American History: Key Events and Concepts

📋 Course Outline

1. The Progressive Era and the Gilded Age economic inequality
2. American federal institutions and separation of powers
3. The New Deal policies and their social impact
4. US involvement and mobilization during World War I
5. Postwar recovery, the Marshall Plan, and Cold War beginnings
6. Technological advancements and the American postwar scientific frontier
7. Immigration policies, demographic changes, and American identity
8. The rise of American soft power and technological leadership in the 20th century

📖 1. The Progressive Era and the Gilded Age economic inequality

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Theodore Roosevelt : A U.S. president known for breaking up monopolistic trusts, environmental conservation, and consumer protection during his presidency from 1901 to 1909.
• Progressivism : A political philosophy and social reform movement focused on advancing the public good through government action.
• The Gilded Age : The period from the 1870s to 1900 characterized by rapid economic growth, urbanization, and significant wealth inequality.
• Trust-Busting : The dissolution of the Northern Securities Company in 1904 (a major railroad trust) “trust-busting” = government activities seeking to dissolve corporate trust and monopolies (especially under the US antitrust laws).

📝 Essential Points