Push

Imperialism-World War I (from Unit 6)

• Imperialism & Anti-imperialism (causes, effects, manifestations)
  
  

  • Causes of Imperialism: Economic motives (new markets, raw materials), military and strategic interests (naval bases, protection of trade routes), cultural superiority (Social Darwinism, White Man’s Burden), and the need for international prestige.

  • Effects of Imperialism: Expansion of U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam), increased global influence, but also tensions with other imperial powers and colonized peoples.

  • Manifestations: Annexation of Hawaii, involvement in Latin American politics, and the acquisition of territories after the Spanish-American War.

• Teller Amendment, Platt Amendment
  
  

  • Teller Amendment (1898): Declared the U.S. would not annex Cuba after the Spanish-American War, stating Cuba would be free.

  • Platt Amendment (1901): Allowed U.S. intervention in Cuba’s affairs and the establishment of a U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay. Restricted Cuba’s ability to make treaties with other countries and gave the U.S. control over Cuban finances.

• War of 1898 (Spanish-American War)
  
  

  • Causes: Cuban struggle for independence, yellow journalism (exaggerated reports of Spanish atrocities), the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor, and the De Lome letter (Spanish ambassador’s criticism of President McKinley).

  • Effects: Treaty of Paris (1898) ended the war, giving the U.S. control over Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Cuba was freed from Spanish rule but became a U.S. protectorate.

• Philippine Insurrection (causes-effects)
  
  

  • Causes: Filipino resistance to U.S. rule after the Spanish-American War. Led by Emilio Aguinaldo, the Filipinos initially hoped for independence, but the U.S. annexed the Philippines instead.

  • Effects: Brutal conflict with significant casualties on both sides, with an estimated 200,000 Filipino deaths. The U.S. eventually established control but faced ongoing Filipino resistance.

• TR’s Big Stick Diplomacy & Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy
  
  

  • Big Stick Diplomacy (TR): Based on the phrase “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” this approach emphasized military strength and intervention in foreign affairs, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean.

  • Dollar Diplomacy (Taft): Focused on using U.S. financial power to expand influence and secure American interests abroad, particularly in Latin America and East Asia.

  • Roosevelt Corollary (1904): Extension of the Monroe Doctrine, asserting that the U.S. could intervene in Latin America to preserve stability and order.

  • Taft-Katsura and Root-Takahira Agreements: Focused on U.S.-Japan relations. The Katsura Agreement recognized Japan's dominance in Korea, while the Root-Takahira Agreement affirmed mutual respect for each other's territories in the Pacific.

  • Securing the Panama Canal Zone: The U.S. supported Panama’s independence from Colombia in exchange for control over the canal zone, which was a controversial move as it involved manipulation of international relations.

Woodrow Wilson, liberal internationalism, and World War I

• Why did America fight in WWI? Why was that decision controversial?
  
  

  • Reasons for U.S. involvement: The unrestricted submarine warfare campaign by Germany, especially the sinking of the Lusitania, and the revelation of the Zimmermann Telegram (Germany’s proposal to ally with Mexico against the U.S.) were pivotal.

  • Controversy: Many Americans were hesitant to enter the European conflict, especially due to Wilson’s stance of neutrality prior to 1917 and the ongoing isolationist sentiment.

• The 14 Points & League of Nations
  
  

  • 14 Points: Wilson’s blueprint for post-war peace, advocating for open diplomacy, freedom of the seas, self-determination, and a general reduction in armaments. It also called for the establishment of the League of Nations to prevent future conflicts.

  • League of Nations Controversy: Critics argued that joining the League could entangle the U.S. in foreign conflicts and compromise national sovereignty. The Senate ultimately rejected the U.S. joining the League.

• Treaty of Versailles & Senate Ratification
  
  

  • Proposals of the Treaty: It imposed harsh penalties on Germany, including reparations, territorial losses, and military restrictions.

  • Senate Rejection: The Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, partly due to concerns over the League of Nations and the possibility of the U.S. becoming involved in European conflicts.

• Impact on the American Homefront
  
  

  • Espionage and Sedition Acts: These laws criminalized anti-war protests and dissent, targeting socialists, labor leaders, and others critical of the war effort.

  • Schenck v. United States (1919): The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Espionage Act, ruling that speech posing a "clear and present danger" to national security could be restricted.

Native Americans and the West

• The Dawes Severalty Act: Aimed to break up tribal lands and encourage individual land ownership among Native Americans. This policy resulted in the loss of millions of acres of land.
  
  
  

• Wounded Knee Massacre (1890): The U.S. Army killed over 300 Lakota Sioux men, women, and children, marking the symbolic end of the Indian resistance.
  
  
  

• Reservation System & Indian Schools: Native Americans were forced onto reservations where their traditional ways of life were often disrupted. Indian boarding schools, like those run by Richard Henry Pratt, sought to assimilate Native Americans by suppressing their culture and language.
  
  
  

• Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis: Argues that American democracy was shaped by the frontier, and as the frontier closed, the U.S. had to find new challenges to conquer.
  
  
  

Labor-Worker Relations

• Hardships Faced by Workers & Anti-Labor Tools: Workers faced long hours, unsafe working conditions, and low wages. Employers used strikebreakers, blacklists, company towns, and court injunctions to suppress labor movements.
  
  
  

• Pullman Strike (1894) & Haymarket Square Riot (1886): Both were significant labor uprisings that ended in violence. The Pullman Strike involved railroad workers protesting wage cuts, while the Haymarket Riot involved a bomb explosion during a workers' rally in Chicago.
  
  
  

• Knights of Labor & American Federation of Labor (AFL): The Knights of Labor were a broad-based union that advocated for social reforms, including the 8-hour workday. The AFL, led by Samuel Gompers, focused on achieving better wages, hours, and working conditions for skilled workers.
  
  
  

Gilded Age Economy and Society

• Monopolization, Horizontal Integration, Vertical Integration, Boom and Bust Capitalism
  
  

  • Horizontal Integration: Acquiring competitors to monopolize an industry (e.g., Rockefeller in oil).

  • Vertical Integration: Controlling all aspects of production, from raw materials to finished products (e.g., Carnegie in steel).

  • Boom and Bust: The economy alternated between periods of rapid growth and deep recessions (e.g., Panic of 1893).

• Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan: These industrialists were instrumental in shaping the American economy during the Gilded Age, using business strategies that led to the rise of large monopolies and trusts.
  
  
  

• Panic of 1893: Triggered by the overextension of railroad companies and bank failures, this depression led to high unemployment and political unrest.
  
  
  

• Problems of the Gilded Age: Child labor, poor working conditions, and income inequality were rampant during this time.
  
  
  

• Boss Tweed and Political Machines: Political machines like Tammany Hall (led by Tweed) used patronage and corruption to gain and maintain power, often at the expense of the public good.
  
  
  

Race Relations & Relevant Ideologies

• Lynching & Activism: Ida B. Wells led an anti-lynching campaign, while Booker T. Washington advocated for vocational education and economic progress for African Americans, whereas W.E.B. Du Bois pushed for civil rights and higher education through the NAACP.
  
  
  

• Social Darwinism, The Social Gospel, The Gospel of Wealth: Social Darwinism justified inequality as a natural part of society, while the Social Gospel urged Christians to address social issues. The Gospel of Wealth promoted philanthropy by wealthy individuals to help the poor.
  
  
  

Gilded Age Foreign Policy

• William Seward’s Ideology: Seward’s push for an expanded U.S. presence on the global stage included the purchase of Alaska, which was initially ridiculed but later proved to be a valuable acquisition.
  
  
  

• Purchase of Alaska (1867): Known as "Seward’s Folly," this was seen as a strategic move to secure U.S. interests in the Pacific and the Arctic.
  
  
  

• Venezuela Border Dispute & Annexation of Santo Domingo: These foreign policy actions marked the U.S.’s increasing intervention in Latin America.
  
  
  

Reform Movements

• Populism: Led by farmers’ movements like the Grange and National Farmers Alliance, the Populist Party demanded economic reforms, including bimetallism (silver and gold) and government regulation of railroads.

  • William Jennings Bryan: His "Cross of Gold" speech advocated for free coinage of silver to inflate the currency and aid struggling farmers.

  • Election of 1896: The Populists’ defeat marked the decline of their movement, but many of their reforms were later adopted by progressives.

Social Gospel & Progressivism: The Social Gospel focused on social justice, while Progressivism addressed urbanization, industrialization, and political corruption, with key figures like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson driving reforms