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Sinking of the USS Maine
-The Maine was sent to Cuba to protect american citizens while the Cuban revolutionaries were fighting Spain for independence
-the newspaper writers on blamed Spain for the explosion so there was public uproar
-many Americans saw this as a chance to seize other overseas possessions and begin building an American empire -
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Expanding World Power
-in this time period, America changes their view from internal expansion & domestic issues to becoming a global force both economically & militarily -
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Theodore Roosevelt - Rough Riders
-Assistant secretary of the navy Theodore Roosevelt raised a volunteer force known as the "Rough Riders" acting with other army regiments they defeated Spanish forces at San Juan Hill in Cuba. -
Roosevelt Corollary
Theodore Roosevelt.
-convinced that all of Latin America was vulnerable to European attack
-president Roosevelt dusted of the Monroe Doctrine and added his own Corollary
-Monroe Doctrine blocked further expansion of Europe in the Western Hemisphere, Roosevelt Corollary went one step further
-was used to justify US intervention throughout the Hemisphere -
Sinking of Lusitania
-less than a year after World War (1914-18) erupted across Europe , a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania , a British ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool, England.
of the more than 1,900 passengers & crew members on board, nearly two years would pass before the United States formally entered World War 1 but the sinking of the Lusitania played a significant role in turning public opinion against Germany both in the United States & abroad -
German Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
-Germany declared the area around British Isles a war zone, which all ships would be attacked by the German navy. a string of attacks on merchant ships followed culminating in the sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat
-The incident prompted U.S. president Woodrow Wilson to send a note to the German government demanding an end to German attacks against unarmed merchant ships , and the German navy commanders, did not accept this degree of passivity & continued -
open door policy
-purpose of the policy was to give all nations equal rights when trading with china
-the treaty would oppose any attempts by other nations to use the rebellion as an example to dismember china
-this policy was the US attempt towards world power -
Sussex Pledge
-The Sussex Pledge was a promise mad in 1916 during WW1 by German to the U.S. prior to the latter's entry into the war. early in 1915 Germany had instituted a policy of unrestricted ships but not passenger ships to be torpedoed without warning -
Espionage Act
-the act was designed to crush subversion & silence critics of the war for those convicted of aiding the enemy obstructing military recruitment , protesting , conscription or say or doing anything to impede the war effort
-the maximum fine was up to $810,000 and 20 years in federal prison -
Zimmerman Telegram
-this was a message from the German Foreign Minister to mexico gov.
-the war between the US & Germany is published on the front pages of newspapers across america to help bring america into WW1 -
Battle of Aragonne Forest
-The AEF (American Expeditionary force) assembled 600,000 soldiers & 40,000 pieces of artillery
- a total of 1.2 million Americans were involved 117,000 were killed or wounded
-fought threw the Hilly Terrain shattered the German defenses and opened a hole in the german line
-final allied offensive of World War 1 that stretched along the entire western front to help end the war -
League of nations
-The treaty created the league of nations, an organization of nations pledged to defend each other against aggressors
-The united states congress denied president Wilson's 14 points along with the league nations
-The league was severely weakened when several major powers such as the united states & Russia failed to join it