Imperialism: Debates & The Spanish-American War

Washington’s Farewell Address (1796)

Avoid entangling alliances and advocate foreign policy based on good faith and free trade

Monroe Doctrine (1823)

Prohibit new European colonization and intervention

Perry Expedition (1853-1854)

Encourage trade and diplomatic relations with Japan

Alaska Purchase (1867)

Deal negotiated by William Seward for Alaska from Russia

Queen Liliuokalani

Hawaiian monarch who attempted to reassert native authority

Newlands Resolution (1898)

Annexation of Hawaii into the U.S.

Jose Marti

Cuban nationalist, main agitator for Cuba’s independence

DeLome Letter

Spanish Ambassador's unflattering remarks on McKinley’s diplomacy

U.S.S. Maine

Exploded in Havana Harbor

Yellow Journalism

Dramatized atrocities of the Spanish-American war

Treaty of Paris (1898)

Ended the Spanish-American war and gave the U.S. Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam

Teller Amendment (1898)

Prohibited American annexation of Cuba

American Occupation (1898-1902)

Cuba became an American protectorate and implemented policies that were beneficial to America

Platt Amendment (1901)

United States must approve any new treaties and foreign credit

Insular Cases (1901-1903)

Supreme Court ruled constitutional guarantees granted only by Congress to U.S.  territories

Spheres of Influence

European and Japanese powers in exclusive control of particular Chinese regions and ports 

Open Door Notes

Proposed equal trading policies between imperial powers and preserved China’s territorial integrity

Society of Harmonious Fists

aka “Boxers,” Xenophobic nationalists to restore Qing sovereignty

Eight-Nation Alliance

United States joined Europeans and Japanese to quash the rebellion

Roosevelt Corollary

American intervention in financially unstable nations in Central and South America indebted to European creditors

*The Influence of Sea Power upon History* by Alfred T. Mahan (1890)

Promoted the necessity of a powerful naval fleet to dominate the sea, exert full might in diplomacy, and defend borders

Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (1903)

Granted U.S. full rights to Panama Canal Zone

Treaty of Portsmouth (1904)

Mediated peace of Russo-Japanese War

Algeciras Conference (1906)

Contributed to peace efforts between France and Germany

Gentleman’s Agreement (1907)

Negotiated reduction of Japanese unskilled labor immigration to U.S. for desegregation of U.S. schools for the Japanese

Great White Fleet (1907-1908)

Demonstrate American international goodwill and naval might

Dollar Diplomacy

Actively encouraged American investment in foreign nations

Banana Republics

Central/South American nations exploited by American corporations

Missionary Diplomacy

Support nations who share democratic beliefs