PERIOD 7 Part 1
Periodization:
Prior to 1890, America's main events centered around expansion, the exponential rise of big business and the societal wage gap. However, leading up to and following 1890, the most influential people became progressives like muckrakers and women/labor rights advocators instead of big business owners and political machine leaders. Additionally, imperialism became the new Manifest Destiny, leading America out of an era of neutrality. Certain muckrakers led to a greater change than others. For instance, Jacob Riis essentially led to the Progressive Era, as he was the first muckraker, and showed how severe the wage gap in American society was. Another example of this is Upton Sinclair, who wrote The Jungle, which led to The Federal Meat Inspection Act just a year after his book was published. Other muckrakers like Ida Tarbell and Jane Addams led to full movements that were against monopolies and for women's rights/settlement housing, repsectively. The Progressive Era led to immense social change, as women gained the right to vote (thanks to Alice Paul and Jeanette Rankin, among others), and labor laws protecting children (thanks for Florence Kelley) were created. While the Progressive Era greatly impacted domestic policy, imperialism led to a new phase of American foreign policy. Previously, America was able to maintain their goal of neutrality as they were able to expand as needed with Manifest Destiny. However, once there was no more land in America to expand upon, the US looked outside to other countries, leading to the Spanish-American War. America was not alone in their imperialistic tendencies during this period, as other European countries, like Great Britain and Germany, wished to expand as well. Both Great Britain and Germany were rivals in this age of imperialism, and as they gained alliances from other countries and built up their military, a war became imminent. The assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie was spark to World War 1. Initially, America attempted to stay true to their policy of neutrality, but the opportunity to make money by trading with the countries at war was too great. Eventually, America was mostly trading with Great Britain, and, in response, Germany sent the Zimmerman Note to Mexico. The British intercepted and published it, leading to America joining the war on the side of the Allied Powers. At the end of the war, the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations is created, but the Senate refuses to ratify it.
Documents and political cartoons:
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Turning points:
Spanish-American WarA)Cuba wanted independence from Spain, US wanted to expand power, DeLome Letter & USS Maine explosion.
B)The US helped Cuba gain freedom from Spain. C)The US got the Philippines, American Samoa, and Guam. The Platt Amendment is put into Cuba's constitution. Marks the height of America's imperialistic phase. |
18th AmendmentA)Carrie Nation and other anti-alcohol/feminist advocates.
B)Prohibited alcohol. C)Led to gangsterism (Al Capone) and the increased support for women's suffrage. |
Assassination of Franz FerdinandA)Serbian extremists known as the Black Hand were salty about the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary and wanted to be part of Serbia instead.
B)Members of the Black Hand killed Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. C)World War 1 was sparked, as Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and then Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary, and then Germany declared war on Russia, etc. etc. |
Sinking of the LusitaniaA)Germans suspected the US of trading with England and other Allied Powers.
B)German U-boats sunk the Lusitania, a British passenger ship that was also carrying American passengers. C)The US declared war on Germany and entered WW1. |
Wilson's Fourteen PointsA)The desire to create a plan for when the war was over.
B)Essentially a way to prevent future wars and encourage peace. C)Created League of Nations, and while it didn't successfully prevent another world war, it set the inspired the creation of the United Nations following WW2. |
Parallels/Synthesis:
Rise of ConsumerismFollowing this period was a massive rise in consumerism, similar to the immense rise of commsumerism after WW2. Both of these also included more widespread use of technology, like cars or planes.
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Improvements in Military TechnologyIn WW1 there were multiple technological advancements, like the British tank and the German U-boat, similar to WW2 with the invention of the atomic bomb.
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League of nationsAt the end of WW1, the League of Nations was formed, similar to the formation of the United Nations after WW2. Both were created in hopes of preventing a world war, and both included England and France.
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