Unit 4: US Imperialism and The Progressive Era

Purchase of Alaska (1867)

The U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. Initially criticized as 'Seward's Folly,' it turned out to be rich in natural resources.

Annexation of Hawaii (1898)

The U.S. annexed Hawaii after a coup led by American planters overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. Hawaii became a U.S. territory, then a state in 1959.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized, exaggerated news reports aimed at influencing public opinion. Used extensively by newspapers owned by Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst to generate support for the Spanish-American War.

Muckrakers

Journalists and writers who exposed societal issues, corruption, and abuse of power. Examples include Upton Sinclair (meatpacking), Ida Tarbell (Standard Oil), and Jacob Riis (tenement housing).

Reform

Efforts to improve society by addressing issues like poverty, inequality, corruption, and environmental concerns. The Progressive Era focused on reforms in politics, economics, and social issues.

Trust

A large corporation or monopoly that controls a market. Progressives sought to break up trusts to promote competition (e.g., Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890).

Conservation

The movement to preserve and protect natural resources and the environment. Theodore Roosevelt helped create the National Parks system.

Temperance Movement

Movement aimed at reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption. It gained momentum and led to Prohibition (18th Amendment).

Suffrage Movement

The fight for women's right to vote. Key figures included Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul. Achieved with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Prohibition

The legal prevention of alcohol production, sale, and consumption, achieved through the 18th Amendment (1919). Ended in 1933 with the 21st Amendment.

President Theodore Roosevelt

Implemented the Square Deal, focusing on conservation, controlling corporations, and consumer protection. He was a strong advocate for progressive reforms and expanded U.S. power globally (Panama Canal).

President William Howard Taft

Roosevelt's successor. Continued some Progressive policies but was less aggressive. Known for trust-busting and tariff reforms.

President Woodrow Wilson

Introduced New Freedom, focusing on reducing tariffs, reforming banks, and strengthening antitrust laws. Oversaw the establishment of the Federal Reserve and the Federal Trade Commission.

Alfred T. Mahan

Naval officer and historian whose ideas on naval strategy and imperialism influenced U.S. foreign policy and naval expansion.

Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst

Newspaper tycoons who were famous for their role in sensationalizing events leading up to the Spanish-American War through yellow journalism.

Upton Sinclair

Author of The Jungle, a novel exposing the harsh conditions and unsanitary practices in the meatpacking industry, leading to the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.

Ida Tarbell

Investigative journalist who exposed the monopolistic practices of Standard Oil, leading to the breakup of the company.

Jacob Riis

Photojournalist whose work, especially in How the Other Half Lives, brought attention to the living conditions of the urban poor and led to housing reforms.

Ida B. Wells

Anti-lynching activist and journalist who campaigned for racial justice and women's rights.

Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Leaders in the women's suffrage movement who organized the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, calling for women's rights, including the right to vote.

Alice Paul

A key figure in the women's suffrage movement, known for her more radical tactics, including hunger strikes and picketing the White House, leading to the 19th Amendment.

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois

Two leading African American leaders. Washington advocated for vocational education and economic progress through hard work, while Du Bois pushed for immediate civil rights and higher education through the Niagara Movement and the founding of the NAACP.

Spanish-American War (1898)

Sparked by the explosion of the USS Maine in Cuba, the U.S. fought Spain and won, gaining control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, marking the U.S.'s rise as a global imperial power.

Panama Canal Opens (1914)

The canal was completed under President Roosevelt's administration. It provided a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, increasing U.S. global power and trade.

Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Passed after Upton Sinclair's The Jungle exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry. These laws ensured the safety and regulation of food and drugs.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) - 1909

Founded by W.E.B. Du Bois and others, the NAACP worked to fight racial discrimination and promote civil rights for African Americans.

Establishment of the Department of Labor (1913)

Created to address labor issues such as working conditions, wages, and child labor.

The Federal Reserve Act of 1913

Created the Federal Reserve System, which controls the U.S. money supply and regulates banks to prevent economic crises.

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)

Strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act by preventing anti-competitive practices and supporting workers' rights to organize.

Keating-Owen Child Labor Act (1916)

Banned the interstate sale of goods produced by child labor. It was later ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court but marked a significant attempt at reform.

National Park Service Established (1916)

Created to manage national parks and monuments, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

16th Amendment (1913)

Allowed Congress to levy an income tax, a significant shift in the U.S. tax system.

17th Amendment (1913)

Established the direct election of U.S. Senators by the people, rather than by state legislatures.

18th Amendment (1919)

Prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages (Prohibition).

19th Amendment (1920)

Gave women the right to vote, a major victory for the women's suffrage movement.