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Alaska
Congress agreed to purchase Alaska for $7.2 million due to Seward's lobbying and Russian support during the civil war. -
Alfred Thayer Mahan
US navy captain who wrote 'The Influence of Sea Power Upon History' that argued a strong navy was crucial to country’s ambitions of securing a foreign market and becoming a world power. -
Spanish-American War
American public opinion swept by growing wave of jingoism: an intense form of nationalism calling for aggressive foreign policy. -
Hawaii
American settlers aided in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. -
Spanish-American War
Cuban nationalists fighting to overthrow Spanish colonial power adopted strategy of sabotaging and laying waste Cuban plantations to force Spanish withdrawal or involve the United States. -
Hawaii
Congress and President McKinley complete the annexation of Hawaii due to the outbreak of war and fight for the Philippines. -
Spanish-American War
Spanish diplomat, Dupuy de Lome, wrote criticizing letter of President McKinley which was leaked by Hearst's New York Journal and seen as insult against US national honor. (De Lome Letter) -
Spanish-American War
US battleship, The Maine, was anchored in the harbor of Havana, Cuba where it exploded and killed 260 Americans on board. -
Spanish-American War
Teller Amendment: joint resolution authorizing war and US declared they had no intention of political power in Cuba and claimed once free Cuba would control their own government. -
Spanish-American War
City newspapers actively promoting war fever in the United States with headlines of crime, disaster, and scandal. Known as yellow journalism. -
Spanish-American War
Following the sinking of the Maine, McKinley issues an ultimatum to Spain demanding that it agree to ceasefire in Cuba. -
Spanish-American War
US navy destroyed Spanish fleet at Santiago Bay on July 3rd and Spain realized it could not continue fighting. -
Philippine-American War
Theodore Roosevelt, McKinley’s assistant Secretary of the Navy, was an expansionist who recognized value of Spanish territories in pacific so he ordered fleet by Commodore George Dewey to the Philippines. -
Philippine-American War
Commodore George Dewey's fleet opened fire on Manila Bay and the Spanish fleet was pounded to submission by US naval guns. -
China
Open Door Policy by Hay: all nations would have equal trading privileges in China -
China
Boxer Rebellion: Nationalism and xenophobia in China with the Society of Harmonious Fist, chinese nationalists, who attacked foreign settlements and murdered dozens of christian missionaries. -
Big Stick Diplomacy
New President Theodore Roosevelt's description of his foreign policy was 'speak softly and carry a big stick' leading to press giving it the name 'big stick'. -
Big Stick Diplomacy
Big Stick Diplomacy: aggressive foreign policy which attempted to build US recognition as world power (imperialist applauded it). -
Panama Canal
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty: Great Britain agreed to sign treaty to cancel earlier treaty of 1850 which stated any canal built in central america was under joint British-US control -
dollar diplomacy
Foreign policy that depended more on investor's dollars... Belief that private American financial investment in China and nations of Central America will lead to greater stability there while at the same time promoting US business interests. -
Panama Canal
US wanted a canal through the isthmus of Panama which Colombia controlled and refused to agree to US terms for digging the canal.... led to revolution backed by the US. -
Japan
Gentlemen's Agreement: Japanese government secretly agreed to restrict emigration of Japanese workers to US in return for Roosevelt persuading California to repeal its discriminatory laws -
Mexico
Tampico incident: American seamen went ashore at Tampico where they were arrested and released, but Huerta refused apology to US naval officer. Wilson orders US Navy to occupy Vera Cruz. -
Mexico
New Mexican government challenged...Villa led raids across the US-Mexican border and murdered people in Texas and New Mexico. Wilson ordered General John J. Pershing to pursue Villa into Mexico. -
World War One
National Defense Act passed by Congress which increased the regular army to a force of nearly 175,000. -
World War One
On April 6, an overwhelming majority in Congress voted for declaration of war. -
World War One
Zimmermann Telegram March 1: German foreign minister proposed that Mexico ally itself with Germany in return for Germany's pledge to help Mexico recover lost territories -
World War One
Selective Service Act by Secretary of War Newton D. Baker: a democratic method for ensuring that all groups in the population would be called into service -
World War One
Woodrow Wilson presented to Congress a detailed list of war aims, known as the Fourteen points. -
World War 1
The Germans signed an Armistice in which they agree to surrender their arms, give up much of their Navy, and evacuate occupied territory. -
Red Scare
Anti-communist hysteria with Palmer raids: mass arrests of anarchists, socialists, and labor agitators... over 6,000 people arrested based on limited criminal evidence -
World War One
Wilson leaves office and the United States officially ends war and makes a separate peace with Germany. -
Hawaii
Hawaii became the 50th state in the Union.
