Imperialism and WWI PT1

Terms to know

Spanish-American war

A war in which the United States defeated Spain, gained Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and helped Cuba become independent from Spain.

Manifest Destiny

A 19th-century cultural and political belief in the United States that American settlers were divinely ordained to expand westward across the North American continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean

Alfred Thayer Mahan

The Influence of Sea Power upon History: Naval officer who argued that a strong navy, overseas bases, and control of trade routes were essential to national power

Rough Riders

A volunteer cavalry regiment led by Theodore Roosevelt that fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War

Foraker Act (1900)

Established a civilian government in Puerto Rico under U.S. control.

Jones Act (1917)

Granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans and reorganized Puerto Rico’s government, while maintaining U.S. control

Anti-imperialist Leauge

An organization that opposed U.S. expansion overseas, especially the annexation of the Philippines, arguing that imperialism violated American principles of self-government.

Teller Amendment (1898)

Declared that the United States would not annex Cuba after the Spanish-American War

Platt Amendment (1901)

Limited Cuban independence by allowing U.S. intervention in Cuba and requiring Cuba to lease land for a U.S. naval base at Guantánamo Bay.

Open Door Policy

U.S. policy calling for equal trading access for foreign powers in China and the preservation of China’s territorial integrity

Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901)

An uprising in China against foreign influence and Christian missionaries. The United States joined other foreign powers to suppress it

Panama Canal

A waterway completed by the United States in 1914 that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, making trade and naval travel faster.

Roosevelt Corollary (1904)

Theodore Roosevelt’s addition to the Monroe Doctrine, claiming that the United States could intervene in Latin American nations to preserve order and prevent European intervention.

Dollar Diplomacy

President William Howard Taft’s policy of using American investments and loans to expand U.S. influence, especially in Latin America and East Asia.

Root-Takahira Agreement (1908)

An agreement in which the United States and Japan recognized each other’s Pacific possessions and supported the Open Door Policy in China.

Sinking of the Lusitania (1915)

A German submarine sank a British passenger ship, killing nearly 1,200 people, including 128 Americans. It turned many Americans against Germany.

Neutrality Proclamation (1914)

President Woodrow Wilson’s declaration that the United States would remain neutral when World War I began

Central vs. Allied Powers

Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.

Allied Powers: Britain, France, and Russia (the United States joined the Allies in 1917)

Zimmermann Note (1917)

A secret German message proposing an alliance with Mexico against the United States. Its interception increased American support for entering the war.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany’s policy of sinking ships in certain waters without warning, including neutral ships. Its resumption in 1917 helped bring the United States into WWI.

Russian Revolution (1917)

Revolutions that overthrew Russia’s monarchy and later brought the Bolsheviks to power. The new government withdrew Russia from WWI in 1918.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

President Wilson’s plan for peace after WWI, calling for principles such as national self-determination and a League of Nations.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

A Supreme Court case that upheld the conviction of a man who distributed anti-draft leaflets. The Court ruled that speech presenting a “clear and present danger” could be restricted.

Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918)

wartime laws used to punish interference with the war effort and certain speech critical of the government or military.

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

a radical labor union that organized workers across industries. Its opposition to the war and labor activism made it a target of government repression.

Great Migration

The movement of millions of Black Americans from the South to Northern and Western cities, especially for jobs and to escape Jim Crow segregation and violence. It accelerated during WWI.

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

The treaty that formally ended the war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It blamed Germany for the war and imposed territorial losses, military limits, and reparations.

League of Nations

an international organization proposed by Wilson to prevent future wars through collective security. The United States never joined because the Senate did not approve the treaty.

Isolationism

A policy of avoiding political or military involvement in other nations’ conflicts. It became influential in the United States after WWI.