The early 1900s was a great time for Americans. The early 1900s brought many reforms, changes, and inventions to the country. Many people, around the world, began to recognize the US as a world power. With the nation's growing economic and naval power, it was obvious that the US was a major contender for world domination. Throughout the early 1900s the United States was dramatically changed from a little nation to a nation of great wealth and prosperity.
             The United States entered the Twentieth Century as a world power along with older world powers of Europe (Angel, vol. 1) such as France, England, and Germany. The United States achieved this power by stepping up its navy. The navy won national support and began its expansion to supremacy, by sending the "great-white fleet" around the world on December 16, 1907 (Angel, vol. 1). This was done to show the world the maturity of American engineering as well as the substance for the "big stick" policy (Dictionary of American History, vol. V). The United States wanted to show and warn the other countries of the world that the US was here and they meant business. Mark Twain said:
             "We have pacified some thousands of islanders and buried them...burned their villages, and turned their widows and orphans out-of-doors...subjugated the remaining ten millions by benevolent assimilation, which if the pious new name of the musket; we have acquired property in the three hundred concubines and other slaves of our business partner, the sultan of Sulu, and hoisted our protecting flag over that swag. And so, by the Providences of God – and the phrase is the governments, not mine – we are a world power." (Angel, vol. 1)
             From 1900 to 1920 there was a staggering increase in iron ore and crude petroleum production in the United States. For example, in 1900, there were 27,300 tons of iron ore and 63,621 barrels of petroleum produced in the US. In 1910, the...