World War I and the Roaring 20s Flashcards
American Expeditionary Force
U.S. troops sent to fight in World War I. They helped push back German forces and led to the war’s end. The U.S. joined the war to help the Allies win, increasing its role in global affairs.
Warren G. Harding
He called for a “return to normalcy” after World War I. His presidency was known for scandals, including Teapot Dome, and pro-business policies.
Ratification
The formal approval of a law or treaty. The U.S. Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, keeping the U.S. out of the League of Nations.
Atrocity
A cruel and violent act, often during war. Reports of German atrocities in Belgium helped turn American opinion against Germany.
Harlem Renaissance
A cultural movement where Black artists, writers, and musicians expressed pride and struggles. It led to greater recognition of Black culture.
A. Philip Randolph
A labor leader who fought for Black workers’ rights. He later led the March on Washington movement for equal job opportunities.
Belligerent
A nation or person engaged in war. The U.S. became a belligerent in World War I after Germany’s attacks on ships.
Herbert Hoover
He led food relief efforts in Belgium during World War I and later became president. His response to the Great Depression was criticized as too slow. His policies failed to stop the economic collapse, worsening the Great Depression.
Red Scare
Fear of communism in the U.S. after the Russian Revolution. Many suspected radicals were arrested or deported.
Comm. Relief in Belgium
A program led by Herbert Hoover to send food to Belgium during World War I. It saved millions from starvation. The U.S. saw itself as a global humanitarian power, increasing its involvement in the war.
Immigration Act of 1924
A law that limited immigration, especially from Southern and Eastern Europe. It reflected strong anti-immigrant feelings.
Reparations
Payments Germany was forced to make after World War I. They weakened Germany’s economy and led to resentment.
Bank run
When people rushed to withdraw their money from banks, causing failures. Panic and lack of trust in banks deepened the Great Depression.
Influenza epidemic of 1918
A deadly flu that spread worldwide after World War I. It killed millions, including many soldiers.
Russian Revolution
A communist uprising that overthrew the Russian monarchy. It led to the creation of the Soviet Union.
Black Tuesday
The stock market crash on October 29, 1929. It marked the start of the Great Depression. The crash destroyed wealth and confidence in the economy.
Ku Klux Klan
A white supremacist group that terrorized Black people, immigrants, and Catholics. It gained power in the 1920s.
Safe for democracy
A phrase used by President Wilson to justify entering World War I. He said the U.S. needed to fight to protect freedom. Wilson used this idea to convince Americans to support the war.
Bolsheviks
A communist group led by Lenin that took control of Russia in 1917. They withdrew from World War I and formed the Soviet Union.
League of Nations
An international group formed after World War I to keep peace. The U.S. never joined, weakening its effectiveness.
Al Smith
A Catholic politician who ran for president in 1928. Many voters rejected him because of anti-Catholic bias.
Calvin Coolidge
He supported big businesses and low taxes. He believed the government should not interfere in the economy.
David Lloyd George
The British prime minister during World War I. He pushed for harsh penalties against Germany in the Treaty of Versailles. Went against Scopes in Scopes Trial
Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930
A law that raised tariffs on foreign goods. It led to a trade war that hurt the economy. It made the Great Depression worse by reducing international trade.
Georges Clemenceau
The leader of France during World War I. He wanted Germany to pay heavily for the war.
Vladimir I. Lenin
The leader of the Bolsheviks. He created the first communist government and withdrew Russia from World War I.
Teapot Dome Scandal
A corruption scandal where government officials took bribes for oil land leases. It damaged trust in the government.
Contraband
Goods that are illegal to trade or own. In wartime, it included weapons and supplies sent to enemy countries.
Henry Cabot Lodge
A senator who opposed the Treaty of Versailles. He led efforts to keep the U.S. out of the League of Nations.
Tennessee v. Scopes
1925 trial where a teacher, John Scopes, was fined for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. It showed the conflict between science and religion.
Coolidge prosperity
A time of economic growth in the 1920s. Business profits rose, and people had jobs.
Lusitania
A British ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1915. Many Americans died, turning U.S. opinion against Germany. The attack increased pressure for the U.S. to enter World War I.
They hired the money
A phrase by Calvin Coolidge. He said the U.S. should not forgive debts owed by other countries after World War I.
Culture wars
Conflicts between traditional and modern values. Debates over immigration, religion, and social changes divided the U.S.
Nativism
A belief that favors native-born citizens over immigrants. It led to restrictions on immigration in the 1920s.
Treaty of Versailles
The peace treaty that ended World War I. It punished Germany and helped cause World War II.
U-boats
German submarines that attacked ships, including American ones. Their attacks pushed the U.S. toward joining World War I.
Elections of 1918, 1920, 1928 showed what?
These elections showed shifts in American politics after World War I and during the 1920s.
Normalcy
Harding’s promise to return life to how it was before World War I. It meant less government involvement in global affairs.
Tulsa Race Riots (1921)
A white mob attacked Black residents and businesses in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hundreds were killed.
Espionage, Sedition Acts ’17-18
Laws that made it illegal to speak against World War I or the U.S. government. These laws silenced critics and increased government power during wartime.
On margin
Buying stocks with borrowed money. It created a risky market and led to the crash. Speculation with borrowed money contributed to the Great Depression.
Exceptionalism
The belief that a country is unique or special. Many Americans thought the U.S. had a special role in world affairs.
Ore. Compulsory Ed. Act 1924
A law requiring children to attend public school. It was later ruled unconstitutional.
Unrestricted submarine warfare
Germany’s policy of sinking any ship, even neutral ones. It led the U.S. to enter World War I.
Federal Reserve Bank
The central bank of the U.S. It controls money supply and interest rates. Caused Great Depression by tightening money supply
Palmer Raids
Government raids on suspected communists during the Red Scare. Many immigrants and radicals were arrested.
Wilhelm II
The German emperor during World War I. His aggressive policies helped start the war.
Flappers
Young women in the 1920s who challenged traditional roles. They wore short dresses and embraced modern culture.
Paris Peace Conference of 1919
A meeting of world leaders after World War I. They wrote the Treaty of Versailles.
Woodrow Wilson
He led the U.S. into World War I and created the Fourteen Points. He failed to get the U.S. to join the League of Nations.
Fourteen Points
Wilson’s plan for peace after World War I. It called for self-determination and the League of Nations.
John A. Pershing
The general in charge of the American Expeditionary Force. His troops helped win World War I.
Zimmermann Telegram
A secret message from Germany to Mexico. It promised Mexico land if it attacked the U.S. This angered Americans and helped push the U.S. into World War I.
Great Depression
A severe economic crisis in the 1930s. Millions of people lost jobs and money. The crash, bank failures, and bad policies caused the Great Depression.
Prohibition
A ban on alcohol from 1920 to 1933. It led to illegal speakeasies and organized crime.
WW1 begin in Eu year
1914
US enter WW1 year
1917
WW1 end year
1918
