Chapter 11

Discuss the contradictions of the Progressive Movement.

Although Progressives fought for reform and equality, their efforts were focused on encouraging assimilation with a white middle-class lifestyle. Some Progressives actively promoted racist ideas and countenanced segregation.

What factors influenced Americans to play a more active role in the world?

Americans had surplus goods and wanted to find other markets for them. In addition, many Americans embraced Social Darwinism and believed it was America's destiny to spread their religion and the democratic form of government to other parts of the world.

What events contributed to a hostile relationship between Japan and the United States?

Anti-Asian sentiment emerged on the West Coast of the United States as more Japanese immigrants arrived. When the San Francisco School Board banned Japanese, Chinese, and Korean children from attending public schools with white children, Japanese leaders became enraged. Roosevelt helped to defuse the tension somewhat with the Gentleman's Agreement.

Discuss the events that led to the Boxer Rebellion.

As Western world powers became increasingly involved in China, many Chinese people came to oppose these outside influences. They joined secret societies that condemned Western customs and celebrated Chinese heritage. One such society grew violent and staged the Boxer Rebellion.

How did the Rough Riders and African American cavalry units contribute to the war effort?

Both fought in battles that secured the surrender of Santiago, Cuba.

Explain why the United States needed to expand its trade into new markets.

By the end of the 1800s, the United States was producing more goods than it could consume. This led to a decline in prices that harmed farmers and laborers. In order to prevent a loss of jobs and factory closures, the United States needed to sell its surplus goods overseas in new markets.

Discuss the strategies of Carrie Chapman Catt's "winning plan."

Catt's "winning plan" called for two different forms of action. While teams of women lobbied Congress to pass an amendment to the Constitution granting women suffrage, other teams focused on amending state laws through the new referendum process.

How did the government regulate commercial banks?

Congress passed the Federal Reserve Act in 1913 to regulate commercial banks and exert greater control over interest rates and the money supply.

How did "dollar diplomacy" affect American foreign policy?

Greater emphasis was placed on monetary investment rather than military intervention as a means to maintain stability throughout Latin America.

What attitudes did most Progressives hold about minorities and immigrant groups?

Most Progressives were prejudiced against those who were nonwhite, non-Protestant, and non-middle class, and they often worked to assimilate immigrants through Americanization.

How did Progressives work to help the urban poor?

Progressives helped the urban poor by establishing settlement houses that provided crucial services. Progressives also worked to end child labor, improve education, and improve workplace conditions.

Why did American leaders think it was important to keep the Philippines?

Some American leaders believed that a presence in the Philippines would be valuable in increasing U.S. trade with China.

What were the goals of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)?

The NAACP's primary strategy was to challenge unjust laws in court. It focused on ensuring equal housing and careers for African Americans, as well as promoting the education of African Americans in order to empower them to think for themselves.

What was the purpose of the National Reclamation Act?

The National Reclamation Act gave the government authority over use and distribution of water.

Why did Cuba add the Platt Amendment to its constitution?

The United States wanted to maintain a military presence and some control over Cuban affairs.

Who were the muckrakers and what did they accomplish?

The muckrakers were socially conscious journalists and writers. They exposed injustices at all levels of society and their work led to much-needed reforms.

List Which areas of society did Progressive reformers wish to change?

politics and government, business, social welfare, and labor conditions

What was the purpose of the Open Door Policy?

to encourage American business and free trade with China

Discuss how Emilio Aguinaldo's opinion of the United States changed after the Spanish-American War.

Aguinaldo and other Filipinos fought with the United States during the Spanish-American War, thinking that the United States wanted to ensure independence for the Philippines. When the United States later took control of his country, Aguinaldo was furious and organized an insurrection against what he saw as imperialism.

Explain how President Roosevelt disagreed with John Muir about environmental preservation.

Although Roosevelt had a deep appreciation for nature, he did not think that forests should remain untouched. Unlike John Muir, Roosevelt believed that wild areas should be conserved and used by humans since these forests held valuable resources that were meant to be used.

Explain why some women's rights activists were angry when the rights of African Americans were expanded after the Civil War.

Although many women suffragists favored abolishing slavery and expanding the rights of African Americans, they felt betrayed by women not being specifically included in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments.

What conditions led to the Russo-Japanese War?

Japan disapproved of European influence in the region and was offended by the presence of Russian forces in Manchuria.

Why did Americans object to Spanish actions in Cuba?

Americans believed that Spain treated Cuban rebels brutally, and they wanted to support the Cuban fight for freedom. They also wanted to protect U.S. interests in Cuba. Americans also believed that Spain destroyed the U.S. battleship Maine.

Explain how the women's suffrage movement changed with the rise of Progressivism.

As Progressivism grew stronger, a new generation of women's suffrage leaders emerged. They expanded the goals of their movement to include Progressive reforms such as improvements in education and labor conditions, stronger child labor laws, and governmental reform.

Explain how Muller v. Oregon represented a victory for women reformers during the Progressive Era but presented a setback for them in later years.

During the Progressive Era, many women argued that working long hours under dangerous conditions harmed them and their families. At the time, limiting the number of work hours was a victory for women. However, this ruling would later be used to justify paying women less than men for the same work.

Summarize the concept of Manifest Destiny.

Earlier in the nineteenth century, many Americans believed it was their "Manifest Destiny" to settle the western frontier, and expand to the Pacific Ocean. Later, some also applied the concept to spreading American customs and values around the world.

What steps did women take to win workers' rights?

Female Progressives succeeded in several states in reducing the number of work hours for women. Florence Kelley formed the Women's Trade Union League, which worked for a minimum wage and an eight-hour workday, and created the first workers' strike fund.

Why did journalists criticize Seward for his purchase of Alaska?

Journalists criticized Seward's purchase because of the distance between Alaska and the United States and because they believed that the area lacked natural resources.

How did muckrakers influence efforts to enact social reform?

Muckrakers investigated the social problems of urban life, and publicized unpleasant details about corruption and poverty that shocked many Americans. By using popular media like newspapers and magazines to focus on the "ugly" facts that were often concealed by businesses and governments, they influenced people to push for social reforms.

Summarize the ways in which Progressives tried to help children.

Progressives sought to help children by eliminating child labor, improving education, and providing supportive services. They established the National Child Labor Committee and the U.S. Children's Bureau in order to examine issues that affected children's welfare.

Why did African Americans and others decide it was time to organize against discrimination?

Public acknowledgement of the need for civil rights reform drew attention to African Americans' situation. Becoming organized not only took advantage of the greater number of people now living in urban areas, it also served to give the reformers the strategic strength they needed to gain nationwide attention and support for their cause.

How did President Taft influence Roosevelt's decision to run for a third term?

Roosevelt did not agree with some of President Taft's policies and wanted the government to more aggressively pursue antitrust enforcement.

How did the development of settlement houses affect urban American society?

Settlement houses brought communities together by providing social services to the urban poor, all of which were designed to improve their standard of living. These services emphasized education and culture, and often included language classes, childcare, art, dance, sports, and social events.

Explain how some used Social Darwinism to justify imperialism.

Social Darwinism was based on the premise that certain nations and races were superior to others. This belief suggested that racial and cultural attributes accounted for the fact that some nations' economies and political systems were less developed than others, This belief in turn justified imperialism.

Explain why some people supported President Wilson's graduated income tax and why others opposed it.

Some people supported the graduated income tax because it generated revenue to stimulate the economy, and it didn't hurt the poor. Others opposed the tax because they felt that it might hurt the economy.

Compare and Contrast the domestic policies of President Roosevelt and President Taft.

Taft was expected to continue Roosevelt's programs that regulated business and natural resources. However, he set his own agenda by approving the Payne-Aldrich Act and the Mann-Elkins Act. Taft also moved more aggressively against big business practices that the government perceived to not be in the best interest of consumers.

Discuss both the positive and negative implications of the American Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.

The American Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 was promoted as a reward for the service of Native Americans in World War I, and it provided them with substantial rights that other minority groups were still fighting for. However, the law also sought to Americanize Native Americans, encouraging them to forego their own cultural traditions.

Explain the purpose of the Federal Trade Commission and discuss the criticism it has received.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was established in order to prevent big businesses from engaging in dishonest practices and monopolies. However, the FTC has been criticized for interfering with free enterprise and possibly harming competition that would, in theory, reduce prices for consumers.

Compare and Contrast the strategies of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and the National Woman's Party.

The National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) focused on lobbying to pass legislation and promoting the cause within communities. This focus on political action contrasted with the National Woman's Party who favored public demonstrations such as protest marches and hunger strikes.

What was the impact of the Platt Amendment?

The Platt Amendment made Cuba a protectorate of the United States. Even though the United States had promised that it wouldn't annex Cuba after the Spanish-American War, this amendment gave it the power to restrict the rights of Cubans and to control Cuba's foreign relations.

Compare and Contrast the Populist and Progressive movements.

The Populist and Progressive movements were similar in that they both sought to eliminate corruption in governments and big business and make public institutions more responsive to people's needs. However, the majority of Progressives were middle-class people who valued education and saw technological advances as a way to improve society. Most Populists on the other hand were workers and farmers who wanted the government to regulate businesses so that everyone had a fair chance of succeeding.

Explain how the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire affected workers' rights.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire shocked and outraged many Americans by exposing the terrible conditions in which urban laborers worked. This disaster was covered in the press and influenced many people to push for reforms to make workplaces safer.

Explain how the United States gained influence in Latin America.

The United States saw Latin America as a region in which it could expand economic trade. Americans developed diplomatic connections while speaking with Latin American delegates during the International Pan-American Conference. Later, the construction of the Pan-American Highway system facilitated trade between North and South America.

Explain how the Yellow Press affected relations between the United States and Spain.

The Yellow Press publications exaggerated Spanish offences and compared the Cuban rebellion to the American Revolution, which inspired American jingoism and anger toward Spain. American popular opinion of Spain dropped before the onset of the Spanish-American War.

How did Puerto Rico pose a problem for the United States after the Spanish-American War?

The treaties that ended the Spanish-American War were ambiguous about the political future of Puerto Rico. Unclear about what should happen to the country, the United States established a government that allowed Puerto Ricans to take part in politics, but still restricted many of their rights.

What was the purpose of such legislation as the Hepburn Act and the Meat Inspection Act?

These acts gave the government the power to regulate big businesses.

Describe the conditions that U.S. troops faced during the Spanish-American War, and how they affected the war's outcome.

U.S. troops were poorly trained and supplied with obsolete weapons, impractical clothing, and contaminated food. In addition, the spread of malaria and yellow fever resulted in many U.S. casualties. However, the United States was able to win the war despite these adversities.

Explain how President Wilson affected workers' rights.

Under President Wilson, the United States passed legislation that protected labor unions and established workers' compensation. Wilson negotiated with both laborers and business leaders in order to prevent strikes. However, the Ludlow Massacre showed the reality that not all workers' unions were protected.

Discuss the role of the Spanish-American War in determining the winner of the 1900 U.S. presidential election.

William McKinley named Theodore Roosevelt as his vice-presidential running mate in his presidential campaign against William Jennings Bryan. Roosevelt was widely regarded as a war hero of the Spanish-American War, and McKinley won the election partly on Roosevelt's popularity.

Explain why many world powers developed extractive economies during the 1800s, and why this was less important for the United States.

World powers extracted raw materials and natural resources from their foreign colonies. The United States, on the other hand, was rich in natural resources that could be used in manufacturing and was less concerned with finding them abroad.