Alabama High School Graduation Exam

Social Studies Vocabulary Review

Chapter 9

The Great Depression and W orId War II-

Munich Conference –

where the British prime minister and the French premier met to attempt

to avoid war through a policy of appeasement, or giving in to Hitler's demands. Here, they ignored Stalin's

offer of military aid to Czechoslovakia and agreed to

Hitler's capture of the Sudetenland. In exchange, Hitler promised to

claim no further land in Czechoslovakia or anywhere else.

Pearl Harbor - surprise attack on this military base that brought the

United States into World War II

National Socialists (Nazis) - this party's leader, Adolf Hitler,

preached a message of racist fascism. He claimed that the so called Aryan race (Caucasian people of non Jewish descent) was superior and deserved to

conquer other nations.

Gestapo Hitler's secret police; they helped Hitler

suppress those who disagreed with him.

Herbert Hoover –

was elected president during a time of economic prosperity and received all

of the blame when the economy was thrown into

a depression

Franklin D. Roosevelt –

ran for president in 1932 emphasizing concern for "the

forgotten man" and promising "a new deal for the American

people." He was enthusiastically optimistic, and people believed in him; he won by a landslide.

Benito Mussolini –

came to power in Italy through the people's fear of communism; he

called his political ideas "fascism." Mussolini put his ideas into action by banning all political parties, except

for the Fascist party, abolishing labor unions, forbidding strikes, and

silencing political opponents. By eliminating all opposition, he

stopped any communist threat.

Joseph Stalin –

forced many peasants from their own land to work on collective farms in order to produce enough food for Russia to feed its people. In an effort

to industrialize the nation, he sent others to work in factories. Stalin's efforts failed, and the Soviet Union produced even less food, leading to a period of famine. Even so, Stalin

held onto his power with brutal violence.

Hoovervilles –

communities of tents and shacks built outside the

cities by people coming to cities to look for work. In

all areas oflife, the nation's people blamed

Hoover for the economic depression.

New Deal-

A series of federal policies and programs instituted by F.D. Roosevelt with the help of

Congress. These policies and programs were to boost the

economy and put unemployed people to work. It was based on

three R's: relief, recovery, andreform.

Wagner Act –

created a board to monitor unfair management

practices such as firing a worker who joined a union.

Works Progress Administration –

established by Congress to provide jobs for unskilled

workers. At one time, the WPA employed one third of the

unemployed of the nation (3.2 million people). The WPA

constructed many government buildings during the 1930's.

Gone With the Wind –

the most expensive and profitable production of the

1930' s; this movie let people forget their lives and follow the story of love and loss across the war ravaged

South during the Civil War.

Fireside chats –

F.D. Roosevelt's broadcasts in which he spoke directly to the

nation in order to bypass the press.

Rome-Berlin- Tokyo Axis-

formed when Italy, Germany, and Japan

signed an anti communist pact.

Blitzkrieg -literally means "lightning

war," Hitler used joint forces of armored tanks and bombers to achieve

this.

War bonds –

savings bonds used to finance the war

Japanese Internment –

Under Executive Order 9066, the United States military forced 110,000 Japanese

Americans from their homes and placed them on federal

land, including deserts and in swamp, in the

Dust Bowl-

Between 1933 and 1936, the land between the Dakotas and Texas

received little rain. Because farmers did not know about stopping soil

erosion, wind pick up this dry, loosened soil and spread it across the nation. Huge dust storms blew the precious topsoil away. Farmers

refer to this experience and this land as the Dust Bowl.

Roaring Twenties –

the high society life of the 1920' s

Great Depression –

a long period of high unemployment and increased poverty, it

lasted from 1929 until 1941.