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Purchasing Alaska
America purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million as a result of William H. Seaward's efforts and in appreciation of Russia's assistance during the Civil War. -
Yellow Press
A new type of journalism that was started by two New York newspapers that printed exaggerated and false headlines about the events in Cuba. This increased the popularity of the Spanish-American War. -
Mahan wrote The Influence of Sea Power Upon History
Alfred Thayer Mahan was a US Navy Captian who wrote an important book in which he stressed that a strong navy was vital to securing foreign markets and becoming a world power. -
Overthrowing the Hawaiian Monarch
American expansionists helped overthrow the Hawaiian Monarch, Queen Liliuokalani -
Cuban Revolt
After 10 years of fighting, Cuban Rebels chose to start sabotaging and destroying plantations to try and force the Spanish out of Cuba or get America involved in the fight. General Valeriano Weyler and 100,000 troops were sent by the Spanish to supress the revolt. -
McKinley's War Message
President McKinley offered Spain an ultimatum demanding they ceasefire in Cuba. Spain agreed, but the American public continued to call for war. McKinley cracked under the pressures of the people and sent a war message to Spain. He cited 4 reasons why the US should intervene on the Cuban Rebels behalf. 1) End the violence in Cuba, 2) Protect US citizens in Cuba, 3) Protect the trade and commerce in Cuba, 4) Regain peace in Cuba. -
Battle of Manila
The first shots of the Spanish-American War came a few months after the ratification of the Teller Amendment. -
De Lome Letter
Dupuy De Lome, the Spanish minister to the US, wrote a letter in which he was very critical of President McKinley. This letter was leaked and published on the front page of a popular newspaper. Many Americans thought that the letter was an insult to American honor. -
Sinking of the Maine
The US battleship Maine was anchored in Havana, Cuba when it suddenly exploded and killed hundreds of Americans. News stories told Americans that it was a deliberate attack by the Spanish, but experts later discredited that theory. -
Annexation of Hawaii
President Cleveland opposed the annexation of Hawaii, but during the Spanish-American War and the conflict in the Phillippines, President McKinley and Congress annexed Hawaii. -
Teller Amendment
Congress's response to the President's war message. In the Teller Amendment, the US declared that they had no intention nor interest in taking political control of Cuba. This meant that once peace was restored to the island, Cuba could govern itself. -
Spanish Surrender at Santiago Bay
The US Navy destroyed the Spanish Navy by capturing San Juan Hill. Without a navy, the Spanish couldn't fight and asked for the US terms of peace. -
Ratification of the Treaty of Paris
Despite non-imperialist opposition, the Treaty of Paris was ratified and the Phillippines were annexed as well. -
Hay's Second Round of Notes
Hay was worried that the expeditionary powers in China would try to occupy the country, so he wrote a second note to the Imperial Powers stating that 1) the US was committed to protecting the integrity of China's land, and 2) they wanted to safeguard trade with China. -
Boxer Rebellion
Xenophobia was on the rise in China which led to the development of the Boxers, a secret society of chinese nationalists. The Boxers attacked foreign settlements and murdered christian missionaries. The US sent troops to participate in an international force that marched to Peking and stop the Boxers. Upon the international force's victory, China was forced to pay mulitple indemnities, which weakened the imperial regime. -
Election of McKinley and Roosevelt
The Republicans nominated President McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt as Vice President. Roosevelt was a war hero and New York Governor which made him appealing to the people. Their opponent merely argued for free silver and his opposition to American imperialism. -
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
In this treaty, the British agreed to dismiss a previous treaty that stated that any canals built in Central America were to be under joint British-US control. -
The Platt Amendment
The US troops were removed from Cuba after the Platt Amendment was signed. However, this amendment made Cuba an American Protectorate which subjucted Cuban Foreign Policy to American oversight. -
Filipino Geurilla Fighters lose to US.
Filipinos were angry that their hopes for independence from Spain were being squandered by the US. So, a nationalist leader in the Phillippines, Emilio Aguinaldo, lead a group of geurilla fighters in opposition of US control. The fight ended after three years and thousands of lives lost. -
Revolution in Panama
Colombia wouldn't agree to President Roosevelt's terms for building the Panama Canal, so President Roosevelt supported a revolt in Panama. The rebels won quickly and easily with the help of the US. In appreciation, the first act of the new Government of Panama was signing the treaty that gave the US long-term control of the canal zone. -
America Puts an End to the Russo-Japanese War
Russia and Japan were rivals which led to a war between the nations in 1904 that Japan was winning. President Roosevelt invited Japan and Russia to New Hampshire to discuss a peace treaty. Both countries agreed to the Portsmouth Treaty, but Japan blamed America for not giving them all that they wanted from Russia. -
US Participation in the Building of RR in China
William Howard Taft tested Dollar Diplomacy(A foreign policy involving both expansionism and investments) in a deal with Britain, France, and Germany to build railroads in China. US participation was established in an agreement signed in 1911. -
Panama Canal is Finished
Hundreds of laborers lost their lives building the canal, but the US could now easily access all parts of their empire by the sea. -
Expeditionary Force in Mexico
After the fall of the military dictatorship in Mexico, revolutionaries who were loyal to Pancho Villa challenged the government. These revolutionaries crossed the US-Mexican border and killed many people in Texas and New Mexico. President Wilson ordered General Pershing to follow Villa into Mexico. US troops were in N. Mexico for many months without capturing Villa until they were withdrawn when WW1 started. -
Tampico Incident
American seamen went ashore in Tampico, Mexico and were arrested by authorities and later released. General Huerta, the military dictator that America was helping to fight, refused to apologize. In response, Wilson ordered the US Navy to occupy Vera Cruz. America and Mexico would have gone to war if Argentina, Brazil, and Chile hadn't offered to mediate the dispute. This was the first conflict to be settled in the Americas through joint mediation. -
US out of Economic Recession Due to Production of War Supplies
The US had been in business recession in 1914, but France and Britain ordered war supplies from America which helped the American economy. -
Sinking of Lusitania
Germany torpedoed a British Passenger Liner, 128 Americans drowned as a result. President Wilson sent a strongly worded diplomatic message to Germany holidng them accountable for their actions, this was the first event that threatened Americna Neutrality in WW1. -
Selective Service Act
A democratic method to making sure all groups in the population would be called into service. 2.8 million were eventually called by lottery, making up half of the total number of men enlisted during this time. 2 million men were sent overseas to join the British and the French on the Western Front. -
Declaration of War
President Woodrow Wilson stood before a special session of Congress to present the case for the declaration of war. Four days later, Congress voted to declare war with overwhelming agreement. -
Battle of Chateau Thierry
American troops successfully stopped the final German offensive attack at Chateau Thierry. -
The Fourteen Points
A list of war aims presented to Congress by Woodrow Wilson. -
Completion of Treaty of Versailles
The Peace Conference in Paris adjourned with the completion of the Treaty of Versailles. This included the plan for the League of Nations, which was rejected by Congress and therefore never ratified into US law. -
The Red Scare
People all around the world were unhappy with the peace-making process and had growing fears feuled by communism expnasion in Russia. Therefore making the anti-german feelings of the war turned into anti-communist hysteria in the years after the war. -
The 50th State: Hawaii
Hawaii earned its stateship after 59 years as an American Territory.
