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Monroe Doctrine
A principle of US policy, originated by President James Monroe in 1823, that any intervention by external powers in the politics of the Americas is a potentially hostile act against the US. -
United States purchases Alaska from Russia
William Seward convinces Congress to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. -
Midway Islands annexed by U.S.
Midway Islands are located Northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii and they were annexed by the US in 1867. -
U.S. tariffs cause Hawaiian Sugar Cane prices to rise
Tariffs are enacted in the US on Hawaiian sugar, which caused the Hawaiian economy to crash (since they were so dependent on American imports of Hawaiian sugar). -
Grover Cleveland elected President (2nd time)
Cleveland is elected president of the US for the second, non-consecutive time. -
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American Economic Depression of 1893
An economic depression that lasted from 1893 to 1897 takes over all of the US. This was the worst economic depression of the United States before the Great Depression in the 1930s. -
Cuban separatists revolt against Spanish rule
After an unsuccessful attempt, Cuba again attempts to gain independence from Spain (even in the midst of an economical crisis due to American tariffs). -
Spain institutes reconcentration on Cubans
Spain places the Cubans in reconcentration camps, which were controlled by the Spanish and the supplies coming to the people could be monitored. -
Philippine (Filipino) Rebels revolt against Spain
Emilio Aguinaldo leads the Philippines in revolt against the Spaniards to gain independence. -
President McKinley elected to first term
William McKinley becomes president of the United States in 1896. He would succesfuly lead America in the Spanish-American War. -
President McKinley sends USS Maine to Havana with Spain’s permission
Americans in Cuba requested a battleship to provide a quick escape in Cuba as tensions were rising between the Cubans and the Spaniards. So, McKinley, with complete permission from the Spaniards, sent the USS Maine to Cuba. -
De Lôme Letter
De Lôme was the Spanish ambassador of the US and he wrote a letter to the Spanish foreign minister that criticized president McKinley and, through media, led to large unrest in amongst Americans. -
U.S. annexes Hawaii
President William McKinley annexes Hawaii after the eruption of the Spanish-American War. -
Spanish-American War begins
The Spanish-American war is started after Spain sinks an American ship (USS Maine) stationed near Cuba to protect Americans while Spain tried to take Cuba. -
U.S. captures Philippines from Spain
The US defeats the Spanish at the Battle of Manila without a single American casualty and Spain surrenders the Philippines to the US. -
Teller Amendment passed
The Teller Amendment ensured that the US was only present in Cuba to ensure Cuba’s freedom, but that the US had no intentions of later taking over Cuba. -
Equiano Aguinaldo captured by U.S. forces in Philippines
The Philippines and the US were at war, and to end the war, the leader of the Philippines, Aguinaldo, was captured by the US. -
China divided into “spheres of influence”
By 1899, European powers divided a weak China into several parts in which a different nation would control the trade of each area (or have a different “sphere of influence”). -
Open Door Policy
The Open Door Policy was started by the US and it pushed for equal trade rights in China for all nations. -
Boxer Rebellion in China
The Boxer Rebellion was a rebellion a group of Chinese Nationalists and the empress of china that sought to drive out all European influence from China. -
President McKinley re-elected to Second Term
In the election of 1900, William McKinley is re-elected president of the United States. -
Foraker Act
Law passed by the US government that established a government in Puerto Rico. -
Theodore Roosevelt becomes President
Theodore Roosevelt becomes president of the United States in 1901 after the assassination of president William McKinley. -
Platt Amendment
The Platt Amendment laid out the conditions Cuba had to reach in order for the US to pull out its military from Cuba, including a stipulation that Cuba sign the treaty. -
Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty
The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was a treaty between the US and Panama that allowed the US to build the Panama Canal in exchange for American protection of Panama (which had just won its independence after T. Roosevelt stirred a revolution to create the new nation). -
Roosevelt Corollary
How Theodore Roosevelt would treat foreign powers in addition to the Monroe Doctrine; the idea of “carrying a big stick.”
