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Seward's Folly
William H. Seward convinces the U.S. to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million ($0.02 an acre) -
Civil Service Commission
Required exams for all federal jobs excluding elected offices and military -
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Progressive
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Sherman Anti-Trust Act Passed
President Benjamin Harrison passed this act to try and eliminate the big businesses, monopolies, and trusts. Harrison didn't like the magnates eliminating all possible competition. -
Mahan's Book
Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, a lecturer in naval history and the president of the United States Naval War College, published The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783, a revolutionary analysis of the importance of naval power as a factor in the rise of the British Empire. -
Sugar Planters
In January 1893, a revolutionary “Committee of Safety,” organized by Sanford B. Dole, staged a coup against Queen Liliuokalani with the tacit support of the United States. On February 1, Minister John Stevens recognized Dole’s new government on his own authority and proclaimed Hawaii a U.S. protectorate. Dole submitted a treaty of annexation to the U.S. Senate, but most Democrats opposed it, especially after it was revealed that most Hawaiians did want annexation. -
Annex Hawaii
Hawaii wanted to join the U.S. so they requested to be annexed -
Theodore Roosevelt Elected President
To the disapproval of many Roosevelt became President after McKinley was assassinated. The magnates of the Gilded Age were about to fall with the election of Roosevelt. -
First Lawsuit with Sherman Anti-Trust Act
President Theodore Roosevelt sued many big business companies to enforce the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. -
Panama Canal
The beginning of building of the Panama Canal begins -
Primaries Begin
Between 1903 and 1917 all but 4 of the 50 states decide to adopt primary runs. In a primary the voters choose their party's candidate for the general election. -
Theodore Roosevelt Re-Election
Theodore Roosevelt is re-elected and decides to pass the Square Deal. The Square Deal attempts to make everyone equal by stating the lowest class should have the same opportunities as the higher class. This deal also protects natural resources and the wilderness and inspired the passing of The Pure Food and Drug Act. -
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is Formed
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was an organization formed to resist the Jim Crow segregation, prejudice, lynching, and to work for the betterment of people of color. -
Taft Election
Taft became President after Roosevelt and he broke up even more trusts than Roosevelt had, favored graduated income tax, approved safety rules for mines, and signed laws stating government workers would have an 8-hour day, but lost Progressive support when he signed a bill that raised tariffs in 1909. He also fired a high level forest service official during a dispute over land sale in Alaska so Progressives accused him of blocking conservation efforts. -
16th Amendment
The 16th Amendment allowed Congress to impose a Federal income tax. -
Woodrow Wilson Elected President
Woodrow Wilson wins the election because Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft ran against each other for the Republican party so they had to split the votes. Wilson obviously ended up with the most votes. -
World War I Begins (Europe)
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia and 4 days later Russia and Germany declare war on each other and France orders a general mobilization. -
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is finished -
18th Amendment
The 18th Amendment made the selling of alcoholic beverages illegal. -
19th Amendment
Everyone is able to vote regardless of gender; women have won the right to vote -
Open Door Policy
Permitting any nation to trade in the spheres of others (from Hay’s letter to the nations that had spheres of influence convincing them to keep an “open door” in China)
