Vocab 8

1. Isolationism-a policy of remaining apart from affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries 

2. Imperialism-political, military and economic domination of strong nations over weak territories 

3. Matthew Perry-A U.S. Naval officer who led an American Naval fleet in 1853 to 1854 that forced Japan into trade and diplomatic relations with the West after more than two centuries of isolation.Perry’s journey opened further American expansion across the Pacific Ocean

4. William H. Seward-William Henry Seward was appointed Secretary of State by Abraham Lincoln on March 5, 1861, and served until March 4, 1869. Seward carefully managed international affairs during the Civil War and also negotiated the 1867 purchase of Alaska. William Henry Seward, 24th Secretary of State.

5. Spheres of influence-a region dominated and controlled by an outside power 

6. Queen Liliuokalini-Leader of the Hawaiian people. She was the first and only reigning Hawaiian queen and the last Hawaiian sovereign to govern the islands. Although Liliuokalani tried to regain control of lands owned by white plantation owners, she was overthrown in 1893, and the U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1898

7. Open Door policy-an American statement that the government did not want colonies in China, but favored free trade there 

8. Spanish-American War-a conflict fought between the United States and Spain in 1898, primarily over the issue of Cuban independence, which ultimately led to the U.S. gaining control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines

9. Yellow journalism-a style of newspaper reporting that emphasized sensationalism over facts. Sensationalism is the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest or excitement.

10. Protectorate (Cuba)-an independent nation on paper but dependent on the U.S. in matters of finance and foreign policy.

11. USS “Maine”-The U.S. ship that exploded and people blamed Spain which eventually leads to the Spanish American War 

12. Platt Amendment-set of conditions under which Cuba was granted independence in 1902, including restrictions on rights of Cubans and granting the U.S. the “right to intervene” to preserve order in Cuba 

13. Panama Canal-human-made waterway linking the Atlantic to the Pacific across the Isthmus of the Panama

14. Roosevelt Corollary/Big Stick Policy-President Theodore Roosevelt’s reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine to keep the Western Hemisphere free from intervention by European powers 

15. Dollar Diplomacy-President Taft’s policy of expanding American investments abroad 

16. Moral Diplomacy-Woodrow Wilson’s statement that the U.S. would not use force to assert influence in the world, but would instead work to promote human rights 

17. Treaty of Paris 1898-a peace agreement between the United States and Spain that ended the Spanish-American War

18. Annexation-a country, island or place taking over another country, island or place

19. Armistice-a temporary agreement to stop fighting during war;truce 

20. Mobilization-the act of assembling and preparing a nation's military forces, industries, and population for war

21. Lusitania-A british passenger ship that was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat in 1915

22. Liberty Bonds-A type of war bond sold by the U.S. government to fund World War 1

23. Reparation-payment for war damages 

24. League of Nations-world organization established after World War I to promote peaceful cooperation among countries 

25. Stalemate- a period when neither the Allies nor the Central Powers could gain a clear advantage on the Western Front

26. Zimmerman Telegram-The Zimmermann Telegram was a coded message sent by Germany to Mexico in 1917 that proposed an alliance against the United States. The telegram was intercepted by the British and published in the U.S. press, which helped lead to the U.S. entering World War 1

27. Selective Service Act-act passed by Congress in 1917 authorizing a draft of men for military service

28. Great Migration-movement of African Americans in the twentieth century from the South to the North

29. Trench warfare-a type of combat in which the opposing sides attack, counterattack, and defend from relatively permanent systems of trenches dug into the ground.

30. Wilson’s 14 Points-The Fourteen Points was a statement of principles for peace that was to be used for peace negotiations in order to end World War I. The principles were outlined in a January 8, 1918 speech on war aims and peace terms to the United States Congress by President Woodrow Wilson.

31. Treaty of Versailles-Paris Peace Conference-the primary peace treaty signed at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. The treaty ended World War I between Germany and the Allied Powers

32. Schenck v. United States-The Court ruled that freedom of speech and freedom of the press under the First Amendment could be limited only if the words in the circumstances created "a clear and present danger”. 

33. Red Scare-fear that communists were working to destroy the American way of life 

34. xenophobia/jingoism-aggressive nationalism; support for warlike foreign policy

Self-determination-the right of people to choose their own form of government