1776

Declaration of Independence

1787

U.S. Constitution

James MadisonFather of Our Constitution

Articles of Confederation

• America first written constitution giving most governing powers to the states.

Bill of Rights• First 10

Amendments to the Constitution listing rights guaranteeing life, liberty and property.

Checks and Balances

Each branch of the government has a control on the power of the other branches. Example:

the President can veto a law passed by Congress.

Federalism

Division of powers between the states and the national government.

Popular Sovereignty

• This means that the people have the power to make decisions about government, for example—referendums or passing state laws.

Republicanism

Another name for representative government.

Separation of Powers

• The idea that each part of the national government is given a specific power—the Congress has the power to make laws, the president enforces laws and the Supreme Court interprets laws.

States RightsPowers given(reserved) to the states

to control excessive power of the national government and the idea that states can act independently from it.

Unalienable Rights

• Basic human freedoms no government can take away, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Civil War (1861—1865)

• War between the states when the Union (north) defeats the Confederacy (south.)

13th Amendment

Freed the slaves

14th Amendment

Made the former slaves citizens with the right to due process and equal protection of the laws.

15th Amendment

• Gave freedmen the right to vote.

GILDED AGE

• Period of the 1890’s when things were not as good as they seemed

PROGRESSIVE ERA

• Period in the early 1900’s during which Americans tried to reform government, regulate industry and improve the workplace

16th Amendment

• Income tax is legal

                                                                    

17th Amendment

• Allowed for the direct election of senators by the people

19th Amendment

• Gave women the right to vote

Sherman Anti-Trust Act

• First law passed to control monopolies that were in “restrain of trade”

US Expansion

• Time period when US practices “manifest destiny”

John Gast’s “American Progress” (1872)

International Trade

• US used this to increase markets for US goods - it led to imperialism

A modern example of the lengthsto which US leaders will go to helpUS companies

US Becomes a World Power

• Time period when US obtains colonies, territories, and bases overseas

Spanish-American War: 1898

• A "splendid little war" that made US a world power

Tableau representing the North and South reconciling to free Cuba from Spain

World War I: 1914-1918

• US and the allied countries defeat Germany and Austria-Hungary in the trenches on the western front

Europe before WWI, 1914

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

• Main reason for US entry into WWI against Germany

Treaty of Versailles

• US refused to sign this formal agreement ending World War I

Panama Canal

• Theodore Roosevelt wanted this to increase trade and enhance US Naval defenses

1ST flight across the Atlantic symbolizing American

ingenuity, courage, and ability.

Defense lawyer for John

Scopes’ right to teach

evolution in the great

“monkey trial.”

18th amendment made alcohol illegal and led to the rise of organized crime.

October 29, 1929 when stock prices

fell drastically in one day

marking the start of the

Great Depression

Fear of communism in the 1920’s led to limits

on immigration

almost closing our

borders.

Homefront

Refers to all of the work inside a country at war to produce materials

needed, such as weapons, food, airplanes, ships, etc…

Japanese Internment

Xenophobic anti-Japanese policy that forced many Japanese-Americans from their homes and into prison

camps during WWII.

Midway

Turning point navalk battle in WWII ending Japanese threat to Hawaii and

the US mainland

Normandy Invasion / D-Day

The battle that opened a “second front” in France and was the

beginning of the end for Hitler and Germany

World War II

Global Conflict between the Axis powers and the Allies

Pearl Harbor

Attack by the Japanese on Hawaii forced US to enter WWII

Rationing

System used to conserve food and scarce materials in WWII

Women in WWII

Filled jobs on the homefront formerly done by men to produce the materials

needed to win the war.

WWII Ends

CESAR CHAVEZ

• Organized the United Farm Workers to improve working conditions for migrant workers.

MALCOLM X

• African-American leader who promoted Black Nationalism and self-sufficiency.

• Assassinated in 1965.

REVEREND, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

• Civil Rights leader in Southern Christian Leadership Conference, March on Washington, Bus Boycott, Selma March, and Birmingham protests.

ROSA PARKS

• Leader in Montgomery bus boycott by refusing to give up her seat to protest segregation.

BROWN v BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA, KANSAS

• Court case that reversed Plessy vs Ferguson by ending the “separate but equal” doctrine and integrating public schools.

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964

• Law that prohibited discrimination by race in public places and set legal consequences for it.

LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

• President Eisenhower enforced integration of this school giving momentum to the Civil Rights Movement.

CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

• 1960’s struggle for equality for African-Americans and other minorities under the 14th and 15th amendments.