U.S. Imperialism and Foreign Policy: Key Figures and Events

Alfred T. Mahan

D: U.S. Navy captain who argued (1890) that a strong navy + overseas bases were key to protecting markets and becoming a world power.

S: His ideas helped drive late-1800s U.S. naval buildup tied to imperialism.

Theodore Roosevelt

D: Expansionist leader; Amsco links him to expanding naval power and later "big stick" foreign policy.

S: Rose to fame in the Spanish-American War era, then used aggressive policy to expand U.S. influence (Latin America + Asia).

Josiah Strong

D: Protestant minister who claimed "Anglo-Saxon" Americans were superior and had a Christian duty to colonize.

S: Helped justify imperialism using religion + racial ideology.

Queen Liliuokalani

D: Hawaiian monarch overthrown in 1893 with help from American settlers pushing annexation.

S: Shows U.S. economic interests (like sugar tariffs) driving overseas expansion, even though Cleveland first blocked annexation.

Spanish-American War

D: 1898 war fueled by jingoism and Cuba events that pushed the U.S. into conflict with Spain.

S: Marked the start of a U.S. overseas empire (Caribbean + Pacific) and shifted foreign policy in the 1900s.

William Randolph Hearst

D: Publisher of the New York Journal, a major "yellow press" paper.

S: Ran exaggerated/false Cuba stories that boosted pro-war public opinion.

Joseph Pulitzer

D: Publisher of the New York World, also part of the "yellow press."

S: Helped spread sensational coverage that pushed Americans toward intervening in Cuba.

Yellow journalism

D: Sensational reporting with bold, lurid headlines used to stir "war fever."

S: Amsco says it helped persuade Americans to pressure Congress/the president to intervene in Cuba.

De Lôme letter

D: Leaked 1898 letter by Spanish minister Dupuy de Lôme insulting McKinley, published by the press.

S: Spiked U.S. anger at Spain right before the war.

Teller Amendment

D: April 20, 1898 war resolution promise that the U.S. would not annex Cuba and Cuba would self-govern after peace.

S: Meant to ease fears the war was just for taking Cuba (imperialism debate).

USS Maine

D: U.S. battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor (Feb. 15, 1898), killing 260 Americans.

S: Yellow press blamed Spain, public pressure surged, and the U.S. moved closer to war.

George Dewey

D: Commodore who led the U.S. fleet to Manila Bay and destroyed Spanish ships (May 1, 1898).

S: Proved U.S. sea power and tied the Cuba war to Pacific expansion.

Emilio Aguinaldo

D: Filipino rebel leader who fought Spain, then opposed U.S. control as Filipinos resisted U.S. rule.

S: Shows the contradiction of "liberation" claims vs denying Philippine independence.

Rough Riders

D: Volunteer regiment led by Theodore Roosevelt that fought in Cuba.

S: Became a war symbol and boosted Roosevelt's national fame.

Philippine-American War

D: Fighting after Filipinos turned on the U.S. when independence wasn't granted; years of war ended with Aguinaldo's capture.

S: Major anti-imperialist argument: it showed the U.S. acting like an empire, not a liberator.

Dr. Walter Reed

D (based on your provided Amsco pages): Reed isn't named in Amsco 7.2/7.3; the text stresses tropical disease killed more U.S. troops than combat in 1898.

S (based on your provided Amsco pages): Amsco links health to empire by noting disease in war and crediting William Gorgas with mosquito control (yellow fever) during Panama Canal construction.

John Hay

D: Secretary of State who called the Spanish-American War "a splendid little war."

S: Key figure in Asia policy through the Open Door approach to trade in China.

Open Door Policy

D: Hay's notes urging equal trade rights in China and respect for China's independence.

S: Shows U.S. seeking economic influence without formal colonization, tied to tensions like the Boxer Rebellion.

Boxer Rebellion

D: Chinese uprising attacking foreigners; Europeans later punished China, and Hay restated equal trade + Chinese independence.

S: Increased foreign military involvement and reinforced the Open Door policy.

Big Stick Diplomacy

D: Roosevelt's "speak softly and carry a big stick" approach: negotiate, but be ready to use force.

S: Set the tone for early-1900s U.S. interventionism, especially in Latin America.

Panama Canal

D: U.S.-built Panama canal (1904-1914) after backing Panama's revolt and gaining the Canal Zone via the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty.

S: Strategic link between oceans for empire/trade, but increased Latin American resentment.

Roosevelt Corollary

D: 1904 Monroe Doctrine extension: U.S. could intervene in Latin America, often to prevent European debt intervention.

S: Justified repeated U.S. interventions in the Caribbean/Central America and damaged long-term relations.

Russo-Japanese War

D: 1904 Russia-Japan war over imperial rivalry; Japan was winning when Roosevelt hosted the 1905 Portsmouth peace talks.

S: Shows U.S. as a global mediator, but also sparked tension since some Japanese nationalists felt the U.S. limited Japan's gains.