Question 1

Which of the following policies did U.S.naval officer Alfred Mahan support in his 1890 book The Influence of Sea Power upon History?
A) Isolationism for the United States
B) Cooperation of the United States with the Asian and African peoples
C) An American invasion of Mexico
D) An expansion of the American empire in Asia and Africa

Accepted Answer

Alfred Mahan supported an expansion of the American empire in Asia and Africa, as he believed that control of overseas territories and building a strong navy were necessary for a country's economic and military success.

Question 2

In the Insular Cases (1901),the Supreme Court ruled that
A) the Constitution did not automatically extend citizenship to people in newly acquired territories.
B) inhabitants of newly acquired territories automatically became U.S.citizens.
C) McKinley had exceeded his presidential powers in the Philippine settlement.
D) the United States must establish an independent Philippine republic within ten years.

Accepted Answer

The Insular Cases dealt with the issue of whether the Constitution applied fully to newly acquired territories, and the Supreme Court ruled that it did not automatically extend citizenship to people in those territories. This decision established the legal basis for treating these territories as colonies rather than integrated parts of the United States.

Question 3

What did the Venezuelan and Cuban crises of the 1890s have in common?
A) They were both U.S.foreign policy challenges to European nations.
B) The United States invoked the Monroe Doctrine in both crises.
C) Both crises led the United States into war.
D) They were both settled peacefully.

Accepted Answer

B  D  Both the Venezuelan and Cuban crises involved U.S. foreign policy challenges to European nations, the Monroe Doctrine was invoked in both cases, and both were settled peacefully without leading to war.

Question 4

Why did President McKinley and the Republicans jump at the chance to hold the Philippine Islands?
A) They provided the United States with a major foothold in the western Pacific and access to Asian markets.
B) The victory would soothe an American public angered by an unpopular war.
C) The move would quiet Democratic opponents who had criticized the war effort as being unproductive.
D) It hoped that control of the Philippines would guarantee the territorial integrity of China.

Accepted Answer

President McKinley and the Republicans saw the Philippine islands as a valuable strategic location that would provide the United States with a major foothold in the western Pacific and access to Asian markets. It was seen as an opportunity to expand American influence and trade in the region.

Question 5

After the explosion of the battleship Maine,a U.S.naval board of inquiry blamed the sinking on
A) an underwater mine.
B) Cuban patriots who were hoping to provoke U.S.intervention.
C) a preemptive strike by the Spanish against U.S.intervention.
D) an unfortunate accident.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. naval board of inquiry determined that the sinking of the battleship Maine was caused by an underwater mine.

Question 6

As a result of the war with Spain in 1898,the United States gained
A) Guam,Hawaii,and Bermuda.
B) the Philippines,Puerto Rico,and Guam.
C) Puerto Rico,Hawaii,and Panama.
D) the Philippines,Cuba,and the Virgin Islands.

Accepted Answer

The United States gained the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam as a result of the war with Spain in 1898.

Question 7

Which of the following statements describes Hawaii in the 1890s?
A) Americans had ignored Hawaii for decades but became interested in it in the 1890s.
B) American sugar planters overthrew Hawaii's Queen Liliuokalani and applied for U.S.annexation.
C) U.S.military planners desperately wanted to annex Hawaii to gain access to Pearl Harbor.
D) President Grover Cleveland annexed it after Americans overthrew its queen.

Accepted Answer

In the 1890s, American sugar planters overthrew Hawaii's Queen Liliuokalani and applied for U.S. annexation. This resulted in Hawaii becoming a U.S. territory in 1898. The other choices contain some inaccuracies - Americans had some interest in Hawaii prior to the 1890s, U.S. military planners may have desired access to Pearl Harbor but this was not the main reason for annexation, and President Grover Cleveland did not annex Hawaii, it was annexed during President William McKinley's administration.

Question 8

The open door note,composed by U.S.Secretary of State John Hay,called for
A) an end to all foreign spheres of influence in China.
B) an end to the Chinese taxing system.
C) a repeal of the extraterritoriality agreements with China.
D) equal access for all countries seeking to trade with China.

Accepted Answer

The Open Door Note called for equal access for all countries seeking to trade with China, meaning that no one country should have exclusive trading rights or privileges over another in China. It did not call for an end to foreign spheres of influence, the Chinese taxing system, or extraterritoriality agreements.

Question 9

Which of the following assumptions shaped Theodore Roosevelt's strategic thinking about U.S.foreign policy during his presidency?
A) It was the duty of the "civilized" countries of the world to police "backward" peoples.
B) Major war among the great powers of Europe was no longer possible.
C) Germany was the world's greatest empire and Great Britain was on the decline.
D) The United States,as the leader of the free world,needed to promote global democracy.

Accepted Answer

Roosevelt's foreign policy was influenced by his belief in the responsibility of "civilized" countries to exert control over "backward" peoples, a concept that underpinned actions like the Panama Canal construction and the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.

Question 10

Which of the following Americans spoke out vigorously against annexation of the Philippines in the late 1890s?
A) Jane Addams
B) William Howard Taft
C) Theodore Roosevelt
D) William Jennings Bryan

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following Americans spoke out...

Question 11

The expansionist foreign policy of the 1890s derived significant inspiration from
A) populism.
B) Marxism.
C) isolationism.
D) Social Darwinism.

Accepted Answer

The expansionist foreign policy of the 1890s, which sought to acquire overseas territories and expand American influence, was strongly influenced by Social Darwinism. This idea held that the stronger nations had a natural right to dominate weaker ones, and many politicians and intellectuals saw territorial expansion as a way to demonstrate American strength and superiority. This perspective was especially evident in debates over the acquisition of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and other territories during this period.

Question 12

Which of the following statements accurately describes the state of American military preparedness in 1898?
A) McKinley's preparations made troop deployment efficient.
B) The army of 200,000 troops was well trained and ready for combat.
C) Volunteer cavalry units proved to be the most effective fighting forces.
D) The navy was better prepared than the ground forces.

Accepted Answer

The navy was better prepared than the ground forces in 1898, as it had modern ships and experienced personnel. The ground forces, on the other hand, were poorly equipped and trained, with many volunteers lacking military experience.

Question 13

In the late 1800s and early 1900s,which nation's growing power in East Asia most surprised Europe and the United States?
A) Russia
B) China
C) Korea
D) Japan

Accepted Answer

Japan's modernization and industrialization efforts allowed it to rapidly catch up with and surpass the economic and military power of other East Asian nations, surprising Europe and the United States. Japan defeated both China and Russia in major wars in the late 1800s and early 1900s, further demonstrating its growing power in the region.

Question 14

Which of these actions gave the United States the right to intervene in Cuba if its independence was threatened?
A) Platt Amendment
B) Teller Amendment
C) Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
D) Root-Takahira Agreement

Accepted Answer

The Platt Amendment, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1901, gave the United States the right to intervene in Cuba's affairs to protect its independence and maintain its own naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

Question 15

After considering his options for the disposition of the Philippines,President McKinley
A) annexed the entire Philippines on the basis that the Filipinos could not govern themselves.
B) offered Filipinos independence after five years,but they refused his terms.
C) offered to return the islands to Spain,which said that it was no longer interested.
D) approached Germany about a joint protectorate arrangement,which it refused.

Accepted Answer

President McKinley decided to annex the entire Philippines, believing that the people were not capable of self-governance and needed American guidance. This decision led to a long and controversial occupation of the island nation.

Question 16

Enacted in 1898,the Teller Amendment declared that
A) the United States had no intention of annexing Cuba.
B) the United States would support Puerto Rican independence.
C) Americans would support Filipino independence.
D) the United States would grant Cuba statehood immediately if it so wished.

Accepted Answer

The Teller Amendment declared that the United States had no intention of annexing Cuba, thus disavowing any attempt to make Cuba a U.S. territory.

Question 17

Which of the following discouraged the United States from becoming an imperial power before the 1890s?
A) The vast natural resources of the American West
B) Europe's economic inroads into the Western Hemisphere
C) A weak merchant class
D) The need to import manufactured items

Accepted Answer

The vast natural resources of the American West provided the United States with ample opportunities for domestic expansion and economic growth, reducing the urgency to acquire overseas territories for resources.

Question 18

How did William McKinley's response to the 1897 rebellion in Cuba differ from that of his predecessor,Grover Cleveland?
A) McKinley considered the Caribbean less important to U.S.interests than Cleveland had.
B) McKinley took a tougher stance against the Spanish than Cleveland had taken.
C) Whereas Cleveland had been shocked by stories of Spanish atrocities,McKinley was not.
D) McKinley was not held back by the pacifist views that had determined Cleveland's approach.

Accepted Answer

McKinley took a tougher stance against the Spanish than Cleveland had taken. While Cleveland had tried to maintain a policy of neutrality, McKinley eventually decided to intervene militarily in the conflict.

Question 19

The American victory at San Juan Hill in Cuba can be credited mostly to
A) the surrender of the Spanish troops after merely token resistance.
B) four African American U.S.regiments that bore the brunt of the fighting.
C) Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders,whose cavalry charge overwhelmed the Spanish defenders.
D) Cuban guerrilla fighters who diverted the Spanish while the American attack was developing.

Accepted Answer

The four African American U.S. regiments, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, played a significant role in the battle, bearing the brunt of the fighting and contributing greatly to the American victory at San Juan Hill.

Question 20

Which of the following describes the guerrilla war that followed the conquest of the Philippines?
A) American troops committed many atrocities,but the Filipino rebels did not.
B) More American troops were killed than Filipino rebels.
C) The fighting was extremely brutal and continued until 1920.
D) The conflict far exceeded in ferocity the war just concluded with Spain.

Accepted Answer

The guerrilla war that followed the conquest of the Philippines far exceeded in ferocity the war just concluded with Spain. The conflict was extremely brutal and continued until 1902, with American troops committing many atrocities, including the scorched earth policy and concentration camps. While more Filipinos were killed than American troops, the level of violence and brutality was high on both sides.

Quiz 20: An Emerging World Power, 1890-1918

Which of the following policies did U.S.naval officer Alfred Mahan support in his 1890 book The Influence of Sea Power upon History?

In the Insular Cases (1901) ,the Supreme Court ruled that

What did the Venezuelan and Cuban crises of the 1890s have in common?

Why did President McKinley and the Republicans jump at the chance to hold the Philippine Islands?

After the explosion of the battleship Maine,a U.S.naval board of inquiry blamed the sinking on

As a result of the war with Spain in 1898,the United States gained

Which of the following statements describes Hawaii in the 1890s?

The open door note,composed by U.S.Secretary of State John Hay,called for

Which of the following assumptions shaped Theodore Roosevelt's strategic thinking about U.S.foreign policy during his presidency?

Which of the following Americans spoke out vigorously against annexation of the Philippines in the late 1890s?

The expansionist foreign policy of the 1890s derived significant inspiration from

Which of the following statements accurately describes the state of American military preparedness in 1898?

In the late 1800s and early 1900s,which nation's growing power in East Asia most surprised Europe and the United States?

Which of these actions gave the United States the right to intervene in Cuba if its independence was threatened?

After considering his options for the disposition of the Philippines,President McKinley

Enacted in 1898,the Teller Amendment declared that

Which of the following discouraged the United States from becoming an imperial power before the 1890s?

How did William McKinley's response to the 1897 rebellion in Cuba differ from that of his predecessor,Grover Cleveland?

The American victory at San Juan Hill in Cuba can be credited mostly to

Which of the following describes the guerrilla war that followed the conquest of the Philippines?