’s first federally
sponsored system of unemployment
insurance.
Pearl Harbor (American naval base in Hawaii) was
attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941.
“A day that will live in infamy”.
surprise attack
US Pacific fleet was almost entirely destroyed
over 2,000 Americans died; 1178 wounded- only 55
Japanese deaths
Japan awoke the “sleeping giant” – FDR asked
Congress to declare war on Japan.
Internment Camps – Japanese-American citizens
were forced to leave their homes and sell their
property at great losses.
They were relocated in 10 internment camps in
seven western states. They lived behind barbed
wire in tiny wooden barracks.
Nearly 18,000 of the men joined the US Army, and
their unit was one of the most decorated in WWII.
The camps were finally closed after protests.
Hitler wanted to build a German empire in
Europe & began to demand that Europe’s
German populated areas be united with
Germany. (Nazi Party ideology)
Holocaust – Planned internment,
enslavement, and murder of Jews and other
religious and ethnic minorities perpetrated
by Hitler’s Nazi Party.
Lend – Lease Act:
FDR entered his 3rd term as president
He wanted to help Britain in the war effort.
Act was signed in 1941 and allowed the US to aid
any nation whose defense was vital to the US.
How we mobilized for war
federal government played important role
auto industry converted from cars to tanks & planes
women went to work in factories
crop prices were set at high levels – more cash for farmers
small farmers left farms to work in defense plants or
armed services
we rationed scarce items (sugar, meat, coffee, tires, gas,
shoes)
government levied a 5% withholding tax on anyone
earning over $642 a year to reduce purchasing power.
D –Day – June 6, 1944
Allied forces launched sea-born invasion of France called Operation
Overlord
Allied forces were led by Dwight D. Eisenhower
they invaded from the English Channel
France was liberated from Germany on August 25, 1944
Germany was militarily defeated by the spring of 1945.
The Soviet Union crushed Berlin (Hitler’s stronghold)
Hitler committed suicide
Germany surrendered (May 7, 1945)
The war in Europe was over, but the Japanese pressed on.
$2 billion dollar secret project
centered at Los Alamos, New Mexico
goal was to develop the atomic bomb
invasion of Japan would be deadly and costly
President Harry Truman approved use of the bomb on Japan.
August 6, 1945 – the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima
August 9, 1945 – a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki
The cities were annihilated and thousands died
August 15, 1945- Japan surrendered
Meetings of Allied leaders (Churchill, Stalin,
FDR/Truman) where discussions occurred
regarding plans for post war Europe.
Soviet Union played a key role in defeating
Germany, so the Allies couldn’t completely
ignore Stalin’s demands for what became a
“sphere of influence” in many Eastern
European countries.
European Recovery Plan – named for US Secretary of
State George Marshall.
Was America’s main program for rebuilding Western
Europe and opposing communism after WWII.
Plan was in place 4 years.
US spent 13 billion dollars on economic and technical
assistance for European nations that had been nearly
destroyed in the war.
Plan offered the same aid to the Soviet Union and its
allies if they would make political reforms.
Soviets rejected the proposal.
General Douglass MacArthur was
appointed Supreme Commander
of the Allied Powers in Japan
after WWII.
To halt the spread of communism to Western
Europe from the Soviet controlled nations of
Eastern Europe, the US formed the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. (NATO)
Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact, an
alliance of communist nations.
US adopted a policy of containment –
determination to stop the spread of
communism. Basis of many US foreign policy
decisions in the Cold War period.
Truman Doctrine proposed military and
economic aid to countries threatened by
Communist takeover
It committed the US to providing aid to
countries resisting communism & provided
the first step toward what would become the
containment policy.
Mao Zedong & Chinese Communists started
the People’s Republic of China.
The fall of China to Communists shocked
Americans & there was some blame placed
on US government officials for loss of the
country to Communists.
The US feared that country after country in
Asia would fall to Communism. (domino
theory)
Communist forces from North Korea invaded South
Korea & a 3 year war began.
US air and sea forces helped Korean troops.
300,000 Chinese forces entered Korea
US decided not to attack China
Was the first of the Cold War conflicts to test the
Truman Doctrine.
The 38th parallel divided Korea into North
(communist) and South (free) before the war.
It also was the dividing line after the war.
1950 to 1954 – Senator Joseph
McCarthy led a hunt for Communist
infiltrators in America.
He accused people from artists to
the top level of military of having
Communist ties or being a
sympathizer.
2nd Red Scare
He was very careless and cruel in
accusing people of being
Communist.
In November, 1954, he was
censured (punished) by the US
Senate.
October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union
launched the world’s first artificial
satellite into space. (Sputnik I)
Americans were alarmed that the Soviets
could spy on us from space.
We wanted to stay ahead of the Soviet
Union
January, 1958, the US launched Explorer I
The space race had officially begun.
First man to orbit Earth was Yuri Gagarin
(S.U. 1961) in the capsule Vostok I.
1962- John Glenn was the first American
to orbit Earth in Friendship 7
Term describing the Cold War competition
between the US and the Soviet Union for
military superiority. Weapons became
increasingly complex and destructive.
Hydrogen Bomb – became the basis of
“mutually assured destruction”. Knowing
that if the US or Soviets used the bomb, the
other nation would use theirs.
Helped maintain a balance of power.
Indian Independence – British government
peacefully transferred power to India.
Conflicts created the need for separate
nations for Hindus and Muslims.
Pakistan – primarily Muslim
India –primarily Hindu
Much violence inflicted on each other as
millions of people left their homes to enter
the state that reflected their religion.
Gandhi – Primary leader of the Indian
Independence movement.
Known for his belief in non-violent change
Used civil disobedience and unarmed
demonstrations to shame British rulers into
granting India’s independence.
Established in the British mandate of Palestine
by a United Nations resolution following WWII.
Palestine was divided into an Arab state and a
Jewish state.
The West was sympathetic toward the Jewish
people after the Holocaust.
Many Palestinians had to flee their homes and
live in refugee camps.
Conflicts among Israel, the Palestinians, and
neighboring Arab states continue to be a major
foreign policy issue for countries around the
world.
Truman’s integration order – 1948; President
Truman issued an executive order to
integrate the US Armed Forces and end
discrimination in the hiring of US government
employees.
This led to the civil rights laws enacted in the
1960s.
1954 Supreme Court case
State laws establishing “separate but equal”
public schools denied African American students
the equal education promised in the 14th
Amendment.
Reversed “Plessy vs. Ferguson” ruling
Governor of Arkansas tried to keep nine African
Americans from enrolling in high school.
President Eisenhower sent in federal troops to
force the high school to integrate.
1963 – arrested in Birmingham, AL
Wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to address
fears white religious leaders had that he was
moving too fast toward desegregation.
His writing explained why it was hard for African
Americans to wait for discrimination and
violence toward them to end.
Later, he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech
in Washington, DC to ask for peace and racial
harmony.
Signed by President Lyndon Johnson
Prohibited discrimination based on race,
religion, national origin, and gender.
Prompted by :
Long struggle by African Americans for equal
rights
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech
News reports of presidential actions that
combated civil rights violations.
Outlawed the requirement for would-be
voters in the US to take literacy tests.
Provided money for programs to register
voters in areas with large numbers of
unregistered minorities.
Gave the Department of Justice the right to
oversee the voting laws in certain districts
known to use literacy tests and poll taxes.
National Organization of Women: founded in
1966.
Goal was to promote equal rights and
opportunities for women.
Origins in civil rights and anti-war
movements of early 60’s.
Goals included equality in employment,
political and social equality, and passage of
the Equal Rights Amendment.
Silent Spring was a book written by Rachel Carson in
1962 exposing the dangers of pesticides.
Led to the Water Quality Act of 1965
First Earth Day was celebrated in 1970.
Communities organized to raise awareness about
the environment
President Nixon created the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to set limits on pollution,
conduct environmental research, and assist state
and local governments clean up polluted sites.
Ethnic conflicts: In the mid to late 20th
century and early 21st century, ethnic conflicts
have arisen around the world.
Many are tied to the artificial boundaries set
by European imperialists in Asia, Africa, and
the Middle East.
In some places, such as Cambodia, Bosnia,
and Sudan, there have been ethnic conflicts
resulting in genocide.
New Nationalism: in places like India, South
Africa, and Kenya, nationalism helped end
colonial (European) rule.
For example, the nationalist African National
Congress worked against the system of
Apartheid for years, eventually toppling the
minority government and making a relatively
peaceful transfer of power.
Impact of Terrorism
Terrorism is basically a synthesis of war and
theater. It is a dramatization of the kind of
violence that is perpetrated on innocent lives.
It is played before an audience in the hope of
creating a mood of fear for political purposes.
Some most recognized groups in the 20th
century are Shining Path, Red Brigade,
Hamas, and Al Qaeda.
Multinational corporations: 20th and 21st
centuries have seen the growth of
companies, often based in North America and
Europe, with worldwide influence.
Examples: Coca Cola and UPS have
operations and sales all over the world.
United Nations: many nations came together following
WWII with the goals of promoting peaceful settlement
of international issues/conflicts and working toward
greater dignity for all humans.
OPEC: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
US is not a member. OPEC tries to control the world
petroleum market through changes in output.
World Trade Organization: (WTO) was established
following WWII to promote free trade between nations.
Wants to reduce trade barriers such as tariffs, quotas,
and subsidies.