APUSH Time Period 7

Imperialism

Acquiring territory or gaining control over the political or economic life of other countries.

Alfred T. Mahan

U.S. Navy Captain who wrote The Influence of Sea Power, which argued for imperial and world power through increased military strength.

The Spanish-American War

“The splendid little war” that lasted only 16 weeks and fought to determine Cuba’s independence. Turning point for America as a global power.

Treaty of Paris 1898

Provided for 1) recognition of Cuban independence 2) U.S. acquisition of two Spanish islands 3) U.S. acquisition of the Philippines in return for payment to Spain

The Rough Riders

A regiment of volunteers led by Theodore Roosevelt, who had resigned his navy post to take part in the war. This regiment’s most celebrated event was a cavalry charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba.

Yellow Journalism

sensationalistic reporting that futured bold and lurid headlines of crime, disaster, and scandal to sell newspapers

Jingoism

An intense form of nationalism calling for an aggressive foreign policy. Expansionists demanded that the United States take its place with the imperialist nations of Europe as a world power.

De Lome Letter

Spanish diplomat’s letter that was leaked to the press and printed on the front page of Hearst’s Journal, which was highly critical of President William McKinley, and caused a storm of outrage because many considered it an official Spanish insult against the U.S. national honor

Remember the Maine

American ship explosion. The cause of the explosion was unknown, but yellow press accused Spain of deliberately blowing up the ship

Teller Amendment

Declared that the US had no intention of taking political control of Cuba and that, once peace was restored to the island, Cuban people would control their own government.

Platt Amendment

Required Cuba to agree 1) to never sign a treaty with a foreign power that impaired its independence 2) to permit the United States to intervene in Cuba’s affairs to preserve its independence and maintain law and order 3) to allow the U.S. to maintain naval bases in Cuba. This made Cuba a U.S. protectorate.

Annexation of Hawaii

American settlers aided in the overthrow of the monarch, Queen Liliuokalani. President Cleveland opposed imperialism and blocked Republican efforts to do this, but the outbreak of war in the Philippines gave Congress and President McKinley the pretext to complete this.

Annexation of the Philippines

allowed by the vote being passed in Congress. Purchased from Spain for $20 million and spurred intense debates between imperialist and anti-imperialist government.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Filipino nationalist leader who had fought alongside U.S. troops during the Spanish-American War and then led bands of guerilla fighters in a war against U.S. control

“Sphere of Influence”

Could dominate trade and investment within their sphere and shut out competitors

American Anti-Imperialist League

Led by William Jennings Bryan and rallied opposition to further acts of expansion in the Pacific

The Insular Cases

This was the series of Supreme Court cases that covered whether the provisions of the U.S. Constitution apply to whatever territories fall under US control and was debated by imperialists and anti-imperialists. The ruling was that constitutional rights were not automatically extended to territorial possessions and that the power to decide whether or not to grant such rights belonged to Congress.

The Boxer Rebellion

A secret society of Chinese nationalists - the Society of Harmonious Fists - attacked foreign settlements and murdered dozens of Christian missionaries.

The Open Door

Diplomatic Triumph for secretary of state John Hay, which consisted of a diplomatic note in 1899 to nations controlling spheres of influence asking the nations to accept this concept where all nations would have equal trading privileges in China

The Panama Canal

Desired by the U.S., this went through Central America to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty and the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty allowed this to be built.

Roosevelt Corollary

the United States would send gunboats to a Latin American country that was delinquent in paying its debts and would then occupy the country’s major ports to manage the collection of customs taxes until European debts were satisfied.

Big Stick Diplomacy

Theodore Roosevelt’s aggressive foreign policy to build the reputation of the U.S. as a world power.

Treaty of Portsmouth

Agreement by Japan and Russia that the Japanese nationalists blamed the United States for not giving their country all that they believed they deserved from Russia.

Gentleman’s Agreement

Compromise arranged by President Roosevelt by means of an informal understanding in which the Japanese government secretly agreed to restrict the emigration of Japanese workers to the United States in return for Roosevelt persuading California to repeal its discriminatory laws.

The Great White Fleet

To demonstrate U.S. naval power to Japan and other nations, Roosevelt sent this on an around the world cruise for intimidation

Dollar Diplomacy

William Howard Taft’s foreign policy that was mildly expansionist but depended more on investors’ dollars than on the navy’s battleships. This policy promoted U.S. trade by supporting American enterprises abroad.

Moral Diplomacy

Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy that struggled, but hoped to demonstrate that the United States respected other nations’ rights and would support the spread of democracy

Valeriano Weyler

Spanish general known as “The Butcher” in American press who was sent to crush the Cuban Revolt

Dupoy de Lome

Spanish diplomat whose letter was leaked to the press and popularized because he criticized President McKinley.

Sanford B. Dole

proclaims the Republic of Hawaii in 1894

Root Takahira Agreement

An important executive agreement concluded between the United States and Japan pledging mutual respect for each nation’s Pacific possessions and support for the Open Door policy in China