RECONSTRUCTION (1865–1877)Reconstruction was the period after the Civil War from 1865 to 1877. Its goal was to rebuild the United States and decide how the South would be readmitted into the Union.
The main goals were:
Restoring the Union, meaning bringing the South back into the United States.
Transforming Southern society from a slave system into a free labor system.
And passing laws to protect the rights of freed African Americans.
A major issue was land ownership. Freed slaves wanted land so they could be independent farmers. The idea of "40 acres and a mule" represented this hope, but it was never truly fulfilled. Instead, land was returned to former slave owners, which kept Black Americans economically dependent.
Because of this failure, many freed slaves were forced into sharecropping, which was a system where families rented land from white landowners and paid them with a share of their crops. This often trapped people in debt and poverty.
⚖️ The Reconstruction AmendmentsThe 13th Amendment, passed under Abraham Lincoln, abolished slavery completely in the United States.
The 14th Amendment, passed under Andrew Johnson's presidency, defined citizenship and guaranteed equal protection under the law for all people born in the U.S.
The 15th Amendment, passed under President Ulysses S. Grant, gave African American men the right to vote, although Southern states later tried to block it with discriminatory laws.
🏭 THE GILDED AGE (1870–1890)The Gilded Age refers to a time of rapid industrial growth and wealth for a few, but extreme inequality for many.
Industrialization means factories and machines rapidly expanded production.
Urbanization means cities grew quickly due to migration and immigration.
Immigration refers to millions of immigrants coming mainly from Europe for factory jobs.
Unionization refers to workers organizing unions to fight for better wages and working conditions.
⚠️ Problems of the Gilded AgeThere was major worker exploitation, meaning long hours, low pay, and unsafe conditions. There was also political corruption, where government officials were influenced by big businesses. Finally, there was extreme wealth inequality between rich industrialists and poor workers.
⚠️ JIM CROW LAWSAfter Reconstruction ended, Southern states created Jim Crow laws, which enforced racial segregation.
These laws included:
A poll tax, which required citizens to pay money to vote.
A literacy test, which required people to pass reading tests that were often unfairly used against Black voters.
A grandfather clause, which allowed people to vote only if their ancestors had voted before the Civil War.
These laws were designed to suppress African American voting rights.
⚖️ PLESSY v. FERGUSONThis 1896 Supreme Court case created the "separate but equal" doctrine. It ruled that racial segregation was legal as long as facilities were supposedly equal, although in reality they were not.
👨🏫 BOOKER T. WASHINGTONBooker T. Washington was a formerly enslaved African American leader. He believed in accommodation, meaning Black Americans should focus on education, job skills, and economic success rather than immediate social equality. He believed progress would come gradually through hard work.
🌍 IMPERIALISMImperialism is the policy of expanding a country's power through military force or economic control.
Supporters believed it gave the U.S. more power, resources, and global influence.
Opponents, including writer Mark Twain, believed it was morally wrong and went against democracy and self-government.
📰 YELLOW JOURNALISMYellow journalism refers to exaggerated or sensational news stories designed to influence public opinion, often used to push support for war.
💥 SPANISH-AMERICAN WARThe Spanish-American War in 1898 was a short conflict that made the United States a global imperial power. After winning, the U.S. gained territories and expanded its influence overseas.
🔧 PROGRESSIVE ERA (1890–1920)The Progressive Era was a reform movement aimed at fixing problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption.
A major defining event was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, where 146 workers died in a factory fire due to unsafe conditions. This led to major labor reforms.
Progressives worked to improve society by creating safer working conditions, limiting child labor, reducing political corruption, and improving urban life through parks, sanitation, and public health reforms.
🌍 WORLD WAR IWorld War I began in 1914 due to long-term tensions called Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism (M.A.I.N.).
Militarism means building up military power.
Alliances are agreements between countries to defend each other.
Imperialism is competition for colonies.
Nationalism is extreme pride in one's country.
The war began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which triggered alliances across Europe.
The United States entered the war due to economic ties with the Allies, German submarine warfare, the sinking of the Lusitania, and the Zimmermann Telegram.
Trench warfare defined the war, where soldiers lived in long, muddy trenches and fought in a deadly stalemate with huge casualties.
🎉 ROARING 20sThe 1920s were a time of economic growth and cultural change.
Prohibition was created by the 18th Amendment, which banned alcohol. The Volstead Act enforced it by defining illegal alcohol as anything over 0.5% alcohol. Instead of stopping drinking, it led to organized crime and illegal alcohol trade.
The 19th Amendment, passed in 1920, gave women the right to vote, expanding democracy and marking a major victory for the women's suffrage movement.
📉 GREAT DEPRESSIONThe Great Depression began after the Stock Market Crash of 1929, known as Black Tuesday, when the stock market collapsed and billions of dollars were lost.
Major causes included overproduction of goods, underconsumption (people not buying enough), unequal wealth distribution, and bank failures.
The human impact included unemployment, homelessness, broken families, increased suicide rates, and loss of trust in banks and government.
🏗️ NEW DEAL (FDR)Franklin D. Roosevelt created the New Deal to respond to the Great Depression.
The 3 R's were:
Relief: immediate help for people suffering.
Recovery: restarting the economy.
Reform: preventing future depressions.
Key programs included:
The WPA (Works Progress Administration), which created jobs building infrastructure like roads and schools.
The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), which gave young men jobs in environmental projects.
The TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), which provided electricity and modern development to poor regions.
Financial reforms included:
The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation), which protects bank deposits.
The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), which regulates the stock market.
The Social Security Act created pensions for elderly citizens and financial support for disabled and unemployed people.
🌍 COLD WARThe Cold War was a conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1990.
The U.S. supported capitalism and democracy, where individuals own property and vote freely.
The USSR supported communism, where the government controls the economy and property.
The Truman Doctrine stated the U.S. would support countries resisting communism.
The Marshall Plan gave billions of dollars to rebuild Europe after World War II.
⚖️ CIVIL RIGHTS ERAThe Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in jobs, schools, and public places.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 protected African Americans from voting discrimination like literacy tests.
Freedom Riders were activists who challenged segregation and faced violence in the South.
🇺🇸 GREAT SOCIETYThe Great Society was Lyndon B. Johnson's plan to reduce poverty and expand government programs.
Medicare provided healthcare for the elderly.
Medicaid provided healthcare for low-income individuals.
The Food Stamp Act provided food assistance to reduce hunger.
The War on Poverty aimed to reduce economic inequality through job training, education, and healthcare programs.
⚠️ VIETNAM WAR EFFECTSThe Vietnam War caused major division in the U.S., high casualties, distrust in government, and ended the military draft. It also lowered the voting age to 18.
🧠 CIVIL RIGHTS & SOCIAL MOVEMENTSStonewall (1969) marked the beginning of the Gay Rights Movement after police raids led to protests.
The Latino Movement, led by Cesar Chavez, focused on farmworkers' rights.
The American Indian Movement fought for Native American sovereignty and treaty rights.
⚖️ WATERGATEWatergate was a political scandal where President Nixon was involved in illegal spying on political opponents. It led to his resignation in 1974.
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