Ch. 10 America Claims an Empire

By jzhong6475
  • Period: to

    Imperialism

  • Seward purchases Alaska from Russia

    Seward purchases Alaska from Russia
    Secretary of State William Seward arranged for the U.S to buy Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million. Alaska was found to be rich in resources and later became the 49th state in the U.S on January 3rd, 1959.

  • Hawaii is annexed by the U.S

    Hawaii is annexed by the U.S
    American sugar plantations accounted for 2/3 of Hawaii's economy during the 1850s. America had agreed to let Hawaii import sugar tariffs free in 1875. When Mckinley started a tariff in 1890 tax was imposed which caused owners of plantations in Hawaii to plead Mckinley to annex the land so they wouldn't have to pay. Hawaii later had an imperialist takeover when the U.S saw the land as an important military location and proclaimed it as territory on Aug 12, 1898.

  • Spanish American War breaks out

    Spanish American War breaks out
    Cuba wanted to become independent since they were still under Spanish rule. To counteract this, Spain sent General Butcher Weyler to stabilize Cuba. He would put people into concentration camps. American journalists such as Hearst and Pulitzer began to use yellow journalism as a way to make the Americans push for war. President Mickenly sent the USS Maine on a mission to Cuba and it mysteriously exploded. America blamed this on Spain and officially started a war with them.

  • Annexation of Cuba, Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico

    Annexation of Cuba, Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico
    After the Spanish American war, Cuba gains independence/ becomes a virtual US protectorate because of the Platt Amendment
    The US is recognized as a world power from how much territory they had control of.

  • The U.S seizes Panama Canal Zone

    The U.S seizes Panama Canal Zone
    The Panama Canal is a 50-mile, man-made canal connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. From 1881-1894, the French built and sold it due to bankruptcy and lose of lots of workers. Theodore Roosevelt, president of the U.S, bought the panama canal from the French for $40 million. The Panama canal made the trip between the east and west coasts of North America easier and helped trade. The canal was protected by U.S military until 1999 when the United States gave up control of the canal.