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America Becomes a World Power
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The Influence of Sea Power Upon History1660-1783
Written by Captain Alfred Mahan Thayer in 1890, it it argued that a large navy was key to being a world power. The book examined the global power of Spain and Britain in 17th and 18th century, and how there navies directly increased their global influence. -
Lynching of 11 Italians in New Orleans
David C. Hennesy, the Police Chief of New Orleans at the time is assasinated at night. What follows is the discrimination and arrest of 19 Sicilian immigrants who are suprisingly all found not guilty. The verdict angered a mob of people and they stormed the jail and lynched 11 of the 19 suspects. The event caused an out cry from Italy who wanted reperations paid to the families of the victims, and nearly brought our nation's to war. -
Valparaiso, Chile Crisis
Two United States Navy sailors from the USS Baltimore were stabbed and 18 injured in front of the True Blue Saloon in Valparaiso, Chile. Tensions rose between the U.S. and Chile but after President Benjamin Harrison and Congress were ready to go to war Chile apologized and paid $75,000 in gold. -
President Grover Cleveland refuses to annex Hawaii
President Cleveland refused to annex Hawaii because of investigations he made that suggested Queen of Hawaii, Liliuokalani was unfairly outed from the throne by American and European businessmen. -
Cubans Revolt against Spain
Revolts started across the island led by "insurrectos" who felt they were being misgoverned by the Spanish and economically hurt by sugar tariffs placed on them by nations like the U.S. Revolts would be crushed by Spanish general Butcher Weyler in 1896 as Cleveland stood by his policies of antijingoism and anti-imperialism. -
Venezuelan Boundary Crisis with Britain
Gold in Venezuela sparked the interest of the imperialistic British and resparked anti-British feelings in America. Presdident Cleveland ordered his secretary of state, Richard Olney to deliver a strongly worded letter to Britain explaining how their prescence in Venezuela is a direct violation of the
Monroe Doctrine. Britain's response said the the Monroe Doctrine was nonsense, leading Cleveland and Congress ready to go to war but no swings were ever thrown. -
Plessy vs Ferguson Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court decides that racial segregation is legal on the grounds that the blacks and whites are seperate but equal. The decision made it a landmark court case and furthered the reign of the Jim Crow south until the 1960s. -
Explosion of the USS Maine
The U.S.S. Maine was sent Cuba to protect Americans in case another revolt rose up. The ship was stationed in Havana harbor until it mysteriously exploded and killed 260 men. U.S. investigation and fuel from yellow journalism left Spain to blame and led us to releash the dogs of war unto Spain. -
Spanish-American War
President William McKinley and Congress declared war on Spain, and pledged to "free" Cuba of its oppressors.America dealt the first blow to the Spanish by destroying a fleet of ten ships in Manila Harbor in the Philippines. -
Hawaii Annexed
Hawaii was seen as the "Crossroads of the Pacific" and its strategic position persuaded Mckinley and Congress to annex it. Hawaii's residents were given U.S. rights in 1898 but wouldn't fully become the 50th state until 1900. -
U.S acquires Philippines
A treaty in Paris was agreed upon between the U.S. and Spain, and America, already occupying the Philippines bought it from Spain for $20 million. -
Foraker Act for Philippines
Established a civilian government for Puerto Rico where the U.S. placed an American governor as the executive office and 2 house legislature to aid him. -
Robert La Follete is elected Governor of Wisconsin
The people called him "Fighting Bob" as he was a who opposed railroad trusts, bossism, World War 1 and the League of Nations. His progressive ideas such as, the first workers' compensation system, railroad rate reform, direct legislation, municipal home rule, open government, the minimum wage, non-partisan elections, the open primary system, direct election of U.S. Senators, women's suffrage, and progressive taxation were of huge influence to many progressive politicians of the time. -
Platt Ammendment
Ordered the withdrawl of U.S. troops out of Cuba and outlined conditions where the U.S. can have land on surrounding isles for coal mining and Guantanamo Bay. -
Insular Cases
A set of court cases concerning the land the U.S. acquired during the Spanish-American War and the rights of its people. The Supreme Court ruled that while the U.S. owns the territories of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam, the islands remain uncorporated and thus do not share all the constitutional rights that the states have. -
U.S. Leaves Cuba
Conditions from the Platt ammendment are fulfilled and President Theodore Roosevelt begins the withdrawl of U.S. trrops out of Cuba leading to friendlier relations with the island. -
Muckraking
Ida Tarbell publishes The Rise of The Standard Oil Company, an expose on the oil trust and Lincoln Stephens publishes Tweed Days in St. Louis, taking a look at governtment corruption in St. Louis. This led to many more expose type journalism including Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. -
Department of Labor and Commerce Established
Government organization established by Theodore Roosevelt to monitor big businesses and trusts. -
Northern Securities Case
The Northern Securities Company, a railroad monopoly led by JP Morgan was tried and disbanded in The Supreme Court as the company was a direct violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust act. The company would have beeen the most powerful in the world if Theodore Roosevelt and The Department of Labor and Commerce hadn't brought them to Court. -
Theodore Roosevelt Re-election
Roosevelt ran against democrat nominee Alton B. Parker and won the election as he was acting as President following the assassination of William McKinley. Rossevelt won almost all the major regions except the South. -
Lochner Case
A landmark Supreme Court Case that brought into question a New York law that limited the amount of hours a baker can work. The Supreme Court made the controversial decision that the law was not necessary to protect the health of workers and interefered with the right of individual contract. -
Upton Sinclair's Jungle
A novel wriiten by the muckraking author, Upton Sinclair who exposed the poverty, the absence of social programs, unpleasant living and working conditions, and the hopelessness prevalent among the working class. -
Panic of 1907
An economic recession caused by the New York Stock EXchange falling 50% the resulting panic caused local and state banks to go bankrupt. JP Morgan and many wealthy New York bankers then invested large sums of money to revie the economy. -
Muller V. Oregon
Another controversial Supreme Court ruling that justified sex discrimination against women workers and the amount of hours they can work. The ruling completely contradicted the Lochner case from a year ago. -
Aldrich-Vreeland Act
Allowed national banks to issue emergency currency in the wake of economic crisis. The currency would be backed by government bonds and bank securities. -
Payne-Aldrich Tariff
An act that angered most progressives at the time, it was responsible for reducing the tariff on items like paper but raising it on others like tobacco. The bill had the effect of splitting the Republican Party into the Progressives and the Old Guard. -
Ballinger-Pinchot Affair
Department of the Interior reprsentative, Richard Ballinger opened up commerce in land that President Roosevelt put into reservation status and was met by controversy to Gifford Pinchot, Chief Forestor of the reservation. Ballinger's interest were in Alaskan Coal and the government favored his pursuit of the resource over Pinchot's want tto preserve forest. -
Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire
A fire broke out in The Triangle Shirtwaist Company's building killing 146 garment workers who were locked in because management locked exits to prevent unauthorized breaks. The fire resulted in legislation improving factory work standards and added fuel to the labor union movement. -
Standard Oil Antitrust Case
The Supreme Court found The Standard Oil Company guilty of monopolizing the petroleum industry under the Sherman Anti-trust Act. The court dissolved the trust by dividing the large company into smaller ones and dispersing them away from each other. -
U.S. Steel Corporation Anti-trust Suit
The U.S. brought Andrew Carnegie's U.S. Steel to court because the $500 million dollar powerhouse was the result of a merger between Carnegie Steel Company with Gary's Federal Steel Company and William Henry "Judge" Moore's National Steel Company. The Supreme Court made yet another controversial decision ruling in favor of U.S. Steel -
Woodrow Wilson Elected President
Wilson, a democrat won because of a division in the republican party between Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. Wilson won 42% of the popular vote and the majority of the electoral college. -
Federal Reserve Act
President Wilson created it to se tup the Federal Reserve System which acted as the central banking system of the U.S. and created Federal Reserve Notes, or the now common dollar bill. -
17th Ammendment Passed
Was a result of the progressive movement at the time, it established the direct election of senators by popular vote. -
World War I breaks out in Europe
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Lusitania Sunk Off the Coast of Ireland
The Lusitania, a British ocean liner sailing of the coast of Ireland was struck by torpedo and sunk by German U-boats. The attack killed American passengers on board, partially resulting in the U.S. involvement in WWI. -
Germany Announces Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
After the Lusitania incident Germany placed restrictions on their submarines to avoid an intensified war and U.S. involvement but then repealed it seeing it as a necessary evil. -
Zimmerman Telegram
Secretary of the German Empire, Arthur Zimmerman sent a message to Heinrich von Eckardt, the German ambassador of Mexico in preparation of continued unrestricted submarine warfare. He instructed Eckardt to bribe Mexico with promises of their former territories in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. The message was intercepted bty the U.S. and furthered our cause for war. -
America Declares War on Germany
U.S. war declaration was the result of the sinking of 7 U.S. ships and the interception of the Zimmerman Telegram. -
President Wilson Proposes 14 Points
Wilson proposed 14 points to explain the U.S. goal for peace in Europe during the war. Wilson explained that all the U.S. wants is free trade, open agreements, democracy and self-determination. -
Second Battle of Marne
The Second Battle of Marne was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The attack failed when they were overwhelmed by a joint American-French force and hundreds of tanks. -
Battle of Chateau-Thierry
The American Expeditionary Force (AEF) under General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing launched a counter attack against the German for an attack that happened 3 days before. -
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I. The battle is regarded as the bloodiest in American history. -
Armistice End WWI
The Armstice was a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender and led to the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty Of Versailles. -
Final Senate Defeat of Versailles Treaty
The Senate headed by Henry Cabot Lodge and the republicans rejected President Wilson's idea of a League of Nations, believing it would only bring more wars.
