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Period: to
United States Imperialism
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Japan
Commodore Matthew Perry of the US Navy sails into Tokyo Harbor, forcing Japan to sign a treaty allowing trade, and the opening of Japanese ports to US merchant ships. This treaty is called Treaty of Kanagawa. This started Japan's end of isolation. -
Hawaii
Hawaii has a large population of American sugar cane planters, whalers, and missionaries. In 1887, a US base at Pearl Harbor is constructed. When King David Kalakaua dies in 1891, his sister Lydia Paki Kamekeha Liliuokalani takes the throne and tries to restore Hawaii's monarchy to absolute power. However, Hawaii Supreme Court justice Sanford Dole stages a bloodless coup backed by the US military on January 19, 1893 and dethrones the Queen, forcing her to plead with US President Grover Cleveland -
The Maine
The Maine was a US battleship that was docked in the Havana harbor, while docked, the Maine exploded killing some 260 Americans. The Maine was sent to Cuba to protect American citizens and their property. The cause of the explosions are unknown. Many people assumed it was the Spanish who commited this act. The US soon declared war. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the war against Spain. The war was short fought and over quick. The treaty made Spain give the US Cuba. Also the Spanish gave up claims to their other colonies such as Puerto Rico, Philippines and Guam. These colonies soon become commonwealth of the United States. -
Platt Amendment
After the war the US controlled Cuba. While in Cuba they built schools, public roads, and improved the health care system. The US government allowed Cuba to elected their own government 2 years after the war had ended. They allowed them to write their own constitution, and only had one condition. In order for the US to leave Cuba would have to write the Platt Amendment. This amendment said Cuba couldn't transfer land to any country except to the United States. -
Panama Canal
Seeking a canal through Panama - a province of Colombia - the US attempts negotiations and payments, all of which fail. President Roosevelt is outraged, stating that "we may have to give a lesson to these jack rabbits". Stockholders of the New Panama Canal Company arrange a "revolution" in Panama and fund the rebels, assisted by the US Navy. Shortly after, Panama declares its independence from Colombia. -
The Roosevelt Corollary
Stated that if the independence of any country in the Western Hemisphere were in danger the United States would act to stop other countries from entering. This angered many Latin American countries because it sounded like they couldn't manage their own governments. It also sounded like they couldn't pay back their own loans. Dispite the anger America's military stayed in Nicaragua from 1912-1933, also did this to Haiti and the Dominican Republic aswell as Cuba. -
Korea
President Harry Truman sends troops into Korea without the approval of Congress. The war lasted 3 years, and had over a million combined deaths. Roughly 33,000 Americans died fighting. The numbers were a lot worse for the North and South Korean armies as well as the Chinese. -
Vietnam
The Vietnam war was a terrible war. Many people hated the fact that the US joined the war. A lot of US citizens didn't understand why we were fighting for people in other countries when we had conflict inside of the US. The war lasted from 1955 to 1975, and claims the title as the longest US war. -
Iraq
In August, US fighter jets, aircraft carriers, battleships, and half a million American troops are deployed to Saudi Arabia to defend against a possible attack from Iraq. Between its own oil fields, and those of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, western governments allegedly fear Iraq could gain control over the majority of the world's oil reserves. Dick Cheney secures the US-Saudi occupation agreement, ensuring there will be no set withdrawal date from Saudi Arabia, thereby allowing US forces to remain.
