LESSON 7.1: U.S. ISOLATIONISM
YOUR MISSION
Know what you will be able to do when the lesson is over.
I can explain American isolationism after World War I.
YOUR PORTFOLIO
Prepare the header for your portfolio entry for today. List the entry in your table of contents.
CLASS READING
As a class, we will take turns reading the class reading below.
U.S. Isolationism
The United States had practiced isolationism before World War I. The U.S. wanted to remain neutral during World War I, but Germany forced the U.S. to defend itself. This was the first time America had really involved themselves in any type of foreign affairs. After the war, President Woodrow Wilson proposed his plan for peace called The Fourteen Points. One of these points included the establishment of a League of Nations but Americans wanted to stay out of foreign affairs.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the United States tried to separate themselves further from Europe in other ways. Tariffs were imposed on foreign goods. Quotas were placed on the number of European immigrants to the U.S. By 1929 only 150,000 immigrants per year were allowed in. Americans remained opposed to joining any alliances. America once again isolated themselves from the world. The United States turned their focus back on the American people. The Progressive Party that was already active in large cities spread to rural areas of the U.S. Many Progressive Congressmen such as William Jennings Bryan and George W. Norris of Nebraska, and Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin, promoted U.S. isolation and worked to improve the lives of the hardworking Americans.  Henry Cabot Lodge
Though Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States, had proposed the League of Nations, many congressmen did not want to be a part of the League of Nations. The Republican leader of the Senate, Henry Cabot Lodge, was opposed to Article 10 of the League of Nations. It required the United States to respect the boundaries of all countries. Although the article did not say that the U.S. would be required to aid other nations by declaring war, it might commit the U.S. to create an embargo against other countries. Lodge also felt that the League of Nations would become a "World Government" that would interfere with U.S. government and laws.
Many immigrant groups in the United States were against joining the League of Nations as well. German Americans felt their homeland was being treated too harshly. Italian Americans were angry because they felt their homeland should have been awarded more territory. Irish Americans were upset that the treaty did not address the issue of Irish independence from Great Britain.
Americans all had different reasons for staying out of the League of Nations. Some feared getting involved in another war. Others did not want a world government to override American government. The results of the treaty angered many American ethnic groups because they felt their home countries had been wronged. Americans wanted isolationism. So, though, the President of the United States had proposed a League of Nations, the U.S. Congress voted against joining it. |
isolationism: the policy of not getting involved in foreign affairs
neutral: when a nation chooses not to take a side in a war foreign affairs: issues and happenings having to do with countries other than your own Woodrow Wilson: president of the United States during and after World War I that prosed the Fourteen Points for Peace and the League of Nations tariffs: taxes on foreign goods sold in a country quotas: a set, limited amount allowed Henry Cabot Lodge: the Republican leader of the senate under Woodrow Wilson who opposed Wilson's idea of a League of Nations embargo: a government ban on doing business with a specific country ethnic: of or relating to races or large groups of people who have the same customs, religion, or origin imports: goods bought from other countries exports: goods sold to other countries Fordney - McCumber Tariff: the highest tariff in U.S. history established to protect American factories and farms |
Delegates to the Washington Naval Disarmament Conference
The major naval powers of Britain, France, Italy, Japan and the United States all met in Washington D.C. in 1921 to resolve disputes over their territories in the Pacific and to discuss reducing the size of their navies. Many pacts were made during the conference but the United States agreed to recognize other countries' territories and to reduce naval arms only a small amount. Though the United States realized that there was little need for a big navy if they planned on staying out of foreign affairs and remaining neutral, they had learned a lesson from World War I. Neutral countries needed to be able to defend themselves well. If you will recall, Germany had agreed to respect Belgium's neutrality, but they attacked them in World War I. The U.S. was not going to take that chance. So, they did reduce the amount of battleships in the navy, but replaced the battleships with cruisers.
President Warren G. Harding
President Warren G. Harding passed an Emergency Tariff in May of 1921 to increase taxes on food imports, and in 1922 Congress passed the Fordney-McCumber Tariff. The Fordney-McCumber Act which was the law that passed this tariff established the highest tariffs in history. Some duties went up 400%! The average increase was 40%.
The tariff was passed to protect American factories and farms. The tariff increased the amount that foreign factory owners and farmers had to pay to sell their products in the U.S. This, in turn, increased the cost of foreign goods in America, because foreign factory owners and farmers would then have to charge people more for their goods in order to make a profit. So, when presented with less expensive American made goods and expensive imported foreign goods, people would be more inclined to chose the cheaper, American made goods.
In the long run, the Fordney-McCumber Act damaged the American economy, because other countries tried to get back at America by raising their duties on goods and stopping American exports. However, for the time being, America did not see this damage because the U.S. was a huge new world power, and there was plenty of demand at home.
The tariff was passed to protect American factories and farms. The tariff increased the amount that foreign factory owners and farmers had to pay to sell their products in the U.S. This, in turn, increased the cost of foreign goods in America, because foreign factory owners and farmers would then have to charge people more for their goods in order to make a profit. So, when presented with less expensive American made goods and expensive imported foreign goods, people would be more inclined to chose the cheaper, American made goods.
In the long run, the Fordney-McCumber Act damaged the American economy, because other countries tried to get back at America by raising their duties on goods and stopping American exports. However, for the time being, America did not see this damage because the U.S. was a huge new world power, and there was plenty of demand at home.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
As a class, we will discuss the questions. You will answer these questions in your portfolio in PQA format. An example portfolio entry is embedded below.
- Why did the United States break their policy of isolationism before World War I?
- How did the United States practice isolationism after World War I?
- Why did many people want to stay out of the League of Nations?
- What did the United States learn from World War I?
- How did the lesson that Americans learned in World War I effect decisions they made at the Washington Disarmament Conference?
U.S. ISOLATIONISM QUIZ
LESSON REFLECTION
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As the last section in your portfolio question write a paragraph summary explaining American isolationism after World War I. A sample portfolio entry is embedded below.
Remember, when you write a paragraph to follow the proper paragraph structure below:
You need help with structure click on the icon to the right to read about, How to Write a Paragraph. |
Name Homeroom
Lesson 7.1: U.S. Isolationism
Lesson Mission: I can explain American isolationism after World War I.
Discussion Questions:
1. The United States broke their policy of isolationism before World War I because
__________________________________________________________________________________.
2. The U.S. practiced isolationism after World War I by _____________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
3. Many people wanted to stay out of the League of Nations because _____________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
4. The U.S. learned ________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ from World War I.
5. It is obvious that the lessons that the U.S. learned from World War I effected the
decisions they made at the Washington Disarmament Conference because ____
__________________________________________________________________________________.
Quiz Questions:
1. What is isolationism? ___________________________________________________________.
2. What is a tariff? _________________________________________________________________.
3. What is a quota? _______________________________________________________________.
4. What is an embargo? ___________________________________________________________.
5. What are imports? ______________________________________________________________.
6. What are exports? ______________________________________________________________.
7. What was the Fordney-McCumber Tariff? _______________________________________.
8. What was the Washington Naval Disarmament Conference? ___________________.
9. Which countries were involved in the Washington Naval Disarmament
Conference? ____________________________________________________________________.
10. Who was the Republican Speaker of the House under Woodrow Wilson who
opposed (did not like) Wilson's idea of a League of Nations? ___________________.
Lesson Reflection
(Explain American Isolationism after World War I in your own words.)
LESSON CHECKLIST
You have accomplished your mission after you have done the following. If you are absent, you need to do the following to complete your missed work.
- Read the class reading.
- Create a portfolio entry.
- List the portfolio entry in your table of contents.
- Answer the discussion questions in your portfolio.
- Take the Lesson 7.1. U.S. Isolationism Quiz.
- Record the quiz questions and answers in your portfolio.
- Complete the lesson reflection in your portfolio.
- If you finish early, go ahead and start studying for the test by playing the Lesson 7.1. U.S. Isolationism Games.
Click on any of the blue game titles to play that game.