Name_______________________________ Date_______________
Imperialism Review Sheet
Word Bank
Rough Riders Cuba Trade Imperialism New
Markets
Yellow Journalism Civilize USS Maine Seward’s Folly Hawaii
Manifest Destiny Malaria Naval Defense Refuel World
Power
Big Stick Policy Isolationism Foreign Policy
Early US Foreign Policy
1. Foreign Policy is how a nation treats other nations. Washington’s early
advice to Americans was to use a policy of Isolationism because the US
was too weak to join alliances and become entangled in foreign wars.
2. Manifest Destiny or the idea that the US borders should stretch from “sea
to shining sea” is similar to the idea of imperialism.
Imperialism
3. The booming economy and power of the US during the 20 th century (1900)
allowed us to follow the foreign policy of Imperialism, or taking over weaker
countries.
4. Many Americans believed that imperialism was important because it was the
“White Man’s Burden” to Civilize the world and spread Christianity.
5. American business leaders wanted American borders to expand.
Industrialization called for Trade and they would have New Markets to
sell their goods to.
6. The annexation (addition) of Hawaii is essential to controlling the Pacific
Ocean because it allows trading ships and war ships to Refuel on their long
journey from the US to China.
7. When the US purchased Alaska from Russia, many Americans laughed at the
Secretary of State’s mistake calling it Seward’s Folly. Two years later,
gold and oil was discovered in the region and Alaska is one of the most
productive states in the Union.
Spanish American War
8. The Spanish American War was fought to grant Cuba independence from
Spain.
9. Yellow Journalism is a sensational form of journalism where writers
exaggerate events in order to sell newspapers; it was also one of the causes
of the Spanish American War.
10.The short term cause for the Spanish American War was the mysterious
explosion of the USS Maine.
11.Teddy Roosevelt gained much of his fame as a leader of the Rough Riders
during the Spanish American War.
12.After the Spanish American War, the US was seen as a World Power and
Spain lost the last of its colonial empire.
Panama Canal
13.England and France tried at separate times to build a canal across Panama,
but failed because too many of their workers came down with Malaria from
mosquito bites.
14.The Panama Canal was important for our Naval Defense because once
created ships could move swiftly from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
15.Teddy Roosevelt believed in the African proverb “Speak softly and carry a big
stick.” He practiced this belief with his policy called Big Stick Policy
