APUSH DBQ

What motivated European colonization of the Americas?

The 3 G’s — God (religion/freedom), Gold (wealth), and Glory (power and prestige).

What motivated American expansion westward?

The 3 G’s and American Exceptionalism — belief that the U.S. had a divine mission to serve as a model for the world.

What is American Exceptionalism?

The belief that the U.S. is unique and has a duty to spread democracy and set an example in world affairs.

Where did new American imperialism occur?

Latin/South America, the Caribbean, and Asia — including Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba, the Philippines, and Hawaii.

What were the goals of American imperialism?

Become a global power

Spread Christianity

Gain military bases

Fulfill a “God-given mission” (Manifest Destiny abroad)

What was Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” policy?

A strategy of negotiating peacefully while threatening to use U.S. military power — “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”

What places in the Caribbean did America take control of?

Haiti (1915) and the Dominican Republic (1916) — to protect U.S. investments and secure natural resources.

Compare the three U.S. imperialism policies (TR, Taft, Wilson).

TR – Big Stick Diplomacy: Military intervention (e.g., Panama Canal, Philippines)

Taft – Dollar Diplomacy: Economic influence over military action

Wilson – Moral Diplomacy: Spread democracy; avoid imperialism (though actions often contradicted ideals)

Was there a true change under Wilson’s foreign policy?

Not really — the U.S. continued to intervene in Latin America (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mexico).

What were the main causes of WWI?

MAIN:

Militarism: (build up of armies and navies)

Alliances

Imperialism (competition for colonies and global dominance)

Nationalism (the sense of strong national identity and pride)

What caused the Mexican Crisis under Wilson?

• Madero overthrown by Huerta (1913)

• Wilson refused to recognize Huerta

• U.S. troops landed at Vera Cruz → anti-American backlash

• Civil war between Carranza and Pancho Villa (who attacked New Mexico)

• Pershing invaded Mexico but failed to capture Villa, worsening relations.

How were civil liberties violated during WWI?

• Attacks on Germans, pacifists, socialists, and Mexicans

• Espionage Act (1917): Jail for aiding the enemy or refusing service

• Sedition Act (1918): Illegal to criticize the government

• Cultural suppression of German influence

• Overall federal government power increased, like drafting millions to war

What happened to socialist leader Eugene V. Debs?

Jailed under the Espionage Act (1917) for opposing the war.

What is a conscientious objector?

Someone who refuses to fight on moral or religious grounds (e.g., Amish, Buddhists, Alvin York).

How did the U.S. finance WWI?

Through taxes, liberty bonds, and inflation — total war mobilized the economy and workforce.

What were major outcomes of WWI for the U.S.?

• Became the richest and most powerful nation

• Turned into a creditor nation

• Led to technological and medical advances

• Women gained rights (19th Amendment)

• Great Migration of Black and Latino Americans

• Rising isolationism in the 1920s

What was Wilson’s “Fourteen Points”?

His plan for peace: self-determination, disarmament, and creation of the League of Nations.

Why didn’t the U.S. join the League of Nations?

The Senate refused to ratify it — Americans wanted isolation and to avoid future wars.

How was Germany treated after WWI?

• Blamed for the war

• Forced to disarm

• Paid reparations

• Lost colonies and global influence

What did WWI signal about the Monroe Doctrine?

It was effectively dead — U.S. involvement in world affairs increased dramatically.

How did expansionist motives change by the late 1800s?

The 3 G’s evolved into the 4 P’s — Profits, Patriotism, Piety, and Politics — and later into the 6 D’s: Deity, Dollars, Destiny, Democracy, Defense, Duty.

Was old American expansion the same as new imperialism?

Debatable — both aimed at spreading influence and gaining land, but new imperialism focused more on overseas control and global power, not continental expansion.

What is imperialism (definition)?

The domination of one land by another nation for political, economic, or cultural control.

When did the Spanish-American War occur?

1898 — lasted about 3–4 months.

What caused the Spanish-American War?

• Cuban independence revolt

• USS Maine explodes in Havana Harbor

• Concentration camps in Cuba

• Yellow journalism — exaggerated stories to stir war fever (“Remember the Maine!”)

• McKinley sends the USS Maine to protect American interests

• American sugar plantations destroyed in Cuba

How many Americans died in the Spanish-American War?

Around 400 Americans were killed in battle; 5,000 died from disease.

What were the outcomes of the Spanish-American War?

• U.S. gained control of Cuba, Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico (we kept Guam and Puerto Rico)

• U.S. emerged as a global power

What earlier conflict does the Spanish-American War resemble (synthesis)?

The Mexican-American War — both expanded U.S. territory and reflected the desire to spread influence.

When did the Filipino-American War occur?

1898 – early 1900s (began after U.S. victory over Spain).

What caused the Filipino-American War?

• Filipinos initially thanked U.S. for defeating Spain but wanted independence

• Americans claimed God told them to annex the Philippines

• U.S. argued that the Philippines needed “civilizing” and American “uplift”

What violent acts occurred during the Filipino-American War?

• Filipinos tortured American soldiers, buried them alive, and chopped soldiers into pieces

• Americans burned villages and killed civilians

How many people died in the Filipino-American War?

• Over 4,000 Americans killed

• 80,000 Filipino fighters and many civilians killed

What were the outcomes of the Filipino-American War?

• U.S. victory

• Emilio Aguinaldo led Filipino resistance; first President of the Philippines

• U.S. established colonial control over the islands

What later conflict does the Filipino-American War resemble (synthesis)?

The Vietnam War — U.S. fought against guerrilla-style resistance and killed anyone they saw as the enemy.

possible context

Manifest Destiny:

American Imperialism derives from the original ideas of Manifest Destiny, expanding westward because of their god given duty, in search for more territory and natural resources.

What is Self Determination

The right that people of their own nation get to choose the government and the policies that are in place

What is the League of Nations

Worldwide representative body where countries can come together to negotiate instead of going to war

What was the Open Door Policy?

A U.S. foreign policy proposed by Secretary of State John Hay in 1899–1900, calling for equal trading rights for all nations in China and protection of Chinese territorial integrity.

What is “The White Man’s Burden” and what does it talk about?

“The White Man’s Burden” (1899) is a poem by Rudyard Kipling urging the U.S. to take up the “burden” of empire after the Spanish-American War, especially in the Philippines. It claimed that Western nations had a moral duty to “civilize” and “uplift” nonwhite, non-Christian peoples — reflecting the racist and paternalistic justification for imperialism.

What was the significance of the Panama Canal and how did the U.S. gain control of it?

The Panama Canal (completed in 1914) connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, allowing faster trade and military movement. Under President Theodore Roosevelt, the U.S. supported Panama’s independence from Colombia in exchange for control of the Canal Zone. It demonstrated Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” diplomacy — using military and political power to achieve U.S. goals in Latin America.