Industrialization, Imperialism, and America’s Entry Into WWI

Industrialization, Imperialism, and America’s Entry Into WWI

Discussion

Required Resources

Read/review the following resources for this activity:

· Textbook: Chapter 17 (section 17.4), 18 (section 18.3), 19 (sections 19.1, 19.2), 21 (sections 21.2, 21.4)

· Lesson

· Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook)

Initial Post Instructions

For the initial post,  pick two (2) of the following categories representing minority groups during 1880-1914:

· Women’s rights activists

· African Americans

· Immigrants from southern and eastern Europe

· Child workers

· Great Plain Indians

Then, address the following for your selections:

· Explain the socio-economic status and challenges of your minority groups at the turn of the century.

· How did the Industrial Revolution affect your chosen minority groups?

· Analyze how the Progressives brought reform to your selected minority groups. Do you find that the Progressives were successful in making government responsive and improve the conditions of your chosen minority group?

Industrialization, Imperialism, and America’s Entry Into WWI

Introduction

America entered World War I in 1917 as a hotbed of unrest and discontent. While there were many reasons for this, one of the most important was that America was an empire with little to no understanding of its own history. This lack of insight led to many problems when it came time for America to enter into WWI. In this post, we will explore how America’s entry into both WW I and WWII was rooted in its role as an imperial power, some key events that occurred before WWII began, and how they all played into America’s decision to enter WWII itself.

Industrialization

The Industrial Revolution was a period of rapid technological change and economic, social, and environmental change that began in Great Britain in the 18th century. It was centered on the use of steam power to replace human labour in manufacturing activities. This led to the creation of machines that could perform complex tasks without human intervention and made possible mass production.

The industrial revolution had a profound impact on American society – not only did it affect our economy but also our culture and way of life. For example:

• The rise of capitalism brought about an increase in factory work as well as other forms of labor; this shift occurred when machines replaced workers who were previously employed by farmers or tradesmen (such as blacksmiths).

Imperialism

Imperialism is the policy of extending a nation’s power over other nations through military force and political influence. It is typically achieved through colonies, which are territories taken away from another country and placed under the control of one’s own government.

The United States gained its first colony during the War of 1812. President James Madison sent General Andrew Jackson to conquer Florida from Spain, taking control of Pensacola and St. Augustine in January 1821. The United States also became involved in wars with Mexico and Spain; it won both conflicts but lost Texas after being defeated by Mexican forces at San Jacinto Creek on April 21st 1836.

America’s Entry Into WWI

America entered World War I as a hotbed of unrest, dissatisfaction and discontent. America was not ready for war. The nation had no army; it lacked an air force and did not have money to spend on weapons or supplies. If you were in charge of America’s defense during this time period, what would you do?

America entered World War I as a hotbed of unrest and discontent.

America entered World War I as a hotbed of unrest and discontent. The war was a response to German invasion of Belgium, France, Russia, and England—all of which were allies with Germany.

The United States had been neutral for most of its history until 1917 when President Wilson declared war on Germany after its invasion of American soil. It was not until after this declaration that Congress passed the Espionage Act which made it illegal for any citizen or foreigner living in America to oppose or criticize the government’s decision regarding entering into conflict with another country (or their allies).

Conclusion

America entered World War I as a hotbed of unrest and discontent. The United States had grown from an agrarian republic to an industrial power, but it was still very much a nation of farmers and factory workers. These people had been promised the American Dream—a promise that would be shattered by war in Europe.