Chapter 19—From Crisis to Empire

BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION I: Describe American national politics at the end of the 19th century. What issues were important?

I.The Politics of Equilibrium (pp. 531-535)

  1. Electoral Stability
  2. High Turnout—How high was voter turnout during this era? Why was it so high?
  3. Cultural Basis of Party Identification
  1. The National Government
  2. Presidents and Patronage
  3. Stalwarts and Halfbreeds
  4. Garfield Assassinated—Why was president Garfield assassinated?
  5. Pendleton Act—What was the Pendleton Act and why was it passed?
  6. Cleveland, Harrison, and the Tariff
  7. New Public Issues—How did the public feel about trusts?
  8. Sherman Antitrust Act—How effective was the Act? Who was it mainly used against?
  9. McKinley Tariff—Public pressure was growing for what kind of reform?
  10. Interstate Commerce Act—What were the details of the Interstate Commerce Act? How effective was it?

BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION II: Why were farmers unhappy and how did they begin to express that unhappiness politically?

II.The Agrarian Revolt (pp. 535-539) —What reform movement came from American farmers?

  1. The Grangers—What was the first major farm organization?
  2. Origins—Geographically, where was the Grange the strongest?
  3. Economic Grievances—What were some of the economic reforms that Grangers wanted?
  4. Political Program—At their peak, what changes were the Grangers able to make? What happened to their power?
  5. The Farmers’ Alliances—What were the two main farmers alliance organizations?
  6. Mary Lease—Who was Mary Lease?
  7. Birth of the People’s Party—Where and when was the People’s (Populist) Party founded? How did the election of 1892 show the power of the Populists?
  8. The Populist Constituency—What groups supported the Populists? What groups did the Populists fail to attract (and why)?
  9. “Free Silver”—Why did Populists enjoy the support of silver miners?
  10. “Colored Alliances”—How were African Americans incorporated into the Populist movement?
  11. Populist Ideas
  12. Populist Platform—What were some of the changes that Populists wanted to make to the American political system?
  13. Populism’s Ideological Challenge—What ideas did Populists reject?

BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION III: How did silver represent an important political issue for farmers?

III.The Crisis of the 1890s (pp. 539-543) —What events happened in the 1890s that made the election of 1896 seem so important?

  1. The Panic of 1893
  2. Overexpansion and Weak Demand—What were 3 longer-range causes of the Panic of 1893?
  3. “Coxey’s Army”—What were Coxey’s demands, and who was in his “army”? What happened to them?
  4. The Silver Question—What did people in the 1890s believe about currency? What metals had always backed American currency? How did that begin to change? What happened in 1873?
  5. “Crime of 73”—What two groups thought a “crime” occurred in 1873? Why did they want silver to be used to back American currency?
  6. Symbolic Importance of the Currency Question—What did some people believe that silver would become? What did gold represent?

BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION IV: What happened during the election of 1896 and what ultimately happened to the Populist Party?

IV.“A Cross of Gold” (pp. 543-547) —How did the Populists use the money question?

  1. The Emergence of Bryan
  2. William McKinley—Who did the Republicans run for president?
  3. “Cross of Gold” Speech—Who gave the “Cross of Gold” speech and what was the message of this speech? Who did the Democrats nominate for president in 1896?
  4. “Fusion”—What important choice did the Populists face in 1896?
  5. The Conservative Victory—How did McKinley “campaign” for the presidency?
  6. Birth of Modern Campaigning—How did Bryan campaign for the presidency? What did voters think of his style?
  7. End of the People’s Party—What had “fusion” done to the People’s Party?
  8. McKinley and Recovery—What were some reasons that calm returned under the McKinley administration?
  9. Currency Act—What happened to the supply of gold that eased the gold crisis?

BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION V: What forces caused Americans to consider imperialism and what were some of America’s earliest imperial actions?

V.Stirrings of Imperialism (pp. 547-554)

  1. The New Manifest Destiny—What developments helped shift American attention to lands across the seas?
  2. Increasing Importance of Trade—What role did trade play in American expansionism? What role did Social Darwinism play?
  3. Intellectual Justifications for Imperialism—What racist implications were there in imperialism?
  4. Alfred Thayer Mahan—Who was Mahan and what visions did he have for American imperial power?
  5. Hemispheric Hegemony
  6. Venezuelan Dispute—What was remarkable about America’s involvement in the Venezuelan dispute?
  7. Hawaii and Samoa
  8. Self-Sufficient Societies—Who originally governed Hawaii? Where did the U.S. want a naval presence?
  9. Queen Liliuokalani—Why did sugar producers stage a revolt in Hawaii?
  10. Acquisition of Samoa

BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION VI: How did the Spanish-American War start, how did it unfold, and what were the consequences of its completion?

VI.War with Spain (pp. 554-561) —How did American expansionism change in 1898?

  1. Controversy Over Cuba
  2. Cuban Revolt—Who originally controlled Cuba? How did Governor Weyler treat Cubans? Why was American reaction different in 1895? What role did Hearst and Pulitzer play? What happened with Dupuy de Lome?
  3. The Maine—What happened to the U.S.S. Maine? How did the U.S. react?
  4. “A Splendid Little War”—Why was the Spanish-American war called “a splendid little war”? How did most American soldiers die?
  5. Supply and Mobilization Problems—Who made up a significant portion of the American fighting force?
  6. Seizing the Philippines—When was the attack on the Philippines made? What was the result?
  7. The Battle for Cuba—When did American military operations get under way in Cuba?
  8. The Rough Riders—Who were the Rough Riders and why were they famous? What was the outcome of the fight with Spain?
  9. Puerto Rico and the United States
  10. Annexation of Puerto Rico—How did Puerto Rico’s relationship with the United State evolve, particularly after 1900?
  11. The Debate Over the Philippines
  12. The Philippines Question—Why did President McKinley decide to keep the Philippines?
  13. Anti-Imperialist League—Who were members of the Anti-Imperialist League and what were their motivations?

BIG PICTURE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION VII: How did the United States interact with its new colonies, and how did the U.S. attempt to push its imperial visions further into Asia?

VII.The Republic as Empire (pp. 561-565)

  1. Governing the Colonies
  2. Platt Amendment—What did the Platt Amendment say?
  3. American Economic Dominance—How did Americans dominate Cube economically?
  4. The Philippine War—What kind of tactics were used during this war (by both sides)?
  5. Emilio Aguinaldo—Who was Aguinaldo? How were captured Philippine fighters treated? How were civilians treated?
  6. Growing Economic Dependence—After 1901, how did the Philippines’ relationship with America evolve?
  7. The Open Door—What changes were happening in China, and why was America concerned?
  8. Hay’s “Open Door Notes”—What was the “Open Door” that the Americans requested?
  9. Boxer Rebellion—Who were the Boxers, and who were their targets in the rebellion? What was the result of the rebellion?
  10. A Modern Military System
  11. Root’s Military Reforms