Progressive Era & Imperialism Study Guide Flashcards
What does imperialism mean?
the policy of gaining authority over other nations or acquiring colonies
How does imperialism relate to the US?
The US started to conquer more land to make more money, increase trade, spread Western ideals and culture, and because the strong were supposed to rule the weak
What was the Progressive Era in the United States aiming to fix from the Gilded Age?
Progressive reforms such as, poverty, child labor, factory safety, women’s rights, temperance & political corruption
What was the life of W.E.B. Dubois like?
-Born in 1868 Masachusetts
-Wanted immediate equality for blacks
-Thought black people shouldn’t have to earn equality
What was the life of Booker T. Washington like?
-Born a slave
-Thought that blacks could earn equality overtime through working
-Established Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
-Recieve partial white support
Why did the US become interested in gaining territories in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (Hawaii)?
-Sugar plantations were great for resources
-Acted as a stopping point for trade between America and Asia
-Gave the US a Pacific military presence
What were the problems facing American farmers during the Progressive Era?
Drought, crop/animal disease, expensive railroad costs, high tariffs/taxes, farmers being able to pay their mortgages, and falling prices for crops
How did supply and demand impact farmers?
Because the supply of crops was so high their prices dropped meaning less money for farmers
What was the overall goal of the Populist Party?
Help farmers get out of debt and give people a greater voice in government
What platforms did the Populist Party run under (what did they want)?
-Increase the nation’s money supply
-An 8-hour workday
-A graduated federal income tax
-Direct election of US senators
-Bimetallism
What industry did Ida Tarbell seek to change?
Oil monopolies
What industry did Upton Sinclair seek to change?
Meat Packing Industry
What book did Upton Sinclair write about the quality of the meat packing industry?
The Jungle
What industry did Jacob Riis seek to change?
Living conditions of the urban poor people
What industry did Ida B. Wells seek to change?
African American Justice - anti-lynching
Where does the name muckrakers come from?
Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech about the men and women who were “racking the muck” (exposing the negatives/undesirable side of working)
Which president was responsible for breaking ground on the Panama Canal?
Theodore Roosevelt
Why did the US want the Panama Canal opened so badly?
There wasn’t a waterway through North and South America so the Panama Canal would act as a great trade route
What is the concept of Yellow Journalism?
Exaggerating headlines to make them more appealing
How did Yellow Journalism lead to Americans supporting imperialism?
Blamed Spain for USS Maine exploding and called for war
What were the causes of the Spanish-American War?
The sudden explosion of the USS Maine and American support for Cuba Philippines fighting for independence from Spain
What are the effects of the Spanish-American War?
Treaty of Paris - Cuba becomes US Protectorate, Spain gives Guam and Puerto Rico to the US, and the US pays $120 million for the Philippines
The US becomes an imperial power
