Lecture Notes: Period 7 (1890-1945)

Overview of Period 7

• Timeframe: 1890 to 1945, ending with World War II.
• Covers significant events in American history, 177% of the AUSH exam.
• Major themes: US expansion, imperialism, World War I & II, domestic reforms.

US Expansion and Imperialism (1890s-1917)

• Reasons for Expansion:
  • Closure of the frontier (Frederick Jackson Turner).
  • Economic motives: Industrial Revolution, open markets (e.g., China).
  • Political motives: Compete with Europe and Japan.
  • Military motives: Strategic interests, naval bases (Alfred T. Mahan).
  • Ideological motives: "Duty" to civilize other nations.
• Key Events:
  • US annexation of Hawaii.
  • Open Door Policy in China.
  • Spanish-American War: US gains Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Guam.
  • US-Philippines conflict, Roosevelt's Big Stick Policy, Taft's Dollar Diplomacy, Wilson's Moral Diplomacy.

US Role in World Affairs Pre-World War I

• US neutrality at the start of World War I.
• Entry into World War I (1917):
  • Sinking of Lusitania, Zimmerman Telegram.
  • Wilson's 14 Points, League of Nations rejection.

Interwar Years and Isolationism (1920s)

• Rejection of the League of Nations.
• Washington Naval Arms Deal, Kellogg-Brian Pact.
• Neutrality Acts, America First Committee (Charles Lindberg).
• Pearl Harbor attack leading to US entry into World War II (1941).

Domestic Politics and Progressive Era (1890s-1917)

• Progressive Era Reforms:
  • Response to economic instability, social inequality, political corruption.
  • Middle-class, urban focus, significant female participation.
  • Muckrakers: Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell.
  • Examples: Jane Adams' Hull House, Florence Kelly's National Consumer League, John Muir's Sierra Club.
  • Democratization: Wisconsin Idea, 17th Amendment.
  • Trust busting: Sherman Antitrust Act, Clayton Antitrust Act, Federal Reserve Bank.

1920s Economic and Social Changes

• Rise of large corporations, urbanization over rural living.
• New technology and consumer goods: Radio, vacuum, Model T.
• Cultural and Social Tensions:
  • Espionage and Sedition Acts during WWI.
  • Red Scare, Palmer Raids, Sacco-Vanzetti trial.
  • Immigration Act of 1924, Scopes Trial, Prohibition.
  • Race riots, KKK resurgence.

Great Depression and the New Deal (1933-1938)

• Focus on relief, recovery, reform.
• New Deal Programs: FDIC, SEC, AAA, WPA, CCC, Wagner Act, Social Security.
• Critiques of the New Deal: Huey Long, conservatives, Supreme Court challenges.
• Comparison with Progressive Era reforms.

World War II Impact

• Home Front:
  • Economic shift to war production, end of Great Depression.
  • Opportunities for women (Rosie the Riveter) and minority groups.
  • Tensions: Double Victory campaign, Executive Order 8802, Japanese internment, Zoot Suit Riots.
• Battlefield and International Dynamics:
  • Scientific advances: Atomic bomb, sonar.
  • US production as a key to Allied victory.
  • Post-war US role as a superpower, end of isolationism, UN membership.

Conclusion

• Period 7 covers crucial events and transformations in US history.
• Important to understand the themes and events for a strong grasp of the AUSH exam.