American Imperialism 1898 - 1918

we all know

The United States was “late” in terms of creating its empire because:

1) It was conquering its own continent while other nations were expanding into Africa and Asia

2) In the 19th century the idea of an “empire” was contrary to our nation values

3) The religious and economic motives for empire were initially unpopular with Americans

4) We “had our own problems” to resolve before spending energy and wealth outside our borders

5) The United States preferred to purchase its territory rather than take it by force

1) It was conquering its own continent while other nations were expanding into Africa and Asia

Kipling’s poem The White Man’s Burden, dedicated to the United States, intended to:

1) Encourage America to join the rest of the industrialized world in improving the quality of life of non-white people by building an empire

2) Discourage the United States from embarking on the creation of empire, as demonstrated in the line, "to seek another's profit/ and work another's gain"

3) To caution America about the costs (both financial and in lives) in creating empire, as demonstrated in the line, "go make them with your living/ and mark them with your dead"

4) To encourage those who have been colonized to fight for self-determination and democracy, the national values of the United States

1) Encourage America to join the rest of the industrialized world in improving the quality of life of non-white people by building an empire

Hearst and Pulitzer pushed the United States towards war by:

1) Publishing sympathetic stories about Cuba

2) Fabricating stories about why the USS Maine blew up

3) Vilifying European nations who had colonies

4) Encouraging a letter-writing campaign to get politicians to act

5) Sensationalizing stories about atrocities in the Philippines

1) Publishing sympathetic stories about Cuba

The “March of the Flag” argued all of the following EXCEPT:

1) The United States needs to occupy the Philippines before another nation seizes it

2) Americans are God’s chosen people

3) The United States needs to continue its commercial supremacy

4) The people of the Philippines prefer America’s government

5) The United States needs a market for its excess production

1) The United States needs to occupy the Philippines before another nation seizes it

The United States annexed the Hawaiian islands because:

1) The United States was concerned other nations would annex them

2) There was increased demand for sugar after the Spanish-American war

3) Queen Liliuokalani invited the US to occupy the islands out of concern that other nations would seize it

4) The islands were rich in natural resources the US wanted

5) Its location was ideal for trans-Pacific commerce

1) The United States was concerned other nations would annex them

American involvement in the Boxer Rebellion was:

1) Limited to only protecting American missionaries and merchants

2) Limited to occupying Tsing Tao and Shang-Hai

3) The result of concerns about other nations seizing ports on the Chinese coast

4) A failed attempt at creating another protectorate along the Yangtze river

5) The result of American commercial interests in accessing Chinese goods

1) Limited to only protecting American missionaries and merchants

The "Roosevelt Doctrine" (also known as the "Roosevelt Corollary") stated that:

1) The United States has the right to use force in Latin America

2) European powers need to keep out of the Western Hemisphere

3) Roosevelt has the authority to occupy Cuba and Puerto Rico

4) Because Spain blew up the USS Maine, the President has the right to declare war

1) The United States has the right to use force in Latin America

President Wilson believed the First World War:

1) Was a war of democracy against autocracy

2) Was necessary in order for the United States to protect its interests abroad

3) Was an opportunity for the United States to expand territory-wise

4) Was unnecessary and that the United States had no business getting involved

1) Was a war of democracy against autocracy

All of the following were arguments in support of the US joining the League of Nations except:

1) Joining the League of Nations would ensure America’s role as a global power

2) Joining the League of Nations would be a continuation of the work begun by American soldiers to end autocracy in Europe

3) Without the US joining the League of Nations, there is no hope of there being a democratic Europe

4) If the United States does not join the League of Nations it would be a betrayal of our national ideas

5) If the new democracies in Europe are not protected by a League of Nations, there will be another war in Europe worse than the First World War

1) Joining the League of Nations would ensure America’s role as a global power

All of the following were arguments against the US joining the League of Nations EXCEPT:

1) It has long been the policy of the US to avoid "entangling alliances" with European nations, dating back to the Washington administration

2) The League of Nations would be a "superstate" that would take power from governments and the people

3) Treaties did not keep Europe out of war in WWI, there is no reason to believe a League of Nations would be able to keep nations out of war either

4) If the US joins the League of Nations, it will pull America into another war

5) The US would surrender its right to self-defense if it joins the League of Nations

1) It has long been the policy of the US to avoid "entangling alliances" with European nations, dating back to the Washington administration

While the US tried to remain out of World War One, it was pulled into the conflict by:

1) Unrestricted submarine warfare sinking ships with American citizens on board and the Zimmerman telegram

2) Threats from Mexico that if the US did not get involved they would invade Texas, Arizona and New Mexico

3) German immigrants acting as a "fifth column" drumming up support for the Central Powers

4) The desire to become a global power

5) The sinking of US merchant ships that were causing economic harm to American companies

1) Unrestricted submarine warfare sinking ships with American citizens on board and the Zimmerman telegram

The “14 Points” can be summarized as:

1) Wilson’s attempt to prevent future wars and to create a democratic Europe based on self-determination

2) A series of compromises the Big Four

3) A concerted effort to address the grievances that began the conflict

4) An idealistic list of “fixes” to guarantee the US would become a world power

1) Wilson’s attempt to prevent future wars and to create a democratic Europe based on self-determination

The “Big Four” who dictated the Paris peace following the First World War were:

1) Clemenceau, Wilson, Lloyd-George, and Orlando

2) Clemenceau, von Ludendorff, Wilson and Lloyd-George

3) Lloyd-George, Wilson, Orlando, Clouseau

4) Wilson, McDaniel, Lloyds, Clouseau

5) Clouseau, Wilson, Lloyd-George, Vittorio

1) Clemenceau, Wilson, Lloyd-George, and Orlando

All of the following are arguments for American territorial expansion after 1890 EXCEPT:

1) The ability to trade freely would be negatively impacted

2) The closing of the frontier in 1890 only meant the US should expand into the pacific

3) The United States, as a growing industrial nation, needs raw materials that empire can provide

4) Because the Monroe Doctrine did not prohibit American expansion into Latin America, it ought do so

1) The ability to trade freely would be negatively impacted

The United States moved from a "regional power" to a "global power" because:

1) Europe wasted life and fortune fighting the First World War

2) The United States' military was instrumental in winning the First World War

3) America's industrial might eclipsed that of every other nation

4) American ideals like "self-determination" and "democracy" were desired by the rest of the world

5) Wilson's 14 Points firmly placed the United States as a global power

1) Europe wasted life and fortune fighting the First World War