First Exam Flashcards
Reconstruction Amendments
13th Amendment (1865): Abolished slavery in the United States.
14th Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., including former slaves, and provided all citizens with “equal protection under the laws.”
15th Amendment (1870): Prohibited governments from denying U.S. citizens the right to vote based on race, color, or past servitude.
Causes of World War I
Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism (MAIN), and the immediate cause, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary.
Andrew Johnson/Impeachment
Succeeded Abraham Lincoln as president after his assassination in 1865.
First American president to be impeached, in 1868, due to his lenient policies towards the South and violation of the Tenure of Office Act. He was acquitted by one vote in the Senate.
Zimmerman Telegram
A secret diplomatic communication issued from Germany in January 1917 proposing a military alliance between Germany and Mexico in the event that the U.S. entered WWI against Germany. Its interception by the British helped bring the U.S. into the war.
Election of 1876/Compromise of 1877
One of the most disputed elections in U.S. history.
Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican) was awarded the presidency over Samuel J. Tilden (Democrat) through a compromise that entailed withdrawing federal troops from the South and effectively ending Reconstruction.
Lusitania
A British ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, killing 1,198 people including 128 Americans. The event swayed American public opinion against Germany.
Freedman’s Bureau
Established in 1865 to aid freed slaves during the transition from war to peace, and slavery to freedom.
Schlieffen Plan
Germany’s military strategy in WWI for a quick victory in the West by invading Belgium to reach Paris, then turning to fight Russia in the East. It ultimately failed.
Ulysses S. Grant
Commanding General who led the Union Army to victory in the Civil War.
Served as the 18th President of the U.S. (1869-1877), his administration was marred by corruption scandals.
Russian Revolution
A series of revolutions in 1917 that dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. The October Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power.
Russian Revolution
A series of revolutions in 1917 that dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. The October Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power.
Battle of Little Big Horn
1876 battle in which the Sioux and Cheyenne defeated General Custer’s 7th Cavalry.
Battle of Wounded Knee
In 1890, this massacre marked the last major confrontation in the American Indian Wars where the U.S. Army killed over 150 Sioux, many of whom were women and children.
Frederick Jackson Turner
Historian who presented the “Frontier Thesis” in 1893, arguing that the American frontier shaped the nation’s democracy and values.
Transcontinental Railroad
Completed in 1869, it linked the eastern U.S. rail network with the Pacific coast, transforming the economy and settlement patterns.
Industrial Triangle
A region demarcated by Chicago, New York, and St. Louis, known for its heavy industry during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Homestead Strike
A major strike in 1892 at the Carnegie Steel Company in Pennsylvania, highlighting the intense labor conflicts of the era.
Post Civil War Immigrants
The period from 1865 to 1890 saw a significant influx of immigrants, mainly from Europe, contributing to the U.S. labor force and cultural diversity.
Ellis Island
Opened in 1892, it served as the chief immigration station for the U.S., where millions of immigrants were processed until it closed in 1954.
Grand Army of the Republic
A fraternal organization of veterans of the Union Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and the Revenue Cutter Service who served in the Civil War.
Gilded Age Presidents
U.S. presidents between 1877 and 1901 (Rutherford B. Hayes to William McKinley), a period marked by rapid economic growth and political corruption.
Pendleton Act (1883)
Established the Civil Service Commission and marked the end of the “spoils system,” instituting merit-based government employment.
Grover Cleveland
The 22nd and 24th President, known for his honesty and opposition to corruption. The only president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Alfred Thayer Mahan
A U.S. naval officer and historian whose ideas on the importance of sea power influenced naval strategies around the world
