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The Purchase of Alaska
Congress in 1867 agreed to buy Alaska for $7.2 million.
The Treaty was negotiated with Russia by Secretary of State William Steward. -
Big Sister Policy
An extension of the Monroe Doctrine by James G. Blaine. It was to open marketing between American traders and Latin American. -
Crisis between U.S and Britain
Border dispute between British Guiana and Venezuela. The countries were nearly at war too but second thoughts avoided war. It all changed by the Great Rapprochement. -
America Turns Outward
Many developments fed the nation's ambition for overseas expansion. Many believed America had the right to expand or explode. The country started to burst in population. -
International Darwinism
Darwin's concept of the survival of the fittest was applied not only to competition in business but also to competition among nations and races for military advancements, colonies, and spheres of influence. -
Yellow Press
Actively promoting war fever in the U.S was yellow journalism, sensationalistic reporting that featured bold and lurid headlines of crime,disaster and scandal. -
McKinley Tariff
Aka Tariff Act of 1890. It was rushed but then abruptly withdrew by President Cleveland. The Hawaiian pear continued to ripen until the U.S. acquired its overseas empire in 1898. -
Lynching of 11 Italians in New Orleans
This incident brought America and Italy to the brink of war. The disputes were tense and this was nearly the drop that spilled the cup. -
Election of 1892
Cleveland vs. Harrison. Cleveland won a solid victory in both the popular and electoral vote. Cleveland became the first and only former president to thus return to the White House after having left it. -
Panic of 1893
In the spring and summer of 1893, the stock market crashed as a result of overspeculation, and dozens of railroad went into bankruptcy as a result of overbuilding. The depression continued for four years. -
Gold Reserve and Tariff
A declined in silver prices encouraged investors to trade their silver dollars for gold dollars. The gold reserve fell to a dangerously low level, so Cleveland had to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890. -
Cubans rise in Revolt.
Cuba's masses rose against their Spanish oppressor in 1895. The roots of the revolt were partly economic. Cubans adopted a sorched- earth policy. -
The Election of 1896
One of most emotional in U.S history. Bryan, democrats, and populists. The winner was McKinley. McKinley took office just as the economy began to revive. -
Annexation of Hawaii
The United States annexed Hawaii in 1898 at the urging of President William McKinley.Hawaii became the center for sugar plantation. -
Battleship Maine
Washington sent the battleship Maine to Cuba for friendly visit. It was actually to evacuate and protect Americans. -
Spanish-American War
War fought between the U.S and Spanish.Hostilities began in the aftermath of the internal explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in Cuba, leading to U.S. intervention in the Cuban War of Independence -
War message by McKinley
Message sent to Congress. Urging armed intervention to free the oppressed Cubans. The legislators responded uproariously with a declaration of War. -
Teller Amendment
An amendment to a joint resolution of the United States Congress, enacted on April 20, 1898. It replaced military condition of U.S in Cuba. -
Dewey's May Day Victory at Manila
The American people plunged into the war lightheartedly. It was the acceleration of war. -
American troops arrive at Manila
Assisted Dewey to complete the war. The Manila episode renewed the U.S focus on Hawaii. It granted Hawaii residents citizenship. -
Hawaii and its territorial status
Hawaii received full territorial status in 1900. It was approved by McKinley on July 7,1898. -
America's British cousins to yield
Britain was willing to consent to the Hay Pauncefote Treaty. Gave U.S a free hand to build the Panama Canal. -
Building Panama Canal
Spanish American war reinvigorated interest in the canal across the Central America Isthmus. Initial obstacles were legal rather than geographical. President Theodore Roosevelt oversaw the realization of a long-term United States goal. -
Congress final decisions on Panama Canal
Columbian Senate rejected on America offer of $10 million and annual payment of $250,000 for 6 mile wide zone across Panama. -
WWI
The construction of Panama Canal came to an end just before the first World War would begin. The war that made a change to the world, the U.S would join until the last phase of the war. -
Panama Canal Completed
he Panama Canal officially opened on August 15, 1914, although the planned grand ceremony was downgraded due to the outbreak of WWI. The total cost was $350 million.