Period 7: Progressivism to World War II

Progressive Era (1895-1920)

Period between the Civil War and the 20th century when Americans began addressing the issues/changes in society as a result of urbanization and industrialization

Pressures of Progressive Reform

US was a growing global economy because of industrialization, urbanization, and immigration, causing immoral changes to American lifestyle, wellbeing, and health.

Muckraker

People who tried to improve society by exposing political corruption, health hazards, and other social problems

Tuskegee Institute

Founded by Booker T Washington, was a school that taught Black Americans trade skills

Ida B Wells

Black female journalist who led anti lynch crusade in the 1890s.

Square Deal

Roosevelt’s administeration, enacting a lot of reforms

Trust Buster

Supported legal action against business monopolies to limit the power of big businesses by encouraging competition and dissolving bad trusts

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Banned the manufacturing and sale of impure foods, drugs, liquors, and commercially bottled and packaged medicines to be truthfully labeled

Meat Inspection Act (1906)

Gave US officials the power to check the quality of meats shipped in interstate commerce (nationally)

Swift and Co vs US (1905)

Roosevelt took on a group of meat packers, gave the government broader powers under the Constitution’s interstate Commerce Clause

Northern Securities vs US (1904)

Roosevelt took on the railroad industry, Supreme Court concluded that the President’s actions to break up Northern Securities was constitutional

Employers Liability Act (1906)

Provided accident insurance for workers on interstate railroads and Washington DC, working hours regulated

Federal Children’s Bureau (1904)

Minimum working age was set to 14 and maximum hours and a minimum wage was set

Standard Oil Company of New Jersey vs New York (1911)

Supreme Court dissolved this monopoly

16th Amendment

Congress has the right to pass an income tax, ratified under President Taft

Federal Reserves System

Improved national distribution of money and guaranteed an adequate money supply

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)

Provided clarification and substance to Sherman Antitrust, regulating big businesses in price discrimination, price fixing, and unfair practices

Federal Trade Antitrust Act (1914)

Gave government the power to monitor American companies and investigate practices

18th Amendement

Prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol

21st Amendement

Repealed the prohibition due to backlash

Fredrick Jackson Turner

Wrote the Significance of the Frontier in American History, US citizens believed they needed to expand overseas to keep American spirit going

Influence of Sea Power Upon History

Persuaded Congress to finance the construction of modern ships and encouraged the acquisition of overseas islands

Spanish American War (April - Dec 1898)

Ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas after the Cuban struggle for independence, US gained Guam, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philipines

Economic Causes to the Spanish American War

US had invested 50 million dollars into Cuba and the revolution threatened investments

Humanitarian Cuases to the Spanish American War

Sympathy for Cuban citizens who were victims

Yellow Journalism

Based upon sensationalism and crude exaggeration, creating public support for the Spanish American war

Sinking of the Maine (1898)

Americans believed the Spanish attacked their boat and pressed for war

De Lome Letter (April 1898)

Letter from Spanish minister, De Lome, insulting McKinsley’s Cuban efforts which angered Americans

Rough Riders

Army regiments made up of volunteers, who scrambled for supplies during the Spanish American war

Results of the Spanish American war

US claimed victory over Spain through the Treaty of Paris (1898). Spain gave the US Puerto Rico, Guam, and sold the Philipines for 20 million. Cuba and the Dominican Republic became independent as a US protectorate

Debates in Congress over the Acquisition of the Philipines

Anti Imperialists believed it was against our Constitution (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for Filipinos) but Pro Imperialists wanted the land because of its proximity to Asia

Teller Amendment (1898-1901)

Legislation that promised the US would not annex Cuba after winning the Spanish American war

Platt Amendment (1901)

Law that stipulated the conditions for the withdrawal of US forces from Cuba. Sell or lease land to the US as a naval base (Guantanamo) and gave the US the right to intervene when needed to protect Americans

Big Stick Policy (Roosevelt, 1901)

US would use peaceful methods to protect its foreign interests, but would use military force if necessary

Hay Bunau Varilla Treaty (Roosevelt)

Signed by Panama granting American exclusive and permanent possession of the Panama Canal Zone so Americans could have quicker travel time between the Pacific and Atlantic, increasing trade and military security. The Colombians did not want the US to build the canal so the US supported Panamanian independence.

Opening of Japan (Roosevelt, 1854)

Matthew Perry ended Japan’s isolation through negotiating a treaty to open ports to the US

Treaty of Potsmouth (Roosevelt, 1905)

Ended the Russo- Japanese War

Taft Katsura Agreement (Roosevelt, 1905)

Japan promises to not invade the Philipines

Jones Act (Wilson, 1916)

Granted full territorial status to the Philipines, Bill of Rights, universal male suffrage, Filipino independence after a stable government was established

Concillation Treaty (Wilson, 1931)

Wilson’s secretary of state, William Jennings Bryan, committed to the ideals of democracy by negotiating treaties that other nations pledged to. Submit disputes to international commissions and observe a one year cooling off period before taking military action,

Tampico Incident (Wilson, 1914)

Arrest of American sailors by the Mexican government that spurred Woodrow Wilson to dispatch the American navy to seize the port of Veracruz in April of 1914, tensions grew between the US and Mexico.

Causes for US Involvement in WW1

Cultural/ethnic ties to help Great Britain, economic ties with successful trading with involved countries and lost money after loaning to allied powers, and propaganda portraying the Germans as monstrous

Sinking of Lusitana (1915)

The British owned Lusitana ocean linear was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland, Germany announces unrestricted warfare against all warzone ships

Zimmerman Telegram (Jan 1917)

German foreign secretary Arthur Zimmerman to the Mexican German minister that urged the Mexican gov to join central powers and Germany would help them gain back land from the US. Heard by the US and published in papers

Russian Revolution

Russians overthrew the Czar, seen as a step toward democracy and the US believed they must protect democracy

Selective Service Act (May 1917)

Decision made by Congress igniting a draft to serve in the army

Council of National Defense

Wilson used this to oversee agencies that centralized economic operations

War Industries Board (1917)

Controlled raw materials, production, prices, and labor relations in order to make sure the US was producing enough and abroad

National War Labor Board (1917)

Composition of representatives from business and labor designed to arbitrate disputes between employers and workers, settled possible labor difficulties that may hamper war efforts and prevented labor strikes

Black American’s Great Migration

Refers to the movement of black Americans to northern cities to find work

Niagara Movement

Discussion for action and protest in favor of supporting rights for Black Americans

NAACP

Mission to abolish all forms of segregation and to increase educational opportunities

National Urban League

Formed to help southerners move to the north

First Red Scare (1917-1920)

Time of mass hysteria in the US over the spread of Communism. Nativism increased and citizens believed foreigners were dangerous

Palmer Raids (1919-1920)

Series of arrests and deportation targeted suspected radicals like anarchists and communists

Espionage Act (1917)

People could be punished for obstructing military recruitment or for causing insubordination within armed forces

Sedition Act (1918)

Made it a crime to print/speak about anything that may be perceived as disloyal, profane, or abusive about the government

Schenck vs US (1919)

Court ruled in favor of the US stating free speech can be limited during war

League of Nations (1920-1946)

International organization to help settle disputes and avoid war, league was weak and US never joined

Henry Cabot Lodge

Republican senator who objected to the US entry into the League of Nations, believed that membership would entangle the US un foreign affairs and prevent the country from acting independently in foreign matters

Teapot Dome Scandal (1921)

Secretary of Interior Albert Fall was convicted of taking bribes from 2 oil executives in exchange for allowing them to lease government owned oil reserves

How did the American economy be repaired after WW1

Under Coolidge, the economy grew due to the mass production of goods apart of the automobile, electrical, radio, and motion picture industries

Scopes Trial (1925)

Publicized trial where John Thomas Scopes violated a Tennesse law by teaching evolution which displayed the fundamentalism prevalent in rural areas

Harlem Renaissance

Period of great cultural achievements by Black Americans: writers, artists, and preformers in Harlem, NYC

Jazz Age

New music made by Black Americans, but their talent and ability did not lead to acceptance

Tulsa Race Massacre / Riots, Oklahoma (1921)

White mobs destroyed 1,000 Black owned businesses/ homes in the neighborhood known for its prosperity (Black Wall Street). 300 people were killed

Great Depression (1929-1939)

Worst economic downturn in the industrialized economy due to excessive credit and over reliance on unprotected loans.

Black Tuesday

Wall Street crash when values dropped 14 billion

Hoover’s America and Response to the Great Depression

Trickle down economics and left businesses alone, halted to pay european debt, and hooversville (cardboard communities in cities)

Bonus Army / Hoovers downfall

WW1 veterans and their families demanded cash payments from their service as promised by Congress in 1932, but the payment would not be until 1945. Tear gas was deployed and people lost faith in the government

Dust Bowl

Drought beginning in 1930 that caused Texas to the Dakotas to turn into deserts

New Deal Reforms

Roosevelt’s program created to combat problems caused by the Great Depression

Federal Emergency Relief Act (1933)

Federal fund for economic relief

National Industrial Recovery Act (1933)

Fair work and competitive codes, administration to enforce codes, and guaranteed labors rights to organize

Civilian Conservation Corps (1933)

Provided work for 2.5 million young men ages 18-25

Work Progress Administration

Provided jobs for 8.5 million, built roads, bridges, airports, public buildings, playgrounds, paid minimum wage and pulled people off charity and soup lines

Native Americans and the New Deal

Granted citizenship in 1924 and the Indian Reorganization Act aimed to restore self government of tribes, native languages, customs, and religious freedoms

Black Americans and the New Deal

Only 40% benefitted and they protested the inequality of the reforms

Hispanics / Latinos and the New Deal

Policies were enacted to deport them

Women and the New Deal

Work programs would not hire them but they progressed in politics

Securities Exchange Act (1934)

Regulated trading practices in stocks and bonds

National Labor Relations Act (1935)

Guaranteed labors the right to reform unions through collective bargaining, and created the National Labor Relations board to ensure elections were conducted fairly

Social Security Act (1935)

Combination of public assistence and insurance for all Americans which was intended to supplement income

Supreme Court and the NRA (1935)

Court ruled the National Recovery Act was unconstitutional and claimed it illegally gave Congress the power to regulate commerce within a single state which violated the seperation of powers

FDRs Court Packing Plan

Intended to make the Supreme Court approve the New Deal through making a new law that allowed him to increase the Supreme Courts judges from 9 to 15

How did the Great Depression end?

World War 2 increased production which created jobs and the New Deal changed the relationship between the government and people because the gov became more involved in economics

Fascism

Rule of people by a dictator government that is nationalistic and imperialistic. Country is more important than people

Adolf Hitler

Fascist Nazi Germany

Benito Mussolini

Fascist Italy

Emperor Hirohito

Non- Fascist Japan

Rome Berlin Tokyo Axis

Formed by the three dictators by promising they would not stop each others foreign conquests

Policy of Appeasement

League of Nations gave into Germany’s aggressive demands to maintain peace

Munich Conference (1938)

Western democracies agreed Germany would seize control of Sudentenland from Czechoslavakia (country the League made for peace)

Axis Powers of WW2

Germany, Japan, Italy

Allied Powers of WW2

France, Great Britain, Soviet Union, China, US (1941-1945)

Isolationism

National foreign policy of remaining apart from government relations with other countries. Do not support any contact with other countries including economic/trade activities

Neutrality

Taking no side in a controversy or dispute but can still trade

Cash and Carry Program (1939)

Allowed belligent nations to purchase non-military goods, paying immediately in cash and transported with their own ships

Destroyers for Bases (1940)

US exchanges 50 older destroyers with the British Royal Navy for 99 year leases on land in British possessions for US military bases

Lend and Lease Act (1944)

Allowed the US to lend war materials to any country that Roosevelt thought could defend the US