APUSH Unit 7 WW1 & imperialism

William H. Seward

William H. Seward

American statesman who served as Secretary of State under Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. He is known for negotiating the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 (referred to as "Seward's Folly").

Monroe Doctrine

A policy introduced by President James Monroe in 1823, stating that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention.

Seward’s Folly

A term used to criticize the purchase of Alaska from Russia, orchestrated by Secretary of State William H. Seward in 1867.

Queen Liliuokalani

The last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii until her overthrow in 1893.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

American naval officer and historian, known for his work "The Influence of Sea Power upon History," which emphasized the importance of naval power in international relations.

“White Man’s Burden”

A phrase from a poem by Rudyard Kipling that expresses the idea that it is the duty of white colonizers to "civilize" and educate people of other cultures.

Pan-American Conference

A series of international meetings between the states of the Americas, beginning in 1889, to discuss and promote cooperation on various issues.

Jingoism

Extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy.

“Yellow Journalism”

Sensationalized and exaggerated reporting by newspapers to attract readership, particularly associated with the newspapers of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer during the late 19th century.

De Lome Letter

A private letter from the Spanish ambassador to the U.S., Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, criticizing President McKinley, which was intercepted and published, contributing to anti-Spanish sentiment in the lead-up to the Spanish-American War.

USS Maine

American battleship that exploded and sank in Havana Harbor in 1898, an event that helped precipitate the Spanish-American War.

Teller Amendment

A U.S. declaration in 1898 that the United States would not establish permanent control over Cuba following the Spanish-American War.

Platt Amendment

An amendment to the Cuban constitution that granted the United States the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and to lease naval bases.

Treaty of Paris, 1898

Treaty ending the Spanish-American War, in which Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Filipino revolutionary leader who fought against Spanish and American colonization of the Philippines.

Insular Cases

A series of U.S. Supreme Court cases (1901-1903) that determined the constitutional status of territories acquired by the United States in the Spanish-American War.

Spheres of Influence

Areas in which outside powers claim exclusive investment or trading privileges.

Boxer Rebellion

A violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising in China from 1899 to 1901, suppressed by international forces including troops from the United States.

TR’s “Big Stick” Policy

Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy approach, which emphasized negotiation backed by the threat of military force.

Panama Canal

A canal across the Isthmus of Panama that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, completed in 1914.

Roosevelt Corollary

An addition to the Monroe Doctrine, asserting the right of the United States to intervene in Latin American affairs to maintain stability in the Western Hemisphere.

Russo-Japanese War

War fought between Russia and Japan from 1904 to 1905 over territorial disputes in Manchuria and Korea.

“Gentlemen’s Agreement”

Informal agreement between the United States and Japan in 1907-1908, which restricted Japanese immigration to the U.S.

Great White Fleet

The nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 1907 to 1909, showcasing American naval power.

International Peace Conference

Various conferences held at The Hague, Netherlands, at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries to discuss disarmament and other issues related to international peace and security.

William Howard Taft

27th President of the United States (1909–1913) and later Chief Justice of the United States (1921–1930).

“Dollar Diplomacy”

Foreign policy approach during the Taft administration that sought to use American economic power to influence foreign affairs.

Woodrow Wilson

28th President of the United States (1913–1921), known for his leadership during World War I and his efforts to promote the League of Nations.

William Jennings Bryan

American politician and orator, known for his populist and anti-imperialist views.

Jones Act

Legislation passed in 1917 granting U.S. citizenship to residents of Puerto Rico and establishing a civilian government on the island.

Pancho Villa

Mexican revolutionary leader who fought against the regime of President Porfirio Díaz and later against the government that replaced him.

Lusitania Crisis

The sinking of the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania by a German submarine in 1915, which contributed to the entry of the United States into World War I.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany's policy during World War I to sink merchant ships without warning in waters around the British Isles, regardless of nationality.

Zimmermann Telegram

A secret diplomatic communication sent by the German Empire to Mexico, proposing a military alliance against the United States during World War I.

Bolsheviks

Members of a wing of the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party, led by Vladimir Lenin, who seized power in the October Revolution of 1917.

American Expeditionary Force

The U.S. military force sent to Europe during World War I under the command of General John J. Pershing.

Fourteen Points

Woodrow Wilson's principles for peace that he outlined in a speech to Congress in 1918, aiming to prevent future wars and establish lasting peace.

Big Four

The leaders of the Allied powers during World War I, including Woodrow Wilson (United States), David Lloyd George (United Kingdom), Georges Clemenceau (France), and Vittorio Orlando (Italy).

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty signed in 1919 that officially ended World War I and imposed harsh penalties on Germany.

Self-determination

The principle that people have the right to choose their own form of government and determine their own political status.

League of Nations

International organization established after World War I to promote peace and collective security.

Henry Cabot Lodge

U.S. Senator who opposed U.S. participation in the League of Nations without certain reservations.

Mobilization

The process of preparing and organizing resources for war, including troops, supplies, and equipment.

Food Administration, Railroad Administration, National War Labor Board

U.S. government agencies created during World War I to manage various aspects of the war effort.

Liberty Bonds

Government-issued bonds sold to the public to finance the war effort.

Committee on Public Information

A U.S. government agency responsible for shaping public opinion during World War I.

Espionage Act and Sedition Act

Laws passed during World War I to suppress dissent and anti-war activities.

Schenck vs. US (1919)

Supreme Court case that upheld the Espionage Act and limited free speech during times of war.

Selective Service Act

Enacted in 1917, it authorized the federal government to raise a national army for the American entry into World War I by drafting young men.