UNIT 7, CH 21

As the United States became a major world power, policymakers sought to promote democracy, protect American economic interests, and expand U.S. influence abroad. They believed the U.S. had a special responsibility to spread its values, an idea rooted in American exceptionalism. Through policies like the Open Door Policy, the Roosevelt Corollary, and Wilson’s Fourteen Points, leaders aimed to secure access to foreign markets, maintain global stability, and prevent European domination. Overall, U.S. foreign policy focused on combining moral ideals with strategic and economic goals as America took on a larger role in international affairs.

American exceptionalism

belief that the United States is unique and has a special mission to spread democracy, freedom, and capitalism

Theodore Roosevelt

U.S. president (1901–1909) who promoted an active foreign policy, imperialism, and the use of military power to protect U.S. interests

Alfred Mahan

naval strategist who argued that strong navies and control of sea lanes were key to national power

“Remember the Maine! ”

slogan used to rally public support for the Spanish-American War after the U.S.S. Maine exploded in Havana Harbor

Teller Amendment

statement that the U.S. would not annex Cuba after the Spanish-American War

Queen Liliuokalani

last queen of Hawaii, overthrown by American-backed businessmen in 1893

Emilio Aguinaldo

leader of Filipino independence movement who fought both Spain and later the United States

Insular Cases

Supreme Court cases that ruled constitutional rights did not automatically extend to U.S. territories

Platt Amendment

allowed the U.S. to intervene in Cuban affairs and maintain a naval base at Guantánamo Bay

Open Door Policy

U.S. policy supporting equal trade access in China and opposing colonization by European powers

Root-Takahira Agreement

agreement between the U.S. and Japan recognizing each other’s Pacific possessions and supporting the Open Door Policy

Panama Canal

man-made canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, built to speed up trade and naval movement

Roosevelt Corollary

policy stating the U.S. could intervene in Latin American countries to prevent European involvement

Woodrow Wilson

U.S. president during World War I who promoted democracy, self-determination, and international cooperation

Porfirio Díaz

dictator of Mexico whose rule favored foreign investors and led to widespread inequality

Zimmermann Telegram

secret message from Germany proposing an alliance with Mexico against the U.S., helping push America into WWI

War Industries Board

government agency that coordinated industrial production during World War I

National War Labor Board

agency that resolved labor disputes during WWI to prevent strikes

Herbert Hoover

head of the Food Administration during WWI, later became U.S. president

Committee on Public Information

government agency that used propaganda to build public support for WWI

Four-Minute Men

volunteers who gave short patriotic speeches to promote the war effort

Sedition Act of 1918

law that limited free speech by criminalizing criticism of the government during wartime

Great Migration

movement of African Americans from the rural South to northern cities for jobs and safety

Alice Paul

women’s rights activist who pushed for a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote

National Woman’s Party

organization that used protests and civil disobedience to advocate for women’s suffrage

Fourteen Points

Wilson’s plan for peace after WWI, emphasizing self-determination and international cooperation

League of Nations

international organization created to prevent future wars; the U.S. never joined

Treaty of Versailles

peace treaty ending World War I that punished Germany and redrew European borders