Pre WW1 to Aftermath of Cold War
(including prominent figures, ideologies, significant periods)
❖ Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines
➢ Guam:
■ ceded to the US by Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American War.
■ unincorporated territory, residents granted US citizenship in 1950.
■ Acted as strategic military location in the Pacific
■ Chamorro, Spanish, and American.
➢ Puerto Rico:
■ also ceded to the US by Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American
War.
■ Puerto Rico's political status has had debates about whether it should
become a US state, gain independence, or maintain its current status as
an unincorporated territory.
■ Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917, but they don’t
have full voting rights in US elections.
■ Many Puerto Ricans served in the US armed forces.
➢ The Philippines:
■ also ceded to the US by Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American
War.
■ The US ruled the Philippines as a colony and protectorate until 1946,
when the Philippines gained independence.
■ During US rule, the Philippines was the site of a prolonged
Philippine-American War from 1899 to 1902.
■ The Philippines was an important strategic location for the US military
in the Pacific theater during World War II.
❖ Panama Canal
➢ Is a project in the early 20th century to connect the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans.
➢ In 1903, the US negotiated a treaty with Panama (which was then part of
Colombia) to gain control over a bit of land for the canal.
➢ Construction of Panama Canal began in 1904 and completed in 1914 after
challenges like disease outbreaks and labor issues (change leadership, bad
working conditions…)
➢ The canal help with transportation of goods and ppl.
➢ Bcuz of some treaty by Panamanians nationalism, the U.S. control over the
canal only lasted until 1999 cuz of Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977.
❖ Triple Wall of Privilege
, ➢ Woodrow Wilson's "Triple Wall of Privilege" speech talked abt tariff, banks
and trusts:
➢ Tariffs:
■ Wilson saw high tariff rates as protecting the interests of large
industrialists and corporations at the expense of smaller farmers and
consumers
■ He signed the Underwood-Simmons Act in 1913 to reduce tariff rates
➢ Banks:
■ He believed the banking system was being used by powerful financial
interests to keep economic privilege and control
■ He was concerned about the unfair control and power on smaller
banks.
➢ Trusts:
■ he worried about the rise of large corporate monopolies and trusts
➢ Overall it’s just that he’s worried abt bigger banks have too much power and
the smaller banks don’t have.
❖ 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th Amendments
➢ 16th Amendment (Ratified in 1913):
■ gave Congress the power to levy a federal income tax
■ before, main source of revenue was tariffs and excise taxes
■ allowed government to increase revenue, especially from wealthy ppl
which increased tax burden on middle and upper classes.
➢ 17th Amendment (Ratified in 1913):
■ direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote
■ Before, Senators were selected by state legislatures
■ Increase democracy
➢ 18th Amendment (ratified in 1919):
■ prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic
beverages
■ victory for the temperance movement (they think alcohol is reason why
society in disorder)
■ Led to organized crimes and speakeasies
■ later repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933
➢ 19th Amendment (ratified in 1920):
■ Give American women the right to vote and represent (except blacks)
❖ Presidents T. Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson
➢ President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909):
■ The first "modern" president
■ prominent trust-buster, using antitrust laws to break up large corporate
monopolies
■ Created consumer protection laws, workplace safety regulations, and
conservation efforts (“Square Deal”)
➢ President William Howard Taft (1909-1913):
, ■ Continued many of Roosevelt's progressive reforms and trust-busting
efforts
■ Took an even more aggressive approach to antitrust actions, filing 90
antitrust suits
■ Conflict took place between Taft and T. Roosevelt which eventually
led to a new Democratic successor after the 1912 election.
➢ President Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921):
■ Democratic successor, Wilson pursued a reform agenda called the
"New Freedom".
■ This targeted the "Triple Wall of Privilege" - tariffs, banks, and trusts
■ Wilson signed the Underwood-Simmons Act to reduce tariff rates
■ make rules for banks stricter, stop big companies from having too
much control, made laws against unfair business practices.
❖ World War I: 1914-1918; President Wilson
➢ World War I (1914-1918):
■ Began in 1914 after assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria by Serbian nationalist.
■ Major powers involved were Allied Powers (Britain, France, Russia,
Italy, Japan, later U.S.) against Central Powers (Germany,
Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria).
■ Things that escalated war: militarism, imperialism, nationalism, and
the system of alliances in Europe.
■ US at first neutral but then joined war because:
● Germany unrestricted submarine
● Zimmerman telegram (code Germany sent to Mexico to ally
AGAINST U.S.)
● Help allies defeat Germany
■ After years of stalemate on the Western Front, US entrance helped the
allies win by:
● General John J. Pershing aiding 2 million troops
● Financial and military aid
■ The war ended in 1918 with an Allied victory.
➢ President Woodrow Wilson's Role:
■ Wilson initially kept the United States neutral in the conflict.
■ but later led the U.S. to enter the war in 1917, to "make the world safe
for democracy."
■ Wilson wanted a post-war peace in his Fourteen Points, which called
for self-determination, free trade, and a League of Nations.
❖ 14 Points, Treaty of Versailles
➢ Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points:
➢ Speech presented in 1918:
■ no secret treaties
(including prominent figures, ideologies, significant periods)
❖ Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines
➢ Guam:
■ ceded to the US by Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American War.
■ unincorporated territory, residents granted US citizenship in 1950.
■ Acted as strategic military location in the Pacific
■ Chamorro, Spanish, and American.
➢ Puerto Rico:
■ also ceded to the US by Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American
War.
■ Puerto Rico's political status has had debates about whether it should
become a US state, gain independence, or maintain its current status as
an unincorporated territory.
■ Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917, but they don’t
have full voting rights in US elections.
■ Many Puerto Ricans served in the US armed forces.
➢ The Philippines:
■ also ceded to the US by Spain in 1898 after the Spanish-American
War.
■ The US ruled the Philippines as a colony and protectorate until 1946,
when the Philippines gained independence.
■ During US rule, the Philippines was the site of a prolonged
Philippine-American War from 1899 to 1902.
■ The Philippines was an important strategic location for the US military
in the Pacific theater during World War II.
❖ Panama Canal
➢ Is a project in the early 20th century to connect the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans.
➢ In 1903, the US negotiated a treaty with Panama (which was then part of
Colombia) to gain control over a bit of land for the canal.
➢ Construction of Panama Canal began in 1904 and completed in 1914 after
challenges like disease outbreaks and labor issues (change leadership, bad
working conditions…)
➢ The canal help with transportation of goods and ppl.
➢ Bcuz of some treaty by Panamanians nationalism, the U.S. control over the
canal only lasted until 1999 cuz of Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977.
❖ Triple Wall of Privilege
, ➢ Woodrow Wilson's "Triple Wall of Privilege" speech talked abt tariff, banks
and trusts:
➢ Tariffs:
■ Wilson saw high tariff rates as protecting the interests of large
industrialists and corporations at the expense of smaller farmers and
consumers
■ He signed the Underwood-Simmons Act in 1913 to reduce tariff rates
➢ Banks:
■ He believed the banking system was being used by powerful financial
interests to keep economic privilege and control
■ He was concerned about the unfair control and power on smaller
banks.
➢ Trusts:
■ he worried about the rise of large corporate monopolies and trusts
➢ Overall it’s just that he’s worried abt bigger banks have too much power and
the smaller banks don’t have.
❖ 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th Amendments
➢ 16th Amendment (Ratified in 1913):
■ gave Congress the power to levy a federal income tax
■ before, main source of revenue was tariffs and excise taxes
■ allowed government to increase revenue, especially from wealthy ppl
which increased tax burden on middle and upper classes.
➢ 17th Amendment (Ratified in 1913):
■ direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote
■ Before, Senators were selected by state legislatures
■ Increase democracy
➢ 18th Amendment (ratified in 1919):
■ prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic
beverages
■ victory for the temperance movement (they think alcohol is reason why
society in disorder)
■ Led to organized crimes and speakeasies
■ later repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933
➢ 19th Amendment (ratified in 1920):
■ Give American women the right to vote and represent (except blacks)
❖ Presidents T. Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson
➢ President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909):
■ The first "modern" president
■ prominent trust-buster, using antitrust laws to break up large corporate
monopolies
■ Created consumer protection laws, workplace safety regulations, and
conservation efforts (“Square Deal”)
➢ President William Howard Taft (1909-1913):
, ■ Continued many of Roosevelt's progressive reforms and trust-busting
efforts
■ Took an even more aggressive approach to antitrust actions, filing 90
antitrust suits
■ Conflict took place between Taft and T. Roosevelt which eventually
led to a new Democratic successor after the 1912 election.
➢ President Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921):
■ Democratic successor, Wilson pursued a reform agenda called the
"New Freedom".
■ This targeted the "Triple Wall of Privilege" - tariffs, banks, and trusts
■ Wilson signed the Underwood-Simmons Act to reduce tariff rates
■ make rules for banks stricter, stop big companies from having too
much control, made laws against unfair business practices.
❖ World War I: 1914-1918; President Wilson
➢ World War I (1914-1918):
■ Began in 1914 after assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
Austria by Serbian nationalist.
■ Major powers involved were Allied Powers (Britain, France, Russia,
Italy, Japan, later U.S.) against Central Powers (Germany,
Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria).
■ Things that escalated war: militarism, imperialism, nationalism, and
the system of alliances in Europe.
■ US at first neutral but then joined war because:
● Germany unrestricted submarine
● Zimmerman telegram (code Germany sent to Mexico to ally
AGAINST U.S.)
● Help allies defeat Germany
■ After years of stalemate on the Western Front, US entrance helped the
allies win by:
● General John J. Pershing aiding 2 million troops
● Financial and military aid
■ The war ended in 1918 with an Allied victory.
➢ President Woodrow Wilson's Role:
■ Wilson initially kept the United States neutral in the conflict.
■ but later led the U.S. to enter the war in 1917, to "make the world safe
for democracy."
■ Wilson wanted a post-war peace in his Fourteen Points, which called
for self-determination, free trade, and a League of Nations.
❖ 14 Points, Treaty of Versailles
➢ Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points:
➢ Speech presented in 1918:
■ no secret treaties
