FSOT Flashcards
Business Cycle
A natural fluctuation between low and high points in the market.
.msg
Outlook Mail Message
Hyperlink
A link to an Internet address that can be used in documents. Users must control left-click to open a hyperlink.
Balance of Payments
The relationship between the payments made by one nation to all other nations and its receipts from all other nations.
John Locke
Promoted individualism and is credited with inspiring Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence
Liquidity
The speed at which an asset can be turned into cash, illiquid vs liquid assets.
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language, coding language used to construct the web.
Solipsism
The belief that all reality is just one’s own imaging of reality.
URL
Universal Resource Locator, refers to formal address of a document on the Internet.
Jamestown
The first permanent English settlement in North America, 1607.
Louisiana Purchase
President Jefferson bought from Napoleon in 1803.
Monitor vs Merrimack
A naval engagement of the two “ironclad” ships during the Civil War; demonstrating that wooden warships were obsolete.
Stamp Act
A law passed by British government in 1765 that taxed newspapers and other documents in the colonies.
Pocket-veto
The ability of a president to take no action on a bill, effectively vetoing the bill.
Single-Member District
Individual receiving majority of votes is declared the winner. System of election in the U.S. Usually leads to the development of a two-party system.
Closed Primary
Primary limited to registered party members, opposite of an open primary, where members of both parties can vote.
Discretionary spending
Spending that is entirely subject to congressional approval. Military spending is the largest of discretionary spending.
Department of the Interior
Responsible for the National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Mandatory Spending
Entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are considered mandatory spending because the government is required by law to make such payments.
Habeas corpus
Prevents the government from holding you indefinitely, must show due cause.
Filibuster
A strategy where a minority can delay a vote by making long speeches, can force withdrawn of a bill.
Homestead Act
A law passed in the 1860’s which gave 160 acres to individuals willing to live on the land for at least 5 years
Whip
Charged with whipping up party support in issues and keeping track of party members votes.
Monroe Doctrine
A foreign policy statement declaring any European involvement in the affairs of The Americas to be considered an act of aggression toward the U.S.
Lame duck
An administration serving out a term after defeat of not seeking re-election.
Power of the Purse
House of Representatives in Congress control all budgetary matters
Proportional representation
Party receives percentage of seats based on percentage of vote received in the election. Generally yields higher turnout.
Cloture
A vote of a legislature to stop debate and force a vote. Requires 60 votes.
Civil Rights Act
Passed in 1964, prevented discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
Judicial review
The principle by which courts can declare acts of either the Executive Branch or Legislative Branch unconstitutional
Missouri Compromise
Allowed Missouri to enter the union as a slave state if Maine would be admitted as a free state
Line-item vote
The authority of the president to veto a specific appropriation in a budget passed by a legislature.
Patronage
The power of a government official to make appointments and offer favors.
Power of the Sword
Senate in Congress approves all treaties and requests for declaration of war.
John Paul Jones
Famous naval leader during the Revolutionary War.
Manifest Destiny
An idea that the U.S. Was destined, by God, to expand across North America to the Pacific Ocean.
Mayflower Compact
Prior to the Mayflower landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620, the Mayflower Compact created a set of laws necessary for a civil society.
Ayatollah Khomeini
Iranian religious and political leader who became the Supreme Leader of Iran in 1979.
Lusitania
British passenger ship sunk by German U-boat carrying hundreds of Americans. Helped push Americans towards involvement in WWII.
Russo-Japanese War
Theodore Roosevelt received a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in ending this conflict.
Collective bargaining
Negotiations by labor groups the nature of which apply to the entire Union as a whole.
Law of diminishing returns
Adding additional units of any one output to fixed amounts will yield successively smaller increments of output.
Substitute
A good labeled a substitute replaces the role of another good.
The Straight of Hormuz
Choke point between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
Russian Revolution
Revolution occurring in 1917, bringing Lenin’s communist party into power.
Capital Gain
Personal income earned by the sale of assets, such as stock or real property.
Supply and Demand
Have an inverse relationship. Supply has a positive slope, demand has a negative slope.
Full employment
An economic environment that exists when all individuals who want a job can find a job.
Levant
Name for the nations on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea - Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, Egypt.
Suez Canal
Connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.
Boxer Rebellion
Rebellion in China between 1898-1901 with the goal of pushing out foreign powers within China. U.S. and Great Britain stopped the rebellion.
Johannes Brahms
German composer famous for the orchestra “Lullaby”
Scott Joplin
An African-American ragtime pianist. Famous works include “The Entertainer” and “Maple Leaf Rag.”
Naturalism
A style of art which attempts to depict the real world as accurately as possible.
Existentialism
Stresses that people are entirely free and therefore responsible for what they make of themselves.
Natural Law
Doctrine that human affairs should be governed by ethical principles that are evident in nature.
Luddites
Opponents of labor-saving machinery in Britain. Destroyed textile-making machines.
Francis Scott Key
Wrote US national anthem, the star spangled banner during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, Maryland in the War of 1812.
Thomas Hobbes
Seventeenth century philosopher. Argued that the international system was anarchic and thus war was inevitable.
Ludwig van Beethoven
German composer famous for works such as the Ninth Symphony. Became deaf midway through his life.
Impressionism
A style of painting which attempts to covey the artist’s impression of an event.
Determinism
View that human actions are entirely under control of the individual. Understood as free will.
Materialism
Philosophical position that nothing exists except matter.
McCain-Feingold Act
Passed in 2002, this law amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, the Act sought to place new limits in campaign finance.
Glass-Steagall
Legislation that prevented the merger between commercial banks and investment banks.
Classical Antiquity
Age of history dominated by cultures of Greece and Rome, about 500 BC to 500 AD.
Incas
Native American people built a civilization in present day Peru. Conquered by Spain
Hard Money
Money donated directly to candidates in an election, and thus subject to regulation by the Federal Election Commission.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The FDIC was created in 1933 in order to insure the deposits of account holders in FDIC institutions up to $250,000.
Khmer Rogue
Communist movement in Cambodia in 1975, during which it carried out one of the worst examples of genocide in world history.
The Interstate Commerce Act
Legislation passed in 1887 in order to ensure fair practices of railroad companies. First federal law to regulate private industry in the U.S.
Soft Money
Money donated to a respective political party, and thus not subject to much oversight from the FEC.
The Federal Reserve Act
In the aftermath of a near banking crisis in 1913, Congress created the establishment of a Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve serves as a lender of last resort for US financial institutions.
Byzantine Empire
Eastern portion of the Roman Empire. Capital was Constantinople, now called Istanbul.
Herodotus
Called the father of history. Wrote about the invasion of Greece by the Persian Empire.
Archduke Francis Ferdinand
Austrian prince who’s assassination is credited with starting WWI
Industrial Revolution
Rapid industrial growth during the 18th century beginning in England.
Reformation
Religious movement in the 16th century that attempted to reform the Roman Catholic Church.
Oslo Accords
Signed in 1993, this document recognized Israel as a legitimate state and the right to Palestinian self-determination.
Mustard Kemal Ataturk
Founder of the Republic of Turkey following Crimean War with Russia.
Warsaw Pact
A military alliance between the Soviet Union and a variety of satellite states in response to the forming of NATO.
George III
King of England during the American Revolutionary War.
Populism
The idea that greater popular participation in government is necessary to a functioning country.
Quorum
The minimum number of members of congress that must be present to conduct business. 218 in the House of Representatives and 51 in the Senate.
Intolerable Acts
Acts put in place by the British in order to punish the colonies following unrest and the Boston Tea Party.
Battle of Lexington and Concord
First battle of American Revolution.
Marburg vs Madison
Gave the Supreme Court the power to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.
Battle of Bull Run
First battle of the American Civil War. Confederate victory here surprised and humiliated the Union.
Benjamin Franklin
A founding father who later served as a diplomat in France. Also wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac.
John Hancock
President of Continental Congress signed the constitution in a large manor as to be seen by the British.
Patrick Henry
Executed at the hands of the British, famous for his “give me liberty or give me death” statement before his death.
Age Discrimination Act of 1967
Prevented firing of an individual for age related reasons. To prevent employees from classifying employees in any way that could relate to their age. Outlawed mandatory early retirement.
Benedict Arnold
American General during the Revolutionary War that betrayed the Americans by attempting to surrender West Point. the West Point fort prevented British control of the Hudson, preventing them from cutting the colonies in half.
Compromise of 1850
Known as the great compromise. This provision created an agreement in which no slave state or free state would be admitted to the union without one of the opposite persuasion being admitted as well.
Vichy Government
Government of France established after Germany took control, of France in WWII
Munich Agreement
Agreement made between Neville Chamberlin of Britain and Adolf Hitler of Germany allowing Germany to keep Austria in exchange for a promise to halt further aggression. Seen as an example of appeasement leading to increased aggression.
United Nations Security Counsel
Counsel composed of 15 members, 10 temporary, 5 permanent, tasked with establishing UN response to matters of security and intervention.
The Progressive Era
Period between 1890-1920s marked by social activism and expansion of social rights.
Treaty of Versailles
The treaty officially ending WWI, imposing harsh reparations against Germany. The treaty also established the League of Nations.
Yalta Agreement
An agreement struck between the U.S., Great Britain, and Russia which discussed the future of Germany following the end of WWII
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
GATT was formed with a goal of creating policies on trade policy, replaced by WTO
International Court of Justice
Authorized by the UN to settle disputes between states and violations of human rights. Located in The Hague, Netherlands
Enlightenment
Intellectual movement between the 1700-1800s promoting individualism and freedom from tyranny.
Mikhail Gorbachev
The last president of the Soviet Union responsible for implementing liberal policies within the Soviet Union.
Peloponnesian War
Conflict between Athens and Sparta, documented by Thucydides
Yasmin Arafat
Former head of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his cooperation with the Oslo Accords.
Chang Kai-Shek
President of China until overthrown by Mao Zedong in 1949. Fled to Taiwan.
Deng Xiaoping
Long time leader of the Communist Party, credited with opening China up to the world in the 1970s.
Elasticity
The change in demand of a good based on its price. An elastic implies demand responds quickly to change in price.
Complement
A good labeled a substitute is consumed alongside another good.
Azerbaijan
Country north of Iran, south of Russia. Vital for the transportation of energy between the Middle East and Europe.
Saigon
Capital of Southern Vietnam from 1954-1975, now Ho Chi Minh City.
Mayans
Native American people living in what is now Central America. Conquered by Spain.
100 Year’s War
War waged from 1337-1453 between England and France.
Camp David Accords
Signed in 1978 following secret negotiations at Camp David, focused on a territorial agreement between Israel and Palestine.
Cultural Revolution
Movement in China aimed at purging intellectuals and academics from China.
Kyoto Protocol
International climate agreement that sets goals for emissions reductions. Signed in 1997.
Munich
German city that was the site of the Munich Agreement and the 1972 Olympics where 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and later killed.
T.E. Lawrence
English soldier during WWI who helped the Arabs fight against the Turks. Advocate for creation of an Arab state
Six-Day War
In 1967, war between Israel and Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Israel won the war, seizing the still disputed Golan Heights.
Consumer Price Index
CPI published each month to represent the cost of living estimates.
Please vs Ferguson
Created the establishment of “separate but equal” in 1896.
Era of Good Feelings
Period between 1815-1860 marked by expansion and political reform.
European Union
Formed in 1993, established regional rules pertaining to economic and immigration policies. Currently has 28 members.
Yugoslavia
Former state in Eastern Europe which during the 90s split into six states: Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Serbia
Whig Party
American political party formed in 1830. Party eventually devolved with many joining the Republican Party in the 1850s.
Battle of Yorktown
Last battle of the Revolutionary War. British General Lord Cornwallis surrendered here to George Washington
Apollo 11
Vessel that carried three Americans to the moon. Including the first to set foot, Neil Armstrong.
Brown vs Board of Education
Supreme Court ruling in 1954 that “separate but equal” was unconstitutional
Containment
A policy aimed at limiting the expansion of communism. developed by the Truman administration.
World Bank
Created in 1944 alongside IMF. The World Bank is tasked with providing loans to developing countries for capital improvements.
You Kippur War
War in 1973 between Israel and Egypt alongside Syria.
Valley Forge
Where George Washington in 1777 wintered his forces. Harsh conditions almost cause Washington to lose control of his military.
Madeleine Albright
First woman to become Secretary of State.
Clara Barton
Nurse who founded the American Red Cross in 1880 during the Civil War.
Douglas MacArthur
Allied commander in the Pacific during WWII, pushed out of the Philippines during the beginning of the war. Famous for his “I shall return” vow.
McCarthyism
Effort to seek out communists within American government and academia. Led by Senator Joseph R McCarthy from Wisconsin.
Sandra Day O’Connor
First woman to serve on the Supreme Court, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1981.
Yellow Journalism
Journalism that is sensational and highly exaggerated.
Rough Riders
Nickname of volunteer group of cavalry led by Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War.
Spoils System
The practice of appointing applicants to public office as a reward for their loyalty.
Tet Offensive
Major offensive undertaking by the North Vietnamese in 1969. Often seen as the turning point in the Vietnam War against the U.S.
Moscow Customs Union
Regional trade zone made between Russia and several Eastern European states starting in 2011.
Four Freedoms
Four types of freedoms advocated for by President Franklin Roosevelt. Includes: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear.
Henry Kissinger
Famous Secretary of State under President Nixon. Credited with the opening of China.
Marshall Plan
Effort by the Truman administration to rebuild Europe following WWII
Populist Party
A third party movement during the 1890s which drew heavy support from farmers.
Sharecropping
A system that came about following the Civil War where the crop was divided between landowner and the worker.
Tennessee Valley Authority
Corporation created by the Federal Government during the Great Depression. The TVA was part of the New Deal and was tasked with the expansion of electrical infrastructure throughout the U.S.
Fourteen Points
Fourteen goals of President Wilson. Most famous was “self-determination of nations.”
Great Society Programs
Programs named by Lyndon Johnson aimed at alleviating poverty and disease.
Domino Theory
Idea in the U.S. During the Cold War that if one country fell to communism another would shortly follow.
“Little Boy and Fat Man”
Name of the atomic bombs first dropped on Hiroshima and then Nagasaki.
Fireside chats
Radio addresses by President Roosevelt during the Great Depression. Goal was to ease and inform citizens.
Fulbright Scholarships
Scholarships for exchange of students between the U.S. and other nations
Hoovervilles
Dwellings of poor and homeless during the Great Depression. named after former President Herbert Hoover.
Malcolm X
African-American political leader advocating for a more aggressive approach to equality. Assassinated in 1965
Pentagon Papers
A classified report on the Vietnam War that was released to the press in 1971.
USS Maine
Ship that was sunk in the harbor if Havana. Incident was credited with the start of the Spanish-American War
Taft-Hartley act
Passed in 1947, law restricted the political activities of labor unions.
George Wallace
Famous political leader in the 1960s. Governor of Alabama strongly opposed to desegregation.
Office of Strategic Services
The first effort by the U.S. government to create an intelligence agency during WWII. Following WWII the CIA was created.
Article 5, NATO
Article of NATO citing an attack on one is an attack on all. Article was invoked during the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan
The Smithsonian Institute
A group of museums and research centers administered by the U.S. government, most funding comes from an endowment
Works Progress Administration
The WPA was a New Deal program tasked with building sidewalks and other government buildings during the Great Depression
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Canada and Mexico are the 1st and 3rd largest trading partners with the U.S.
Oil Crisis of 1973
Occurred after OPEC members declared an oil embargo against the U.S., led to the development of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves to provide emergency supplies in the event of a disruption
Aztecs
Native Americans who ruled modern day Mexico. Conquered by Hernando Cortes of Spain.
Feudalism
A system of obliterations that bound lords to their subjects.
Manga Carta
A list of rights signed by the King of England in 1215 stating the king could not levy taxes without the consent of his legislature.
Transcontinental Railroad
Finished in 1869, connected the east and the west. Met in Utah.
Sherman Antitrust Act
Legislation passed in 1890, first to restrict monopolies.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Created in 1952, with the goal of balancing the rise of the Soviet Union. Currently has 28 members.
Jonas Salk
Developed the first polio vaccine in 1952
Library of Congress
Largest library in the world, contains over 120 million writings availab,e to the public.
.ppt
PowerPoint presentation
.doc
Microsoft Word document
Johann Sebastian Bach
German composer famous for works such as Sinfonia in D
=sum
Excel formula used to add multiple cells.
Blind Carbon Copy
Bcc, conceals the email addresses of correspondence originally carbon copied in the email
.xls
Excel spreadsheet
Blue chip stocks
Stocks of high quality and well respected corporations
ISP
Internet service provider
.txt
Plain Text File
.jpeg
Image file
=min
Excel formula used to find the smallest figure in a group of cells
VPN
Virtual Private Network, often used by political dissidents to escape government monitoring
=max
Excel formula used to find the largest figure in a group of cells
Mason-Dixon Line
The line was the division between slaveholding and free states
Felony
Severe crimes which can carry a punishment of over 1 year in jail
Grand Jury
A jury that decides whether the evidence warrants bringing an accused person to trial
Presidential Cabinet
Group of presidential advisors, 14 in total
Miranda Rights
Prior to interrogation or custody, police are required to read the legal rules surrounding statements made by a person.
Misdemeanor
Less severe crimes, carry a penalty of less than 1 year in jail and usually includes financial penalties
Sherman’s March to the Sea
General Sherman marched from Atlanta to the sea coast, destroying mass amounts of infrastructure in his wake
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
A pyramid of needs where the most basic need an individual requires are at the bottom. Highest level of the pyramid is self-actualization
Burma
Republic in Southeast Asia, now Myanmar
Rwanda Genocide
Genocide occurring in 1994 of the Tutsi minority and the hands of the Hutu majority
Carnegie Hall
Concert hall in NY built by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie
Vincent Van Gogh
A 19th century Dutch painter who infamously cut off one of his ears. Famous works include Starry Night and Sunflowers
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
18th century Austrian composer
Augustus Ceasar
First empower of Rome, adopted son of Julius Ceasar
John Wilkes Booth
Assassin of Abraham Lincoln
Common Sense
Famous pamphlet written by Thomas Paine calling for us independence from Britain
Frederick Douglas
A black abolitionist, former space, who was a captivating speaker
John Brown
Famous abolitionist who sought to free the slaves by military force; taking over a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry
Aaron Burr
Famous for his duel with Alexander Hamilton who he killed
Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederacy during the Civil War
Forty-niners
Those who flocked to CA in the 1850s to seek gold
Ex post facto law
A law that applies to crimes that happened before the legislation was enacted. Forbidden by the constitution
Daniel Boone
Famous American frontiersman, settled in Kentucky
Alamo
A fort in San Antonio, in 1836 during Texas’s struggle for freedom against Mexican forces under Santa Ana. Davy Crockett was there.
UNDP
Created the millennial goals aimed at improving human development and well-being by a certain date
Subpoena
An order of the court requiring a witness to be present at a trial
UNESCO
UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization tasked with establishing world heritage sites among other roles.
Black Panthers
Militant black owner organization founded in the 1960s
Carpetbaggers
Northerners who, following the Civil War, went to the South to assist in reconstruction
Falkland Islands
Group of islands off the coast of Argentina. These island represent an ongoing dispute between Argentina and England, culminating in war in 1982
Louis Armstrong
20th century African American jazz trumpet player
American Gothic
Painting showing rural man and woman standing in front of a farmhouse with the man holding a pitchfork
Juan and Eva Peron
Famous argentine politicians during the 1940-1950s
Susan B Anthony
We’ll know advocate for women’s suffrage
Trail of Tears
Route which the U.S. Government forced native Americans to ingrate west of the Mississippi River. This on the March were greatly mistreated and many died
WHO
Agency of the UN, established in 1948 assigned to coordinate international efforts to fight diseases and other human welfare issues such as AIDS
GI Bill
Passed in 1944, providing educational and other benefits to service members just returning from WWII
Upton Sinclair
Famous for this book a The Jungle, which exposed the U.S. Meat packing industry
Roe vs Wade
Supreme Court decision in 1973 in the basis of privacy, established abortion as a right. Was seen as a victory for the women’s movement
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Famous American author during the 1920s writings include This Side of Paradise and The Great Gatsby
Muckrakers
Authors who focus their efforts in exposing corruption and unfair practices in business and government
Scopes Trial
Trial of a high school teacher in Tennessee for teaching the theory of evolution. William Jennings Bryan served as the prosecution in the case
Benjamin Spock
Wrote Baby and Childcare aimed at child-rearing practices
The Lost Generation
Group of famous American authors including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald who lived in Paris following the end of WWI
Ernest Hemingway
Famous American author during the 1920s. A Farewell to Arms
The Federalist Party
Early American party focused on advocating for a stronger federal government
Fugitive Slave Act
Provided southern slave owners with legal weapons to capture slaves who had fled to the north. Part of the Great Compromise
Electoral College
Each state, proportional with their population has a certain number of electoral votes, total today is 538, 270 required to win
Fiscal Policy
Policy pertaining to the collection of taxes and spending by government
Appomattox Court House
A courthouse in Virginia where Robert E Lee and Ulysses S Grant ended the Civil War
Commander in Chief
Role of the President. The idea that congress allows the resident large autonomy when it comes to foreign policy and military affairs due to Congress’s great diversity of views
Speaker of the House
Second in line to the presidency after the Vice President. Tasked with selecting all committee members and bring in bills up for a vote within the House
The War Powers Act
Passed following Pearl Harbor, requires the president to notify congress with 48 hours of committing armed forces to action, but allows the president up to 60 days to seek a declaration of war from congress
Articles of Confederation
Original agreement between the original states in 1781. Articles created such a loose and powerless federal government that they were discarded in favor of the constitution in 1789.
Boston Massacre
Clash between British forces and Bostonians in 1770. Five townspeople were killed, inciting unrest towards British rule
Battle of Bunker Hill
American forces inflicted heavy casualties on the British during this battle near Boston. Famous for “don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”
Congress of Vienna
Conference of European nations in 1815 aimed at redrawing European borders following the defeat of Napoleon.
World Trade Organization
WTO founded in 1995 with the goals of promoting the further liberalization of global trade. Currently in the “Doha Round”of negotiations.
International Monetary Fund
Established in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference with the goal of establishing international payment system policies. Provides conditional loans to countries in financial distress in exchange for policy changes. Voting is proportional to a member’s contribution to the IMF.
