APUSH: Period 7

Purchase of Alaska/William H. Seward

The Secretary of State negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars. The deal was seen useless by critics, yet it proved valuable natural resources, strategic Pacific positioning, and expanding American territory

Queen Liliuokalani/Hawaii

Last sovereign monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, known for her “Hawaii for the Hawaiiness” movement aimed at restoring indigenous power and restricting foreign influence. Her overthrow, orchestrated by American sugar planters and supported by U.S. Marines.

New Imperialism

Shift in U.S. foreign policy from isolationism to overseas expansion, driven by industrial needs (market, resources), competition with European powers, Social Darwinism, White Man’s Burden, and a desire for naval power.

Pan-American Conference/Jame G. Blaine

A conference aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties, enhancing trade, and establishing arbitration to reduce European influence in Latin American.

Venezuela Boundary Dispute/Richard Olney

A border conflict between Venezuela and British Guiana, where the Secretary of State invoked the Monroe Doctrine to intervene, asserting U.S. hegemony in the Western Hemisphere.

Alfred Thayer Mahan/The Influence of Sea Power Upon History

Argued that national greatness was inextricably linked to sea power, specifically a strong navy, merchant marine, and overseas naval bases. His idea fueled American Imperialism, urging the U.S. to build a powerful navy to acquire strategic territories and to construct a Central American canal to secure international markets.

Expansionist/Josiah Strong

Protestant clergyman and reformer who preached Anglo-Saxon superiority and called for better missionary efforts overseas. His ideas demonstrated anti-immigration sentiment in the U.S..

Jingoism

An extreme form of nationalism characterized by aggressive, warlike foreign policy and national superiority.

Yellow Journalism

Refers to sensationalists, often exaggerated, and false newspaper reporting. Uses dramatic headlines, faked interviews, and emotional stories to sell papers and inflame public opinion, notably pushing the U.S. towards the Spanish-American War by demonizing Spain.

de Lome Letter

Private letter written by the Spanish Prime Minister to the U.S.. Criticized President McKinley as “weak” and a “crowd pleaser.” Caused public outrage and pushed the U.S. further towards the Spanish-American War.

Sinking of the Maine

Sinking of the USS Marine in Havana Harbor, killing 260 Americans, acted as an immediate catalyst for the Spanish-American War.

Teller Amendment

Declared that the U.S. would not annex Cuba following the Spanish-American War.

Rough Riders

1st U.S. volunteer Cavalry, a diverse unit led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War, famous for their courageous charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba.

George Dewey/the Philippines

Commanded the U.S. Asiatic Squadron to a decisive victory over the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1st, 1898, during the Spanish-American War.

Emilio Aguinaldo

A Filipino revolutionary leader who fought for independence from Spain and later against the U.S. during the Philippine-American War.

Anti-Imperialist League

A prominent group of intellectual and politicians arguing that Imperialism violated American principles of self-determination, democracy, and consent of the governed.

Insular Case

A series of Supreme Court decisions ruling that the Constitution does not automatically apply to U.S. territories acquired during the Spanish-American War.

Platt Amendment

A U.S. imposed amendment to the Cuban Constitution, establishing Cuba as a protectorate ensuring American dominance following the Spanish-American War.

Open Door Policy/John Hay

Initiated by Secretary of State John Hay, a non-binding diplomatic agreement ensuring equal trading rights for all nations within China and upholds Chinese territorial integrity. It aimed at protecting U.S. commercial interest against European/Japanese spheres without requiring formal colonization.

Boxer Rebellion

A violet, anti-foreign uprising in China, seeking to expel foreign influence and missionaries. U.S. troops suppressed the rebellion to protect imperial interest, reinforcing the Open Door Policy.

Big Stick Policy

President Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy of negotiating peacefully with other nations while simultaneously threatening them with “big sticks” of the U.S. military to maintain order and expand influence.

Theodore Roosevelt

A Progressive Republican President known for his Square Deal. He expanded presidential power and regulated big businesses and set aside 150 million acres of land for conservation. Awarded a Nobel Peace Prize and supported Panamanian independence from Colombia to secure a canal zone. Added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.

Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty

A pivotal agreement allowing the U.S. to build and control the Panama Canal Zone.

Panama Canal

A massive U.S. led engineering project connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, vital for boosting trade and naval mobility.

Roosevelt Corollary

Declared the U.S. had the right to intervene in Latin American nations to manage financial instability and maintain order. Aimed at preventing European influence in the Western Hemisphere.

Gentlemen’s Agreement

An informal agreement between the U.S. and Japan where Japan agreed to curb emigration of laborers to the U.S. in exchange for President Theodore Roosevelt convincing San Francisco to rescind segregation of Japanese students.

Great White Fleet

A U.S. naval battle fleet of 16 white-painted battleships sent around the globe by President Theodore Roosevelt to showcase American naval power and “Big Stick” Diplomacy.

Root-Takahira Agreement

A diplomatic accord between the U.S. and Japan that eased tensions by pledging mutual respect for territorial possessions in the Pacific, upholding the Open Door Policy in China, and maintaining status quo.

William Howard Taft

Progressive-era Republican President known for trust-busting monopolies and championed Dollar Diplomacy.

Dollar Diplomacy

President Howard Taft’s foreign policy designed to increase American influence abroad particularly in Latin America and East Asia by substituting dollars for bullets.

Intervention in Nicaragua

Aimed at protecting economic interests to ensure regional stability, reflecting Dollar Diplomacy and Cold War anti-Communism. Marines occupied the country to secure a potential canal route.

Woodrow Wilson

A Democratic Progressive President that led the country during World War I and implemented the New Freedom Agenda, focused on reducing tariffs, bank reforms, antitrust legislation, and promoted the Fourteen Points and the League of Nations.

Jones Act (196)

A key piece of Progressive Era legislation promoting eventual independence to the Philippines, reflecting shift towards anti-imperialism. It established a territorial government in the Philippines, creating a Senate and House of Representatives, marking a shift from direct colonial rule towards greater self-governance.

Tampico Incident

A wrongful arrest of an unarmed U.S. solider by Mexican forces loyal to Victoriano Huerta. This incident and refusal to apologize, allowed President Wilson to intervene in the Mexican Revolution, resulting in U.S. occupation of Veracruz and nearly triggering a war.

Pancho Villa/John J. Pershing/Expeditionary Force

Punitive expedition, led by General Pershing to capture Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa after his raid on Columbus, New Mexico. The operation failed but served as a training ground for U.S. soldiers for World War I.

Allied Powers

Coalition between France, Britain, and Russia against the Central Powers during World War I. This alliance led to allied victory, the Treaty of Versailles, and the creation of the League of Nations.

Central Powers

Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, formed a coalition to oppose the Allied Powers in World War I. Known as the Triple Alliance originally, they fought for European territorial expansion and dominance. Defeated by the Allied Powers.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

A German policy during World War I of sinking all ships, including neutral merchant ships and passenger vessels without warning.

Lusitania

British passenger ship that was sunk by German U-Boats during World War I. This event significantly turned American public opinion against Germany.

Sussex Pledge

A promise made by Germany to the U.S. during World War I, agreeing to stop sinking merchant and passenger ships without warning the U.S. to prevent U.S. entry into war.

Propaganda

Campaigns used to shift public opinion from isolationism to support for the war, demonized Germany, promoted voluntary enlistment, and drive the sale of bonds.

Zimmermann Telegram

A secret diplomatic proposal from Germany urging Mexico to join World War I against the U.S. in exchange for returning its lost territory (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona). Intercepted by Great Britain and revealed to the U.S., it outraged the public and became a major factor in the U.S. to abandon neutrality to declare war on Germany.

Russian Revolution/Bolsheviks

A radical Marxist fraction led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power during the October Revolution. By overthrowing the provisional government, they established the first socialist state. They transformed Russia into the Soviet Union after a brutal civil war, ending centuries of czarist rule.

American Expeditionary Force/John J/ Pershing

U.S. armed forces that were sent to Europe to fight in World War I. General Pershing insisted on maintaining an independent army rather than merging with the Allied Forces, crucial for boosting morale and ensuring American influence at the end of the war.

Western Front

400-plus mile, World War I-era line of trench warfare in France and Belgium, defining Allied-Central Power struggles. Under General Pershing, German breakthroughs were prevented and helped turn the tides at the Second Battle of the Marne, and fought in Meuse-Argonne campaign.

November 11, 1918

An armistice was signed between Germany and the Allied Powers, ending World War I.

Fourteen Points

A blueprint for post war world, aimed at preventing future conflicts through self-determination, see trade, open diplomacy, and the creation of the League of Nations. The plan sought “peace without victory,” but was largely ignored by European leaders in the Treaty of Versailles in favor of punishing Germany.

Big Four

Allied Leaders that dominated the 1919 Paris Peace Conference following World War I: Woodrow Wilson (U.S.), David Lloyd George (U.K), Georges Clemenceau (France), Vittorio Orlando (Italy). They negotiated the Treaty of Versailles, focused on punishing Germany, restructuring Europe. and establishing the League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty that officially ended World War I, punished Germany with heavy reparations, territorial losses, and military restrictions.

League of Nations/Article X

A controversial provision requiring members to protect the territorial integrity and political independence of other members nations against external aggression.

Henry Cabot Lodge/Reservationists

A Republican Senator and Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee, led “Reservationists” in opposing Woodrow Wilson’s Treaty of Versailles. They demanded changes, specifically regarding Article X of the League of Nations to protect U.S. sovereignty and Congressional war powers, ultimately defeating the treaty.

Irreconcilable

A hardline group of isolationist U.S. Senators who opposed American ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and membership in the League of Nations.

Food Administration

World War I administration led by Herbert Hoover that managed the production, conservation, and distribution of food resources to support war efforts.

Railroad Administration

Federal agency created during World War I by President Woodrow Wilson to control and coordinate the nation’s railroads for efficient wartime logistics.

National War Labor Board

Mediated labor disputes to prevent strikes, ensuring uninterrupted war production.

Liberty Bonds

War bonds sold by the U.S. government to finance World War I. The government secured loans from citizens to fund military operations, fostering unity while paying back the public with interest.

Selective Service Act

Authorized a federal draft for World War I, requiring men aged 21-30 to enlist in the military.

Service by African Americans

African Americans served in segregated U.S. army units, primarily in labor or support roles during World War I.

Committee on Public Information/George Creel

Government agency that utilized propaganda to build support for World War I. Used to demonize Germany and sell Liberty Bonds.

Espionage Act (1917)

Federal Act that was passed that criminalized interfering with military operations, aiding enemies, or causing insubordination, effectively censoring anti-war speech, especially from socialists and pacifists, and allowing the Postwar General to block mail.

Sedition Act (1918)

Made it a federal crime to speak, print, or write any “disloyal” language against the U.S. government, flag, or military during World War I.

Schenck v. U.S.

A landmark Supreme Court case affirming that the First Amendment does not protect speech creating a “clear and present danger” to national security, especially during wartime.

Jobs for Women

Women filled critical labor shortages in factories, manufacturing, and the defense industry, famously symbolizing “Rosie the Riveter.” They also served in the military as nurses or non-combat roles.

Migration of Mexicans

Largely driven by economic opportunities and political instability (Mexican Revolution), formed the largest source of U.S. immigrants.

Great Migration

The mass migration of roughly 6 million African Americans from the rural South to the urban North, Midwest, and West. Driven by industrial jobs opportunities during World War I and desire to escape Jim Crow violence and poverty, spurred the Harlem Renaissance.

1918 Pandemic

Influenza pandemic that killed 675,000 Americans. Occurring during World War I, it disproportionately killed young adults and dropped life expectancy.

Red Scare/Palmer Raids

Post World War I fear of communist revolution and radicalism in the U.S., fueled by strikes and bombings.

1919 Strikes

4 million American workers went on strike demanding higher wages, shorter hours, and union recognition following World War I. Major actions included Seattle General Strike, Boston Police Strike, and the Failed Steel Strike.

1919 Race Riots

Intense, nationwide racial violence, with white mobs attacking Black communities in over 30 cities, including Chicago and Washington D.C, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. Caused by racial tensions, competition for housing/jobs, and the Great Migration, it reflected post World War I racial friction.

Henry Ford/Assembly Line

Ford revolutionized 20th century manufacturing by introducing the moving assembly line for his Model T, pioneering mass production (Fordism). This system drastically reduced production time and costs, making cars affordable to the public, fostering a consumer economy, encouraging high wages to ensure workers could purchase their own products.

Consumer Appliances

Washing machines, refrigerators, and vacuums. Appliances that revolutionized domestic life by reducing manual labor for women and fueling a consumer driven economy through widespread electrification.

Impact of Automobile

Automobile boom, driven by Ford’s assembly line, revolutionized American life by fostering unprecedented personal mobility, fueling consumer-driven economy, and facilitating sub urbanization.

Open Shop/Welfare Capitalism

1920s business strategies designed to weaken labor unions and boost productivity. The Open Shop campaigned against mandatory union membership. Welfare Capitalism offered benefits like pensions, insurance, and better safety standards to foster loyalty and avoid strikes.

Industrial Design/Art Deco

The rise of industrial design represent a pivotal aesthetic and cultural shift in the 20th century, symbolizing modernity, technological progress, and consumer culture between World Wars.

Mass Media

The rise of technology that created a shared, national culture and influenced politics, consumerism, and social values. It fostered national identity while creating tensions between traditional values and modern lifestyles.

Radio

Revolutionized American culture by creating a shared national experience through news, music, and advertising. It fostered a consumer culture, spurred sports, popularity, and provided crucial comfort and information during the Great Depression, notably through FDR’s “fireside chat.”

Movie industry/Hollywood

Illustrating the rise of mass culture, consumerism, and shift toward a modern American identity. Hollywood became the world’s film capital, producing almost all U.S. films and dominating global markets.

Jazz Music

Symbolized the cultural rebellion, consumerism, and modernity of the Roaring Twenties. Originating from African American communities in New Orleans, it spread nationwide, defining nightlife, challenging social norms, and promoting racial crossover.

Scopes Trial

Clash between religious fundamentalism and modern science, focusing on Tennessee teacher John Scopes’ illegal teaching of evolution. Representing border cultural tensions over faith, science, and education.

Charles Lindbergh

Solo transatlantic flight. His fame contributed to a surge in public interest in aviation and helped stimulate the growth of commercial air travel in the U.S..

Fundamentalism v. Modernism

Pitting traditional, literal interpretations of the Bible against new scientific theories, urban consumerism and secular, critical thinking. Traditional vs modern.

Prohibition/18th Amendment/Volstead Act (1919)

Nationwide Constitutional ban on the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol. Mandated by the 18th amendment and enforced by the Volstead Act. Driven by the temperance movement, it aimed to reduce crime and improve morals but led to widespread speakeasies (secret bars) and the rise of organized crime. The 18th amendment was later appealed by the 21st amendment.

Al Capone/Organized Crime

Notorious American gangster who dominated organized crime in Chicago during the Prohibition Era. As the leader of “Chicago Outfit,” he profited immensely from bootlegging, gambling, and racketeering, embodying the era’s lawlessness, and corruption.

21st Amendment

Repealed the 18th Amendment, ending Prohibition of alcohol in the U.S. and marking a key shift during the New Deal era by allowing states to regulate alcohol, boosting tax revenue, and addressing issues like organized crime.

Quota Laws

Established several numerical restrictions on immigration, targeting Southern/Eastern Europeans and Asians to protect “old stock” American homogeneity.

Sacco and Vanzetti

Two Italian immigrants anarchists, controversially convicted and executed for robbery and murder. The case occurred during the First Red Scare. Many felt the ruling was unfair because they never received a fair trial. Their heritage and radical views heavily influenced public perception.

Ku Klux Klan/Birth of a Nation

Innovative film that fueled the second Ku Klux Klan revival by romanticizing white supremacy, portraying Reconstruction as a Black-led disaster, and cementing racial stereotypes

Lost Generation writers

Notable writers such as Emest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and T.S. Elliot who criticized the American Dream.

George Gershwin

American composer of Jazz music, known for blending African American jazz with traditional orchestral music.

Sigmund Freud

Founder of psychoanalysis, who theories about the unconscious mind, sexual repression, and impact of childhood experience deeply influenced American thinking.

Margaret Sanger

Pioneering Progressive Era activist, nurse, and feminist who led the birth control movement. She coined the term “Birth Control,” and founded the Birth Control League (Planned Parenthood) to promote reproductive autonomy.

Harlem Renaissance

African American cultural explosion in Harlem, NYC, fueled by the Great Migration, celebrating Black identity through literature, music, and art, challenging racial stereotypes, fostering pride, and laying groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.

Harlem Renaissance Writers

Key writers like Langston Hughes, Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay used poetry, novels, and essays to assert racial pride, and challenge systemic racism.

Harlem Renaissance Musicians

Key figure included jazz pioneers like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Blue singers like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey.

Marcus Garvey/Back to African Movement

Advocated for Black nationalism, racial pride, and economic self-sufficiency, urging African Americans to establish an independent nation in Africa to escape racism.

Warren G. Harding

Republican President who won on a “return to normalcy” platform, signaling the end to Progressive Era reforms and return to isolationism. His administration is known for major economic expansion, pro-business policies, and intense corruption.

Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act

A high protective tariff passed by the Republican-led Congress under President Harding to shield U.S. agriculture and industry from foreign competition.

Teapot Dome Scandal/Albert B. Fall

Scandal involving Secretary of Interior Albert B. Fall accepting over $400,000 in bribes from private oil executives in exchange for secretly leasing U.S. Navy petroleum reserves in Wyoming and California.

Calvin Coolidge

President of the U.S., known for his quiet demeanor and hands-off approach to government, led a growing emphasis on individualism and business.

Black Tuesday

Marks a catastrophic stock market crash that triggered the Great Depression.