The Spanish-American War and American Expansionism

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the Spanish-American War and American expansionism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Spanish-American War

A conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States that marked a turning point in American foreign policy and established the U.S. as a world power.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century doctrine that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Open Door Policy

A diplomatic policy initiated by the United States in 1899 and 1900 asserting equal privileges for all nations trading with China.

De Lome Letter

A letter written by a Spanish diplomat that criticized President McKinley, which inflamed American public opinion against Spain.

Yellow Journalism

Journalism that exaggerates news stories to provoke public outrage, notably practiced by Hearst and Pulitzer during the Spanish-American War.

Platt Amendment

A 1901 amendment that limited Cuba's sovereignty and allowed the U.S. to intervene in Cuban affairs.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

A U.S. naval officer and historian whose ideas on naval strategy profoundly influenced the expansion of the U.S. Navy.

Economic Expansionism

The practice of increasing a nation's economic influence or power, often by acquiring new markets or territories.

Insular Cases

A series of Supreme Court cases that determined the constitutional rights of U.S. territories acquired in the Spanish-American War.

The Philippines War

A conflict from 1899 to 1903 between the United States and Filipino revolutionaries fighting for independence.