AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!
This is a survey course that provides students with an investigation of important political, economic, and social developments in American history from the pre-colonial time period to the present day. Students will be engaged in activities that call upon their skills as historians (i.e. recognizing cause and effect relationships, various forms of research, expository and persuasive writing, reading of primary and secondary sources, comparing and contrasting important ideas and events).
I. Purchase of Alaska – Russia realizes too hard to keep, and might lose in a battle with Britain
A. Why America? Buffer zone.
B. America agrees – 1) Russia helped Civil War, 2) oil, gas, gold fish
C. William Seward – “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Icebox” – started anti-imperialism
II. New Imperialism – Secretary of State James Blaine – goal open markets to U.S. traders
A. Minor incidents bring US to verge of conflicts
I. Definition – the middle class feels those above are abusing the system and those below are becoming a Socialist threat – must have government become an “agency of human welfare”
II. Progressive Roots
A. Jane Addams – Hull House – starts Settlement House movement
1. Neighborhood activities, counseling, childcare, education for the poor
B. Protestant Clergymen – “Social Gospel” – “Christian Socialists” – God says must help society
I. Problems of neutrality – Wilson says be neutral in thought/deed
A. Submarines – British navy blockades German ports, u-boats only way to fight back
1. Lusitania – part cruise ship, part munitions transport
2. At first Germany gives Sussex Pledge, don’t shoot without warning, but then…
B. Economic ties – America was in a recession – JP Morgan and bankers loan money
1. Military orders from France and Britain huge
Complaints: Left – didn’t go far enough to remake society, Right – created welfare state
I. Wall Street Crash – started business depression home/abroad unprecedented
A. 5000 banks collapse, 25% unemployed nationwide
B. Hoover’s reaction – “rugged individualism” – locals gov’t and indiv. Take care of selves
C. Depression Economy – Hoover actually pioneered New Deal – just didn’t market it properly
1. Created public works projects - $2.25 billion – Hoover Dam
I. Hoover/Stimson Diplomacy Japan
A. Japan alleges provocation – invades Manchuria – Japan quits League of Nations
1. Interventionist Sec. of State Stimson encourages embargo/Isolationist Hoover disagrees
2. 1932 - Stimson doctrine – US would not recognize new territorial acquisitions
3. League proves useless World War II technically begins
II. Good Neighbor Policy – economic imperialism difficult with slowing economy – alters Roosevelt Corollary
I. Organizing for war – Total War – Government controls everything, citizens willing to help
A. Mobilizing production – massive military orders pulled US out of Depression
1. War Production Board – government takes over manufacturing
a) Stops production of nonessentials – cars
b) Wartime rationing after supply of rubber cut off by Japan’s invasion of Malaya
B. Full employment led to inflation
I. Postwar Domestic Adjustments
A. Initial faltering economy – inflation rises, GDP down, strikes
1. Taft-Hartley Act – put limits on labor unions
a. Outlawed closed shop, labor leaders take non-Communist oath
2. Sold war factories cheaply to private companies
3. G.I. Bill – paid for school for soldiers; home, farm, and small business loans
B. GDP growth lasts next two decades – Americans – 6% of population controlled 40% of earth’s $
I. Modern Republicanism – keep social/economic programs but push for military build-up
A. Ike allowed McCarthy because his target was oftentimes previous Democ. Administration
1. Master of manipulating media – careers ended because he “named” you
2. Majority of polled Americans approved of McCarthy – made it hard to criticize
3. Army hearings destroy him in front of 20 million on TV – dies alcohol 3 yrs. Later
II. Civil Rights Movement
william wirt
u.s. attorney general
biography
president thomas woodrow wilson 
twenty-eighth president of the united states
interesting facts
Woodrow Wilson tried to unite many countries in the League of Nations - for all practical purposes, it failed.
quote
"No one but the President," he said, "seems to be expected ... to look out for the general interests of the country."
We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.
For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.
If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.
While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!
