Mr. O'Shea's Classes!!
Learn about yesterday to understand tomorrow.
American History II
American History II will take the skills you aquired in American History I and put them to the test. In a course as rigorous as a college class or AP class, American History II will push your limits to study and think critically. This is a course that will require you to do the pre-work. As you can see below, we cover several units that span across two centuries. Be ready as we engage in the most exciting part of our past!
Populism & Gilded Age
Progressivism
Imperialism & WWI
Roaring 20s
Cold War Kennedy - Lyndon B. Johnson
Vietnam
Cold War Truman & Eisenhower
American Culture 1950s
1960s and Culture Movements
Civil Rights
Nixon, Ford, Carter
Ronald Reagan & the End of the Cold War
1990s
New Millenium
The Gilded Age, as described by author Mark Twain, was an era in which America looked better than it was. Gilded is when an item is gold plated, yet still invaluable (ie gold plated steel necklace). The Populist movement was a political movement that was geared toward the interest of the common people as it aimed to creating a better America for all.
Wizard of Oz- Metaphor of Populism
William Jennings Bryan Worksheet
Cross of Gold Speech- William Jennings Bryan
Progressivism, a movement that was later defined to be the "Progressive Era" is exactly what it seems to be. It was a movement to "Progress" American society and right the wrongs of American Government and capitalism. Following the unsuccessful Populist movement, progressives and muckrakers alike set out to expose corruption, and create a catalyst for social and political reform.
How did we go from isolationism in the 19th century to being the "World Police" today? Why is Puerto Rico not a state? What is Guam? How the heck did Hawaii become the United States when its in the middle of the Ocean? And let's not forget about the "War to end all wars".
WWI Homefront Powerpoint (from class)
Imperialism overview fact sheet
Hawaii
China
Cuba
Guam
Puerto Rico
Philippines
Panama
Great Depression & New Deal
WWII
The decade long party! Despite alcohol being banned by the 18th amendment, this decade was one big turnup. With women falling into the societal role of a "flapper" to black culture coming alive in Harlem, and from criminals like the horrible evolutionary teacher John Scopes to mob boss Al Capone, the 1920s was full of surprises.
US History 1920's Project Links
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Monkey Trial Darrow v. Bryan Transcript
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All good things come to an end, and this was the same for the 1920s. In 1929 the stock market crashed and caused the greatest depression in American history. However, one man had a plan to change it all and his name was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. With his series of reforms labled the "New Deal", FDR breaks the laissez-faire economic principals and attempts to stimulate the economy.
World War II, a war that shaped an entire generation. The sense of pride our country had, the desire for everyone, no matter the age, gender, or race to come together for a cause is something we haven't seen since. Despite WWII bringing us out of the Great Depression, the devestation at Pearl Harbor and horrors of the Holocaust still shape the world over 70 years later.
After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the communist takeover of East Germany, the United States entered a bitter rivalry with the Soviet Union which would last for nearly 50 years. Truman and Eisenhower were the first key players in the Cold War and set the foundation for containment and prevention of communist growth.
The 1950s, the happiest decade in American history. The economy was booming, houses were being built and sold in large quantities. The Interstate Highway system was built, cars were now affordable for the average family, and rock n roll was born.
During the 1960s, the Cold War was in full swing. Kennedy's election began with the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The longest weeks of October were faced with near nuclear annihliation as Kennedy pushed for negotiations and was successful as the missiles were removed from Cuba in turn for a secret agreement that the U.S. would remove missiles in Turkey. Unfortunately his time ended as he was assassinated in November of 1963. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson took office and pushed forward Kennedy's "New Frontier" with a series of plans known as the "Great Society" as he aimed on assisting the poor and promoting welfare for all people.
Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency also led the nation to war with Northern Vietnam. Following an incident with the explosion of the USS Maddox, Lydon B. Johnson was given congressional permission through the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution to retaliate without a formal declaration of war. The Vietnam Conflict quickly escalated as Northern Vietnam, controlled by Communist Ho Chi Mihn, was bombed by American planes in Operation Rolling Thunder. With Southern Vietnam having several communist supporters, and the media covering majority of the conflict, this war was not popular at home. With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on the rise for Veterans, and Agent Orange creating several health complications, the Vietnam War was a devasting period in American History.
The result of the Vietnam War led to the hippie movement which promoted peace and love (also known as Flower Power). Additionally, several power movements followed suit including the Brown Movement (Hispanic/Latino Americans) led by Ceaser Chavez, the Pink Power Movement (Women), Rainbow Power Movement (LGBQT), Red Movement (Native Americans), Green Movement (Environment), and Black Power (African Americans & Blacks).
The Black Power movement was not the first time the Black community worked for equality. Since the end of the Civil War, freed slaves demanded equal protection by the Constituion, as promised by the 14th and 15th amendments. For the entire 20th century, prominent activists such as Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, A. Philip Randolf, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. Let's dive in from the birth of the NAACP to the march on Washington and Selma.
Nixon is one of the most underrated presidents in American History, but he has no one to blame but himself. Resigning as a result of the Watergate Scandal, Nixon was a powerful diplomat. He opened up relations to Communist China, and forced a meeting with Khrushchev in Moscow. Ultimately he ended the Vietnam War following a scandal involving the bombing of Laos and Cambodia. After Nixon resigned, his vice president, Gerald Ford took office. After his term was served, President Jimmy Carter took office. He aimed at raising American morale as he was an outsider to the previous scandals and controversies in America. However, a poor economy, continued Soviet agression, and the Iranian Hostage Affair led Jimmy Carter to being only a one term president.
Ronald Reagan took office in 1980 with a landslide victory. Hoping to revive the Republican Party, on Reagan's first day of office was able to release the hostages in Iran, 444 days after they were taken. Reagan also used a theory known as "Supply Side Economics" or "Trickle Down Economics" to end the stagnant economy; although its success is disputed. Reagan also is credited for the end of the Cold War as he negotiated a Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty to end the arms race that started back in the 1950s. Furthermore, Reagan was able to get Soviet Leader Gorbachev to "tear down that [Berlin] wall" which divided East and West Berlin for decades.
During the Presidency of George H. W. Bush, America entered the Persian Gulf War. After President Bush's single presidential term, President Bill Clinton took office. Several domestic threats occured during this decade, including the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, Oklahoma City Bombing, and an attempt on the World Trade Center. Again, America was faced with another scandal as President Clinton was caught having sexual relations with White House intern Monica Lewinski. Clinton was able to beat impeachment due to a technicality, but it plagued the rest of administration.
After fears of Y2K, the millenium was ushered in. President George W. Bush, son of George H. W. Bush, was elected and immediatley faced with tragedy with the 9/11 terroist attacks. In turn, America entered a war with Afghanistan and later Iraq as we attempted to get rid of Osama Bin Laden, Sadaam Hussein, the Taliban, and Al-Qaeda. In 2008, the first African American president was elected into office as he attracted new voters with his platform of "Change". President Barack Obama took on the "Great Recession" that occured at the end of 2007 by attempting to stimultate the economy and creating jobs. Turmoil in the Middle East continued despite Bin Laden being captured and killed as Syria, Libya, and Egypt held uprisings during the "Arab Spring". Today we still face fears in the Middle East with the rise of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) as they begin to create an extremist Islamic State.