1914–1945
1914–1945: World Wars and Global Power
The United States entered World War I reluctantly and World War II decisively. In between, the nation survived the Great Depression. Women won the right to vote in 1920. The New Deal reshaped the federal government's role in American life. Victory in 1945 made the United States the world's dominant power.
Why This Era Matters
The mid-twentieth century confirmed the United States as a global power and fundamentally expanded the federal government's role in American life. World War II ended the isolation of the interwar years and set the stage for decades of global leadership — and new responsibilities.
Key Themes
- World War I
- Women's suffrage
- Great Depression
- New Deal
- World War II
- Global power
Key People
- Woodrow Wilson
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Key Documents
- 📜19th Amendment (1920)
- 📜Atlantic Charter (1941)
- 📜Declaration of War (1941)
Key Places
- 📍Pearl Harbor
- 📍Normandy
- 📍Washington D.C.
Major Events in This Era
United States Enters World War I
The United States declared war on Germany and entered World War I — marking the nation's emergence as a major world power and shaping the 20th-century international order.
19th Amendment — Women's Suffrage
The 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote — the culmination of a 72-year suffrage movement that began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848.
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor killed 2,403 Americans and drew the United States into World War II — the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.