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Seward's Folly
Sewards Folly was the purchase of Alaska from Russia. The treaty was named this because William Seward signed the treaty along with the Russian minister Edouard de Stoeckl. William Seward was the United States Secretary of State at the time of the negotiation. This treaty is also referred to as "Stewards Ice Box." -
Alfred Mahan's "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History"
"The Influence of Sea Power," describes how big of a role the sea played in warfare throughout the 1600's and 1700's. The book was written by Alfred Thayer Mahan and published in 1890. Mahan believed that Great Britains control of the sea is what caused their empire to become a dominant world power. They held most of the worlds economic, military and political power. -
Annexation of Hawaii
Trade with Japan and China in the 1800’s led to the U.S. Being interested in the Hawaiian islands. In 1891 U.S. Business owners led the overthrow of the queen Liliuokalani. They then asked to be annexed by the U.S. Their request was completed on January 17, 1893. -
De Lome Letter
The De Lome letter was written by Senor Enrique Dupuy de Lome. The The letter discusses De Lomes opinion on Spains involvement in the Cuban and U.S. Diplomacies. The letter became public on February 9, 1898 when it was released to the press by the Cubans. De Lome was eventually forced to resign because of his behavior. -
USS Maine Explosion
The USS Maine explosion was the explosion of a United States battleship. The explosion was said to be caused by a mine blowing up however the true cause is unknown. The accident killed 260 men. It is said by most Americans that the Spanish were the cause of the explosion because they were defeated by the U.S. In the Spanish American War. -
Teller Amendment
The Teller Amendment was proposed by Henry M. Teller as a declaration of war against Spain. The amendment said that the U.S. would not take permenant control of Cuba. The document said that after the U.S. Helped Cuba they would step back out of the picture and allow the Cubans to govern. The Platt Amendment repalaced the Teller Amendment in February of 1901. -
U.S. Defeats Spanish in the Philippines
This was known as the Battle of Manila Bay. This battle took place on May 1, 1898. It was considered the first major battle of the Spanish-American War. When the U.S. troops arrived and helped the natives in the fight against the Spanish. -
Anti-Imperialist League
The Anti-Imperialist league was established to assist in the battle against American annexation of the Phillipines. They were established on June 15, 1898. Andrew Carnegie and Mark Twain were part of the league. The league saw a sharp decline after the Treaty of Paris was put into place and was eventually completely dissolved. -
Battle of San Juan Hill
The battle of San Juan Hill took place along the southern coast of Cuba. It occurred about one month after the start of the Spanish-American War. The Spanish docked on the harbor and the U.S. blockaded the entrance which is essentially what caused the war. The U.S. naval force was considered a stronger force. The Rough Riders emerged soon after this battle.. -
Treaty of Paris 1898
The Treaty of Paris 1898 ended the Spanish-American War. The treaty was signed in France. The Spanish empire was completely erased with this treaty and the United States inhabited majority of the former Spanish Empires territory. We then purchased the Philippines for twenty million dollars. -
"The White Mans Burden" (Poem.)
The author of "The White Mans Burden," is Rudyard Kipling. The word "burden" represented the thought of an empire. The poem became published in 1899 in an issue of McClure's magazine. Right after the U.S. acquired the Philippine islands in the Philippine American War. -
Open Door Policy
The open door policy was adopted by the United States in 1899. This policy was created in hopes of opening up trade with China. Essentially the policy said that all nations could trade equally. It lasted until -
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion was an uprising in northern China against western influences. It included practices that could protect them from bullets and foreigners. They burned local churches and demolished the railways. The Peking Protocol was signed ending the rebellion once and for all. -
Foraker Act
The Foraker Act was a law that placed a government made of inhabitants in Puerto Rico. The act was named after Joseph Benson Foraker. The government in Puerto Rico now had an executive council, House of Represenatives, a judicial system and Supreme Court. Also, all of the U.S. Laws remained in place. -
Rough Riders Organized
The Rough Riders were the first U.S. Volunteer Calvary. They first fought in the Spanish-American War. The U.S, army was considered to small/understaffed at the time. The second in command was the president Theodore Roosevelt. -
Insular Cases
The Insular Cases were a series of trials Conducted by the U.S. Supreme Court. These cases explored the status of the territory gained in the Spanish-American War. The U.S. Established that constitutional rights did not automatically extend to these areas. This meant that not all inhabitants in these places were protected with American rights. -
Platt Amendment
The Platt Amendment held terms to end United States militarital occupation in Cuba. Cuba would finally be left to govern itself. This was promised earlier in the Teller Amendment. The U.S. Kept their word. -
McKinley Assassinated
President William McKinley was assasinated on September 14, 1901. He was the twenty-fifth president of the U.S. His assasination occurred just six months into his term. McKinley also led the American victory in the Spanish-American War. Leon Czolgosz assasinated William McKinley. -
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
The treaty was signed on November 18, 1901. It was not put into action until December 16, 1901. This treaty replaced the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. The treaty stated that if the U.S. Were to construct a canal that they would have total control over it. -
U.S. Recognizes the Newly Independant Country of Panama
Panama declared independance with the support and help of the United States. They declared independence from Colombia. The Hay-Herrán Treaty gave the United States use of the Panama for a small price of financial compensation. The U.S. Recognized Panama as independent on November 6, 1903. -
Hay-Buneau-Varilla Treaty
The Hay-Buneau-Varilla Treaty was a treaty signed by Panama and the United States. The treaty acknowledged the Panama Canal Zone. The treaty was named after the French diplomat and U.S. Secretary of State present at the signing. The treaty was signed on November 18, 1903. -
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was a war fought between the Russian and Japan empires. Russia wanted a Pacific Ocean port. The war was ended by the Treaty of Portsmouth. The agreement was mediated by president Roosevelt. -
Roosevelt Corollary
The Roosevelt Corollary was established on December 6, 1904. Roosevelt was concerned for Venezuela and a possible invasion. The Corollary said that the United States would not interfere until it was the last resort. They wanted to make sure all other countries fulfilled their duties before stepping in. -
The Great White Fleet
The Great White Fleet was just another name for the United States Navy that traveled around the globe They traveled around the globe due to president Theodore Roosevelts orders. It consisted of sixteen ships divided in two large groups. Among those sixteen ships were fourteen thousand sailors. In total they traveled forty three thousand miles. -
Dollar Diplomacy
The Dollar Diplomacy was against foreign policy by using economic power to garuntee loans to other countries. Some argue this was not a new idea rather than a new name. It occurred under William Tafts presidency. However, Theodore Roosevelt laid the groundwork for the Dollar Diplomacy. -
Panama Canal Completed
The Panama Canal is a forty eight mile strip of water that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The Canal passes through Panama. It is a large trade route. France was the first country to begin work on the Canal bu quit when the U.S. took over in 1904.
