American Imperialism and World War I Lesson 18

As it became an industrial power, the United States also became a world power.

The Spanish American War In 1895, Cubans challenged Spanish rule. American business interests in Cuba were concerned about the uprising.

U.S.S. Maine Newspapers published stories that supported the Cuban rebels. In 1898, the US sent the battleship U.S.S. Maine to Havana, Cuba, to protect US businesses and citizens in Cuba.

U.S.S. Maine On February 15, 1898, the Maine exploded, killing 266 American sailors. Although the cause of the explosions was not clear, newspapers and the American public blamed Spain.

Rough Riders In April, the US declared war on Spain. Theodore Roosevelt, then assistant secretary of the Navy, helped assemble and lead a brigade of soldiers called the Rough Riders. The Rough Riders and the Navy quickly defeated the Spanish. On August 12, 1898, after the Spanish asked for peace, the two nations agreed to stop fighting.

Rough Riders

Spanish-American War On December 10, 1898, Spain signed a treaty with the United States. The treaty granted the US Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Cuba then became an independent country.

Tensions in the World By now, many Americans had grown tired of war. People began to favor isolationism. Isolationists believed the United States should avoid getting involved in wars and politics with other countries.

Imperialism At this time, many European empires were trying to gain power by seizing territories in Asia and Africa. This acquisition of territory is known as imperialism. This acquisition of territory is known as imperialism. Imperialism and isolationism are almost opposites.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand European nations made alliances to protect themselves from being taken over by imperialist nations. Then, in 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Bosnian Serb. Then, in 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Bosnian Serb.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand The Bosnian Serb was a member of the Serbian nationalist group the Black Hand. Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary had an alliance with Germany. In response to the assassination, Austria- Hungary declared war on Serbia. Serbia had an alliance with Russia.

The war begins… This was the beginning of World War I between the Central Powers and the Allied Powers.

Central Powers Austria-HungaryGermanyBulgaria Ottoman Empire (Turkey)

Allied Powers Great Britain RussiaFranceItalyJapanSerbiaBelgium

By the war’s end, a total of 28 nations supported the Allied Powers, although many did not participate in the fighting.

The United States and the World Woodrow Wilson was president of the US when World War I broke out. President Wilson declared that the US would remain neutral. This meant that the US would not join either side.

America was going to remain an isolationist country.

Germans During World War I, the Germans used submarines called U-boats. The U-boats attacked merchant ships.

Lusitania In 1915, a German U- boat sank a passenger ship called the Lusitania. This attack killed almost 1200 people, including 124 Americans. The Germans said the ship was carrying weapons, but it was unarmed.

Zimmerman Telegram Still, President Wilson tried to keep peace with Germany. Then a note was discovered and printed in newspapers. It suggested an alliance between Mexico and Germany against the US.

Zimmerman Telegram This note is known as the Zimmerman telegram.

Zimmerman Telegram For Your Excellency’s personal information and to be handed on to the Imperial Minister in Mexico

Zimmerman Telegram We intend to begin unrestricted submarine warfare on the first of February. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of an alliance on the following basis: Make war together, make peace together, generous financial support, and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement detail is left to you.

Zimmerman Telegram You will inform the President of Mexico of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves.

Zimmerman Telegram Please call the President’s attention to the fact that the unrestricted employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England to make peace within a few months. Acknowledge receipt. German Foreign Minister Zimmerman

The US Enters the War On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany and joined the Allied forces. When the US entered World War I, it was faced with a new kind of war. Submarines, airplanes, mustard gas, armored tanks, and trench warfare made WW I different from any previous war.

Trench warfare Trench warfare was a form of war where opposing sides dug trenches. Soldiers stayed in the trenches to try and protect their positions. Trenches stretched for up to 400 miles. The area in between the two trenches was called no man’s land.

Trench warfare

Peace On November 11, 1918, at 11:00 a.m., an armistice, or truce, ended the war. The US lost 116,516 soldiers in the war. The total casualties for the war were close to 10,000,000 soldiers dead, more than 21,000,000 wounded, and upwards of 13,000,000 civilian deaths from various causes.

Peace With such great loses, President Wilson began to think about how to keep such a war from ever happening again.

1. How did the role of the United States change during World War I? A. The United States moved away from imperialism toward isolationism. B. The United States refused to form any alliances. C. The United States moved away from being neutral and became an Allied power. D. The United States formed an alliance with the German government.

1. How did the role of the United States change during World War I? C. The United States moved away from being neutral and became an Allied power.

2. Why did the Spanish-American War begin? A. Theodore Roosevelt attacked Cuba. B. The United States wanted to help Cuba become an independent country. C. The battleship Maine exploded killing many American sailors. D. The United States wanted to acquire more territories.

2. Why did the Spanish-American War begin? C. The battleship Maine exploded killing many American sailors.

3. What did many people in the United States want after the Spanish-American War ended? A. They wanted to make Spain a colony of the US. B. They wanted the US to stay out of wars and politics with other countries. C. They wanted the Rough Riders to lead the country in another war. D. They wanted the US government to gain more power in the world.

3. What did many people in the United States want after the Spanish-American War ended? B. They wanted the US to stay out of wars and politics with other countries.