U.S. Imperialism, Wars, and Social Movements: Key Concepts and Events

Why did United States Navy Commodore George Dewey lead an attack on ships in the Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War?

Manila Bay was ruled by Spain, and the ships belonged to the Spanish.

Unlike Britain, France, and Russia, what was the United States' stance on trade in China?

Wanted to keep trade in China open.

What did the Platt Amendment do?

Gave the United States the right to preserve order as needed in Cuba.

Why did President Roosevelt send troops to support Panamanian rebels?

So the United States could get the rights to build a canal in Panama at a lower price.

By the beginning of the twentieth century, how had the United States changed?

Accustomed to military involvement overseas.

Why did the United States want overseas territories?

Because the territories had access to raw materials.

What new relationship with Hawaii did Congress approve in 1898?

Annexation.

What is Social Darwinism?

The theory that life consists of competitive struggles in which only the strong survive.

What territories did the 1898 Treaty of Paris deal with?

Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and other former Spanish territories.

Which presidential candidate ran on an anti-imperialist platform?

William Jennings Bryan.

How did militarism contribute to increased imperialism?

A strong military helped imperial powers protect their global interests.

What did Taft do to help restore order in the Philippines?

He worked with rebel leaders to determine people's needs.

What happened when Filipinos rebelled against U.S. rule?

The United States found itself using some of the same tactics that the Spanish had used in Cuba.

What was America's Open Door Policy in China designed to do?

Provide access to trade in China without controlling territory.

How did the United States show its dominance over the Philippines?

Through military action.

What was the status of Cubans and Puerto Ricans after the Spanish-American War?

They were partially restricted by the United States.

What did Roosevelt's 'big stick' diplomacy depend on?

A strong military to achieve America's goals.

What does 'moral diplomacy' mean?

The U.S. government should favor honorable diplomacy but may still resort to military intervention.

Who ran Mexico for decades as a dictator?

Porfirio Díaz.

What was one result of 'moral diplomacy'?

American imperialism and conquest decreased.

What did Social Darwinists believe?

The best country would win any international competition.

Who was responsible for the agricultural policies of the United States during World War I?

Herbert Hoover.

Which organization promoted support for the war among the American people?

The Committee on Public Information.

What were convoys used for?

To prevent submarine attacks on ships.

What hastened the entry of the United States into World War I?

The sinking of the Lusitania.

What was the effect of the Sedition Act of 1918?

It limited freedom of speech.

How did World War I change the lives of American women?

It broadened job opportunities for women.

How did World War I contribute to the African American Great Migration?

By creating jobs in the North.

What major event shocked the American people and led Wilson to no longer call for peace?

German U-boats sank the Lusitania.

About how many American troops served in combat during World War I?

1,300,000.

What was the result of the U.S. Senate's refusal to approve the Treaty of Versailles?

The League of Nations was never formed.

What did Wilson hope to accomplish with the League of Nations?

Create a world organization where countries could gather and resolve their quarrels peacefully.

What international event led to the Red Scare?

A revolution in Russia

What did American voters elect a President to promise in 1920?

A return to simpler times

What did Stanton's writings suggest about women's roles during World War I?

Women's roles increased in industry.

What reform did women's efforts during World War I lead to government support for?

Universal suffrage

Where did African Americans in the 1920s face discrimination?

The South, where the Jim Crow laws were in effect.

What amendment repealed Prohibition in 1933?

Twenty-first Amendment

Why did Marcus Garvey's movement fall apart?

There was no effective leadership after Garvey was deported to Jamaica.

What was the impact of the demand for automobiles in the 1920s?

Stimulated growth in many other industries.

When was buying stock on margin profitable?

As long as stock prices rose.

What policies did Presidents Harding and Coolidge favor?

Aided the growth of business.

What did President Coolidge believe about the creation of wealth?

Benefited the nation as a whole.

How did national leaders hope to avoid war in the 1920s?

By avoiding close interaction with other nations.

How were the concerns of Mexican Americans and African Americans addressed under President Coolidge?

Largely ignored.

What was the largest cultural split in 1920s America?

Between urban Americans and rural Americans.

What was the heart of the Scopes Trial?

A clash between religion and science.

How did the Red Scare affect nativist opposition to immigration?

Increased nativist opposition.

What was a major difference between urban and rural lifestyles in the 1920s?

Urban Americans worked longer hours.

Why did many African Americans migrate north throughout the 1920s?

For a chance at a better future.

What is jazz?

An American hybrid of African American and European music forms.

What did the Harlem Renaissance create for African Americans?

A basis for later progress.

Where had most African Americans in 1920s Harlem come from?

They had moved there from the South and the Caribbean.

What was significant about Harlem in the 1920s?

A central place for African Americans to voice concerns about racial problems.

What statement about women in the 1920s is true?

Not all women wanted to be flappers, but many wanted to challenge boundaries.

What caused the stock market crash in 1929?

Investors lost confidence in the market and rushed to sell their shares.

What does the photograph show related to the Great Depression?

A Hooverville.

What occurred on Black Tuesday?

Investors sold more than 16 million shares of stock.

What happened to urban unemployment at the onset of the Great Depression?

Increased dramatically.

How did farmers contribute to the Dust Bowl?

Using intensive farming practices that removed protective grasses.

Why did President Hoover respond cautiously to the Great Depression?

He thought that the business cycle would correct itself.

Why did President Hoover urge Congress to institute the RFC?

He believed the economy suffered from a lack of credit.

What did some Americans blame for the Great Depression?

Capitalism.

Why were banks among the first to feel the effects of the stock market crash?

People began to lose confidence in the economy and frightened depositors began to withdraw their money.

What did President Hoover do that directly led the Bonus Army march on Washington in 1932?

He vetoed the bill that Congress passed allowing early bonus payment to out-of-work veterans.

What event happened when the veteran groups marched in protest on Washington?

Federal troops used tear-gas and marched with their bayonets on the protestors, many of the veterans were injured.

Why did volunteerism fail?

Businesses and citizens acted in their individual best interests.

What was the purpose of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC)?

To loan money to banks so that they could lend money to businesses to stimulate economic activity.

Why did the Bonus Army march on Washington, D.C.?

President Hoover vetoed a bill providing for early payment of bonuses.

What did some opponents of the New Deal believe?

It threatened individual freedom.

What was the purpose of the American Liberty League (ALL)?

To oppose FDR's New Deal.

How did the Agricultural Adjustment Act help farmers?

It sought to end overproduction and raise crop prices.

Who did the Rural Electrification Administration provide electricity to?

Farmers.

Which act included the right to collective bargaining?

Wagner Act.

How did Eleanor Roosevelt show her support of minorities?

She sat with black delegates at a conference.

What did the Bureau of Indian Affairs do during the 1930s?

Stopped discouraging the practice of Indian religions.

How many terms did Roosevelt serve as President?

4.

Who was a top swing musician?

Glenn Miller.

How did Americans escape their concerns during the 1930s?

They went to movie theaters.

What was a significant flaw of the Social Security Act?

It did not apply to domestics or farmworkers at first.

Which statement is correct about the media in the 1930s?

The radio was a source of information in both the 1920s and 1930s.

Why did critics disapprove of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)?

It gave government direct control of a business.

Why did people turn to radio and movies in the 1930s?

To escape their troubles.

What did the Neutrality Act of 1939 allow nations at war to do?

Buy arms and other supplies from the United States as long as they paid cash and transported the materials themselves.

What did interventionists claim about the United States avoiding war?

The United States could avoid war if it sent aid to Britain.

What role did the Office of War Mobilization (OWM) play during the war?

It supervised use of industry resources.

Where does the Bataan Peninsula lie in relation to Manila?

West.

Why were Italy and Japan dissatisfied with the Treaty of Versailles?

They expected more territory in exchange for their sacrifices during World War I.

Why did the League of Nations fail to prevent aggression?

It had no standing army and no real power to enforce its decrees.

What was the purpose of Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" speech?

To increase economic support for Britain.

What did interventionists believe about providing aid to Britain?

It would keep the United States out of war.

Who appeared to be winning the war in Europe at the end of 1940?

Germany and Italy.

Which ships survived the attack on Pearl Harbor untouched?

Aircraft carriers.

What happened to the U.S. economic situation after declaring war?

It improved.

How did Adolf Hitler explain Germany's problems in Mein Kampf?

He blamed the problems on the Jewish people and the great threat they caused Germany.

How did America take a step toward war in 1941?

America retaliated against U-boat attacks.

What event led to the House and Senate voting to declare war?

The attack on Pearl Harbor ended any divisions between isolationists and interventionists.

Which of the following describes the Battle of Midway?

Admiral Yamamoto wanted to force U.S. defenses back to the California coast.

What was the worst incident of racial violence during wartime migration?

Detroit, Michigan.

What did Reinhard Heydrich outline at the 1942 Wannsee Conference?

A plan to exterminate about 11,000,000 Jews.