Unit 6- Imperialism, Progressive Era, and WWI

1898-1919

A New Era For America

• In 1896, William McKinley(25th) defeated William Jennings Bryan for the Presidency

• America’s growing economic strength results in a new more aggressive foreign policy

• President McKinley meets the growing demand for new territory

• Annexation of Hawaii• Invokes the Monroe Doctrine to go

to war with Spain

Imperialism: The White Man’s Burden• Reasons for Expansion:• Economic

• Military– Alfred T. Mahan-advocates a large modern navy– Future of the U.S. would depend on access to foreign markets for

trade and resources.• Social Darwinist Thinking

– Jingoism: belligerent national pride, people who advocate a warlike, aggressive foreign policy

– Poem by Rudyard Kipling: idea that it was the moral duty of European people to help the ‘backwards’ people of the world.

Overview of the Spanish-American War (1898)- “That Splendid Little War”

• Causes– American businesses had many investments in Cuba,

1895 the Cuba people revolted against the Spanish.– American jingoism– Yellow Journalism-type of journalism which pays little

attention to facts, sensational headlines and stories, William Randolph Hearst- Joseph Pulitzer

– Explosion of the USS Maine(Spark)• The war has two ‘theaters’ Cuba and in the

Philippines• War with Spain is over in 10 weeks• America gains control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam,

Philippines• Theodore Roosevelt becomes a national hero • Led to a 3 year bloody war with in the Philippines• America’s increased role as a world power

Debate Over Imperialism-What do you think America’s role in the world should be?

Imperialists• Feel U.S. should be a world

power-Manifest Destiny• Support ‘white man’s

burden’, moral duty• Economic control

Anti- Imperialists• Goes against American principles-self

determination• Constitution does not apply to these

people or grant authority to annex territory

• We have no right to govern these people against their will

• Cause never ending wars

Bell work

Answer with your group.• Who was the 25th President

of the U.S.?• What is the White Man’s

Burden?• Define Jingoism.• Identify one reason for and

against imperialism from yesterday’s readings.

Spanish American War Stations

• 4 Stations• Work with your group to

answer the questions• You will need a blank sheet

of paper. • Write the Spanish American

War Stations on the top of your sheet.

• Questions and Yellow Journalism newspaper article will be graded as a project.

• 50 points

The Progressive Era 1890’s-1920’s(?)

Progressivism

Who were the Progressives?Mostly urban,

white, middle class, educated, Novelists

and journalists, white collar,

Christians, both parties

What was their goal?Diverse

-social, political, economic reforms in the interest of

the public-Good government

-Social Welfare-Social Justice

What caused the Progressive Era? -Rapid industrialization and urbanization-Political Corruption of Gilded Age, Political Machines-Increase in middle to upper class, college education-Grassroots call for reforms-Muckrakers-investigative journalist

How did they achieve their goals?

-Activism-Writing-Government reform-Rely on science and

experts

Reforms and Reformers

Pages 242-279• Use your textbook to fill out

the notes sheet on Progressive era reforms and reformers

• Analyze the reforms of the Progressive era

• Which 2 have had the most important impact on American society? Why?

• Which 2 are the least important? Why?

• Discuss

Direct Primary, Initiative, Referendum, Recall and the 17th Amendment

• Direct Primary-party bosses controlled the selection of candidates, Progressives urged for voters to pick party candidates in Primary elections, voters would pick the candidate of their choice. By 1916, all but three state adopt Direct Primaries.

• Initiative- Allows voters to propose bills to the legislature to be voted on.• Referendum-Allows voters to vote directly on a bill• Recall-Allows voters to remove elected officials from office• City Managers-Each city would hire a professional, elected by the city council to

run the city-idea is a professional with no political agenda will be more efficient then a corrupt official.

• 17th Amendment- Until 1913 voters did not choose their Senators, Progressive called for direct election of Senators, ratified in 1913.

• Result- Voters at all levels of government have more of a voice in American democracy!

Labor and Consumer Protection Reforms• Workers’ Compensation-Makes employer pay money to an insurance

company to be paid to employees if injured on the job, First-Maryland-1902, By 1911, 10 states, 1949, all states.

• Child labor-Inspired by John Spargo’s book, The Bitter Cry of the Children, progressives attack the child labor issue, by 1914 almost all states regulate minimum work ages, restrict hours and time of work, push for mandatory schooling.

• Building codes-By the early teens most cities adopt zoning laws which regulated requirements for light, air, sanitation, fire escapes, room sizes.

• Pure Food and Drug Act/Meat Inspection Act- inspired after reading Upton Sinclair’s, The Jungle, President Theodore Roosevelt pushed for immediate action….– 1906-Food and Drug Administration(FDA) created to protect consumers from

unsafe medicines and foods, prohibit the use of addictive drugs , accurate labels, regular inspection by the government/ Meat Inspection Act- allows for the regulation of meat packing factories and sets quality standards for meat

Other Reforms• Education- By 1900, most states had mandatory school attendance laws, led by

John Dewey, schools expanded their curriculums to include American History, Government(citizenship) Health, goal is to assimilate the new immigrants

• Income Tax -16th amendment(1913) In order to make up for the reduced tariff on foreign goods. Allows for the government to tax a person’s income, President Wilson makes it a progressive tax, quickly becomes the government’s largest source of revenue.

• Preserving the Wilderness- Conservation: planned management of resources to prevent destruction, 1872 Yellowstone National Park, 1891 Forest Reserve Act, John Muir and The Sierra Club

• Temperance Movement- long history of trying to ban alcohol, very connected to women’s suffrage movement, Woman’s Christian Temperance Union(WCTU) led the charge, by 1915 half the country is ‘dry’, 1919-18th amendment-outlaws the sale and manufacturing of alcohol

• Social Gospel-Progressives among various religious sects begin to preach a new ‘social gospel’ that religious organizations should work to improve society(poor), Salvation Army, Red Cross, soup kitchens, Jane Addams and the Hull House

19th Amendment

Do you notice a trend?In 1919, Congress passed the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote in all elections! Ratified in 1920.

Theodore Roosevelt-26th

1901-1909• V.P. to McKinley• Ran on a ‘Square Deal’• Best known for

– Preserving the wilderness– Trust busting– Settling strikes-government as

3rd party– Consumer Protection-The

Jungle– Aggressive foreign policy

Speak Softly,But Carry a Big Stick!

-Believed we had the “regrettable but most necessary role of international police for the welfare of mankind”.- “Big Stick” refers to US naval power-Example: negotiates debt plans for Venezuela and the Dominican Republic between European powers.

The Roosevelt Corollary to the

Monroe Doctrine: 1905

The Roosevelt Corollary to the

Monroe Doctrine: 1905

Chronic wrongdoing… may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power .

Panama: The King’s Crown

“I took the canal zone and let Congress debate”

Panama: The King’s Crown

“I took the canal zone and let Congress debate”

Roosevelt wants to gain rights to build a canal across Central America

Columbia refuses to Roosevelt's terms

Roosevelt sends the USS Nashville in support of a Panamanian revolt for independence from Columbian, blocks the Columbian forces

U.S. recognizes Panama as an independent country

1903 Hay-Bunau-

Varilla Treaty.

Panama CanalPanama Canal

TR in Panama(Construction begins in

1904)

TR in Panama(Construction begins in

1904)

Took 10 years to complete and cost the lives of thousands to diseases and cost over $400 million.Gives the U.S. the ability to extend its military and economic influence

Treaty of Portsmouth: 1905

Treaty of Portsmouth: 1905

Negotiates a peace between Russia and Japan over the

fighting of Manchuria. Nobel Peace Prize for Teddy. Keep

the Open Door Policy in place.

Negotiates a peace between Russia and Japan over the

fighting of Manchuria. Nobel Peace Prize for Teddy. Keep

the Open Door Policy in place.

William Taft-27th

• 1909-1913• Helped by Roosevelt • More trust busting than

Roosevelt– Standard Oil, American

Tobacco

• Conservation• Established the Children’s

Bureau• Less aggressive foreign policy• Disliked the Presidency

Progressive Reforms Project

•See handout

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

• Extra Credit will be given for the completion of the handout• 15 test points

Woodrow Wilson1913-1921-28th President

• Professor-Democrat• Lowered tariffs-16th

amendment(other three as well)

• ‘Moral Diplomacy’-U.S. will promote human rights, democracy, free trade, end colonialism

• Federal Reserve System• Helps to end child labor,

workplace conditions• Anti-trust laws, Pro-union• Deeply Racist

• Led country into WWI in April 1917

• Passed draft• Aggressive propaganda campaign• Espionage and Sedition Act

‘Peace without Victory’ and The League of Nations

• November 1918 Germany surrenders to the Allies

• Wilson delivers his 14 points speech

• Promotes a League of Nations

• Reading/Chart

• Political Cartoons

• U.S. doesn’t join the League of Nations

World War I Readings

• The Lost Battalion• Sgt. Alvin York

• Partner up• Each read one of the

two articles• Summarize each story

with your partner.• Copy summary into

your notes

The Spanish Flu

• Worst pandemic since The Black Death of the Middle Ages

• 1918-1919• Kills 20 to 50 million

• Read both handouts and the answer questions

• Discuss the last question with other people after answering yourself