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The U.S Supreme Court declared that segregation of blacks and whites were allowed under the constitution, as long as both had equal facilities.
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William Jennings Bryan alectrified the democratic convention with the speech he made ,which was called "Cross of Gold." He was nominated by the party, but Repulican William McKinley defeated him on November 3rd.
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The Spanish minister wrote the de Lome Letter to the US. The letter characterizes president McKinley as a weakling lacking integrity and it is printed in William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal.
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In Cuba's Havana harbor, the battleship Maine blew up and sank.
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This was the start of the Spanish-American War.
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Commodore George Dewey's flotilla defeated the Spanish fleet in the Phillipines, at Manila Bay. Only 8 were wounded
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The Supreme Court ruled that if a child is born of Chinese parents in the United States is an American citizen. The child cannot be deported under the Chinese Exclusion Act.
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President McKinley signed a resolution annexing Hawaii.
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The Spanish-American War ended and as a result, the United States acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
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Delegates from the US and 25 other nations met at The Hague. They met there to discuss disarmament, arbitration of international disputes, protection of noncombatants, and limitations on methods of warfare.
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"The ordinary horseless carriage is at present a luxury for the wealthy; and although its price will fall in the future, it will never, of course, come into as common use as the bicycle." This was written by the Literary Digest.
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At Spindletop near Beaumont, Texas, oil was discovered.
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Cuba authorizes the United States to maintain law and order and agreed to sell or lease the U.S. land to serve as naval stations. This was under the Platt Amendment,
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US Steel was organized and it became the first bilion dollar company in the country.
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President William McKinley was shot in Buffalo, New York by Leon Czolgosz.
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McKinley died and Theodore Roosevelt succeeded.
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In Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright brothers make the first successful flight by a powered aircraft. Orville Wright was on board, and it lasted only 12 seconds.
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400 people were killed during the Great San Francisco Earhtquake. It caused 500 million dollars worth of damage.
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There was an anti-black riot in Atlanta, Georgia. 21 people died, includint 18 African Americans.
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The Great White Fleet, which consisted of 16 battleships, set sail for their around the world cruise.
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The Panama Canal opened officially.
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In an effort to end World War I, Henry Ford charted a "Peace Ship."
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A bomb exploded at a pro-war preparedness parade in San Francisco. It killed 10 peole.
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The US declared war on the Central Powers. Six Ssnators and 50 Representatives voted against the declaration.
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In 24 cities , federal agents raided IWW headquearters. "Big Bill" Haywood, along with 9 other leaders were arrested.
