APUSH Period 7 Study Guide

What economic and ideological factors motivated U.S. imperialism in the 1890s?

Need for new markets and raw materials from industrialization; beliefs in Social Darwinism

Quota Laws

Immigration laws in the 1920s, such as the Immigration Act of 1924, that limited the number of immigrants allowed into the United States from specific countries based on national origin quotas.

Progressives

Reformers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who sought to address problems caused by industrialization through government regulation, social reforms, and expanded democracy.

Stock speculation

The practice of buying stocks with the hope their price will quickly rise, often using borrowed money (buying on margin), contributing to the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

The December 7, 1941 surprise military attack by Japan on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, which led the United States to enter World War II.

Isolationism

A foreign policy approach in which the United States avoided political or military involvement in foreign conflicts.

Muckrakers

Investigative journalists in the early 1900s who exposed corruption, social injustice, and problems caused by industrialization to promote reform.

Fourteen Points

A plan proposed by Woodrow Wilson in 1918 outlining principles for peace after World War I, including national self-determination, free trade, and the creation of the League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 peace treaty that ended World War I, forcing Germany to accept blame for the war, pay reparations, and lose territory.

Zimmerman Telegram

A 1917 message from Arthur Zimmermann of Germany proposing a military alliance with Mexico against the United States during World War I, helping push the U.S. toward entering the war.

How did the Spanish-American War transform the United States into a global power?

The U.S. gained overseas territories

How did debates over imperialism reflect tensions about American identity and democracy?

Supporters believed expansion spread democracy; opponents argued ruling foreign peoples violated democratic ideals.

How did Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy differ from Woodrow Wilson’s approach to world affairs?

Roosevelt used military strength and intervention; Wilson promoted moral diplomacy and support for democratic governments.

What problems caused by industrialization did Progressives seek to address?

Political corruption, unsafe working conditions, child labor, monopolies, poor urban living conditions, and lack of consumer protections.

How did Progressive reforms expand the role of the federal government?

By creating regulatory agencies, strengthening antitrust laws, regulating food and drugs, and increasing federal oversight of business and labor.

How did muckrakers influence public opinion and political reform?

Investigative journalism exposed corruption and social problems

In what ways did Progressive reforms both expand and limit democracy?

Expanded participation (direct election of senators) but limited democracy through segregation

Why did the United States initially remain neutral in World War I?

Desire to stay out of European conflict

What events pushed the United States to enter the war in 1917?

German unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram.

How did the federal government mobilize the economy and society for war?

The government directed industrial production, rationed goods, controlled prices, promoted war bonds, and organized labor and businesses to support wartime production during World War I and World War II.

How did World War I affect civil liberties at home?

Espionage and Sedition Acts restricted free speech and punished anti-war criticism.

How did Wilson’s Fourteen Points differ from the Treaty of Versailles?

Fourteen Points proposed lenient peace and self-determination; Versailles punished Germany with reparations.

Why was the 1920s considered a decade of cultural conflict?

Tensions between traditional values and modern ideas about religion

How did immigration policy reflect nativist attitudes?

Laws were passed limiting immigration from certain regions, especially southern and eastern Europe and Asia, reflecting fears about cultural change and job competition.

How did the Harlem Renaissance reshape African American identity?

Promoted Black cultural pride

How did consumer culture transform American life in the 1920s?

Mass production and advertising expanded access to cars

What were the major causes of the Great Depression?

Stock market speculation, bank failures, overproduction in industry and agriculture, unequal wealth distribution, and reduced consumer spending.

Why did Hoover’s response to the Depression receive criticism?

His reliance on voluntary cooperation and limited federal action was seen as ineffective.

How did the Depression change Americans’ expectations of government responsibility?

Americans increasingly expected federal economic aid and security programs.

How did Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal expand federal power?

It increased the federal government’s role in regulating banks, providing social welfare programs, creating jobs, and managing economic recovery during the Great Depression.

What were the main goals of the New Deal

Relief for the unemployed, recovery of the economy, and reform of the financial system through programs created by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Why did some Americans criticize the New Deal from the left and the right?

Left said it did too little for workers; right said it expanded government too much.

How did New Deal programs reshape the relationship between citizens and the federal government?

Established expectations that the federal government would provide economic security and regulation.

Why did the United States initially avoid entering World War II?

Strong isolationist sentiment, memories of losses from World War I, and laws designed to keep the U.S. neutral, such as the Neutrality Acts.

What event led to official U.S. entry into the war?

The Attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7

How did WWII transform the American economy?

War production ended the Depression and greatly expanded industry and employment.

How did the war expand opportunities for women and minorities?

Labor shortages opened factory and defense jobs

Why were Japanese Americans interned during the war?

Fear and racial prejudice after Pearl Harbor led to forced relocation.

How did World War II solidify the United States’ position as a global superpower?

The U.S. emerged from World War II with the strongest economy, a powerful military, and major influence in international organizations like the United Nations.

How did the role of the federal government change between 1890 and 1945?

It expanded from limited regulation to major economic management

How did American foreign policy shift from isolationism to global leadership?

After World War II, the United States took an active role in international affairs through alliances, economic aid programs, and leadership in global institutions to shape world politics and security.

In what ways did reform movements expand democracy — and in what ways did they limit it?

Expansion of voting rights and government protections through reforms such as the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution (women’s suffrage), direct election of senators, and regulations protecting workers and consumers, but restricted minorities through segregation and immigration limits.