Give Me Liberty! | 19,20,21

William McKinley

Expansionist; led U.S. into Spanish-American War (1898) to protect economic interests in Cuba and respond to public pressure fueled by yellow journalism. Annexed Hawaii for military and trade purposes.

Theodore Roosevelt

Advocated Big Stick Diplomacy—negotiate peacefully but show military strength. Panama Canal built to control global trade and military movement. Square Deal domestically: regulated corporations, labor, and consumers.

William Howard Taft

Dollar Diplomacy—used U.S. financial investment rather than military force to influence Latin America/Asia.

Woodrow Wilson (early)

Moral imperialism—spread democracy and moral governance abroad.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Supreme Court legalized racial segregation; entrenched Jim Crow laws, showing that U.S. democracy was limited for African Americans.

Imperial Boomerang Theory

Methods used to control foreign populations (military, authoritarian tactics) often undermine democracy at home. Example: Philippine War brutality inspired domestic debates about civil liberties.

U.S. Interventionism / National Interests

U.S. intervened in Cuba, Philippines, Latin America to protect trade, strategic positions, and political influence.

Platt Amendment (1901)

Gave U.S. right to intervene in Cuba, limit foreign treaties; allowed Guantanamo Bay naval base. Demonstrates tension between Cuban independence and U.S. control.

Monroe Doctrine / Roosevelt Corollary

U.S. opposed European colonization; Roosevelt Corollary justified U.S. intervention in Latin America as "international police."

Commodore Perry & Tokyo Bay (1852)

Forced Japan to open ports; shows early U.S. use of military power to expand trade.

Gunboat Diplomacy

Projecting power with military threat to influence foreign governments; example: Latin America interventions.

Spanish-American War (1898)

U.S. defeated Spain; gained Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines; sparked debate over imperialism.

U.S. War with the Philippines (1899-1902) / Moro Crater Massacre

Brutal suppression of Filipino independence movement; highlighted human cost of imperialism, debates over morality of U.S. expansion.

Progressives

Reforms at home; debated whether U.S. could promote democracy abroad.

Social Darwinists

Justified empire as "natural" dominance.

Anti-Imperialists

Argued imperialism contradicted democracy.

Labor unions

Focused on domestic working conditions; often opposed wars abroad.

Liberal Internationalism

U.S. should lead by example to promote democracy; guided Wilson's postwar plans.

Lusitania (1915)

German U-boat sank ship with American passengers; shifted U.S. public opinion toward war.

Zimmermann Telegram (1917)

German proposal for Mexico to attack U.S.; prompted declaration of war.

Fourteen Points

Wilson's vision for peace; promoted self-determination, free trade, League of Nations; contrasted with European imperial goals.

Selective Service Act (1917)

Drafted men into military; expanded U.S. army rapidly.

War Industries Board

Coordinated industry, set prices, encouraged war production.

Espionage Act / Sedition Act

Suppressed dissent; shows tension between civil liberties and national security.

NAACP / Great Migration

African Americans moved north for jobs; fought segregation and racism; contributed to cultural, political changes.

Red Scare

Fear of communism after Russian Revolution; led to Palmer Raids and limitation of civil liberties.

Versailles Treaty / League of Nations

Ended WWI; punished Germany; League aimed to prevent future wars but U.S. Senate rejected participation.

Social Groups & Context

Pacifists / Anti-war activists

Opposed U.S. involvement in WWI; faced criticism and legal suppression.

Fundamentalists / Traditionalists

Resisted modernist social trends; emphasized religion and rural values.

African Americans

Migrated north; changed demographics and labor market.

Women

Wartime contributions strengthened push for suffrage (19th Amendment).

Harding / Coolidge

Pro-business, limited government, laissez-faire policies; 1920s boom.

Hoover

Believed voluntary cooperation could fix economy; blamed for worsening Depression.

FDR

Implemented New Deal & Second New Deal to provide relief, recovery, reform; expanded federal government's role in economy.

Roaring Twenties / Jazz Age

Urbanization, consumer culture, new technology, cultural innovation; tension with rural/traditional values.

Flappers

Symbol of women's social liberation; challenged gender norms.

Harlem Renaissance

Cultural, artistic, and political movement; celebrated Black identity; highlighted racial inequities.

Prohibition (18th A.)

Social experiment; increased crime and underground economy.

Immigration Quotas (1924)

Nativist response to demographic changes; reflected racism and fear of foreign influence.

Scopes Trial (1925)

Symbol of urban vs. rural, modern science vs. traditional religion.

Great Depression

Causes: stock market crash, bank failures, global trade collapse; effects: mass unemployment, poverty, political change.

CCC / WPA / PWA

Jobs for unemployed; infrastructure, environmental, arts projects.

AAA

Paid farmers to reduce crops; stabilize prices.

TVA

Dams, electricity, rural modernization.

FDIC

Restored confidence in banks.

Social Security

Pensions, unemployment insurance, aid for disabled.

Wagner Act

Protect labor rights.

REA / Fair Labor Standards Act

Rural electrification, minimum wage, max hours, child labor protections.

Modernists / Urban Liberals

Embraced cultural change, science, secularism.

Fundamentalists / Rural Americans

Supported traditional social norms.

African Americans

Migrated north, fought segregation, contributed to cultural renaissance.

Labor & unions

Fought for protections; benefited from New Deal policies.

Women / Flappers

Challenged gender norms; participated in workforce and social change.

Farmers / Rural Populations

Hit hard by Depression; benefited from New Deal relief.