Unit 5 - Imperialism and World War I

Acquisition of Alaska

It was when the US government brought the land from Russia for 7.2 million in 1867 and it became the 49th state in 1959. Americans criticize Seward for buying the "block of ice" (Alaska).

Rough Riders - Teddy Roosevelt

They were soldiers who could ride on horses. They were like special forces.

Identify the potential First and Fourth amendment violations that were risked by activities such as the American Vigilante Patrol and the American Protective League

American Vigilante Patrol and the American Protective League were organizations that used to catch people who were against the war. The American Vigilante Patrol violated people's right to free speech with the sedition act that punished people if they rebelled against the government. The American Protective League found people who were disloyal to the U.S. and the U.S. Postal Service prevented mails that were antiwar. The American Protective League violated the fourth amendment by searching people's homes and seizing things that were antiwar. The UPS violated the first amendment right to free press by banning publications that were antiwar. They are not justified because this goes against people's right to information and free press.

Espionage Act and Sedition Act

Congress passed the Espionage and Sedition Act which says that a person could be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced to 20 years in jail for interfering in the war effect or for saying anything disloyal, profane, or abusive about the government or war effort.

War guilt clause/reparations

Germany was forced to pay $ 33 billion in reparations to the Allies for the cost of the war. They had to accept guilt for the war and they had restrictions on the amount of navy, amount of troops, and really just everything for 15 years.

Annexation of Hawaii

It is the capture of Hawaii by the American settlers. The settlers became wealthy planting sugar and pineapple( plantations). They called for the U.S. to annex Hawaii. They did this because the queen of Hawaii did not want the Americans to stay there.

Joseph Pulitzer

He is a publisher which the Pulitzer Prize is made after.

Joseph Pulitzer

He is a publisher which the Pulitzer Prize is named after. He was the publisher for the Hearst Castle.

William Taft: Dollar diplomacy

He is the President after Roosevelt. He uses Dollar Diplomacy to give money to countries like Honduras and El Salvador in Cuba. He also invested in infrastructure, roads, and railroads to protect our economic interests within that country. He also uses tariffs and loans to control these countries politically and his ultimate goal is economic stability for Western Hemisphere.

William Randolph Hearst

He is the one who owns the Hearst Castle and he published a story in his New York Journal using yellow journalism.

William Randolph Hearst

He is the one who owns the Hearst Castle and he published a story in his New York Journal using yellow journalism. He told his editor to "furnish the war". This means to make it interesting to read by making up stuff.

Jose Marti'

He started a rebellion and he gathered arms and money and revoked American intervention.

Sanford Dole

He was a American businessman and he proclaimed the Republic of Hawaii in 1894. He took power after the queen was overthrown.

Jose Marti'

He was a Cuban rebel and he started a rebellion against Spain. He gathered arms and money. He was hoping to revoke American intervention in Cuba but instead America kept a close watch but did not get involved in the rebellion.

Emilio Aguinaldo

He was a Filipino rebel who joined forces and led a rebel against the U.S. It lasted for 3 years but the U.S. seized the Philippines after that.

President William McKinley

He was a president who was elected in 1896 and he tried to keep America out of the Spanish American war. He supported the open door policy in China. He also expanded America's influence by acquiring Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. He also pursued the annexation of Hawaii.

Gavrilo Princip: Black Hand & assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

He was a revolutionary and a part of the nationalist group Black Hand. He assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Charles Schenck

He was a secretary of the U.S. Socialist Party and he distributed some of 15,000 leaflets that asked men to resist military service.

Eugene Debs

He was a socialist candidate for the president during World War One.

Admiral George Dewey

He was an American admiral and he led a U.S. fleet which destroyed and captured the entire Spanish fleet at Manila.

Alfred T. Mahan: "Influence of Sea Power Upon History"

He was the admiral of the U.S/ Navy and he urged government officials to build up American Naval power in order to compete with other powerful nations.

George Creel

He was the head of the Committee of Public Information and a former muckraking journalist.

Do you agree with the treatment of Charles Schenck and Eugene Debs? Explain.

I don't agree with the treatment of Charles Schenck and Eugene Debs because it was against their free speech. Charles Schenck was arrested for handing out pamphlets that denounced the war. He was sentenced to jail for violating the Espionage Act. He claimed that this violates his free speech which was turned down by the Schneck v. The United States says that you cannot have speech that creates danger for the country during war. I don't think that his speech created danger for anyone. Eugene Debs visited a jail where people were opposing the draft and spoke about opposing war and democracy. Debs was arrested for obstructing the recruitment of men into the army. He was sent to prison for violating the Espionage Act. He was only talking to protect the people who could die in the war.

Roosevelt Corollary

It is the new sense of American imperialism or the big stick diplomacy. This means that the U.S. is taking international police power and police force. They do not want the foreign power to come to the Western Hemisphere. This reiterates what James Monroe had said as a president that the U.S. will protect our rights in this region.

Explain what happened in (2) of the countries the U.S. acquired through imperialism?

In the Philippines, the country became a protectorate of the U.S. and U.S. still has a marine base on the island. Also, the U.S. President was able to choose the governor of the Philippines. Now, the U.S. and the Philippines have a strong trading relationship. In Puerto Rico, it became a protectorate of the U.S. government. It is still a U.S. territory and the people of Puerto Rico are considered U.S. citizens. When Puerto Rico has problems such as hurricanes, the U.S. provides medical supplies and aides.

Why did the Spanish-American War become known as the "splendid little war" in the United States?

It became known as a splendid war because the U.S. gained a lot of control for a very little. It was when the Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1898 and refers to how much the U.S. gained for how much we have lost. The U.S. lost 2,000 lives and the war cost $20 million, but the U.S. gained control of Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. They also got access to China through the Philippines.

Propaganda

It is a biased or misleading message that is used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. Propaganda was used to falsely portray the enemy the Germans as savages by the French. There are British posters saying that the country needs you for the war and the American posters with Uncle Sam asking the soldiers to fight.

Imperialism

It is a competition between countries to create empires. Imperialism is when a stronger nation gets control of a weaker nation's resources. Africa was colonized by France, Germany, England, and Belgium for their rich resources.

China

It is a country that the European nations began to control through the Spheres of Influence. Later, the Open Door Policy made all the powerful nations control China.

Philippines

It is a country where America exercised imperialism. It was acquired from the Spanish-American War treaty which gave the United States another land acquisition during the era of imperialism. America annexed the Philippines to create a gateway like they did in Hawaii. The U.S. seized the Philippines after the rebellion and made it into a protectorate. We still have a marine base on Philippine island. The U.S. President was able to choose the governor of the Philippines.

Imperialism

It is a policy where a stronger nation has extensive economic, political, and military control over a weaker nation by establishing a colony and controlling a colony.

Committee on Public Information

It is a propaganda agency set up by the government to popularize the war. Propaganda is the biased communication designed to influence people's thoughts and actions.

Mutiny

It is a rebellion or revolt against the government by sailors and soldiers.

Puerto Rico - protectorate/U.S. citizenship

It is an island that was acquired by the U.S. as part of the Spanish-American War treaty. The U.S. forces established a military rule during the war and made it into a protectorate. Puerto Rico is now a territory of the U.S. and people there have U.S. citizenship.

Cuba

It is the Carribean islands that the Americans had an interest in and they invested millions of dollars in sugar plantations. It was under the control of Spain and the Spanish people were mistreating the Cuban people and put them in 3 concentration camps. So, the Cuban people started a rebellion against Spain and the Americans supported the Cuban people. The Americans did not go to war and the Spanish people provided reforms in Cuba to stop the rebellion. American investors were investing millions of dollars in the Cuban sugar plantations. After the Spanish-American war, America took control of Cuba.

2. Discuss the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. Why was this necessary?

It is the new sense of American imperialism or the big stick diplomacy. This means that the U.S. is taking international police power and police force. They do not want the foreign power to come to the Western Hemisphere. This reiterates what James Monroe had said as a president that the U.S. will protect our rights in this region. This was necessary to make sure that the Europeans don't intervene and the U.S. remains the predominant power in the Caribbean and Central America.

Nationalism

It is the strong feelings of pride for one's country. There is self-interest nationalism and ethnic nationalism. In the Balkan area, the ethnic crisis was dividing the Serbs and the Austria-Hungarian Empire. France and Germany also had a great sense of nationalism.

Self-determination

It is what Wodrow Willson wanted these different ethnic groups and these small balkanized countries to be able to choose what type of government they wanted.

Boxer Rebellion

It is when the Chinese rebelled against the United States and the other international powers who set in military and troops. They wanted to get rid of the immigrant foreigners and the Chinese missionaries. The U.S. and other troops crushed the Boxer Rebellion and took control of China.

spheres of influence

It is when the areas are divided among the European powers which are for both political and economic reasons.

Militarism

It is when the nations built large armies to secure their empires. The countries such as Germany, France, England, and the European nation were building their military and getting ready to go to war.

Panama Canal

It was a canal that was built by America to travel west by the water easily. They paid 10 million dollars in annual rent and $250 to get the canal zone in Panama. They also helped the Panamians to get independence from Columbia. In 1999, they returned the ownership of Panama Canal to Panama. Because of this canal, the U.S. can now travel from the east to the west in a week. It has some locks that allow the big ships to go through.

Spanish-American War

It was a four month war between American and Spain which ended with a treaty that granted Cuba their freedom from Spain and resulted in the U.S acquisition of Cuba. .

Open Door Policy - John Hay

It was a policy for trading in China that was started by John Hay, the Secretary of the State. The policy called for open rights and equal access for all powerful nations to trade with China. It guaranteed that China would not be taken by one foreign power.

Treaty of Versailles/Paris Peace Conference

It was a treaty that ended World War I and it blamed Germany and handed down harsh punishment.

USS Maine

It was an American battleship that cost millions of dollars to build and it exploded and killed 260 American passengers. Because this exploded, America went to war with Spain in the Spanish-American War.

USS Maine

It was an American battleship that cost millions of dollars to build and it exploded killing 260 American passengers and it placed underwater.

Selective Service Act

It was an act passed by Congress to require that men should register for the military between ages 21 to 30. Because of this, in a few months, 10 million men were registered into the military. Men were required to register for service. Many men tried to avoid going to war. They even reported false addresses. Some hurt themselves to not go to war. Over 330,000 tried to escape from fighting in the war.

Platt Amendment

It was an amendment proposed by Senator Orville Plate that would allow Cuba to be somewhat independent if they did not enter into any agreements with other foreign powers that would endanger its independence. The U.S. would intervene in Cuban affairs if necessary to maintain an independent government. Another part of the Platt amendment was that the U.S. could lease the area known as Guantanamo Bay as a fueling and coaling station. It was also where they had prisoners of war. Finally, Cuba cannot have excessive debt.

League of Nations

It was an international organization formed after World War I to help solve disputes between countries and the U.S. did not join and it was considered a failure.

Great White Fleet - Roosevelt

It was battleships and destroyers that were added to the navy by Teddy Roosevelt.

Frederick Jackson Turner: Frontier thesis

It was said by Frederick Jackson Turner that the American West Frontier is gone and closed and the U.S. has to spread the ideas outside the country.

American Vigilante Patrol

It was similar to the American Protective League, it was civilian members of the league who engaged in vigilante tactics and behaviors.

Spanish Flu epidemic

It was the 1918 flu pandemic which was an influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 virus. About 500 million got the Spanish flu of which 50 million people died.

Battle of San Juan Hill

It was the battle where the Americans sent 17,000 forces and the Rough Riders led by Teddy Roosevelt to charge uphill in an important victory in the Spanish-American War. The newspapers used yellow journalism to proclaim Roosevelt as a hero which wasn't really true. He only did a good job leading his troops to victory. Because of this, he became the vice president.

Big Four (David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau, Vittorio Orlando, Woodrow Wilson)

It was the leaders of four Allied nations who met in the Paris Peace Conference and it was also known as the Council of the Four.

Foraker Act

It was the legislation that was passed by Congress in 1900 In which the U.S. ended military rule in Puerto Rico and set up the civil government.

Conscription

It was the mandatory enlistment or drafting of men to serve in the army.

Western Front

It was the region of Northern France where the forces of the Allies and the Central Powers battled each other.

Battle of San Juan Hill

It was when the Americans sent 17,000 force and the Rough Riders who were led by Teddy Roosevelt charged uphill in an important victory.

Seward's Folly

It was when the Secretary of State William H. Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska and was criticized.

Storming of Manilla

It was when the Spanish fleet in Manilla was captured by the American troops and Filipino rebels led by Emilo Agunaldo who joined the forces but independence wasn't granted to the Philippines when Spain surrendered.

Splendid Little War - Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico, & Guam

It was when the Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1898 and refers to how much gained for how much we have lost. The U.S. lost 2,000 lives and the war cost $20 million, but the U.S. gained control of Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

American Protective League

It's an organization of private citizens who worked with the Federal law enforcement agencies during WWI to identify suspected Germans who were anti-war activists.

Results of war/outcomes

One outcome was that Germany went into an economic depression.

Queen Liliuokalani.

She came to power as the queen of Hawaii and she wanted to restore Hawaii to Hawaiians. This would disenfranchise American investors, and the Americans organized a rebellion to overthrow the Queen.

Explain the purpose of the Espionage and Sedition Acts

The Espionage and Sedition Acts were official laws that made it illegal to speak against the war. In the Espionage Act, people could get up to 20 years in prison for insubordination or defiance against the war, for being disloyal, for mutiny, for refusal to serve in the war, for obstructing conscription, and for speaking against the war. Up to 900 people were put into prison with the Espionage Act. According to the Sedition Act, if you are an immigrant in the U.S and you spoke or published information against the government you could be deported.

3. What impact did new weapons have on the fighting during World War One? Choose one to discuss in your essay.

The German U-boats or the submarines had a really negative impact on the fighting during WWI. They were able to sink many ships and block British supply. Submarines were German u-boats that could sink any ship in the waters around Britain. The U-boats were used to destroy ships that were supplying the Allies with weapons. They attacked ships with torpedoes. The German submarine U-20 torpedoed and destroyed American ship Lusitania that led to Americans joining the war.

4. How did the Treaty of Versailles (Paris Peace Conference) sew the seeds for a second world war?

The Treaty of Versailles sowed the seeds for the second world war by making Germany pay for the war. It was a treaty that ended World War I and it blamed Germany and handed down harsh punishment. Germany was forced to pay $ 33 billion in reparations to the Allies for the cost of the war. They had to accept guilt for the war and they had restrictions on the amount of navy, amount of troops, and really just everything for 15 years. One significant outcome was that Germany went into an economic depression. All these factors made Germany very unhappy and led to the rise of Hitler who caused World War II.

Triple Entente/Triple Alliance - Allied Power/Central Powers

The Triple Entente Allies are France, Britain, and Russia and the Triple Alliance Central Powers are Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Ottoman Empire. The Triple Entente are the axis powers.

After the Spanish-American War ended, was the United States a world power? Why or Why not?

The U.S. became a world power because it was able to dominate the Pacific and the Caribbean. They were able to control both the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean and our influence in the world grew as an imperialistic power.

Should the United States have pursued a policy of Imperialism at the end of the 19th Century? Why or Why not?

The U.S. should not have pursued a policy of imperialism in the 19th century. This is because by acquiring the lands of the Philippines and Cuba, they took the independence of the people in that country. If they had economic interests, they should have traded with those countries and let them have their independence. In China, they had an Open Door Policy which was also like economic imperialism. If they wanted to trade with China, they should have asked the Chinese government.

Theodore Roosevelt: Big Stick diplomacy

The big stick diplomacy of Theodore Roosevelt is that if any nation engages in activities that are deemed harmful to the interest of the United States, or countries in the Latin America, Caribbean, or the Pacific Ocean then the United States will step in to protect them.

1. What were the causes of World War One? (use MAIN to help you answer this question).

The causes of World War I or the Great War are militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism. Militarism is the increase in the size of the country's military by spending a lot of money for an aggressive military buildup. The countries such as Germany, France, England, and the European nation were building their military and getting ready to go to war. Alliances are the teaming up of different powerful European countries so that they can protect each other if there is a war. They are the European nations that signed treaties with each other that created a system of alliances. The Allies (France, Russia, Great Britain and later Italy) and the Central Powers are the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria) fought World War I. Imperialism is when a stronger nation gets control of a weaker nation's resources. Africa was colonized by France, Germany, England, and Belgium for their rich resources. Nationalism is the idea of pride or superiority of one's own country. There is self-interest nationalism and ethnic nationalism. In the Balkan area, the ethnic crisis was dividing the Serbs and the Austria-Hungarian Empire. France and Germany also had a great sense of nationalism. Finally, the assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand really starts a war between Serbia and Austria-Hungary and all the other European countries. Princip assassinated the Arch Duke of Austria-Hungary because of nationalism. All these factors contributed to WWI.

Motives for Imperialism (political, economic, religious, ideological, military)

The economic justification is that U.S.'s economy was growing and they needed bigger markets and more raw materials and resources such as rubber, petroleum, and oil. Also, the American business owners were investing in these countries and they wanted to get involved politically. The political justification is that American democracy is superior to that of other nations and they wanted to get colonies as a symbol of power to compete with other major countries. The military justification is that president Roosevelt believed that the strength of the country is it's military. So, he builds the Great White Fleet, battleships, and destroyers and sails them around the world. He also wants to get Hawaii and the Philippines and Guam as military bases so that they can be coaling stations for the ships. The religious justification is that Americans wanted to spread Christianiy and to teach American ideals because they thought that they should Christianize the inferior races that are superior. They wanted to take the Filipinos and educate them in Christianity and civilize them just like Spain. The ideological justification is that the American West is closed and America has to look for other countries to build the American empire and the White Man's burden is to go and Christianize the people in foreign countries.

Motives for imperialism: economic, political, military, cultural, racial, religious.

They included economic competition for raw materials and trade markets for manufactured goods. They have political and military competition with the desire to seek new frontier overseas and expand America's empire and to influence the world. They believe in racial and cultural superiority and they want to spread religion and morals so other people can have the same views, ideas, and religion.

New weaponry (machine gun, tanks, airplanes, flame-throwers, poison gas, submarines)

The machine guns are the guns that can fire up to 600 rounds per minute. The tanks like the French light tank were used to move down barbed wire and soldiers. Poison gas is a yellow green chlorine fog sickened, suffocated, burned, and blinded it's victims. Gas masks became a standard issue. The airplanes were loaded with bombs and were floating gas filled airships called the Zeppelins. One of the most famous World War I planes the British Sopwith Camel had a front mounted machine gun for dog fights. Flamethrowers were used against British to get the soldiers out of the trenches and into the open and it was a terrifying weapon used by the German army. Submarines were German u-boats that could sink any ship in the waters around Britain. The U-boats were used to destroy ships that were supplying the Allies. They attacked ships with torpedoes. The German submarine U-20 torpedoed and destroyed American ship Lusitania that led to Americans joining the war.

What were the main "motives" or reasons why the United States began to practice imperialism?

The main reason why the United States began to practice imperialism was because they wanted to expand their economy and become wealthier by trading raw materials and goods. The U.S. Foreign investments went up to 2.5 billion from a hundred million because of imperialism. Also, America had a desire to expand its empire in new frontiers and influence the world. Teddy Roosevelt wanted to build America's Great White Fleet and improve our army for political acquisitions. President McKinley acquired the countries of Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guan and supported the Open Door Policy in China and annexation of Hawaii. The U.S. also bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. Finally, Americans wanted to spread their Christian religion and civilization to the other parts of the world so they have the same views as the Americans.

Explain the purpose and activities of the Committee on Public Information

The purpose of the Committee on Public Information was to popularize the war through war propaganda. Some of the activities were that they hired about 75,000 speakers to give 4 minute speeches across the country in 5,000 American cities and towns to get the people to support the war. George Creel was the head of the Committee on Public Information and he said that people who were against the war and spread pessimistic stories had to be reported to the Department of Justice.

Were the costs of WWI worth the gains? Explain.

There were many costs of WWI. First, there were 50,000 lives lost in the Battle of Marne even though the allies won. There were also more 30,000 men lost in the war after that from Britain. In the Battle at Verdun over 900,000 people died just to gain a few mines. At the third battle of Passchendaele about 800,000 soldiers died and the soldiers started to mutiny. The soldiers who mutinied or protested were shot and killed. Therefore, many lives were lost so the cost of WWI was not worth the gains.

yellow journalism.

They are exaggerated news stories and they are designed to sell more papers through sectionalism.

yellow journalism.

They are exaggerated news stories and they are designed to sell more papers through sensationalism. Journalists came up with their own conspiracy theories to sell more newspapers and to get people to read. It was especially used by William Randolph Hearst.

Alliances

They are the European nations that signed treaties with each other that created a system of alliances. The Allies (France, Russia, Great Britain and later Italy) and the Central Powers are the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria) fought World War I.

1. Discuss three reasons why the United States pursued a policy of Imperialism at the end of the 19th century (could be political, economic, ideological, religious or military).

Three reasons why the U.S. pursued the policy of imperialism were political, economic, and ideological justifications. The economic justification is that U.S.'s economy was growing and they needed bigger markets and more raw materials and resources such as rubber, petroleum, and oil. Also, the American business owners were investing in these countries and they wanted to get involved politically. The political justification is that American democracy is superior to that of other nations and they wanted to get colonies as a symbol of power to compete with other major countries. The ideological justification is that the American West is closed and America has to look for other countries to build the American empire and the White Man's burden is to go and Christianize the people in foreign countries.

2. Describe trench warfare and discuss the stalemate on the Western Front.

Trench warfare was when opposing sides attacked from the ditches instead of an open battlefield. Stalemate is a situation where neither side could gain an advantage in combat. Germany and France end up in a stalemate because of trench warfare in the Western Front. During the trench warfare, Germans and France dug up trenches. Their trenches were dirty and infested. The men got diseases such as trench foot. The conditions were horrible and men were getting killed in large numbers by machine guns and large weapons. When the soldiers came out of the trenches to fight, they might get attacked by mustard bombs and die.

Trench warfare /stalemate

Trench warfare was when opposing sides attacked from the ditches instead of an open battlefield. Stalemate is a situation where neither side could gain an advantage in combat. Germany and France end up in a stalemate because of trench warfare.

3. Choose one of the following diplomatic strategies (Roosevelt's Big Stick, Taft's Dollar, or Wilson's Moral) and discuss its successes and failures citing examples of each.

William Taft's dollar diplomacy was to give money to countries like Honduras and El Salvador in Cuba. He also invested in infrastructure, roads, and railroads to protect our economic interests within that country. He also uses tariffs and loans to control these countries politically and his ultimate goal is economic stability for Western Hemisphere. The strategy was to give loans to countries that have debts such as Nicaragua. This way, America can control Nicaragua's state owned railroad system and it's National Bank.

Woodrow Wilson: Moral diplomacy

Wilson's moral diplomacy was to apply legal and moral standards and he chose not to recognize the Mexican dictator. This did not work out because Mexico moved away from the American involvement.

What makes yellow journalism or "fake news" so effective? How did it lead to U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War?

Yellow journalism makes the news stories exaggerated to make it interesting to read. Most of it is not true. In the case of Spanish-American War, William Randolph Hearst published a story in the New York Journal saying that Spain had actually attacked the U.S. which didn't happen. The paper said Spain exploded the battleship U.S.S. Maine and killed 260 Americans. Because of this, Congress pushed McKinley to go to war with Spain.