Chapter Twenty One: Toward Empire, 1865-1902

Practice Quiz:

1. Why was American expansion of the 1890s different from earlier expansionist moves?
a. It was intended for settlement.
b. It was primarily for agricultural objectives.
c. It would create economic and military colonies overseas.
d. It would venture into uninhabited areas.

2. For many political and religious leaders in the late nineteenth-century, expansionism
a. meant the demise of the American system.
b. would threaten the purity of the Anglo-Saxon race.
c. would put the United States into direct conflict with European nations.
d. would mean the triumph of American civilization around the globe.

3. Which of the following was NOT a factor in fostering a change in American foreign policy by 1890?
a. the census report of 1890
b. concern over lack of natural resources
c. oversaturation of domestic markets
d. the rise of evolution-inspired notions of racial superiority

4. How did the U.S. and Great Britain avoid war over Venezuela?
a. The U.S. defeat of Spain in Cuba sobered Great Britain into conceding Venezuela.
b. Great Britain’s superior naval fleet, fully deployed off the coast of South America, discouraged U.S. involvement.
c. Larger problems in Africa and Europe caused Britain to agree to negotiate with Venezuela.
d. The Venezuelan people successfully boycotted British and U.S. products, demonstrating their resolve for self-rule.

5. In response to the successful American revolt in Hawaii in 1893, Grover Cleveland
a. immediately annexed the islands.
b. tried, but failed, to restore the queen to power.
c. apologized to the Hawaiian people.
d. refused to recognize the new government.

6. Why did American interest in Hawaii increase in the 1890s?
a. There was intense pressure by American missionaries.
b. There was a fear of German influence in the region.
c. The economic and military value of the islands increased.
d. Native Hawaiians appealed to the United States for help.

7. After 1890, the U.S. Navy’s building program
a. was called off altogether to help balance the federal budget.
b. began to concentrate on fast, lightly armored commerce raiders.
c. shifted to the construction of a battleship navy with offensive striking power.
d. started using steel steamships instead of sailing vessels.

8. Which of the following did NOT play any role leading to the Spanish-American War in 1898?
a. the annexation of Hawaii
b. the de Lome letter
c. the sinking of the Maine
d. yellow journalism

9. At the outset of the Spanish-American War,
a. there was little public support for the war in the United States.
b. the American military was well prepared to fight a war.
c. it was difficult to find the necessary volunteers for the American military.
d. the American army was composed of soldiers well trained in quelling Native American uprisings.

10. During the Spanish-American War, African Americans in the military
a. were referred to as “smoked Yankees” by the Spanish troops..
b. were treated as equals and given opportunities for advancements.
c. had little opportunity to distinguish themselves in battle.
d. were able to pressure the government for civil rights reforms.

11. The actions of Commodore Dewey in the Philippines
a. had little effect on the outcome of the war.
b. disproved Mahan’s theories regarding naval supremacy.
c. provided the United States with an unexpected prize of war.
d. showed the surprising strength of the Spanish fleet.

12. How are the conflicts in Cuba and the Philippines in the 1890s related?
a. The United States intervened in both places to give colonists their freedom and to help them become immediate independent states.
b. Both conflicts took place in the Pacific Ocean and allowed the winning countries (the U.S. and Great Britain, respectively) more influence in Asia.
c. Both involved Spain, the United States, and a rebellious colonial population.
d. Both were both fought to give the United States more influence in Latin America.

13. Which was NOT an argument opposing annexation of the Philippines?
a. The natives could not be Christianized.
b. Colonization was anti-American.
c. The Filipinos could never become Americans.
d. Cheap labor could be imported from the Philippines.

14. The Philippine-American War was
a. a minor event for Americans.
b. more costly than the Spanish-American War.
c. fought in a traditional manner.
d. over even before the Spanish-American War.

15. Which individual is incorrectly matched with the area of his greatest foreign policy success?
a. James G. Blaine : Latin America
b. George Dewey : Russia
c. William Seward : Alaska
d. John Hay : China

16. The Open Door notes
a. provided the United States with economic rights in China.
b. met with the approval of western Europe.
c. had little effect on American policy in the Far East.
d. triggered the Boxer Rebellion in China.