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Alaskan Acquisition
William Seward, the Secretary of State under Lincoln and Johnson, arranged the US to buy Alaska from Russia for $7.2 M. The House of Representatives called it "Seward's Icebox" and "Seward's Folly." Eventually the US did purchase Alaska for $0.02 an acre -
Midway Islands seized by the US
America gained control of the Midway Islands, 1300 miles north of Hawaii -
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Cuban Resistance against Spain
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Advances in Technology
In the late 19th century, technology had advanced for farming and factories. These resulted in American farms and factories overproduction of goods and products. Foreign trade was a solution to this issue. -
Social Darwinism
Americans Imperialists believed that it was their duty to spread Christianity and civilization to "inferior peoples." -
Growth of the US Navy
Between 1883 and 1890 the US expanded the Navy by building nine steel-hulled battleships. The US became the 3rd largest navel power in the world. -
Naval base at Pearl Harbor
The US pressures Hawaii to allow them to build a naval base in the harbor. Used as a refueling station -
Change in voting rights in Hawaii's Constitution
US businessmen "strong armed" King Kalakaua to amend their constitution to only allow land owners the right to vote. -
Queen Lilliuokalani inherits throne
After the death of her brother, King Kalakaua in 1891, Lilliuokalani takes the throne. She has a "Hawaii for Hawaiians" agenda. She wants to remove the stipulation of land owning from voting -
Ambassador John L. Stevens
The American landowners did not want the queen to repeal the land owning requirement for voting. The Ambassador organizes a revolution with the help of the marines and overthrows the Queen. Sanford B. Dole heads up the government set after the revolt. However, President Cleveland directed that the Queen be restored to her throne, but Dole refused to surrender. Cleveland refused to annex Hawaii, but recognized the Republic of Hawaii. -
The destruction of the USS Maine
The Maine was sent to Cuba to bring Americans home that were in danger from the fighting and to protect American property. But on this day the ship exploded in the Havana harbor. After the publication of the De Lome Letter, this event and yellow journalism, Americans were up in arms to go to war with Spain. -
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The Spanish American War
The first battle was fought in the Philippines on April 30. George Dewey opened fire on the Spanish with the support of the local people. The war in the Caribbean was a blockade to keep the Spanish out. In June, American forces landed in Cuba. The Rough Riders with Teddy Roosevelt along with two other Calvaries invaded Santiago and San Juan Hill. -
Annexation of Hawaii
When McKinley became president in 1897, he was for annexation of Hawaii. So on August 12, 1898, Hawaii was officially a territory of the US. -
The Treaty Of Paris
Spain and the US met in Paris to sign a treaty. The Spanish freed Cuba, turned over the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico to the US and agreed to sell the Philippines to the US for $20 M -
US and the Philippines
Revolt lead by Emilio Aguinaldo. Used guerrilla tactics. the US forced the Filipinos to live in specific zones with poor conditions. They gained their independence in 1946. -
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America and China
China was weak. The US that china would be carved into colonies and America would be left out. John Hay-Open Door notes, a series of letters, shared trading writes with the US. The Boxers rebellion. -
America and Cuba
American troops occupied Cuba. They feared America would replace he Spanish. Same people stayed in power. Americans did provide food and clothing for thousands. Platt amendment, gave Cuba some rights but the US would still intervene, a US protectorate. -
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America and Puerto Rico
Military control at first. Strategic location to protect future canal in Panama. 1900 Congress passed the Foraker Act which ended military rule. President could pick governor and upper house, Citizens could elect lower house. Puerto Ricans obtained US citizenship in 1917 -
Teddy Roosevelt becomes President
After McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Vice President T. Roosevelt assumed office. -
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Roosevelt and the Panama Canal
Many Americans wanted easy access from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. A canal across South America. The choices were Nicaragua and Panama. In 1903 after ten years of trying the French came to Washington to get the US to but them out at Panama. The US did for $40M. Panama had several disadvantages. The area was mountainous and was controlled by Columbia. Panamanians declared independence from Columbia and the US was there with warships. US and Panama signed a treaty for $10M and rent -
Roosevelt Corollary
Added to the Monroe Doctrine. The US would use force to protect its interests in Latin America -
Roosevelt as Peacemaker
In 1904, Russia and Japan fought over Manchuria. As the war progressed both countries were running low on men and money. The Japanese asked Roosevelt to negotiate a treaty. He was able to get Japan and Russia to agree on terms. Japan got half the Sakhalin Island and Russia's interests in Manchuria and Korea. Roosevelt won the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize for this. -
The Mexican Revolution
Peasants and workers led by Francisco Madero over threw Diaz. -
Woodrow Wilson Elected President
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Wilson's Missionary Diplomacy
He added a "moral tone." The US would not recognize any Latin American government that was viewed as "oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to US interests. -
General Victoriano Huerta Overthrows Madero
First opportunity of Wilson's diplomacy. Wilson had a "watchful waiting" about acting against Huerta. One of Huerta's officers arrested a group of American sailors, who were quickly released and the Mexican government apologized. Wilson used this as a reason to intervene in Mexico and sent troops to Veracruz. South American countries stepped in to mediate an agreement. Each refused. Soon Huerta regime soon collapsed and Carranza took over in 1915 -
Panama Canal Opens
First ship across the Canal. Same day that war is declared in Europe. Canal is a series of locks. -
Carranza's Mexico
Not everyone liked him. "Pancho" Villa and Emiliano Zapata opposed him. -
Chasing Villa
Villa originally liked the US, but when they acknowledged Carranza's government, he threatened the US. He took Americans engineers off the train and shot them And he raided Columbus, NM and killed 17 Americans. John Pershing was ordered to get Villa dead or alive. Villa eluded Pershing for almost a year -
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Clash with Carranza's Mexico
Mexicans grew angry with Americans invading their land. This lead to a clash with Carranza's army. Carranza demanded that the US troops leave but Wilson refused. They came close to war. With war brewing in Europe and America about to be drawn into that war, the US needed its southern border to have peace. Wilson ordered Pershing out of Mexico.