History imperialism terms

— The year the Spanish-American War began after the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, which increased tensions between the United States and Spain.

1898

— President William Howard Taft’s policy of encouraging American businesses and banks to invest in other countries while using U.S. influence and military support to protect those investments.

Dollar Diplomacy

— A U.S. policy that called for all countries to have equal trading rights in China, preventing any one nation from controlling Chinese trade.

Open Door Policy

— A canal built across Central America that connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, making travel and trade faster and easier for ships.

Panama Canal

— The policy of increasing American influence in foreign markets by protecting trade routes and American business interests around the world.

U.S. Expansion

— A naval officer who argued that a strong navy was essential for a nation to become a world power. His ideas greatly influenced U.S. foreign policy.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

— A senator who supported American imperialism because he believed it would strengthen the economy, increase national pride, and help the United States compete with European powers.

Henry Cabot Lodge

— A Hawaiian political leader who supported Western influence in Hawaii and became president of the provisional government after the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown.

Sanford B. Dole

— An opponent of imperialism who believed the United States should respect the rights of other nations and promote peace rather than conquest.

Carl Schurz

— A policy stating that European nations should not create new colonies in the Americas.

Monroe Doctrine

— Theodore Roosevelt’s addition to the Monroe Doctrine, claiming the United States could intervene in Latin American countries to maintain stability and protect U.S. interests.

Roosevelt Corollary

— President Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy that promoted democracy and moral principles rather than military force or economic gain.

Moral Diplomacy

— A minister who believed the United States had a duty to spread Christianity, democracy, and American culture throughout the world.

Josiah Strong

— Territory purchased by the United States from Russia in 1867 that later became valuable because of its natural resources and gold discoveries.

Alaska

— The treaty that ended the Mexican-American War, recognized Texas as part of the United States, and gave the U.S. a large amount of western land.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

— A style of news reporting that exaggerates stories and uses sensational headlines to attract readers and influence public opinion.

Yellow Journalism

— An American battleship whose explosion in Havana Harbor helped spark the Spanish-American War.

U.S.S. Maine

— A letter written by the Spanish ambassador criticizing President McKinley; its publication angered Americans and increased support for war with Spain.

De Lôme Letter

— A volunteer cavalry unit led by Theodore Roosevelt that became famous for its role in the Battle of San Juan Hill.

Rough Riders

— A policy in which a country extends its power by gaining control over other territories for resources, markets, or strategic advantages.

Imperialism

— The agreement that ended the Spanish-American War, granted Cuba independence, and gave Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.

Treaty of Paris

— A law that allowed the United States to intervene in Cuban affairs and maintain a naval base at Guantánamo Bay.

Platt Amendment