-
The Venezuelan Crisis
A conflict arose between the U.S. and Britain as a result of a border dispute between Venezuela and Britain, in which the former's Guyana territory had alledgedly been encroached by the latter. The U.S. under Grover Cleveland intervened, citing a violation of the Monroe Doctrine (1823) which had prohibited new European colonies in the Western hemisphere. It also made notice that any and all matters within the Western hemisphere were in the U.S.'s interest. -
Period: to
U.S. Imperialism
-
The Cuban Revolution
Cuba's revolutionary movement against Spain began. Cubans sought independence from their oppressor and had leaders such as Jose Marti and Maximo Gomez Baez leading the Revolution. -
General Valeriano Weyler and "Reconcentration"
Spanish General Weyler, also known as "the butcher" enforced a policy that relocated 300,000 Cuban civilians into camps under the control of the Spanish Army. It was a tactic in response to the guerilla warfare of Cuban revolutionaries who had the ability to melt into the populace. As a result, 1/3 of detained Cubans died from mass starvation and disease, further spurring devastating political consequences like anti-Spanish sentiment in the U.S. -
Yellow Journalism
The sensationalized and biased reporting intended to sway opinions found in William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer's New York World began reporting on the Cuban insurrection. Yellow journalism as a result, had a hand in strengthening anti-Spanish sentiment in the U.S. -
Britain Finally Recognizes U.S. Authority
After the Venezuelan Crisis of 1895, the U.S. under Grover Cleveland's administration widened the interpretation of and enforced the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. On the verge of a diplomatic disaster in which the U.S. insinuated it would go to war with Britain, the latter agreed to it's role as an arbitrator in the territorial dispute. In 1899, the U.S. granted over half of Guyana to Britain. -
The Maine Incident
The USS Maine was sent to Cuba with aid, U.S. soldiers, and servicemen. Yellow journalism newspapers claimed the ship had been hit by a torpedo or bomb. However, the explosion which caused the ship to sink in Havana habor and led to numerous deaths was an accident caused by its own boilers. It was one of the motives the U.S. had to go to war with Spain. -
The Teller Amendment
It was an amendment to the U.S. Joint Resolution and ultimatum passed by the U.S. Congress sent to Spain. It stated that the U.S. would not seek permanent control over Cuba. Instead, it sought to leave the sovereignty of the country to Cubans. The U.S. occupied Cuba until 1902. -
U.S. Declares War
The U.S. formally declares war after U.S. President William McKinley signed the Joint Resolution for war with Spain. The ultimatum was forwarded to the Spanish government, which previously resulted in the suspension of diplomatic relations between the two countries. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris formally ended the Spanish-American War. Spain had to turn down all rights to Cuba, making it an independent state. Puerto Rico and the island of Guam were also ceded to the U.S., Spain's possessions in the West Indies were given up, and it sold the Philippine Islands to the U.S. for 20 million dollars. -
First Open Door Note
U.S. Secretary of State John Hay sent the first of the Open Door Notes to Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany, and Japan who all had high physical and commercial presence in China. He based the Open Door Notes on the principle of commerical equality in which all nations shoud respect the rights of others to trade in all areas of China. Given the numerous "spheres of influence" nations had in China, the U.S. guaranteed that is would protect China from a takever by a foreign power. -
Ratification of the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
The treaty was negotiated between U.S. Secretary of State John Hay and British Ambassador to the United States Lord Pauncefote. It licensed all power of canal building over to the U.S., in order to build and manage its own canal. -
The Platt Amendment
The amendment allowed the U.S. "the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty..." Essentially, Cuba had to seek U.S. approval of Cuban treaties and leased naval bases to the U.S., as the U.S. reserved for itself the right to intervention in Cuban affairs. -
Theodore Roosevelt's Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
Roosevelt's "Big Stick" approach proposed to increase the use of military force in order to restore internal stability to nations in the region. The U.S. ultimately became an international policing power. The corollary served as the U.S.'s justification to further intervene in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
