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Seward's Folley
William Seward who was the Secretary of State under presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson arranged for the U.S. to buy Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million. -
The Midway Islands
The Midway Islands were one of the first set of Islands that the US took over to help them in trade and conflicts. -
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Reasons for American Imperialism
Three factors fueled American Imperialism.
1. Economic competition among industrial nations.
2. Political and military competition this including the creation of a strong naval force (the US would create the 3rd largest)
3. A belief in spreading the American beliefs. -
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Cuban Rebellion
The Cuban people rebel against Spain because they want to be indepedant from Spain. -
Pearl Harbor is Built
In 1887, Hawaii allowed the construction of a US Naval base on the Island of O'ahu. -
Queen Liliuokalani realizes that her reign in Hawaii had come to an end.
Around 160 US troops waited on the Hawaiian shore waiting to help the American famers in Hawaii overthrow the Hawaiian Monarchy. -
Spain responds to the Cuban revolt
Spain sends Valeriano Weyler to Cuba to restore order. He puts the Cubain citizens into concentration camps. -
McKinley becomes President
William McKinley favored annexation and he succeed Grover Cleveland as President in 1897. -
Hawaii becomes an American territory
In 1898 the US government declared Hawaii to be a US territory. -
The De Lome letter
In February 1898 the New York Journal published a private letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lôme the Spanish minister to the United States. This letter was sent to Spain saying that President McKinley was weak and insulting him. The US incepted these letters and journalist published them. -
The War Arrives in Cuba
After the US victory in the Philippines 125,000 men volunteered to go fight the Spanish in Cuba. -
US troops arrive in Cuba
17,000 troops arrive in Cuba these including the Rough Riders lead by Teddy Roosevelt. They marched through Cuba fighting in places such as San Juan Hill. -
USS Maine explodes
The warship, USS Maine, explodes in Havana Harbor killing 260 American sailors. Yellow Journalism blamed Spain and this led to the US declaring war on Spain. -
US declares War on Spain
Congress gave into President McKinley's asked of war and after a week of debate the US declared war on Spain. -
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The Spanish American War
The war between the US and Spain fought in places like Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico lasted only 15 weeks. -
US begins the War in the Philippines
On April 30th, George Dewey sailed into the Philippines and within 6 hours had destroyed the entire Spanish fleet. -
The US invades Puerto Rico
On July 25th US troops make their way to Puerto Rico and invade the island. -
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The Treaty of Paris
A cease-fire is called on August 12th and on December 10th the US and Spain met in Paris, France to sign a treaty. In this treaty Spain had to free Cuba and turned over the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States. Spain also had to sell the Philippines to the United States for $20 million. -
America in Puerto Rico
After acquiring Puerto Rico the US would put the new island under military rule before creating a civil government. -
America with China/ Open Door Notes
The US began to fear that China would become smaller colonies and American traders would be left out. To protect the US trading John Hay issued a number of statements named the Open Door notes. These were letters addressed to leaders of imperialist nations proposing that they share their trading rights with the United States, creating an open door for the US trade. This meant that no nation would have a trade monopoly with any part of China. The other nation powers agreed these terms. -
America in Cuba
The US would pass the Teller Amendment saying that they would not take over any part of Cuba. They later passed the Platt Amendment saying, Cuba could not make treaties that might limit its independence or permit a foreign power to control any part of it. The United States reserved the right to intervene in Cuba. Cuba was not to go into debt that its government could not repay. As well as the United States could buy or lease land on the island for naval stations and refueling stations. -
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America in the Philippines
The US would have a war with the Philippines after the Filipino people rebelled. The US would win this war and gradually give the Philippines more freedom. They would give them self government to see if they could handle it and after many many years of that the Philippines would get their independence on July 4, 1946 after 47 years under US control. -
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Roosevelts Foreign Policy
Teddy was a peacemaker. He mediated the treaty between Russia and Japan. But he also made moves for his country. In 1904 he would have the US take over the construction of the Panama Canal in Latin American to help better the US's trade on other nation's trade as well. But when it came to protecting the US he release the Roosevelt Corollary saying that anyone who went against the Monroe Doctrine and violated the US rights in the western side of the world, the US would resort to violence. -
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Wilson's Foreign Policy
Wilson use "missionary diplomacy” stating the United States had a moral responsibility to deny recognition to any Latin American government it viewed as oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to U.S. interests. This would go into play against Mexico. Wilson said the US didn't recognize Huerta's government, this made him mad and he got hostile. Wilson plan of “watchful waiting” looking for an opportunity to act against Huerta. This would happen again with Pancho Villa, but he would never be caught.