Period 7 Flashcards
(82 cards)
Imperalism
The expansion of one country’s political, economic and military influence over another country.
William Seward
Lincoln and then Johnson’s secretary of state who proposed the purchasing of Alaska. (Later called Sewards folly/Sewards icebox.) The purchase was looked at as useless, until the discovery of gold in 1898.
The infulence of sea power
Published in 1890 by Alfred Thayer Mahan, argued that powerful countries gained superiority through a robust navy. Because of his argument, Congress approved the expansion of the US Navy.
Anti-imperalist
They argued for the self-determination of Nations, to not get involved with worldly affairs, (Washington) it was also motivated by racial biases as imperalism implied entanglements with “inferiors”
Spanish-American war
Cuba was still under Spanish imperial rule. It was a brief battle fought between Spain and America, America came out victorious marked a turnign point in American imperalism and its role on the global stage.
Yellow-journalism
Sensationalist journalists and newspapers (Joseph Puitizer and Randolph Hearst) who often exaggerated events to sway public opinion and sell newspaper. During the Spanish-American war events tettered on the edge of truthfulness, to encourage American intervention.
U.S.S Maine
The U.S.S Maine exploded ashore Havana Harbor, killing over 200 Americans. Yellow journalists of the time often blamed the Spanish. (The true cause of the explosion was purely accidental.)
McKinley Ultimatium
Due to pressures from the American public, President Mckinley issued an Ultimatium, which Spain agreed to. However, war was still declared. (The US won the short war.)
Cuba post-Spanish Am war
Cuba was forced to add the Platt amendment to their consitution to the new Cuban government. Naval base in Guantanmo bay, and US involvment in Cuban foreign affairs.
Platt Amendment
Allowed for the US to intervene militarily in Cuba if American economic interest was threatend, established a naval base in Guantanmo bay.
Annexation of the Philiphines
Aided in the overthrowing the Spanish rule, the Philiphines was ceeded to the United States for 20 million dollars
Open door policy
China was split into spheres of influence controlled by different nations. Open-door policy proposed by John Hay sought to share trading previliges with the nations.
Progressive’s main goal
Society on some level was deteriorating and the only cure was signficant government intervention.
Muckrakers
journalists and novelists of the Progressive Era who sought to expose corruption in big business and government
The Jungle
The Jungle is a novel written by Upton Sinclair, published in 1906, which exposes the harsh conditions and exploitation of immigrant workers in the meatpacking industry in Chicago. (Example of muckraking)
Jacob Riis
His book “How the other half Lives” Exposes the unsanitary and disease ridden tenement housing in New York City who were largely occupied by the poor and working class.
Secret voting
Progressives adovcated for this. Prior to this, voting was done in public. This was done to challenge and diabilitate political machines.
Direct election of senators/17th amendment
Also pushed for by the progressives. Consitiuionally senators were elected by state legislatures, however senators were often corrupt being paid by tycoons of the day. Now, the people directly elected senators.
18th amendment/prohibition
Pushed for largely by women, Anti-Saloon League, and American temperance society. Progressives assumed it would fix societal ills.
19th amendment
Gave women suffrage. However, its ratification was largely a disappointment to feminists, as women did not vote as blocs but with their husbands and fathers. Futhemore, there was low voter turn out among women.
Initiative & Referendum
Initiative: Voters could require legislators to consider a bill they chose to ignore.
Referendum: which allowed people to vote on the adoption of proposed legislation.
Gentlemen’s agreement
An agreement that was negotiated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 with the Japanese government. The Japanese agreed to limit immigration, and Roosevelt agreed to discuss with the San Francisco School Board that segregation of Japanese children in school would be stopped.
Recall
Remove corrupt politicians before their term was complete.
Taylorism
The principle of breaking down production into simple steps, so unskilled workers could be utilized, and thus paid less. (Frederick Taylor - Scientific management)
