Imperialism and World War 1

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1823 that opposed European colonialism in the Americas.

Who authored the Monroe Doctrine?

President James Monroe.

Motivations behind U.S. imperialism

Economic interests, national security, and a belief in cultural superiority.

Extent of the British Empire

The British Empire was one of the largest empires in history, spanning various continents and including territories in North America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Beliefs of Anti-Imperialists

Opposition to imperialism on moral, political, or economic grounds, arguing it contradicted the principles of freedom and democracy.

What led to the U.S. joining the Spanish-American War?

The explosion of the USS Maine, yellow journalism, and sympathy for Cuban independence.

Which president declared war on Spain?

President William McKinley.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news reporting that exaggerated facts to attract readers, often influencing public opinion and policy.

Three foreign policies used towards Latin America

The Big Stick Diplomacy (Theodore Roosevelt), Dollar Diplomacy (William Howard Taft), and Moral Diplomacy (Woodrow Wilson).

Roosevelt Corollary

An addition to the Monroe Doctrine asserting U.S. intervention in Latin American nations to prevent European involvement.

Panama Canal construction

A significant engineering project completed in 1914 that facilitated maritime trade between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Open Door Diplomacy

A foreign policy aimed at ensuring equal trading rights for all nations in China.

Results of American imperialism

Increased U.S. global influence, acquisition of overseas territories, and tensions with other powers.

Four M.A.I.N. causes of WW1

Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism.

Causes of trench stalemate

The use of machine guns and artillery created a deadlock on the Western Front.

No man's land

The area between opposing trenches that was extremely dangerous and often left unoccupied.

Trench warfare

A type of combat where soldiers fought from deep trenches, leading to a war of attrition.

Reasons for U.S. neutrality in WW1

Desire to avoid entanglement in European conflicts, trade interests, and pacifist sentiment.

U.S. support for Allies before joining WW1

Provided loans, military supplies, and ships; increased tensions ultimately led to U.S. entry.

Zimmerman Note

A secret communication from Germany proposing a military alliance with Mexico against the U.S., which contributed to the U.S. joining WW1.

U.S. President who declared war on Germany

President Woodrow Wilson.

Role of the Food Administration during WW1

Led by Herbert Hoover, it encouraged conservation of food and rationing; utilized propaganda to promote the cause.

Liberty Bonds

War bonds sold to finance military operations during WW1, encouraging public investment in the war effort.

Espionage and Sedition Acts

Laws that limited free speech and dissent; they restricted first amendment rights under the guise of national security.

Schenck vs. United States

A Supreme Court case that upheld the Espionage Act, ruling that free speech could be limited during wartime.

The Great Migration

The movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North during and after WW1.

Selective Service Act

A law passed in 1917 that authorized the U.S. government to draft soldiers into military service, passed by President Woodrow Wilson.

Convoy system

A naval tactic used during WW1 to protect merchant ships from submarines, proved effective.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

A set of principles proposed by President Wilson to promote peace and address the causes of WW1.

Final treaty that ended WW1

Treaty of Versailles, signed at the Paris Peace Conference.

Treaty of Versailles treatment of Germany

Imposed harsh reparations and territorial losses, leading to economic and political instability.

Reparations

Compensation required from a defeated nation to cover the damages caused during the war.

League of Nations disagreement

Many U.S. Senators opposed it due to concerns over entangling alliances and loss of congressional war powers.

Legacy of WW1

Significant changes in geopolitical boundaries, rise of the U.S. as a global power, and impacts on social movements.