Imperialism and World War I Key Terms

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to Imperialism and World War I.

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.

Isolationism

A policy of non-participation in international economic and political relations.

Queen Liliuokalani

The last reigning monarch of Hawaii who was overthrown in 1893.

Yellow Journalism

Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers.

Spanish-American War

A conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, resulting in Cuba's independence.

Philippine Islands (significance)

Acquisition of the Philippines marked the U.S. emergence as a world power.

Anti-Imperialist League

An organization formed to oppose the annexation of the Philippines and American imperialism.

Roosevelt Corollary

An addition to the Monroe Doctrine asserting U.S. intervention in Latin America.

Panama Canal

A man-made waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, completed in 1914.

'White Man's Burden'

The idea that Western nations had a moral obligation to civilize non-Western peoples.

Naval power/Alfred Thayer Mahan

The significance of naval power in global politics as proposed by military strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan.

WWI

A global war originating in Europe that lasted from 1914 to 1918.

Neutrality

The state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict.

Unrestricted submarine warfare

A type of naval warfare in which submarines attack merchant ships without warning.

Reasons for U.S. entry (1917)

German submarine warfare and the Zimmerman Telegram among others led to U.S. involvement.

Committee on Public Information

The first agency of the U.S. government designed to influence public opinion regarding U.S. involvement in WWI.

Espionage Act and Sedition Act

Laws that governed the conduct of espionage during WWI and limited free speech.

Propaganda

Information, especially biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or point of view.

Home front mobilization

The efforts made at home to support military operations during the war.

Selective Service Act

A law enacted in 1917 that authorized the federal government to raise a national army for service in WWI.

Women's roles in wartime

Women took on various roles during WWI, including working in factories and serving in support positions.