Period 7

Certainly! Here's a comprehensive, long-form summary of Period 7 (1898–1945) for AP U.S. History. This will cover key events, developments, themes, and transformations in domestic and foreign policy, culture, economy, and politics.

Period 7: 1898–1945 — Expansion, Reform, Crisis, and Global Power

I. Imperialism and America’s Role on the World Stage

By the late 19th century, the U.S. began abandoning its long-held policy of isolationism in favor of imperial ambitions. Motivated by economic interests, military strategy, social Darwinism, and a sense of cultural superiority, the U.S. sought to expand its influence beyond its borders.

• Spanish-American War (1898): Sparked by the explosion of the USS Maine and fueled by yellow journalism, the U.S. defeated Spain and acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, while asserting influence in Cuba via the Platt Amendment.

• Philippine-American War (1899–1902): A brutal conflict followed U.S. annexation of the Philippines, as Filipinos resisted American rule.

• Open Door Policy (1899): Asserted equal trading rights for all nations in China and reflected growing American interest in global markets.

• Roosevelt Corollary (1904): An addition to the Monroe Doctrine, it justified U.S. intervention in Latin America to stabilize the region for American economic interests.

II. The Progressive Era (1890s–1920)

Progressivism emerged in response to the problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, political corruption, and economic inequality. Reformers included journalists, middle-class women, and politicians from both parties.

• Muckrakers like Upton Sinclair (The Jungle) exposed social ills and corporate abuses.

• Reforms targeted child labor, working conditions, food safety, and urban sanitation.

• Progressive presidents—Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson—pushed for:

  • Trust-busting (breaking up monopolies),

  • Conservation of natural resources,

  • Regulatory legislation like the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906),

  • Federal Reserve Act (1913) to stabilize banking.

• Women's suffrage gained momentum, culminating in the 19th Amendment (1920).

• Some Progressives also advocated for immigration restriction, eugenics, and prohibition, showing the movement’s complexity.

III. World War I and the Aftermath (1914–1920)

• The U.S. remained neutral until 1917, when unrestricted German submarine warfare and the Zimmermann Telegram pushed the nation into the war.

• Mobilization included the Selective Service Act, War Industries Board, and Committee on Public Information (propaganda).

• Civil liberties were restricted via the Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918), upheld in Schenck v. United States (1919).

• The war effort included expanded roles for women and African Americans, many of whom participated in the Great Migration to northern cities for factory jobs.

• Wilson’s Fourteen Points promoted self-determination and the League of Nations, but the U.S. rejected the Treaty of Versailles and returned to isolationism.

• The First Red Scare (1919–1920) followed the Bolshevik Revolution, leading to fear of radicals and the Palmer Raids.

IV. The 1920s: Prosperity and Cultural Conflict

Often called the “Roaring Twenties,” this decade featured economic growth, consumerism, and social tensions.

• Mass production (e.g., Henry Ford’s assembly line) and credit fueled consumer culture.

• Radio and movies revolutionized communication and entertainment.

• Jazz music and the Harlem Renaissance celebrated Black cultural contributions.

• The Scopes “Monkey” Trial (1925) reflected the clash between modernism and religious fundamentalism.

• Prohibition (18th Amendment) led to bootlegging, speakeasies, and organized crime.

• Immigration quotas (Emergency Quota Act, 1921; Immigration Act, 1924) reflected nativist sentiment.

• KKK resurgence and racial violence (e.g., Tulsa Race Massacre, 1921) highlighted ongoing racial tensions.

• Women experienced more social freedom—flappers, workforce participation—but also faced backlash and limited political influence despite suffrage.

V. The Great Depression and the New Deal (1929–1941)

The stock market crash in 1929 marked the beginning of a global economic crisis.

• Causes included overproduction, bank failures, lack of consumer spending, and speculation.

• Unemployment soared, reaching 25%, and banks collapsed nationwide.

• President Herbert Hoover was criticized for inadequate responses like the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and Bonus Army confrontation.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal (1933–1939) aimed to provide Relief, Recovery, and Reform through unprecedented government intervention:

• Relief programs: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Works Progress Administration (WPA).

• Recovery programs: National Recovery Administration (NRA), Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA).

• Reform legislation: Social Security Act (1935), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

• The New Deal redefined the role of the federal government, leading to debates over its constitutionality (e.g., FDR’s court-packing plan).

• Critics came from both sides: Huey Long (“Share Our Wealth”) and Father Coughlin accused FDR of doing too little or too much.

VI. World War II (1939–1945)

Although the war began in Europe in 1939, the U.S. remained neutral until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (1941).

• The U.S. had already passed Lend-Lease and Cash and Carry to aid Allies.

• Mobilization was massive—millions served in the military, and the war ended the Great Depression through increased production.

• Women joined the workforce in large numbers (e.g., Rosie the Riveter), and the war spurred another wave of the Great Migration.

• Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps under Executive Order 9066 (Korematsu v. U.S. upheld the policy).

• The war was fought on multiple fronts: Europe (D-Day, Battle of the Bulge) and Pacific (Island hopping, Iwo Jima).

• The Manhattan Project developed the atomic bomb, which was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 to end the war.

• The war concluded with U.S. emergence as a global superpower, leading to the Cold War.

Key Themes Across Period 7:

• Expansion of federal power, particularly during crises.

• Increasing American global involvement, both militarily and economically.

• Ongoing social conflicts: race, gender, religion, immigration.

• Economic transformation: industrial capitalism, consumerism, recovery from depression.

• Cultural change and tension between tradition and modernity.

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