The Age of T. Roosevelt and The Age of Wilson

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Age of T. Roosevelt to the Age of Wilson.

Anglo-Saxon Mission

The belief that English-speaking peoples had a duty to 'civilize' and uplift supposedly less-advanced societies.

Social Darwinism

The application of 'survival of the fittest' to human societies, used to argue that strong nations naturally dominated weaker ones.

Teller Amendment

A U.S. promise (1898) that the U.S. would not annex Cuba after the Spanish-American War.

Commodore Dewey

U.S. naval commander who destroyed the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, making the Philippines a major American foothold in Asia.

San Juan Hill

Famous battle in Cuba where Roosevelt’s Rough Riders charged and won; boosted Roosevelt’s national fame.

Russo-Japanese War

Conflict mediated by Roosevelt in 1905; he won the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth.

Imperialism

Policy of extending power through colonization, military force, or political influence.

Gentleman’s Agreement

1907 deal between the U.S. and Japan: Japan restricted emigration to the U.S., and the U.S. eased discrimination against Japanese already in America.

Great White Fleet

Roosevelt’s world tour of U.S. battleships (1907–1909) to display American naval power.

Muckrakers

Investigative journalists who exposed corruption, unsafe conditions, and social injustice.

Carrie Lane Chapman Catt

Leader of the National American Woman Suffrage Association; key strategist behind the 19th Amendment.

Municipal Socialism

Local government ownership of utilities to reduce corruption and improve services.

Triangle Fire

1911 factory fire in NYC that killed 146 workers; led to major workplace safety reforms.

Temperance

Movement to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption.

Prohibition

Nationwide ban on alcohol production and sale (1920–1933).

18th Amendment

Constitutional amendment establishing Prohibition.

Trust

A large business combination that dominated an industry; often targeted by antitrust laws.

Square Deal

Roosevelt’s domestic program focused on control of corporations, consumer protection, and conservation of natural resources.

Hepburn Act

Strengthened the Interstate Commerce Commission, allowing it to regulate railroad rates.

Big Stick Diplomacy

Roosevelt’s foreign policy: 'Speak softly and carry a big stick.' Use diplomacy backed by military strength.

Dollar Diplomacy

Taft’s policy of using American economic power and investment to influence foreign nations.

New Nationalism

Roosevelt’s 1912 platform focusing on strong federal government, regulation of business, and social justice reforms.

Bull Moose Party

Progressive Party formed by Roosevelt in 1912 after splitting with the Republicans.

New Freedom

Wilson’s 1912 platform focused on breaking up monopolies and strengthening antitrust laws.

Sixteenth Amendment

Allowed federal income tax.

Clayton Anti-Trust Act

Strengthened antitrust laws; protected labor unions from being treated as monopolies.

Federal Farm Loan Act (1916)

Provided low-interest loans to farmers.

Adamson Act

Established an 8-hour workday for railroad workers.

Triple Alliance

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (pre-WWI).

Triple Entente

Britain, France, Russia.

Gavrilo Princip

Serbian nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne; his assassination sparked WWI.

48-Hour Ultimatum

Austria-Hungary’s demand to Serbia after the assassination.

Central Powers

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria.

Allied Powers

Britain, France, Russia, later the U.S. and others.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

German policy of sinking ships without warning.

Lusitania

British passenger ship sunk by Germany in 1915; 128 Americans died.

Sussex Pledge

Germany’s promise to stop unrestricted submarine warfare (later broken).

Zimmerman Telegram

German proposal urging Mexico to join the war against the U.S.

Bolshevik

Russian revolutionary group that overthrew the czar in 1917.

Fourteen Points

Wilson’s plan for postwar peace, including self-determination and the League of Nations.

League of Nations

International peacekeeping organization proposed by Wilson.

War Guilt Clause

Treaty of Versailles clause blaming Germany for WWI.

Reservationists

Senate members who wanted changes to the Versailles Treaty, especially to Article X.

Red Scare

Fear of communism and radicalism after WWI.

Sacco-Vanzetti Case

Controversial trial of two Italian immigrants accused of murder; seen as biased.

New Ku Klux Klan

Expanded targets to include immigrants, Catholics, Jews; claimed to defend '100% Americanism.'

Flapper

Young women who challenged traditional norms through fashion and behavior.

Harlem Renaissance

Cultural flowering of African American art, music, and literature.

Langston Hughes

Leading poet of the Harlem Renaissance.

Marcus Garvey

Black nationalist leader; promoted 'Back to Africa' movement.

The Lost Generation

Writers disillusioned by WWI and modern society.

Black Tuesday

October 29, 1929; stock market crash that began the Great Depression.

How did Wilson differ from T.R.?

T.R. was more expansive, focusing on social welfare and conservation, whereas Wilson focused heavily on economic, tariff, and banking reform.

Reasons for American involvement in World War I

1. Interception of the Zimmerman Telegram proposing a German-Mexican alliance against the U.S.
2. Significant financial ties to the Allies
3. A desire to protect international maritime law.

Discuss American neutrality

From 1914 to 1917, the United States maintained a policy of official neutrality in World War I, driven by tradition, domestic diversity, and a desire to avoid 'entangling alliances.' President Woodrow Wilson advocated for being 'impartial in thought as well as in action,' though the U.S. remained economically, emotionally, and ideologically tied to the Allied Powers.

What is meant by 'Peace without victory?'

Wilson argues that a new order cannot be achieved by merely punishing the defeated nations and instead must create a 'peace without victory' where all nations are equal partners in developing a world based on the rights guaranteed to Americans in the U.S. Constitution.

How did the Spanish American War affect the USA?

The Spanish-American War resulted in the U.S. acquiring the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, and establishing Cuba as a protectorate, leading to significant economic gains for the U.S.

How did T.R. see the world organized?

T.R. viewed the world as hierarchical and competitive, which influenced his foreign policy approach known as Big Stick Diplomacy.

Discuss Roosevelt’s 'Imperial Presidency'.

By framing domestic crises as wartime emergencies and wielding unprecedented unilateral power in foreign affairs, FDR fundamentally shifted the balance of power toward the executive branch.

Discuss the reasons for T.R.’s exit and return to the political arena.

T.R. was driven by a mix of personal promises, political ideology, and intense dissatisfaction with his successor, William Howard Taft.

What was the Republican (Conservative) view on business?

They believed the economy would self-correct and favored a laissez-faire approach with minimal government intervention.

Why did the Great Depression happen?

The Great Depression was precipitated by the stock market crash on Black Tuesday and was exacerbated by raised interest rates.