Unit 7: America on the World Stage - Does not include WW2

How did Progressives transform the United States into an activist government?

They transformed the US into an activist government by advocating for reforms such as regulation of big business, workers' rights, consumer protection, and conservation (of environment). They pushed for government intervention to address social issues and improve the lives of citizens.

The Jungle (1906)

Written by Upton Sinclair who wanted to write a novel about the appalling conditions in the work places of workers in the meatpacking plants. He then discovered the horrid conditions that the food was being subjected to. Meat on the floor, rats, flies.(canned meat - contained rat meat, poison, etc and no one knew). Led to the creation of the FDA.

Social and economic reforms: Muckraking journalists

Muckrakers were investigative reporters who wrote news articles exposing corruption, vice, and scandals in hope that others could fix the issues. Whistleblowers.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (1911)

Factory fire which occurred due to incompetence in New York. A shirt making factory would often lock its doors to increase production, you could only leave once to go to the restroom. 146 people died in the fire. Led to the creation of 56 laws for fire hazards, unsafe machines, and working hours.

Social and economic reforms: City and state reforms for workspaces

Due to unsafe and unsanitary working conditions many laws were implemented to improve working conditions and sanitary practices.

Social and economic reforms: Responses to immigration

As immigrant came to America. there were Settlement houses which often assimilated immigrants - they offered social services, babysitting, English lessons, ect. They often took jobs for cheeper labor - making white Americans angry. Immigrants often faced backlash as well as tensions grew within America.

Debates over assimilation and Americanization in the 1900’s

They were discussions regarding the process of immigrants adopting American culture and values, with assimilation focusing on integration and Americanization emphasized embracing American norms

Social Darwinism

The belief that the natural laws could be applied to people. It brought up ideas of racial superiority and social superiority. Americans used to to see themselves as a better race and to justify imperialism (the “weak” need strong to guide them)

Settlement Houses; Jane Addams

She created the Hull House (A settlement house) which provided child care, (American) cultural training, and overall care to immigrants. They were houses that Americanized immigrants. She also provided job training for women. She essentially wanted to help those who were on a “low” pedestal to rise.

Religious responses: Social Gospel

Explained how the use of the teachings of christ could be used to remedy issues caused by the gilded age. (Wanted Churches to give money out and such).

Religious responses: WCTU

It was the Womans-Christian-Temperance-Union: These women believed that alcohol was bad as it led to men to either waste their money while buying the substance or beat their families. They pushed for the limited use or full ban of alcohol.

Political reform: Amendments

16th Amendment: Income tax on the wealthy.

Women’s suffrage

Activist groups lobbied for women’s rights to vote. Campaigned for the right and eventually got it state by state (it was a process). Eventually a constitutional amendment in 1919 (19th amendment) was passed. Some believed that feminists would destroy the country (anti-suffrage). Many women believed in temperance (because men would either drunkenly spend all their money or beat their families. End white prostitution - Mann Act. Talked of Birth control to prevent unwanted kids - sterilization.

Prohibition

Ban of the manufacturing, sale, and transportation of beverages containing alcohol. Given by progressives and women who saw alcohol as something that brought up the evils in one. Prohibition led to a rise in organized crime.

Progressive presidents: T. Roosevelt

Sided with consumers & union in coal dispute, enforced the Sherman antitrust act - broke up bad trusts (which hurt the people), allowed good trusts (which didn’t harm the people). Railroad regulation, fixed rates for railroads. Conservation(environmental).

Progressive presidents: Taft

Broke up trusts in the U.S steel industry. Passed the 16th amendment: Income tax on wealthy. Continued conservation, raised tariffs on most imports → (ideals) became more conservative.

Progressive presidents: Wilson

New freedom: Fair competition in economy. He lowered tariffs: graduated income tax replaced the lost income. Reformed the banking system: Federal reserve(national banking system) which regulated interest rates, and created bank reserves. A bunch of other economic reform: Clayton antitrust act, Child labor act, Federal trade commission.

Arguments for and against imperialism in the early 1900’s

Reasons for imperialism:

-Wanted to compete vs other European countries

-Becoming an Empire would increase power

-Economic benefits

-The idea of spreading “civilization” - christianity, democracy, White Mans Burden.

-National security

Reasons Against:

-Didn’t want the U.S to get involved in international affairs

-Not actually for democracy

-It was a violation of sovereignty

-Exploitation of resources in other nations

-Cultural imperialism

Expansion into Hawaii and Alaska

It occurred through a series of events, including the annexation of Hawaii in 1898 and the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. These expansions were driven by economic interests, strategic military positioning, and the desire to increase American territory.

Spanish-American War

Spain was trying to stop a Cuban uprising, but Americans felt for the Cubans and supported their revolution, America wanted to protect trade and its economy, and with a final straw of a ship exploding. Am’s fought with Spain, and Spain eventually gave the Philippines to the U.S, giving the U.S empire status.

Spanish-American War: Causes

Spain was in charge of Cuba and the Cubans were rebelling against Spanish rule, leading to Cubans to be put into concentration camps.

America joined in on the Spanish American war for a multitude of reasons. Wanted to prove masculinity, protect trade with Spain and protect sugar plantations in Cuba, Cubans gained Americas sympathy - encouraged their independence, but they felt Cubans couldn’t govern themselves. There was also an explosion of an American ship, Ams blamed Spain.

Spanish-American War: Impact

Spain ceded Philippines to the U.S → U.S became an empire. Filipinos didn’t want to be ruled over, led to a nationalist movement in the Philippines → another war broke out → Philippines was declared independent after WW2.

Isolationism → interventionism (U.S intervening in foreign affairs that don’t concern them), and imperialism.

U.S gained a foothold in the Pacific: Islands with bases to resupply, refuel, ect.

Cubans were not independent right away.

Roosevelt Corollary

It said that the areas of the Western-Hemisphere were not open to European powers, and that the United States had a right to protect all nations in the western-hemisphere.

World War I: Causes of U.S. entering the war

The U.S wanted to remain neutral to maintain positive trade relations and wanted to prevent taking sides, but due to constant aggression from Germany on U.S ships and with the Zimmerman telegram, they came into the war.

World War I: Impact of U.S. involvement

- Selective Service Act, which drafted 3 million men into war

-U.S. Navy impactful, joined late in Europe

-400k African Americans in segregated units

-War industries supervised military supplies

-National War Labor Board, 8-hour work day

-Increased women in workforce

-Food rationing, war propaganda

-Prohibited anti-war activities, anti-immigrant sentiment especially towards Germans

World War I: Debates over future involvement

After the war many in the United States started discussing on whether the U.S should get involved in foreign affairs. Isolationists didn’t want the U.S to get involved anymore and mainly wanted the U.S to stick to itself.

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty of versailles was created to punish Germany - demobilized Germany along a region, made smaller military, and made Germany give reparations for the war - contributed to ww2.

League of Nations

League of Nations was formed to prevent wars - group of people that would make sure to prevent war and meant to ensure peace. However, the U.S didn’t take part of the League of Nations as Americans wanted to keep America out of foreign affairs.

Domestic impact: Rise in nativism, fears of radicalism

America saw a rise in nativism due to post-war fears, economic instability, and the Red Scare. Nativism favored “native-born” Americans over immigrants, especially from Southern and Eastern Europe (due to world war 1). Concerns about radicalism from the Russian Revolution and communism led to raids and scares, impacting immigration, civil liberties, and national security policies.

Domestic impact: Red Scare

Unions grew powerful, which reflected the idea of people coming together and uniting for one cause (reflecting communist ideas), and with the Soviet Union founding the Third international (plan to spread communism across the globe) this led to extreme fear. With the rise of anarchists trying to bomb gov’t officials, eventually people began to blame communists and in turn immigrants.

In short: Fear of communism in America

Domestic impact: Restrictions on free speech

During ww1 there were many laws passed against speaking badly about the war, leading to some getting imprisoned. Due to the Red scare there were laws passed against communism and the display of anything to do with communism - this contributed to the palmer raids

Domestic impact: Great Migration

African American migration into the north. Around 6 million African Ams moved into the north, leading to an increase of racial tensions in the North. White people claiming African Am’s for taking their jobs.

How did the social, economic, and political changes of the 1920s lead to conflict over American ideals?

During the 1920s, the U.S. underwent urbanization, consumerism, prohibition, and the Red Scare. Sparking conflicts over values, freedoms, and government. Urbanization brought social changes as people moved to cities for work. Consumerism clashed with traditional frugality due to economic growth. Prohibition sparked debates on morality and freedoms. And the red scare raised concerns about security and government power.

Postwar fears: Race riots, Jim Crow, and the return of the KKK

Red Summer: Violent anti-black riots in over 12 cities and the Tulsa Race massacre in where a black community was burned to the ground. KKK returned and peaked during the 1924-25. KKK targeted immigrants, catholics, jews, along with African Ams.

Postwar fears: Nativist backlash and immigration quotas

Immigration quotas severely limited immigration from S & E Europe and Asia and Africa. Nativists such as the KKK targeted any non white non protestant groups. Nativists despised immigrants because they’re haters.

Return to Normalcy

Lack of government action, hating unions and immigrants, going into debt for a higher standard of living, resurgence of conservative Republicans being dominant, men taking jobs from women.

Moral conformity: Prohibition

It prohibited the selling, manufacturing and transportation of beverages containing alcohol. Caused by protestants, progressives and woman’s drive to get alcohol banned due to the “evil” it caused. However, it led to a rise in organized crime which mostly took part in manufacturing and selling the now illegal substance. The smuggling led to a decrease in tax revenue.

Moral conformity: Scopes Trial

This trial was against a man, Scope, who was teaching human evolution in his classroom despite it being illegal at the time. It was planned and essentially was trying to see how far free speech was willing to go. Despite Scope loosing the trial, his story spread and it eventually became legal and common practice to teach evolution in state funded schools.

Cultural revolutions: Women’s suffrage and new opportunities for women

Women had more secratrial jobs and a right to vote. There were flappers which represented personal and physical freedoms - shorter hair, shorter skirts, doing whatever they pleased.

Cultural revolutions: Harlem Renaissance

It was a cultural movement centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, contributed by the great migration and the hardships many African Americans faced from it. It was the celebration of African American culture through art, music, literature, and activism, contributing to the development of a distinct African American identity

Cultural revolutions: New technologies and manufacturing techniques

The automobile, radio, and cinema transformed communication and entertainment, and created new cultural expressions. Mass media spread ideas and reshaped popular culture, challenging traditional norms, opening up a new sense of oneself throughout communities. New production techniques such as assembly lines made production cheaper and quicker.

Improved standards of living

Living standards improved due to technological advancements, industrial growth, economic prosperity, and changing social norms which factors led to higher wages, increased consumer goods, and a better quality of life for many Americans.

Mass media - radio, cinema

Radio broadcasts enabled ideas, information, and entertainment to be transferred easily through households and into the ears of the general public. Cinemas offered a new form of entertainment and led to the development of the industry of Hollywood in America.

How did the U.S. redefine the role of government during the Great Depression?

Government began to focus on social welfare, not limited welfare. Didn’t follow the laissez-faire as much, it focused more on what people actually needed. Led to an increased citizens’ trust in gov’t and president

Causes and impact of the Great Depression: Credit and market instability

There was large scale consumption of consumer products bought with credit, and installment(important!) (they didn’t have the cash to buy stuff but they still bought the stuff), lack of regulation throughout the economy, decrease in car manufacturing, farm prices dropped + mechanization of farms meant many farmers were in debt, weak bank system - many banks died leading to less money circulation leading to deflation and workers being laid off. Stock market coincided but did not cause the depression, but it was a sign of what was to come

Hoover’s response to the Great Depression

Worked on 3 main areas of reform. They were banking, manufacturing and providing relief. It was based on voluntary cooperation from businesses - such as price controls, wage controls and the businesses of course did not cooperate. Had a federal bale out of banks, RR, etc but it wasn’t enough and had public works programs but it also wasn’t enough

FDR’s Response to the Depression

He put in relief for the unemployed/the poor. He aided in the Recovery of the economy and attempted to reform the financial system. Many saw FDR as relatable and loved him, seeing him as a man of the people. However, FDR did see pushback from the left saying that he should be more radical, he wanted to change the Supreme Court, he also faced economic recession and the fact that labor unions were facing a hard time

New Deal: Overall Impact

It established agencies and programs in order to help Americans and help economy recoveries during the Great Depression. It provided relief and aided in recovery and reform. CCC- Opened jobs for young men in infrastructure and conservation, AAA- reduced the amount of foods farms produced to raise prices, Social security - made sure the elderly would be provided for after they stopped working.

Mexican-Ams and African Am’s experiences from the New Deal

There was Housing, medicine, employment for Mexican-Ams but they didn’t always qualify for benefits. Many were stripped of land by whites through homelessness and with banks taking land. African Am’s went through similar experiences, however, there was the WPA which gave 30% of jobs to black people and there was a Black Cabinet.

Lynching rose during the time but FRD didn’t want to do much about it because he was scared of loosing support from democrats.

New Deal: Debates over size/power of government

There were debates on government intervention in the economy. Supporters believed increased intervention was needed to address the Great Depression, while critics preferred limited involvement.

Radical, union, populist vs. conservatives: Reforms and regulatory agencies

Progressives sought reforms to tackle labor exploitation, corporate corruption, and economic inequality, facing opposition from conservatives. This clash shaped future US policies, with various groups advocating change while conservatives prioritized stability. Progressives supported regulatory agencies while conservatives opposed them as they viewed it as too much power in the hands of the government. Conservatives often viewed the new deal with distain

Radical, union, populist vs. conservatives: Dust Bowl

It was caused by severe drought and poor farming methods in the Great Plains. The drought had led to massive dust storms, destroying crops, farms, and causing economic hardship. It led to many realizing that there needed to be more environmental conservatism and sustainable farming practices. Due to the dust bowl around 200k had moved to California

Radical, union, populist vs. conservatives: Transformation of the Democratic Party

The Democratic Party moved towards progressivism, backing New Deal policies led by Roosevelt during the Great Depression. This shift embraced social reform and economic intervention, reshaping the face of democracy for the upcoming future

Foreign policy in the interwar period: Isolationism and limited involvement

Foreign policy was characterized by a mix of isolationism and limited involvement due to the aftermath of World War I. America focused on domestic issues, avoiding alliances and conflicts, while engaging in diplomacy and economic agreements to balance their interests with global stability. Passed neutrality acts to where one couldn’t ship anything or travel on ships owned by countries at war.

Causes of U.S. joining the war (ww2)

The U.S. entered World War II after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, and due to Germany soon after the attack declaring war on the U.S. Due to the U.S supporting the Allies, tensions hadn’t been higher for it.

Mobilization: Growth of industry

During WWII, mobilization spurred industrial growth. The U.S ran to create more war weapons. This expansion created jobs, enhanced the economy, and laid the groundwork for post-war prosperity.

Mobilization: Greater opportunities for women and minorities

Due to men being drafted for the war, many women stepped up to the pedestal and took the jobs of men in factory jobs, and skilled labor. Women and minorities also had chances to take part in war efforts, many joining the war in hopes to gain more rights for their communities.

Challenges to civil liberties: Japanese internment

After Pearl Harbor, hysteria ran through America. Many blamed any Japanese American they saw as either being a spy, or someone who was working for the Japanese government. This led to violence on Japanese people and eventual internment camps to stop Japanese espionage.

Military involvement: Allied cooperation

Allied cooperation among the US, UK, and Soviet Union was crucial in defeating the axis powers They planned together, shared resources, and conducted joint operations, leading to successful offensives. Collaboration extended to intelligence, technology, and logistics, all in hopes of achieving the common goal of defeating the nazi party and the axis powers.

Military involvement: Pacific island-hopping

Island hopping was the practice by the U.S army of taking island after Island to get closer to the main Japanese Islands in hopes they would be able to put on better offensives against the Japanese army and end their battle.

Military involvement: Atomic weaponry

Atomic weaponry had been created in secret in hopes to end the war. The first attempts of its use in war was in Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Hundreds of thousands had been killed, and Japan had decided to step out of the war. The use of atomic weaponry opened up pandoras box, never to be closed or contained.

Postwar diplomacy

It focused on peace, rebuilding nations, and shaping the new world order through conferences like Yalta. Key agreements divided Germany and established the United Nations. Some had addressed demilitarization, leading to tensions between Western powers and the Soviet Union.

Dates to know

Dates:

• Spanish-American War - 1898

• The Jungle published - 1906

• WWI - 1914-1918

  • America in WWI - 1917-1918

• 19th Amendment - 1920

• Great Depression - 1929-1941

• WWII - 1939-1945

  • America in WWII - 1941-1945