US Imperialism SSUSH14

What type of journalism is this political cartoon criticizing?

• Tabloid journalism
• Yellow journalism
• Investigative journalism
• For-profit journalism

Answer explanation

Hearst and Pulitzer are depicted as the Yellow Kid, a popular cartoon character that gave rise to the term yellow journalism. Yellow journalism used lies, exaggeration, and personal attacks to increase readership. One of the many negative effects of such publications was to increase public support for war with Spain.

What does President McKinley's speech about the US taking the Philippines as a territory show about how the US viewed itself?

• The US viewed itself as a weak nation incapable of handling global affairs.
• The US viewed itself as a nation focused solely on domestic issues.
• The US viewed itself as a powerful nation that was culturally superior

• The US viewed itself as a nation that should isolate itself from the rest of the world.

Answer explanation

Social Darwinist ideology and the belief that the United States was morally and culturally superior were major contributing factors to US imperialism in the early 1900s.

Why did the United States purchase Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867?

• The US wanted to strengthen its naval power in the Pacific

• Alaska was rich in gold and other valuable resources.
• Russia wanted to strengthen its military presence in North America.
• Russia wanted to sell Alaska due to financial difficulties and concerns about British expansion.

Answer explanation

Acquiring Alaska enabled the United States to establish coaling stations that helped expand US power in the Pacific and facilitated trade with Asia.

What enabled the US to expand overseas as an imperialist country?

• Desire for peace and harmony
• Growth of American industry and a sense of cultural superiority.

• Isolationist policies
• Lack of military power

What conflict occurred due to the sensationalized reporting regarding the explosion of the USS Maine?

• World War II
• Vietnam War
• Cold War
• Spanish-American War

Answer explanation

The newspaper story in William Randolph Hearst's paper attempted to inflame public opinion and develop support for military intervention.

What is the main difference between a yellow journalist and a muckraker?

• Yellow journalists sensationalize news, while muckrakers focus on investigative journalism.
• Muckrakers focus on sensationalizing news, while yellow journalists focus on investigative journalism.
• Yellow journalists and muckrakers both focus on investigative journalism.
• Yellow journalists focus on investigative journalism, while muckrakers sensationalize news.

What territories did the US gain after the Spanish-American War ended via the Treaty of Paris (1898)?

• Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Poland

• Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Cuba

• Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama

• Newfoundland, British Colombia, and Greenland

Why were US actions during and after the Spanish-American War considered hypocritical?

• The US supported Cuban independence, but then established a military government in Cuba.
• The US claimed to be helping Cuba, yet ended up annexing the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico as territories.

• The US advocated for oligarchy in the Philippines, but then refused to send financial aid

• The US promised to liberate Spain, but instead imposed strict control over the Spanish colonies.

Answer explanation

While the United States claimed to be motivated by Cuba's fight for independence from Spain, the United States also had hopes of acquiring control of Cuba and other island territories to expand its reach on the global stage.

What argument did pro-expansionists use to advocate for US imperialism?

• Preventing the spread of communism
• Promoting peace and stability in the region
• Expanding trade opportunities with other countries
• Spreading American ideals, civilization, and democracy

Answer explanation

Support for US imperialism was driven by a belief in the cultural superiority of the United States, as well as a desire to expand the nation's power and influence on the global stage and improve its economy by gaining access to new markets and acquiring resources. Imperialists believed the United States had the most advanced society in the world and that it was the mission of the nation to spread its political and economic ideals to other nations.

How did the US' acquisition of territories affect its role in the international system?

• The US' acquisition of territories weakened its role in the international system by diminishing its resources.
• The US' acquisition of territories decreased its role in the international system by isolating it from global affairs.
• The US' acquisition of territories had no impact on its role in the international system.
• The US' acquisition of territories increased its role in the international system by expanding its influence and power.

Answer explanation

After the Spanish-American War, the United States acquired territories and expanded its imperial presence in the Pacific and the Caribbean.