6 POINTS
Content
1. Hawaii
But the major object of American expansion in the Pacific was Hawai’i. Since the 1850s the independent
kingdom of Hawai’i had looked to the United States for protection against other colonial powers. It
signed a trade agreement with the United States in 1875, and in 1887 it granted the United States the right
to construct a naval base at Pearl Harbor, on the island of Oahu. By the 1880s, American businessmen
had acquired a majority of the island’s wealth through heavy investment in Hawaiian sugar plantations.
And in 1887, American settlers staged a nonviolent coup to transfer power from the Hawaiian monarchy
to the legislature, which the settlers had elected and thus had some control over.
Using Texas as a model, Dole’s rebels remained in control of what they now called the Republic of
Hawai’i and continued to agitate for incorporation into the United States. The rebels succeeded in 1898,
when America, embroiled in a Pacific war against Spain, rediscovered the strategic importance of Pearl
Harbor. Congress approved the annexation of Hawai’i, and, in 1900, the islands’ people became U.S.
citizens.
2. Progressives
The Progressives were composed mainly of middle-class men and women, most of whom lived in
Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York.
Turn-of-the-twentieth-century Progressivism began with a specific agenda: to clean up the nation’s cities.
But the social and political movement grew from there. Progressivism included reforms on state and
national levels, including efforts to mitigate poverty, institute labor reform, create greater worker
efficiency, and improve the unsatisfactory conditions of urban housing. Borrowing from the Populists,
Progressives also worked to create a more democratic political process. They also sought greater
government regulation of industry, the development of conservation efforts like the creation of national
parks, and the use of experts to help solve persistent social problems. Indeed, the Progressives cast their
nets so widely that some historians have debated the very utility of the word progressive. In general, it is
an umbrella term for a host of changes demanded largely by the middle class to rein in the worst abuses of
the Industrial Age. Its focus was on the search for stability, efficiency, and democracy within a rapidly
changing world. The Progressives’ demands propelled them into the political spotlight from the 1890s
until the end of the First World War in 1918. Of the three initial waves of reform that emerged in the late
nineteenth century, the Progressives were the most influential.
The Social Gospel Movement
Beginning in the 1880s, Protestant ministers responded to the problems of industrialized society by
fighting for social justice, concentrating on ending poverty and prostitution. Ministers like Washington
Gladden and Walter Rauschenbusch became nationally known leaders of the Social Gospel movement,
and their actions prompted many concerned middle-class citizens to fight for Progressive reform.
Women
Progressive reform particularly attracted urban middle-class women. By the late nineteenth century, many
women were well educated, and many in this first generation of college graduates ignored traditional
social norms and worked outside the home. These women were schoolteachers, nurses, librarians,
business clerks, typists, and doctors.
Women thus became involved in the public arena as part of their domestic responsibilities. One of the
best-known Progressive reformers, Jane Addams, referred to her work as “municipal housekeeping.” But
Addams was not alone. Women were some of the most active reformers of the Progressive era. For
example, nurse Margaret Sanger pushed to increase the advertising and availability of contraception.
Journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett led the antilynching crusade to stop violence against African Americans.
And Alice Paul and others fought for female suffrage on the grounds that women’s new role in the public
world demanded that they have the right to vote.
3. Industrialization
Industrialization played a key role in the nation’s advances, and both the Civil War and a core group of
innovative, aggressive, farsighted, and opportunistic entrepreneurs were the main stimulants of growth.
They embodied the optimism and inventiveness of the late nineteenth century, although they often pushed
too far and engaged in practices we now see as unethical and corrupt, leaving wide gaps between the rich
and the poor, between black and white, and between immigrant and native.
The Industrial Revolution can be defined as a transformation in the way goods were made and sold, as
American businessmen between 1865 and 1915 used continuing technological breakthroughs and creative
financing to bring greater efficiency to their businesses, which dramatically expanded their markets and
their ability to produce goods. The effects of this transformation were felt outside the business world,
resulting in two key social transitions: (1) more and more Americans left farming to work in factories or
retail, which spurred the rapid growth of cities; and (2) the American economy became dominated less by
family businesses and more and more by large-scale corporate firms. Thus, many historians cite the late
nineteenth century as the birth of modern industrialized America. One historian has pinpointed these
years as the time when Americans physically and intellectually left behind the small, localized “island
communities” that dotted the United States before the Civil War and confronted the large, polyglot nature
of the American nation.
The Civil War. Production needs during the Civil War stimulated industrial development, particularly in
the North. For example, the Union Army’s high demand for food fueled the expansion of western farms.
Clothing and shoe manufacturers were encouraged to produce more goods faster. And the government
offered huge wartime contracts for uniforms, shoes, weapons, food, and other commodities, sparking
breakthroughs in their manufacture.
Government support. Besides purchasing goods for its troops, Congress took advantage of the absence of
southerners in the House and the Senate to pass a series of national internal improvement projects. The
most majestic of these was the first transcontinental railroad. In July 1862, Congress offered enormous
financial incentives to the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad companies to complete
the expansive task. This transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, and, over the next twenty years,
legendary business moguls erected other transcontinental lines, often with financial incentives from the
federal government. The federal government also supported scientific training and research, developed
the first national currency and tax system, and made possible the construction of the first land grant
universities (such as Michigan State University and Rutgers)—all evidence of the federal government’s
willingness to midwife the Industrial Revolution. In the end, government support of the building
infrastructure allowed goods and information to travel more quickly and efficiently to wider markets.
Technological breakthroughs. An abundance of scientific developments also contributed to the expansion
of big business, and again, the Civil War was the transitional moment. For example, the need to move
meat from one place to another in order to feed Union soldiers prompted the creation of refrigerated
railroad cars. By 1878, inventors had perfected the cars, which permitted long-distance transfer of
numerous perishable goods. This, of course, allowed for the development of new towns in the West—so
long as they were close to the railroad lines.
4. WWI
There were unauthorized German submarines along the US East coast. Germany's resumption of
unrestricted submarine warfare in the spring of 1917 provided the final straw for US politicians,
and America declared war.
The first and foremost answer would be the sinking of the Lusitania, an British cruise/transport
ship, bound for Britain from New York. The German U-boat ring sought to sink all supply ships
headed for Britain in order to starve the island. It sank the Lusitania as part of its efforts. 1195
people died, including 128 Americans.
The Lusitania's sinking was the biggest influence on the American decision to enter the war.
German submarine warfare (the Lusitania is included in this) sunk many ships over several
years.
Had it not been for the Lusitania, the US would have stayed out of the War.
Disagreements in Europe over territory and boundaries, among other issues, came to a head with the
assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria by a Serbian zealot on June 28, 1914. Exactly one
month later, war broke out. In 1915, the British passenger liner the Lusitania was sunk by a German
submarine, killing 128 Americans and further heightening tensions. By the end of 1915, Austria-Hungary,
Bulgaria, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire were battling the Allied Powers of Britain, France, Russia,
Italy, Belgium, Serbia, Montenegro and Japan. In 1917, the U.S. entered the war. Germany formally
surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were
negotiated.
The war brought about change in America. For example, women, many of whom had been active
supporters of the war to preserve democracy (like the dedicated Moms in this photo), finally got the right
to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. How else does war always change a
country?
5. The New Deal
The New Deal was the set of federal programs launched by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt after taking office in 1933, in response to the calamity of the Great Depression.
New Deal Initiative:
Description:
Right after taking office as President, FDR shut down all of the banks in the nation and
Emergency Banking
Congress passed the Emergency Banking Act which gave the government the opportunity to
Act/Federal Deposit Insurance
inspect the health of all banks. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was
Corporation (FDIC )
formed by Congress to insure deposits up to $5000.
Federal Emergency Relief
Administration (FERA)
Led by Harry Hopkins, a former social worker, this agency sent funds to depleting local
relief agencies. Within two hours, $5 million were given out. Mr. Hopkins believed that men
should be put to work and not be given charity. His program also funded public work
programs.
Civil Works Administration
(CWA)
This public work program gave the unemployed jobs building or repairing roads, parks,
airports, etc.
Civilian Conservation Corps
(CCC)
This environmental program put 2.5 million unmarried men to work maintaining and
restoring forests, beaches, and parks. Workers earned only $1 a day but received free board
and job training . From 1934 to 1937, this program funded similar programs for 8,500
women.
Indian Reorganization Act of
1934
This act ended the sale of tribal lands and restored ownership of unallocated lands to
Native American groups.
National Industrial Recovery
Act (NIRA) of June 1933
The decline in the industrial prices in 1930s caused business failures and unemployment.
The NIRA was formed in order to boost the declining prices, helping businesses and
workers. The NIRA also allowed trade associations in many industries to write codes
regulating wages, working conditions, production, and prices. It also set a minimum wage.
Public Works Association
(PWA)
The PWA launched projects such as the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River.
Federal Securities Act of May This act required full disclosure of information on stocks being sold. The SEC regulated the
1933/ Securities and Exchange stock market. Congress also gave the Federal Reserve Board the power to regulate the
Commission (SEC)
purchase of stock on margin.
Home Owners Loan
Corporation (HOLC) /
Agriculture Adjustment
Administration (AAA)
In order to help people keep their houses, the HOLC refinancedmortgages of middleincome home owners. The AAA tried to raise farm prices. It used proceeds from a new tax
to pay farmers not to raise specific crops and animals. Lower production would, in turn,
increase prices.
Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA) (May 1993)
The TVA helped farmers and created jobs in one of America s least modernized areas.
Works Progress Administration This agency provided work for 8 million Americans. The WPA constructed or repaired
(WPA) 1935-1943
schools, hospitals, airfields, etc.
Farm Security Administration
(FSA)
The FSA loaned more than $1 billion to farmers and set up camps for migrant workers.
National Labor Relations Act
(Wagner Act)
It legalized practices allowed only unevenly in the past, such as closed shops in which only
union members can work and collective bargain. The act also set up the National Labor
Relations Board (NLRB) to enforce its provisions
Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938
This banned child labor and set a minimum wage.
Social Security Act
This act established a system that provided old-age pensions for workers, survivors benefits
for victims of industrial accidents, unemployment insurance, and aid for dependent mothers
and children, the blind and physically disabled.
6. Similarities between WWI & WWII
First, both wars were caused by the efforts of some countries to change the international order
and the efforts of other countries to prevent that. For example, Germany wanted more power for
itself before both wars and other countries wanted to keep it from having power.
Second, both wars were "total wars" that were won by the side that could manufacture the most
weapons.
Finally, both were wars that ended with victories for the countries that had dominated the world
order before the war. In other words, the insurgent countries lost both wars.
But the major object of American expansion in the Pacific was Hawai’i. Since the 1850s the independent
kingdom of Hawai’i had looked to the United States for protection against other colonial powers. It
signed a trade agreement with the United States in 1875, and in 1887 it granted the United States the right
to construct a naval base at Pearl Harbor, on the island of Oahu. By the 1880s, American businessmen
had acquired a majority of the island’s wealth through heavy investment in Hawaiian sugar plantations.
And in 1887, American settlers staged a nonviolent coup to transfer power from the Hawaiian monarchy
to the legislature, which the settlers had elected and thus had some control over.
Using Texas as a model, Dole’s rebels remained in control of what they now called the Republic of
Hawai’i and continued to agitate for incorporation into the United States. The rebels succeeded in 1898,
when America, embroiled in a Pacific war against Spain, rediscovered the strategic importance of Pearl
Harbor. Congress approved the annexation of Hawai’i, and, in 1900, the islands’ people became U.S.
citizens.
2. Progressives
The Progressives were composed mainly of middle-class men and women, most of whom lived in
Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York.
Turn-of-the-twentieth-century Progressivism began with a specific agenda: to clean up the nation’s cities.
But the social and political movement grew from there. Progressivism included reforms on state and
national levels, including efforts to mitigate poverty, institute labor reform, create greater worker
efficiency, and improve the unsatisfactory conditions of urban housing. Borrowing from the Populists,
Progressives also worked to create a more democratic political process. They also sought greater
government regulation of industry, the development of conservation efforts like the creation of national
parks, and the use of experts to help solve persistent social problems. Indeed, the Progressives cast their
nets so widely that some historians have debated the very utility of the word progressive. In general, it is
an umbrella term for a host of changes demanded largely by the middle class to rein in the worst abuses of
the Industrial Age. Its focus was on the search for stability, efficiency, and democracy within a rapidly
changing world. The Progressives’ demands propelled them into the political spotlight from the 1890s
until the end of the First World War in 1918. Of the three initial waves of reform that emerged in the late
nineteenth century, the Progressives were the most influential.
The Social Gospel Movement
Beginning in the 1880s, Protestant ministers responded to the problems of industrialized society by
fighting for social justice, concentrating on ending poverty and prostitution. Ministers like Washington
Gladden and Walter Rauschenbusch became nationally known leaders of the Social Gospel movement,
and their actions prompted many concerned middle-class citizens to fight for Progressive reform.
Women
Progressive reform particularly attracted urban middle-class women. By the late nineteenth century, many
women were well educated, and many in this first generation of college graduates ignored traditional
social norms and worked outside the home. These women were schoolteachers, nurses, librarians,
business clerks, typists, and doctors.
Women thus became involved in the public arena as part of their domestic responsibilities. One of the
best-known Progressive reformers, Jane Addams, referred to her work as “municipal housekeeping.” But
Addams was not alone. Women were some of the most active reformers of the Progressive era. For
example, nurse Margaret Sanger pushed to increase the advertising and availability of contraception.
Journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett led the antilynching crusade to stop violence against African Americans.
And Alice Paul and others fought for female suffrage on the grounds that women’s new role in the public
world demanded that they have the right to vote.
3. Industrialization
Industrialization played a key role in the nation’s advances, and both the Civil War and a core group of
innovative, aggressive, farsighted, and opportunistic entrepreneurs were the main stimulants of growth.
They embodied the optimism and inventiveness of the late nineteenth century, although they often pushed
too far and engaged in practices we now see as unethical and corrupt, leaving wide gaps between the rich
and the poor, between black and white, and between immigrant and native.
The Industrial Revolution can be defined as a transformation in the way goods were made and sold, as
American businessmen between 1865 and 1915 used continuing technological breakthroughs and creative
financing to bring greater efficiency to their businesses, which dramatically expanded their markets and
their ability to produce goods. The effects of this transformation were felt outside the business world,
resulting in two key social transitions: (1) more and more Americans left farming to work in factories or
retail, which spurred the rapid growth of cities; and (2) the American economy became dominated less by
family businesses and more and more by large-scale corporate firms. Thus, many historians cite the late
nineteenth century as the birth of modern industrialized America. One historian has pinpointed these
years as the time when Americans physically and intellectually left behind the small, localized “island
communities” that dotted the United States before the Civil War and confronted the large, polyglot nature
of the American nation.
The Civil War. Production needs during the Civil War stimulated industrial development, particularly in
the North. For example, the Union Army’s high demand for food fueled the expansion of western farms.
Clothing and shoe manufacturers were encouraged to produce more goods faster. And the government
offered huge wartime contracts for uniforms, shoes, weapons, food, and other commodities, sparking
breakthroughs in their manufacture.
Government support. Besides purchasing goods for its troops, Congress took advantage of the absence of
southerners in the House and the Senate to pass a series of national internal improvement projects. The
most majestic of these was the first transcontinental railroad. In July 1862, Congress offered enormous
financial incentives to the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad companies to complete
the expansive task. This transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, and, over the next twenty years,
legendary business moguls erected other transcontinental lines, often with financial incentives from the
federal government. The federal government also supported scientific training and research, developed
the first national currency and tax system, and made possible the construction of the first land grant
universities (such as Michigan State University and Rutgers)—all evidence of the federal government’s
willingness to midwife the Industrial Revolution. In the end, government support of the building
infrastructure allowed goods and information to travel more quickly and efficiently to wider markets.
Technological breakthroughs. An abundance of scientific developments also contributed to the expansion
of big business, and again, the Civil War was the transitional moment. For example, the need to move
meat from one place to another in order to feed Union soldiers prompted the creation of refrigerated
railroad cars. By 1878, inventors had perfected the cars, which permitted long-distance transfer of
numerous perishable goods. This, of course, allowed for the development of new towns in the West—so
long as they were close to the railroad lines.
4. WWI
There were unauthorized German submarines along the US East coast. Germany's resumption of
unrestricted submarine warfare in the spring of 1917 provided the final straw for US politicians,
and America declared war.
The first and foremost answer would be the sinking of the Lusitania, an British cruise/transport
ship, bound for Britain from New York. The German U-boat ring sought to sink all supply ships
headed for Britain in order to starve the island. It sank the Lusitania as part of its efforts. 1195
people died, including 128 Americans.
The Lusitania's sinking was the biggest influence on the American decision to enter the war.
German submarine warfare (the Lusitania is included in this) sunk many ships over several
years.
Had it not been for the Lusitania, the US would have stayed out of the War.
Disagreements in Europe over territory and boundaries, among other issues, came to a head with the
assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria by a Serbian zealot on June 28, 1914. Exactly one
month later, war broke out. In 1915, the British passenger liner the Lusitania was sunk by a German
submarine, killing 128 Americans and further heightening tensions. By the end of 1915, Austria-Hungary,
Bulgaria, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire were battling the Allied Powers of Britain, France, Russia,
Italy, Belgium, Serbia, Montenegro and Japan. In 1917, the U.S. entered the war. Germany formally
surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were
negotiated.
The war brought about change in America. For example, women, many of whom had been active
supporters of the war to preserve democracy (like the dedicated Moms in this photo), finally got the right
to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. How else does war always change a
country?
5. The New Deal
The New Deal was the set of federal programs launched by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt after taking office in 1933, in response to the calamity of the Great Depression.
New Deal Initiative:
Description:
Right after taking office as President, FDR shut down all of the banks in the nation and
Emergency Banking
Congress passed the Emergency Banking Act which gave the government the opportunity to
Act/Federal Deposit Insurance
inspect the health of all banks. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was
Corporation (FDIC )
formed by Congress to insure deposits up to $5000.
Federal Emergency Relief
Administration (FERA)
Led by Harry Hopkins, a former social worker, this agency sent funds to depleting local
relief agencies. Within two hours, $5 million were given out. Mr. Hopkins believed that men
should be put to work and not be given charity. His program also funded public work
programs.
Civil Works Administration
(CWA)
This public work program gave the unemployed jobs building or repairing roads, parks,
airports, etc.
Civilian Conservation Corps
(CCC)
This environmental program put 2.5 million unmarried men to work maintaining and
restoring forests, beaches, and parks. Workers earned only $1 a day but received free board
and job training . From 1934 to 1937, this program funded similar programs for 8,500
women.
Indian Reorganization Act of
1934
This act ended the sale of tribal lands and restored ownership of unallocated lands to
Native American groups.
National Industrial Recovery
Act (NIRA) of June 1933
The decline in the industrial prices in 1930s caused business failures and unemployment.
The NIRA was formed in order to boost the declining prices, helping businesses and
workers. The NIRA also allowed trade associations in many industries to write codes
regulating wages, working conditions, production, and prices. It also set a minimum wage.
Public Works Association
(PWA)
The PWA launched projects such as the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River.
Federal Securities Act of May This act required full disclosure of information on stocks being sold. The SEC regulated the
1933/ Securities and Exchange stock market. Congress also gave the Federal Reserve Board the power to regulate the
Commission (SEC)
purchase of stock on margin.
Home Owners Loan
Corporation (HOLC) /
Agriculture Adjustment
Administration (AAA)
In order to help people keep their houses, the HOLC refinancedmortgages of middleincome home owners. The AAA tried to raise farm prices. It used proceeds from a new tax
to pay farmers not to raise specific crops and animals. Lower production would, in turn,
increase prices.
Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA) (May 1993)
The TVA helped farmers and created jobs in one of America s least modernized areas.
Works Progress Administration This agency provided work for 8 million Americans. The WPA constructed or repaired
(WPA) 1935-1943
schools, hospitals, airfields, etc.
Farm Security Administration
(FSA)
The FSA loaned more than $1 billion to farmers and set up camps for migrant workers.
National Labor Relations Act
(Wagner Act)
It legalized practices allowed only unevenly in the past, such as closed shops in which only
union members can work and collective bargain. The act also set up the National Labor
Relations Board (NLRB) to enforce its provisions
Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938
This banned child labor and set a minimum wage.
Social Security Act
This act established a system that provided old-age pensions for workers, survivors benefits
for victims of industrial accidents, unemployment insurance, and aid for dependent mothers
and children, the blind and physically disabled.
6. Similarities between WWI & WWII
First, both wars were caused by the efforts of some countries to change the international order
and the efforts of other countries to prevent that. For example, Germany wanted more power for
itself before both wars and other countries wanted to keep it from having power.
Second, both wars were "total wars" that were won by the side that could manufacture the most
weapons.
Finally, both were wars that ended with victories for the countries that had dominated the world
order before the war. In other words, the insurgent countries lost both wars.
