topic 1 - America 1920 - 1973 Flashcards
what do the stars on the American flag represent ?
the states
how many states were there in America in 1920 ?
43
how many states are there in America now ?
50
when did America gain independence from Britain ?
1781
in which battle did America gain independence from Britain ?
battle of Yortown
when was America recognised as its own country?
1783
what is congress ?
a cabinet of elected people made up of the senate and house representatives
what is the bill of rights ?
a list of written rights that all Americans have
what is the republican party ?
one of Americas political parties that prefer to stay out of peoples way and preserve traditions, known for being conservative
what is the democratic party ?
one of Americas political parties known for being more liberal. They tend to have a more broader cross section voting for them
what does laissez faire mean ?
French phrase meaning to leave alone, republican party is very keen on this
who were the first group of Americans ?
native Americans
who discovered America ?
Christopher Columbus
when did Christopher Columbus discover America?
1492
what places did France take over in America ?
places in eastern north America
when did the native Americans arrive in America ?
in the glacial period
what country did Portugal colonize in America ?
Brazil
what was the first British colony in America called?
Jamestown
who took over the native Americans land and forced them to live in reservations ?
white European settlers
what were Native Americans sometimes referred to ?
red Indians
when the white European settlers first settled in America, how many native Americans were there?
5 million
by 1960, how many native Americans were there ?
250,000
who were the early immigrants ?
white settlers from Europe, particularly Britain, the Netherlands, and Germany
when did the early immigrants arrive in America ?
1600s
who were the African Americans ?
millions of African Americans were slaves and made to work on tobacco and cotton farms in south America between 1600 and 1800
when was slavery abolished ?
1865
how many African Americans were there in America in 1920 ?
roughly 10 million
in the 1920s, how were African Americans treated?
they had limited freedom, including no right to vote, getting denied access to good jobs, decent housing and a proper education, in early 1920s, African Americans were the poorest people in the country
who were the new immigrants ?
people who came into America from around 185- onwards, mainly eastern and southern Europeans from mainly Russia, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Check Slovakia, and Greece
why did new immigrants come to America ?
after gold was discovered in the hopes to make millions
what did extreme wealth look like in the 1920s ?
lots of parties, alcohol, gambling
what groups in America did not prosper in the 1920s ?
farmers, miners and textile workers, African Americans and immigrants
why didn’t farmers, textile workers and miners prosper ?
machinery meant more supply was extracted so prices and demand fell, with less income to the business meant job and wage cuts
why didn’t African Americans and immigrants prosper ?
they faced racism and hate, making it difficult to get jobs and if they did get jobs, they faced discrimination and were underpaid
what percentage of black women were servants in white houses in 1920 ?
60 %
what is a flapper ?
a young woman who behaved and dressed in an unconventional manner, they wore lots of makeup and wore bright coloured clothing with short skirts, they had short hair and smoked in public
how did life change for middle and upper class women in the 1920s ?
they had more free time, partly due to new domestic labour saving products like vacuum cleaners
when were women given the right to vote ?
August 1920
why did women being given the right to vote not change their life in that aspect ?
they’d often vote the same as their male counterparts
what is abstinence ?
when you stop drinking altogether
what was the 18th amendment ?
changed the constitution to say ‘ the manufacture, sale or transport of intoxicated liquids within the US is prohibited’
what was the Volstead act ?
the act that said intoxicating liquor contained more than half a percent of alcohol
what does intoxicating mean ?
when a drink has an effect on your body
what is prohibition ?
a movement in the 1920s that wanted to ban alcohol
what is a saloon ?
a bar or club
what is liquor ?
another word for alcohol
what is a patriot ?
someone who is passionate about loving their country
what is a speakeasy ?
a secret saloon bar that opened in cellars or backrooms
what is moonshine ?
a spirit made secretly in home made stills
what are bootleggers ?
smugglers who brought alcohol into America in the boots of their cars
