American History: From WWI to Cold War

📋 Course Outline

1. World War I causes and escalation
2. Trench warfare and new military technology
3. U.S. entry in World War I
4. Roaring Twenties and cultural change
5. Great Depression and New Deal reforms
6. World War II battles and home-front impacts
7. Cold War institutions and civil rights

📖 1. World War I causes and escalation

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Militarism : Militarism is the aggressive buildup of a nation’s military and war readiness through larger forces and more weapons.
• Alliances : Alliances are agreements where nations promise to support and defend one another during conflict.
• Imperialism : Imperialism is when powerful states control weaker territories to gain resources, trade advantages, and power.
• Nationalism : Nationalism is strong pride and loyalty to one’s country, often paired with beliefs of superiority over others.
• Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria : The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand is the 1914 killing of the Austria-Hungary heir by a Serbian nationalist that triggered WWI.

📝 Essential Points