Academic U.S. & Virginia History
Mr. Briscoe/Mr. Null
Name: ______________________________
Third Quarter
CLASS NOTES #23: AMERICAN DIPLOMACY: TR’S REALISM VS. WILSON’S IDEALISM
Part I: What should the United States do about the crisis in the Ukraine? Imagine that you have
been asked to give advice to President Obama – what would you advise him to do? Why?
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Part II: TR’S REALISM
As you watch the video excerpt from TR, write down at least four factors that characterize President
Theodore Roosevelt’s approach to foreign policy.
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In your opinion, did he do a good job with handling U.S. foreign policy? Why or why not?
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TR’s realist approach was characterized by:
Promotion of ___________________________________________________________
Embrace of _______________________________________________________ politics
Exertion of ______________________________________________________ (Caribbean & the Pacific)
America’s role: ________________________________________________________________________
Key document: ________________________________________________________________________
Quote: “_____________________________________________________________________________”
TR’s “Big Stick” Policies:
President Roosevelt (1901-09) pushed for a more active role for the United States in world affairs to
match its growing economic power
He supported a continued build-up of the U.S. Navy, resulting in the _____________________________
He asserted America’s interests in Latin America by issuing the _________________________________
to the Monroe Doctrine – asserting America’s right to intervene in the Western Hemisphere in order to
promote regional security and keep out “foreign” interference;
first applied to the ____________________________________________ in 1904-05
TR’s Foreign Policy Achievements:
In 1903, TR offered tacit support to ____________________________________ revolutionaries, making
possible a deal with Panama that resulted in America’s acquisition of the Canal Zone and construction of
the Panama Canal (completed by 1914); gave the U.S. Navy the ability to move quickly between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
In 1906, TR mediated the ____________________________________, which ended the Russo-Japanese
War and earned him a Noble Peace Prize
Both actions demonstrated his ______________________ approach to foreign policy, aimed at achieving
U.S. national interests through a mix of diplomacy and the use of force
Two Views of TR’s Diplomacy:
For your assigned political cartoon, work with your table partner to answer the following questions:
Title: ______________________________________________________________________(see page 3)
What stands out to you in the image? Identify at least three details and explain what they mean.
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________
What is the cartoon’s message about TR’s approach to American foreign policy?
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What event or events does the cartoon relate to during TR’s presidency?
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Image #1: Theodore Roosevelt and His Big Stick in the Caribbean, 1904
Image #2: The World’s Constable, 1905
Part III: WILSON’S IDEALISM
Wilson’s idealist approach was characterized by:
Promotion of _________________________________________________________________
Embrace of ___________________________________ and the concept of a global community of nations
Exertion of influence through ____________________________________ and international cooperation
(Wilson’s _______________________________________________)
America’s role: ________________________________________________________________________
Key Document: ______________________________________________________
Quote: “______________________________________________________________”
Wilson Promotes U.S. Ideals:
Wilson tried to preserve American ___________________________ in World War I, believing it was not
in America’s interests to be involved in an immoral “European” war
Eventually, the ______________________________(1915), the _________________________________
(1917), and unrestricted German submarine warfare led him to ask Congress to go to war by April 1917
He tried to respect _______________________________________________ neighbors but did intervene
militarily in countries such as Mexico and Haiti to protect American interests
Wilson’s ________________________________________:
In January 1918, Wilson presented his famous Fourteen Points, in which he laid out his ideal vision for
the post-war world
Read the document (provided separately) and summarize each of his main points in your own words:
I. _________________________________________________________________________________
II. _________________________________________________________________________________
III. ________________________________________________________________________________
IV. ________________________________________________________________________________
V. – XIII. ___________________________________________________________________________
XIV. _______________________________________________________________________________
The Treaty of Versailles:
After Germany agreed to an _____________________________ in November 1918, the victorious Allied
powers met in Paris to hammer out a peace treaty
Wilson led the U.S. delegation to the ______________________________________________ and joined
with the leaders of Britain, France, and Italy to create the “Big Four” who led the negotiations
Despite Wilson’s efforts to promote his _________________________, the Treaty of Versailles punished
Germany for her role in the war by including a “war-guilt” clause and requiring over $30 billion in
German reparations payments
Marshal Foch (French military leader): This is not a peace treaty, it’s a twenty-year ceasefire.”
The Treaty Ratification Fight:
Wilson returned home in 1919 to encourage the _____________________ to ratify the treaty but it
refused, citing concerns over Article X, which would possibly require the United States to provide
military support to the League of Nations in a crisis
Congress did not want to give up its power to _____________________ to an international organization
Wilson tried to encourage the American people to support ratification but suffered a stroke and remained
an invalid for the rest of his presidency - How would history have turned out differently if the United
States had been a member of the League of Nations?