Unit 7: American Imperialism

• Nationalism

  Pride and devotion to your country and culture, it can unify or tear apart
• Social Darwinism affected how Americans saw the world
• What is Yellow Journalism?

  Writing fake news to get one to keep on reading
• What were some motivations for imperialism?

  People started wanting U.S to be a real world power

  Colonies would open new markets for U.S manufactured goods

  Closing of frontiers in 1890 affected how Americans saw themselves
• Explain the Crisis in Cuba

  In 1895, Cuban insurgents started fighting for independence. They claimed rights to self government
• Explain the Maine incident.


  In 1897, President William Mckinley offers to help negotiate peace in Cuba. He sent U.S.S Maine to havana harbor to keep peace
• When did the U.S.S Maine explode?

  February 15, 1898
• Describe the Spanish American War

  Battle of Manila Bay: took place on May 1, 1898, Admiral George Dewey took U.S fleet to Manila and destroyed Spanish navy

  Battle of San Juan hill: took place on July 1, 1898, African Americans "Buffalo soldiers" and Theodore Roosevelt's "Rough Riders"took summit of contested hill

  Battle of Santiago: took place on July 3, 1898, U.S navy destroyed Spanish navy in Cuba, Secured final victory
• Effects of the Spanish American war

  • Cuban gained their independence
  • U.S acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, Phillipines
  • Imperialists wanted to keep Phillipines because it was a good location to trade with China and could help Fillipinos
  • Anti Imperialists wanted to give Phillipines independene
• Other imperialism

  1852: Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan into humilating trade treaty with U.S

  1898: Hawalli annexed and because U.S territory

  1899: American Samoa annexed
• When did Theodore Roosevelt become president?

  1901
• Roosevelt became president after Mckinley's assasination

  He favored increasing U.S power and believed in White man's burden
• What was Roosevelt's diplomacy?

  "Speak softly and carry a big stick"
• What was the Roosevelt Corollary?

  Extension of the Monroe Doctrine.
• What was Dollar Diplomacy?

  William Howard Taft's preferred method of spreading US influence

  US bought out European loans in Latin American countries-more economic influence
• Womens Suffrage started at Senaca falls convention in 1848
• What were the 2 major women suffrage activist group?

  National Women Suffrage Association: Focus was to pass constitutional amendment

  American Woman Suffrage Association: Focus was to have suffrage at a state level

  National American Woman Suffrage Association(1890): Mix of both(NAWSA)
• 1918: House passed constitutional amendment, failed in Senate by 2 votes
• August 26, 1920: 3/4 states ratified 19th amendment, guaranteed women's right to vote
• What did Societal reforms work to do?

  They worked to end child labor by using

  Muckrackers: opposite of Yellow Journalism

  States began passing laws to limit children in workplace

  Health and Safety codes
• Roosevelt


  Conservation (First green President)
• Who was William Howard Taft

  Roosevelt's secretary of war, he easily won president with Roosevelt's endorsement

  Many saw him as less aggressive and that he betrayed square deal
• What were some of his achievement?

  • Trust busting: brought twice as many anti-trust cases to supreme court
  • Children Bureau: Investigated, publicized problems of child labor
  • Dedicated Conservationist
  • Bureau of mines: Federal commission to protect environment from mining
• Election of 1912

  1. Roosevelt created a progressive party (Bull Moose party) because he was unable to get the republican nomination away from Taft. Election was primarily contest between Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson
• Roosevelt's platform - "New Nationalism"


  Called for laws to protect women, children in work force, worker's compensation for work injuries
• Wilson's Platform- "New freedom"


  Criticized Roosevelt, called for business regulations]
• Roosevelt and Taft split vote but Wilson won 42%
• Wilson's reform

  Tariff reform-decreased tariff by 30%, led to first fed. income tax

  Established federal reserve and led to more bank security

  He worked hard to regulate and break monopolies

  He also pushed Clayton's Anti-trust act through Congress in 1914
• Success in progressivism included conservation success, broken up monopolies, made economy better, improved working conditions and created an idea that the fed. gov could use to fix the economy and society
• Failures: Didn't address religion and racism persecution and efforts to fight racism
• Negative integration

  Building a community or nation by getting enemies or targeting groups to be outcast