Progressive Era/Imperialism/WWI flashcards

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Background: European powers and the U.S. engaged in imperialism, seeking colonies for resources and markets.

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture. Background: This mindset justified imperialistic actions and discriminatory practices.

White Man's Burden

A poem by Rudyard Kipling that justified imperialism as a moral obligation of white people to 'civilize' non-white populations. Background: This racist ideology was used to rationalize colonialism.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized and often fabricated news reporting. Background: Newspapers like those of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer used yellow journalism to stir public opinion, especially leading up to the Spanish-American War.

'Remember the Maine'

A rallying cry after the USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor. Background: Yellow journalism blamed Spain, leading to the Spanish-American War.

Spanish-American War

A conflict between Spain and the U.S. that resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Background: This war marked the U.S. emergence as a global power.

Hawaii’s Annexation

The U.S. formally annexed Hawaii as a territory. Background: American business interests and strategic considerations drove annexation.

Progressive Era (c. 1890-1920)

Muckrakers

Investigative journalists who exposed social ills, corruption, and corporate abuses. Background: Their work fueled public demand for reform.

Jacob Riis

A muckraking photographer and journalist known for 'How the Other Half Lives.' Background: His work exposed the poverty of urban slums.

Upton Sinclair

Author of 'The Jungle,' which exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry. Background: His work led to significant food safety reforms.

Meat Inspection Act (1906)

A law that established federal inspection of meat products. Background: Passed in response to Sinclair's 'The Jungle.'

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

A law that required accurate labeling of food and drugs. Background: Aimed to protect consumers from unsafe products.

Theodore Roosevelt (R)

Promoted progressive reforms. Background: 'Trustbuster' enforced antitrust laws to break up monopolies; Square Deal aimed for fairness; conservation advocated for preserving natural resources.

Booker T. Washington

An educator and civil rights leader who advocated for gradual equality. Background: Founded the Tuskegee Institute.

W.E.B. Du Bois

A civil rights activist who demanded immediate equality and opposed Washington's approach. Background: A founder of the NAACP.

William Howard Taft (R)

Continued some progressive reforms, but his administration was marked by political divisions. Background: Dollar Diplomacy used U.S. economic power to influence foreign policy.

Bull Moose Party (1912)

A progressive political party formed by Theodore Roosevelt during the 1912 presidential election. Background: Formed due to a split in the Republican Party.

Woodrow Wilson (D)

Pursued progressive reforms. Background: New Freedom was Wilson's domestic policy and included the Clayton Antitrust Act (1914) and establishment of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Federal Reserve System (1913)

Created a central banking system.

Amendments 16, 17, 18, 19

16th: Income tax; 17th: Direct election of senators; 18th: Prohibition; 19th: Women's suffrage.

Missionary Diplomacy

Wilson's foreign policy emphasizing moral principles.

Panama Canal (opened 1914)

A crucial waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Roosevelt Corollary

An addition to the Monroe Doctrine that asserted the U.S. right to intervene in Latin American affairs.

China & the Open Door Policy

Aimed to ensure equal trading rights for all nations in China.

Causes of the Great War (WWI) (1914-1918)

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism (MAIN).

Why does the U.S. enter WWI?

Unrestricted submarine warfare, the Zimmerman Telegram.

War Productions Board & Bernard Baruch

Organized wartime production.

Committee on Public Information & George Creel

Created propaganda to support the war effort.

Schenck v. US 1919

Supreme Court ruling that limited free speech during wartime.

What was the role of women in the war effort?

Worked in factories and as nurses.

Alien Enemies Act

Authorized the deportation of enemy aliens.

Wilson’s 14 Points

Wilson's plan for postwar peace.

Versailles Treaty

The treaty that ended WWI.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the United States was destined by God to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent. Background: This ideology fueled westward expansion, displacement of Native Americans, and territorial acquisition.