Unit 6: American Imperialism & World War I (1890-1920)

Imperialism

The policy of extending a nation’s power through territorial acquisition or by exerting political or economic control over other nations.

Rev. Josiah Strong

A Protestant clergyman who advocated for Anglo-Saxon superiority and believed it was America’s duty to spread Christianity and Western values.

Alfred Mahan

A naval officer and historian who argued that national greatness depended on naval supremacy, influencing U.S. policy to expand the navy and overseas bases.

The Great Rapprochement

The growing diplomatic closeness between the U.S. and Great Britain in the late 19th century.

Queen Liliuokalani

The last monarch of Hawaii who resisted U.S. annexation and was overthrown by American planters with U.S. military backing.

Annexation of Hawaii

The U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1898 after the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani, marking a significant expansion of U.S. territory.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalist reporting by newspapers that stirred American public support for war with Spain in 1898.

de Lôme Letter

A letter from the Spanish ambassador criticizing President McKinley, which escalated anti-Spanish sentiment in the U.S.

The USS Maine

An American battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, serving as a catalyst for the Spanish-American War.

William McKinley

The U.S. president during the Spanish-American War who supported intervention in Cuba and overseen the annexation of several territories.

Teller Amendment

An amendment declaring that the U.S. would not annex Cuba after the Spanish-American War.

Spanish-American War

A conflict fought in 1898, resulting in U.S. victory over Spain and control of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

Rough Riders

A volunteer cavalry regiment led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War, known for their charge at San Juan Hill.

Anti-Imperialist League

A group formed in 1898 that opposed U.S. expansion into overseas territories like the Philippines.

White Man’s Burden

A concept encouraging imperial powers to 'civilize' non-Western peoples, reflecting paternalistic and racist justifications for imperialism.

Foraker Act

An act passed in 1900 that established a civilian government in Puerto Rico under U.S. control.

Insular SCOTUS Cases

Supreme Court decisions that ruled U.S. constitutional rights did not fully apply to new territories.

Platt Amendment

An amendment that allowed the U.S. to intervene in Cuban affairs and maintain a naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

Emilio Aguinaldo

A Filipino revolutionary leader who initially supported U.S. efforts against Spain but later fought against American occupation.

Filipino Rebellion

An insurgency led by Filipino nationalists against U.S. control of the Philippines from 1899 to 1902.

Open Door Note/Policy

A policy advocating equal trade access to China for all imperial powers, proposed by Secretary of State John Hay.

Boxer Rebellion

A 1900 uprising in China aimed at expelling foreign influence, suppressed by an international force including the U.S.

Panama Canal

A canal built by the U.S. between 1904 and 1914 to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Big Stick Diplomacy

The foreign policy of Theodore Roosevelt emphasizing negotiation backed by the threat of force.

Roosevelt Corollary

An addition to the Monroe Doctrine asserting the U.S. could intervene in Latin American countries to stabilize them.

Gentlemen’s Agreement with Japan

A 1907 informal agreement limiting Japanese emigration to the U.S. and addressing racial tensions.

Great White Fleet

A fleet of U.S. Navy ships sent around the world from 1907 to 1909 to showcase American naval power.

Dollar Diplomacy

An approach during Taft’s administration encouraging U.S. investment abroad to promote American interests.

Woodrow Wilson

The 28th president of the U.S., known for progressive reforms and an idealistic foreign policy during WWI.

Jones Law of 1916

A law that pledged eventual independence for the Philippines and established a more autonomous legislature.

Moral/Missionary Diplomacy

Wilson’s policy promoting democratic ideals and moral principles abroad, distinguishing it from previous imperial approaches.

Pancho Villa

A Mexican revolutionary leader whose raids into the U.S. prompted a military response from the U.S.

Allied Powers

The coalition including Britain, France, Russia, and later the U.S., fighting against the Central Powers in WWI.

Central Powers

The alliance including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

The Lusitania

A British passenger ship sunk by a German u-boat in 1915, increasing tensions between the U.S. and Germany.

Sussex Pledge

A promise made by Germany to cease unrestricted submarine warfare against non-military ships after attacking the Sussex.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

A German naval policy targeting all ships without warning, contributing to U.S. entry into WWI.

Zimmermann Note

A German proposal to Mexico for military alliance against the U.S. intercepted by British intelligence.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

A plan for postwar peace proposed by President Wilson, emphasizing self-determination and the League of Nations.

Committee on Public Information

A U.S. government agency that used propaganda to support WWI efforts and shape public opinion.

Espionage & Sedition Acts (1917–18)

Laws that criminalized dissent during WWI, limiting civil liberties and targeting anti-war activists.

Schenck v. United States

A Supreme Court case that upheld limits on free speech during wartime, establishing a precedent for civil liberties restrictions.

War Industries Board

An agency created to coordinate industrial production for WWI, increasing efficiency under Bernard Baruch.

National War Labor Board

A board formed to mediate labor disputes during WWI, supporting workers’ rights and cooperation.

Great Migration

The movement of hundreds of thousands of African Americans from the rural South to Northern cities between 1916-1970.

Food Administration

Led by Herbert Hoover, this agency encouraged voluntary food conservation during WWI to ensure supplies.

Victory Gardens

Home gardens cultivated by Americans during WWI to support the war effort and symbolize patriotism.

Liberty Loans

Liberty Bonds issued by the government to finance WWI, urging citizens to buy bonds as a patriotic duty.

John “Black Jack” Pershing

General who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I and played a significant role in the war.

Henry Cabot Lodge

A senator who opposed the Treaty of Versailles, particularly the League of Nations, seeking to protect U.S. sovereignty.

Irreconcilables

A group of senators opposing any form of the Treaty of Versailles, fearing involvement in foreign wars.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty ending WWI, imposing heavy penalties on Germany and establishing the League of Nations.

League of Nations

An international organization proposed by Wilson to prevent future wars, which the U.S. never joined.

Article X (Treaty of Versailles)

A clause in the treaty committing League members to mutual defense, opposed due to concerns of U.S. entanglement in foreign conflicts.

Isolationism

A policy favored by many Americans after WWI advocating for non-involvement in foreign affairs.

Jones-Shafroth Act (1917)

An act that granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans and restructured the island’s government.