APUSH Unit 7 Review

Imperialism and the Spanish-American War Global Expansionism: The Shift in Foreign PolicyDefinition: American Imperialism refers to the period beginning in the late 19th century when the United States extended its political, economic, and military control over foreign territories. Unlike earlier continental expansion (Manifest Destiny), this phase involved acquiring overseas islands and establishing influence in Latin America and Asia.Rationale: This shift was driven by the closing of the frontier (Turner Thesis), the need for new markets to absorb industrial overproduction, and the desire to compete with European powers. It fundamentally changed the U.S. from an isolationist nation into a global superpower.Strategic Drivers and GeopoliticsEconomic Interests: Industrialists sought new markets for exports and access to raw materials (e.g., sugar from Hawaii/Cuba, rubber, and minerals).Alfred Thayer Mahan & Naval Power: In The Influence of Sea Power upon History, Mahan argued that national greatness depended on a strong navy and coaling stations. This led to the construction of the "Steel Navy."Social Darwinism & The "White Man's Burden": The belief that Anglo-Saxon culture was superior and that the U.S. had a moral obligation to "civilize" and Christianize non-white populations.The Spanish-American War (1898):Yellow Journalism: Sensationalist reporting by Hearst and Pulitzer that inflamed public opinion against Spain.The USS Maine: The explosion of this battleship in Havana Harbor served as the casus belli for war.The Teller Amendment: A proviso stating the U.S. would not annex Cuba after the war.Acquisitions: The Treaty of Paris (1898) resulted in the U.S. gaining Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines (for $20 million).Common Pitfalls: Do not confuse the Teller Amendment (initial promise of Cuban independence) with the Platt Amendment (later provision allowing U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs).The Philippines Annexation DebateThe decision to annex the Philippines sparked an intense national debate between Imperialists and the Anti-Imperialist League (including Mark Twain and Andrew Carnegie).Imperialist Argument:The U.S. must "uplift and Christianize" the Filipinos.The islands provide a gateway to the China market.If the U.S. doesn't take them, Germany or Japan will.Anti-Imperialist Argument:Annexation violates the "consent of the governed" principle in the Declaration of Independence.Maintaining an empire is expensive and leads to foreign entanglements.Racist concerns: Some feared the "incorporation" of non-white races into the American body politic.Progressivism and the Era of ReformThe Progressive Movement: Definition and ScopeDefinition: A period of widespread social activism and political reform (approx. 1890–1920) aimed at addressing the problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, and political corruption.Rationale: Progressivism rejected Laissez-faire economics, arguing that government should be an active agent of social welfare. It sought to "humanize" capitalism rather than replace it with socialism.Mechanisms of Change and Sub-MovementsMuckrakers: Investigative journalists who exposed social ills (e.g., Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle regarding the meatpacking industry; Ida Tarbell on Standard Oil).Political Reforms:Secret Ballot: Reduced the power of party bosses.Initiative, Referendum, and Recall: Increased direct democracy at the state level.17th Amendment: Direct election of U.S. Senators.Moral Reform: The Temperance Movement culminated in the 18th Amendment (Prohibition), driven by the belief that alcohol was the root of poverty and domestic abuse.Women's Suffrage: The 19th Amendment (1920) granted women the right to vote after decades of activism by the NAWSA and the more radical National Woman’s Party.Conservation: President Theodore Roosevelt set aside millions of acres for national parks, balancing the "preservation" (John Muir) of nature with "resource management" (Gifford Pinchot).Presidential Progressivism: The Square DealTheodore Roosevelt’s "Square Deal" focused on the "Three Cs": Control of corporations, Consumer protection, and Conservation.TargetLegislation/ActionResultTrustsNorthern Securities CaseFirst major break-up of a railroad monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act.Labor1902 Anthracite Coal StrikeRoosevelt forced arbitration; first time the government did not automatically side with management.ConsumersPure Food and Drug ActRequired labeling; prohibited the sale of adulterated products.World War I and the Home FrontFrom Neutrality to InterventionDefinition: The U.S. entry into WWI (1917) and the subsequent mobilization of the economy, military, and public opinion to support the Allied powers.Rationale: Initially neutral, the U.S. entered the war to "make the world safe for democracy" (Wilson) and to protect its economic interests and maritime rights against German submarine warfare.Total War and Civil LibertiesMobilization: The War Industries Board (WIB) coordinated industrial production, while the Food Administration (Herbert Hoover) encouraged voluntary rationing ("Wheatless Wednesdays").The Great Migration: Thousands of African Americans moved from the rural South to the urban North to escape Jim Crow and take up industrial jobs vacated by soldiers.Suppression of Dissent:Espionage and Sedition Acts: Made it illegal to interfere with the draft or speak against the government.Schenck v. United States (1919): The Supreme Court ruled that freedom of speech could be restricted if it presented a "clear and present danger."Wilson’s Fourteen Points: A plan for a "just and lasting peace," including the creation of a League of Nations.The Treaty of Versailles Debate: The U.S. Senate, led by Henry Cabot Lodge, rejected the treaty and the League of Nations, fearing it would strip Congress of its power to declare war.The Roaring Twenties: Culture and ConflictModernity vs. FundamentalismDefinition: A decade of significant economic growth and mass culture, but also deep social divisions between urban "modernists" and rural "traditionalists."Rationale: The 1920s saw the birth of the modern consumer economy, but this rapid change triggered a backlash from those who felt traditional American values were under threat.Key Cultural BattlegroundsThe Scopes "Monkey" Trial: A legal battle over the teaching of evolution in schools, symbolizing the conflict between science/modernism and religious fundamentalism.The Second KKK: Unlike the Reconstruction-era KKK, this version was national, anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, and anti-Semitic, as well as anti-Black.Nativism: The National Origins Act of 1924 established strict quotas to limit immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and banned immigration from Asia entirely.The Harlem Renaissance: An explosion of African American artistic, literary, and musical (Jazz) expression that fostered a new black cultural identity.The Lost Generation: Writers like Fitzgerald and Hemingway who criticized the materialism and disillusionment of the post-war era.The Great Depression and the New DealEconomic Collapse and the New DealDefinition: The Great Depression (1929–1939) was the worst economic downturn in U.S. history. Franklin D. Roosevelt's (FDR) New Deal was a massive program of government spending and regulation designed to provide Relief, Recovery, and Reform.Rationale: The Depression shattered faith in Laissez-faire capitalism. The New Deal fundamentally redefined the relationship between the citizen and the state, making the federal government responsible for the social safety net.The Three Rs of the New DealRelief: Immediate aid to the unemployed (e.g., Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Works Progress Administration (WPA)).Recovery: Efforts to jumpstart the economy (e.g., Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) to raise crop prices by limiting production).Reform: Permanent changes to prevent future crashes (e.g., Social Security Act, Glass-Steagall Act/FDIC).Economic Visualization: The Keynesian ModelThe New Deal shifted the U.S. toward Keynesian Economics, where the government uses "deficit spending" to stimulate demand during a recession.= Consumption= Investment= Government Spending (The New Deal increased this significantly)= Net ExportsThe Multiplier Effect: The theory that an initial injection of government spending leads to a larger overall increase in national income.Where is the Marginal Propensity to Consume.Criticisms of the New Deal:From the Right: Critics argued it was "creeping socialism" and gave the president too much power (e.g., the Court-Packing Plan).From the Left: Figures like Huey Long ("Share Our Wealth") argued it didn't do enough to redistribute wealth.World War II and the Rise of the American SuperpowerFrom Isolationism to Global LeadershipDefinition: The U.S. response to the rise of totalitarianism in Europe and Asia, culminating in full participation in WWII following the attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941).Rationale: Despite strong isolationist sentiment (Neutrality Acts), the U.S. gradually moved toward helping the Allies through the Lend-Lease Act, eventually becoming the "Arsenal of Democracy."The Home Front and the End of the WarEconomic Boom: WWII spending effectively ended the Great Depression.Women and Minorities: "Rosie the Riveter" symbolized women entering the industrial workforce. The Double V Campaign sought victory over fascism abroad and racism at home.Japanese Internment: Executive Order 9066 authorized the forced relocation of Japanese Americans to camps; upheld by the Supreme Court in Korematsu v. United States.The Manhattan Project: The secret development of the atomic bomb, used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the war without a land invasion of Japan.