Page 1 of 8
AP U.S. History, Chapter 23 Study Guide
Consider the “A Path Between the Seas” story: What did President Roosevelt’s embrace of the canal show?
What does it have to do with the ‘rise of industry’ and ‘political stalemate abroad’?
Progressive Diplomacy
Progressive diplomacy stresses ______________ and ________________
1902: U.S. Grants Cuba
independence
Cause:
_____- Roosevelt Corollary
Define it:
Highlight in the following speech from TR evidence that TR “assumes responsibility” in the Caribbean as Davidson says.
“It is not true that the United States feels any land hunger . . . All that this country desires is to see the neighboring countries stable, orderly, and
prosperous. Any nation that shows that it knows how to act with reasonable efficiency and decency in social and political matters, if it keeps order
and pays its [debts], it need fear no interference from the United States. Chronic wrongdoing, or a weakness which results in a general loosening of
the ties of civilized society, may … ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the western hemisphere the adherence of the
United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in [obvious] cases of such wrongdoing, or weakness, to the
exercise of an international police power.
Our interests and those of our southern neighbors are in reality identical. . . . We would interfere with them only in the last resort, and then only if
it became evident that their inability or unwillingness to do justice at home and abroad had violated the rights of the United States or had invited
foreign aggression to the detriment of the entire body of American nations.
. . . every nation, whether in America or anywhere else, which desires to maintain its freedom, its independence, must ultimately realize that the
right of such independence can not be separated from the responsibility of making good use of it.
… In asserting the Monroe Doctrine, in taking such steps as we have taken in regard to Cuba, Venezuela, and Panama, and in endeavoring to limit
the theater of war in the Far East, and to secure the open door in China, we have acted in our own interest as well as in the interest of humanity at
large.” - President Teddy Roosevelt’s Annual Message, December 6, 1904
_____ Treaty of Portsmouth
Results:
Japanese attitudes, as a result:
_____- “Gentlemen’s
Agreement”
_____ The “Great White Fleet”
makes a world tour.
Conspicuous stop in Japan.
Unintended consequence:
Who “said” this?
“substitute
dollars for
bullets”
What does he want you to understand?
The results?
Highlight Taft’s justification for his foreign policy:
“… national prosperity and power impose upon us duties which we cannot shirk if we are to be true to our ideals. With the development of
our industries, the foreign commerce of the United States must rapidly become a still more essential factor in its economic welfare. … The
diplomacy of the present administration has sought to respond to modern ideas of commercial intercourse … characterized as substituting
dollars for bullets. It is one that appeals alike to idealistic humanitarian sentiments, to the dictates of sound policy and strategy, and to
legitimate commercial aims.” – President William H. Taft, 1912
For discussion: how is Progressive domestic pragmatism demonstrated in Progressive’s Diplomacy?
Page 2 of 8
Woodrow Wilson and Moral Diplomacy
“In his eyes, exporting __________ and ____________ would promote __________, ______________,
and human advancement in the world.
For discussion: How is this like Wilson’s domestic progressivism?
Highlight the evidence in the excerpt below that Wilson is trying to use “moral diplomacy.”
“We are informed that, at the request of the last administration, a certain group of American bankers undertook to participate in the
loan now desired by the government of China (approximately $125 million). …This administration has declined to [continue this
arrangement] because … the implications of responsibility on its own part … The conditions of the loan seem to us to touch very
nearly the administrative independence of China itself; and this administration does not feel that it ought, even by implication, to be
a party to those conditions … which might [require U.S.] … in some unhappy contingency, of forcible interference in the affairs of
that great Oriental state … [this is] obnoxious to the principles upon which the government of our people rests.” - Woodrow
Wilson, "Repudiation of 'Dollar Diplomacy,'" 1913
Consider the time period in which Woodrow Wilson was President of the U.S.. Compare that time to the
map on page 665 – note the number and places of U.S.. What is the evidence that Wilson’s diplomacy
“could spread its gospel with steel as well as cash” ??



Intervention in Mexico – Davidson, et al., write that “a lingering crisis in Mexico
turned Wilson’s ‘moral diplomacy’ into a mockery.” What are specific ways in
which President Wilson did not practice ‘moral diplomacy’ in Mexico??




For discussion: In this 1917 cartoon , President Wilson lectures a stereotypical Mexican character.
Think about the artists opinion of Wilson, based on this pictoral opinion. Does it corroborate
Davidson’s analysis of Wilson’s Mexico policy?
For discussion: Wilson upheld his belief in “moral diplomacy” in Asia and the Caribbean.
For discussion: The diplomacy of the progressive presidents varied widely.
Page 3 of 8
The Road to War
Pay attention the deep roots of war in Europe, the event that sparks actual war, and who is on whose
side.
Wilson’s sees an opportunity for the U.S. to be a leader in the world. This is based on:



Why were some Americans on the British side?
Why were some Americans on the German side?
By __________ “true
neutrality was dead.”
_____- Germany
proclaims a
counter-blockade
around British Isles
The Lusitania is sunk
American had become
quartermaster (supplier) to the
Allies. Who is that?
Wilson’s reaction:
New worry:
Wilson’s reaction:
Bryan’s reaction:
_____- Sussex Pledge
Define it:
What Americans were “for peace” ?
Wilson’s statement:
What Americans were “for preparedness” ?
ELECTION OF 1916
__________ is the most important issue of the Presidential Election of 1916 and most Americans
want _____________________
Democrats’ candidate:
Republicans candidate:
Democrats’ slogan:
His position on the war:
January 31, 1917 – Germany announces:
Wilson reacts with:
British release the Zimmerman Telegram (define
it):
Wilson orders:
“We shall fight for the things we have always carried
nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those
who submit to authority to have a voice in their own
governments, for the rights and liberties of small
nations.”
What is Wilson asking from Congress with that
statement?
On April 6:
Algonquin (what happened):
Czar Nicholas II is _______, that means:
In his war message to congress on April 4, 1917, Wilson said that “Our object … is to vindicate the
principles of peace and justice against autocratic power and to set up among the self-governed peoples of
the world a concert of purpose and action to ensure the observance of those principles. Neutrality is no
longer desirable where the peace of the world is involved … The world must be made safe for democracy.
We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for
Page 4 of 8
ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make …” What is President Wilson’s
real reason to go to war? Given his record to date, shall we expect him to keep to that goal?
In the Senate debate in April, 1917, Senator George Norris stated: “No close student of recent history will
deny that both Great Britain and Germany have violated the rights of neutral vessels and neutral nations … The
reason given by the President in asking Congress to declare war against Germany is that the German government has
declared certain war zones, within which she sinks without notice American ships and destroys American lives. . . .
[but] The first war zone was declared by Great Britain. . . . both of these orders declaring military zones were illegal
… [we] officially protested against both … in the case of Germany we have persisted in our protest, while in the case
of England we have submitted. We have loaned many hundreds of millions of dollars to the Allies [that] has been
instrumental in bringing … us to the present moment, when Congress, urged by the President and backed by artificial
sentiment, is about to declare war … We are going into war upon the command of gold. We are going to run the risk
of sacrificing millions of our countrymen's lives in order that other countrymen may coin their lifeblood into money.
And even if we do not cross the Atlantic and go into the trenches, we are going to pile up a debt that the tolling
masses that shall come many generations after us will have to pay. Unborn millions will bend their backs in toil in
order to pay for the terrible step we are now about to take. We are about to do the bidding of wealth's terrible
mandate. By our act we will make millions of our countrymen suffer, and the consequences of it may well be that
millions of our brethren must shed their lifeblood … all because we want to preserve the commercial right of American
citizens to deliver munitions of war to belligerent nations.” Why does Senator Norris believe we are going to
war?
Page 5 of 8
War and Society
Pay attention to the conditions of “trench warfare.”
Notice that the Bolshevik revolution in November of 1917 ousts Czar Nicholas II, brings a communist government to
power in Russia, takes Russia out of the war, allows Germany to focus all its armies against the Western Front in
France, and turns the tide against the Allies. For the time being.
____ Congress passes the
Selective Service Act.
Define it:
Why did the House Speaker not like it?
Why did progressives like it?
Characteristics of U.S. Soldiers
Who:
Mexican Americans:
African Americans:
_____ The Houston Riot
For discussion: compare this army’s make up to that of the Revolution 1776-1783 and Civil War (union) 1860-1865.
What can that tell us about America at these times and how society was affected by the war?
The need to
organize society
to supply allies
and fight a
massive industrial
war.
Define each:
Selective Service Act
Results
The public debt:
War Industries Board
The economy became:
Food Administration
Antitrust suits:
Fuel Administration
Profits and production:
Railroad Administration
RR unions:
The size & power of the federal
government:
____ National War Labor Board
____ Women in Industry Service
____ “Great Migrations” of
Latinos and African Americans
Who said this?
“Once lead this people into war
and they will forget there was
ever such a thing as tolerance.”
What did he want us to understand?
For discussion: Paging Dr. Irony, Paging Dr. Irony …
1917 The
Specific things it did
Committee on
1)
Public Information
2)
3)
4)
Page 6 of 8
War fever drives “100 Percent Americanism”
(Kulzer Herbert Boley begins using only his initials)
and other
results for German-Americans:
_____ U.S. Espionage and
Sedition Acts
(Debs?)
The Sedition Amendment, May 1916, amendment to the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917.
“SECTION 3. Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully make or convey false reports or false
statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States,
or to promote the success of its enemies, or shall willfully make or convey false reports, or false statements, . . . or
incite insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or
shall willfully obstruct . . . the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, or . . . shall willfully utter, print,
write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United
States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States . . . or shall
willfully display the flag of any foreign enemy, or shall willfully . . . urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of
production . . . or advocate, teach, defend, or suggest the doing of any of the acts or things in this section
enumerated and whoever shall by word or act support or favor the cause of any country with which the United States
is at war or by word or act oppose the cause of the United States therein, shall be punished by a fine of not more
than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both....”
For discussion: According to the Sedition Amendment, what can U.S. citizens NOT do? When?
What, apparently, happened to lead to this
case?
Schenck v. United States (____)
Decision:
For discussion: What became of civil rights during the war? (Freedom of speech, freedom of press, due
process of law, equal protection of the law, and so on)
Page 7 of 8
The Lost Peace
_____- Wilson’s Fourteen Points French reaction:
Wilson’s vision for Notice how the key
provisions try to prevent the German reaction:
“peace without
specific causes that led to the
victory.”
war.
Date of armistice:
Note how Europe exits the war in “Disaster … Exhaustion … Revolution.” This will be a problem for the U.S. later on.
Pay attention to the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919, its spread and results. Yikes.
For discussion: Davidson, et al., write that “In the U.S., traditions of cooperation and volunteerism helped
government to organize the homefront and the battle front, often in progressive ways.” Selection 3-4 of
the above events/trends and explain how they show that. So … stifling civil rights in the name of
organization is a progressive thing, huh?
What countries were there?
What countries were NOT invited:
Note how, again, Wilson does not live up to his fine words in Murmansk and Vladivostok.
1919 peace
conference
in
Versailles,
France.
Wilson is disappointed in several ways
1)
2)
3) “guilt clause”: Germany gets blamed for the war.
4)
Wilson’s successes:
1)
2)
3)
**4)
Senate debate over Treaty of Versailles
Who is for the treaty?
Who is against the treaty?
Why?
Why?
What happens to the Versailles Treaty in the U.S.?
In this editorial from Rollin Kirby, 1920, “humanity”
calls down the judgment of heaven on a menacing
“U.S. Senate,” wielding a bloody sword, looming over a
beautiful “Treaty of Peace.” What does the author want
you to understand? Does his opinion corroborate
Davidson’s view of the fate of the treaty?
Page 8 of 8
1)
2)
The Red Scare
3)
1919-1920
4) A rash of bombings around the U.S.
Palmer Raids
Who ran them?
The Red
When:
Scare
At first …
Eventually …
For discussion: Wait, what? I thought war ended and there was a “peace” treaty. How is it that peace was lost?
Select three non-peaceful things from this section of the study guide and show how Davidson is right to call 19191921 a period where peace was lost.
AND THERE’S MORE ….
Page 688: What are the major results / changes of the “Great War”
In Europe:
In Russia:
In Germany:
In Japan:
Think about how the Civil War changed the U.S., other than the slave issue. Along the same lines, how
has World War I changed the United States?