Imperialism and World War I Notes

Seward’s Folly

  • Seward arranged the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

  • He believed in Alaska's potential, although it was ridiculed and called "Seward's Folly."

Imperialism

  • Driven by economic growth, strategic advantages, and the belief in the superiority of American ideals.

  • Reasons for Imperialism:

    • Raw materials.

    • New markets.

    • Power and prestige.

    • Spread of government and religion.

Hawaii

  • Annexed in 1898.

  • Strategic refueling base.

  • Opportunity to spread industrialization and Christianity after taking it from Queen Liliuokalani.

Spheres of Influence

  • China's political weakening left them open to spheres of influence.

  • Areas where trade is controlled by another country (e.g., England, France, Germany, and Russia).

Spanish-American War

  • Shaped American foreign policy, leading to the gain of territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

  • Led to America becoming a world power.

  • Americans were sympathetic to Cubans.

U.S.S. Maine

  • The explosion of the ship in Havana harbor promoted the Spanish-American War.

  • Americans blamed the Spanish.

Yellow Journalism

  • Exaggerated reporting to shape public opinion and policies regarding Spain.

  • William Randolph Hearst was a key figure.

White Man’s Burden

  • Belief that white Europeans and Americans had a duty to "civilize" non-white people in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

  • Spread of their culture, religion, and government.

William McKinley

  • Led the U.S. into war against Spain after the explosion of the USS Maine in Cuba (Spanish-American War, 1898).

  • The war lasted a few months and ended with a U.S. victory.

Acquisition of Overseas Territories

  • The Treaty of Paris (1898) gave the U.S. control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

  • Marked the U.S. as a colonial power.

Annexation of Hawaii (1898)

  • McKinley supported and signed the resolution that officially annexed Hawaii as a U.S. territory, despite Native resistance.

Philippine-American War (1899–1902)

  • After acquiring the Philippines, McKinley defended keeping it as a U.S. colony.

  • Filipino resistance led to war; McKinley claimed it was America’s duty to "civilize and Christianize" the Filipinos.

Open Door Policy (1899)

  • Promoted equal trading rights in China and opposed European and Japanese spheres of influence.

  • Helped increase U.S. economic access to Asia.

Open-Door Policy

  • Aimed to ensure access to foreign markets for American businesses.

Boxer Rebellion

  • Led by the Order of the Righteous and Harmonious Fist.

  • Against Christianity and foreign imperialists.

  • Attacked and killed people in northern China.

  • Fueled by economic hardship, natural disasters, and anti-Christian sentiment.

  • Attacked foreign properties and Christians, leading to intervention by an Eight-Nation Alliance.

Monroe Doctrine

  • James Monroe Doctrine made the U.S. the protector of the Western Hemisphere.

  • Viewed as a threat by some.

Roosevelt Corollary

  • "Big stick" diplomacy enforced the Monroe Doctrine.

  • The U.S. would interfere if necessary with military force.

  • "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Militarism

  • Belief in building up a strong military and using it to solve problems or achieve national goals.

Nationalism

  • Strong pride and loyalty to one’s country, often with the belief that it is superior to others.

Theodore Roosevelt

  • "Big Stick" Diplomacy.

  • Roosevelt's foreign policy: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

  • Believed in using military strength to achieve U.S. goals, especially in Latin America.

Panama Canal (1904–1914)

  • Helped Panama gain independence from Colombia.

  • Secured rights to build the Panama Canal, which became vital for U.S. naval and trade power.

Roosevelt Corollary (1904)

  • An addition to the Monroe Doctrine.

  • The U.S. had the right to intervene in Latin American countries to maintain stability.

  • Used to justify U.S. military interventions in places like Cuba.

Increased Naval Power

  • Built up the U.S. Navy into a global force ("Great White Fleet").

  • Sent the fleet on a world tour (1907–1909) to show American strength.

  • Won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, boosting U.S. global reputation.

Involvement in Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Oversaw interventions in Cuba, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.

  • Pushed for U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Rough Riders

  • Led by Teddy Roosevelt as a group of volunteer soldiers (America had a more developed Navy than Army).

  • The army was poorly prepared for land battles (e.g., wool uniforms).

Great White Fleet

  • A group of 16 U.S. Navy battleships sent around the world by President Theodore Roosevelt from 1907 to 1909 to show off American military power.

  • Painted white to symbolize peace.

  • Demonstrated that the U.S. was a major world power and supported Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” diplomacy.

Protectorate

  • A country that is controlled and protected by a stronger country but still keeps its own government.

  • The stronger country handles things like defense and foreign affairs.

Teller Amendment

  • A U.S. promise that it would not take over Cuba after winning the Spanish-American War.

  • The U.S. would help Cuba gain independence and then leave.

Platt Amendment

  • Gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuba's affairs and allowed a U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

  • Limited Cuba's independence even after it became a free country.

Woodrow Wilson

  • Believed in neutrality and promoted moral diplomacy, aiming to spread democracy instead of using force.

  • Sent U.S. troops to places like Mexico.

  • Led the U.S. into World War I.

  • Proposed the Fourteen Points and the League of Nations to promote peace and self-determination, though the U.S. never joined the League.

4 MAIN Causes of WWI

  • Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism

Immediate Cause of WWI

  • The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo.

  • This event triggered a series of alliances and escalated tensions, leading to the outbreak of war.

Impact of the Balkans

  • Often called the "powder keg of Europe," the region was a hotspot of ethnic tensions, nationalistic movements, and imperial ambitions.

  • The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist sparked the war, as Austria-Hungary, with support from Germany, declared war on Serbia.

  • This set off a chain reaction of alliances, ultimately pulling the major European powers into the conflict.

  • The instability in the Balkans contributed to the escalating tensions that led to the war.

Pre-war Alliances

  • Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy

  • Triple Entente: France, Russia, and the United Kingdom

Central Powers

  • Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria

Allied Powers

  • United States, France, Russia, Italy, United Kingdom

Reasons for U.S. Entry into the War

  • The continuation of unrestricted submarine warfare and the Zimmerman Telegram

Great Migration

  • People leaving the South to move north for better opportunities because of the ‘Jim Crow South.’

Propaganda

  • Spread of false or censored information.

Stalemate

  • Neither side could gain an advantage.

Trench Warfare

  • Made it difficult for either side to gain an advantage.

Neutrality

  • A country’s decision to remain uninvolved in a conflict or war.

Sussex Pledge

  • Pledge made by Germany after their attack (unrestricted submarine warfare) on the S.S. ferry, which influenced the U.S. to enter the war.

Selective Service

  • Drafting men from ages 18-45 to serve in the army because of America’s short number of soldiers (2.8 million soldiers drafted).

Espionage Act

  • A law passed that made it illegal to interfere with the war or say anything disloyal about the armed effort.

Sedition Act

  • A law passed that made it illegal to interfere with the war or say anything disloyal about the war efforts.

Armistice

  • A treaty to end the war.

14 Points

  • Woodrow Wilson's idea of what peace looks like after World War I:

    • Eliminate Main

    • Self-determination for newly found nations

League of Nations

  • A peacekeeping organization that would help solve future international problems.

Treaty of Versailles

  • Included the League of Nations.

  • Territorial losses for Germany.

  • Military restrictions for Germany.

  • War guilt placed on Germany, forcing them to pay back the Allies.

Impact on Various Groups

  • Women: Did men's work, became breadwinners, served in non-combat roles in the army, and gained the right to vote (19th Amendment).

  • African Americans: 400,000 drafted but still segregated and treated as second-class citizens, leading to the Great Migration for war-related jobs.

  • Immigrants: Americans feared and disliked them, leading to discrimination.

  • Native Americans: Fought in the war, served as code talkers, and gained citizenship after World War I.

The CPI

  • Committee of Public Information

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