William Mckinley, Imperialism

Pan-American Exposition

A fair celebrating the emergence of the United States and the American continent on the world stage, held in Buffalo, New York, on September 5, 1901.

Spanish colonial styles

Architectural features at the exposition symbolizing former Spanish territories now controlled by the U.S.

Geronimo

A Native American chief exhibited at the Pan-American Exposition, reflecting recent American conquests.

Puerto Rico building

A structure at the exposition highlighting U.S. territorial acquisitions.

Philippines counterinsurgency tactics

Violent military actions by U.S. forces, including concentration camps, scorched earth policies, and massacres of civilians.

Samar Island reprisal attack

An event resulting in the deaths of at least 2,000 civilians, underscoring the violent nature of American imperial expansion.

William McKinley

The 25th President of the United States, whose presidency was marked by American imperial growth.

Republican dominance

A political shift beginning with the 1896 election that favored Republicans and sidelined Democrats until 1932.

McKinley Tariffs

Legislation that eliminated Hawaii's sugar export advantage, contributing to the economic crisis leading to the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Queen Liliuokalani

The last reigning monarch of Hawaii, who attempted to restore power via a new constitution.

Republic of Hawaii

A government formed by coup leaders under Sanford B. Dole after the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Annexation of Hawaii

The process of incorporating Hawaii into the United States, which faced initial Congressional rejection.

Cuban Rebellion

A renewed uprising against Spanish colonial rule that began in 1895, continuing from an earlier uprising in 1868.

Spanish counterinsurgency

Brutal measures taken by Spain in response to the Cuban rebellion, involving the deployment of 200,000 troops.

U.S. humanitarian concerns

The moral considerations influencing American attitudes towards the Cuban Rebellion and Spanish colonial rule.

McKinley's foreign policy

A focus that shifted from domestic economic issues to foreign policy and imperial expansion during McKinley's presidency.

Annexation treaty of 1897

A treaty drafted by McKinley to annex Hawaii, which Congress rejected twice due to its controversial nature.

Grover Cleveland

The 22nd and 24th President of the United States, who opposed the annexation of Hawaii and recognized its sovereignty.

Sanford B. Dole

The leader of the Republic of Hawaii who bided time for a more favorable administration to support annexation.

Political balance shift in 1896

The alteration in U.S. politics that favored Republicans and marked the beginning of nearly four decades of their dominance.

McKinley's jovial demeanor

The cheerful attitude exhibited by McKinley at the exposition, contrasting with the violent realities of American imperialism.

Economic crisis in Hawaii

A situation triggered by the McKinley Tariffs that contributed to the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Coup leaders

Individuals who orchestrated the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and sought U.S. annexation.

Reconcentration camps

Camps where civilians were forced into, leading to approximately 100,000 Cuban deaths from starvation and disease.

USS Maine

A U.S. naval ship that exploded in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, killing 261 sailors.

Teller Amendment

Legislation that authorized McKinley to declare war while promising no permanent U.S. control over Cuba.

Commodore George Dewey

The commander who led the U.S. Navy to a decisive victory against the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay.

Battle of San Juan Hill

A significant battle during the Spanish-American War where Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders gained fame.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Filipino revolutionary leader who claimed U.S. commanders promised independence in exchange for cooperation.

Treaty of Paris (1898)

The agreement that ended the Spanish-American War, with the U.S. paying Spain $20 million for the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Anti-imperialist faction

A group opposing the war and territorial expansion, including figures like Mark Twain and Grover Cleveland.

Media pressure

The influence of news coverage that galvanized public opinion for war against Spain following the USS Maine explosion.

American republican ideals

Traditional values invoked by conservatives warning against the dangers of empire.

Humanitarian grounds

The rationale for increasing American public support for intervention in Cuba due to civilian suffering.

Naval victory in the Philippines

The U.S. success in destroying the Spanish fleet, which opened the door for American expansion in Asia.

McKinley's cautious approach

His reluctance to engage in war despite political and public pressure, stemming from his experience as a soldier.

Paternalistic governance

McKinley's conclusion that the U.S. should govern the Philippines to raise the population in self-government and Christianize them.

Strategic positioning

The advantage gained by controlling the Philippines for access to Asian markets and as a waystation with Hawaii.

Coal dust explosion theory

The modern theory regarding the cause of the USS Maine explosion, suggesting it was an internal explosion.

External mine theory

The theory from 1898 investigations that blamed the USS Maine explosion on an external mine.

Spanish fleet destruction

The overwhelming defeat of the Spanish Navy at Manila Bay with minimal American casualties.

Cuban rebels

The group fighting against Spanish rule in Cuba, whose suffering led to increased calls for American intervention.

Public opinion

The collective attitudes of the American public that increasingly favored intervention in Cuba due to humanitarian concerns.

Political pressure

The influence exerted on McKinley by influential figures and the public to engage in war against Spain.

Spanish-American Wat

Short, brief, war decisively won by the U.S.

Innovative communication methods

The modern technologies McKinley used to manage the war effort directly from the White House.

Annexation

The political process of incorporating a territory into another sovereign state

Philippine-American War

Guerrilla conflict with heavy Filipino casualties lasting from 1899 to 1902

Battle of Manila Bay

May 1898 naval battle where U.S. Navy destroyed the Spanish fleet

Treaty of Paris signed

December 1898 agreement where U.S. acquires Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam for $20 million

McKinley Tariffs enacted

1890 legislation that eliminated Hawaiian sugar duty-free status, triggering economic crisis in Hawaii

Overthrow of Hawaiian monarchy

1893 event led by American businessmen and citizens with U.S. military support

McKinley drafts treaty to annex Hawaii

1897 treaty that failed in Congress twice

Cuban rebellion resumes

1895 uprising where Spain deployed brutal counterinsurgency tactics including reconcentration camps

U.S. declares war on Spain

April 1898 declaration marked by the Teller Amendment barring permanent control over Cuba

McKinley visits Pan-American Exposition

September 5, 1901, event occurring 24 hours before his assassination

McKinley's Continued Imperial Ambitions

McKinley's foreign policy ambitions that extended beyond the Caribbean and the Pacific to China

American imperialism

The U.S. policy of extending its power and influence through territorial acquisitions and military force

Spanish-American War

A brief conflict in 1898 that resulted in the U.S. gaining key territories and becoming a global power