American Imperialism and WWI Vocabulary

ALFRED THAYER MAHAN

• Naval officer promoted (supported) idea of strong navies

HENRY CABOT LODGE

• Republican senator wanted to expand (increase) American spheres of economic influence

ANNEX

• Add territory (land) to an already existing state (government)

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

• Fought in Cuba during 1898 between the United States and Spain

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

• Led the Rough Riders and later became president of the United States

IMPERIALISM

• Taking control of and governing (leading) dependent (needy) territories

ROOSEVELT COROLLARY

• United States would intervene (get involved) in Latin American countries if problems occur (happen)

ISOLATIONISM

• American policy (plan) of remaining distant from the affairs (activities) of other countries

CENTRAL POWERS

• Alliance (agreement) between Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire during WWI

ALLIED POWERS

• Alliance between Britain, France and Russia

ZIMMERMANN TELEGRAM

• Telegram (message) from a German official asking Mexico to join WWI on the side of Germany

ESPIONAGE AND SEDITION ACTS

• Illegal to undermine (challenge) the war effort or speak out against the US government

FOURTEEN POINTS

• President Wilson’s peace plan to prevent (stop) future wars

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

• Organization (group) to prevent (stop) future wars, but United States never joined

TREATY OF VERSAILLES

• Peace treaty (agreement) that ended the war with Germany in WWI, but US never signed it