Imperialism and the Spanish-American War

Flashcards covering key terms, historical figures, legislative acts, and significant events related to American Imperialism and the Spanish-American War from the provided lecture notes. This includes the push for empire building, conflicts overseas, major Hawaiian and Cuban events, and the aftermath of the war in the Philippines and China.

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means, often driven by the need for land, resources, and markets.

Goals of American Imperialism

To open Latin American and Asian markets, build a steel navy, and construct a Central American canal.

McKinley Tariff

A tariff on foreign imports that hurt American sugar growers in Hawaii, contributing to calls for annexation.

Queen Liliuokalani

The last sovereign monarch of Hawaii, who insisted on native Hawaiian rule, leading to a revolt by powerful American whites.

Yellow Journalism

A sensationalist style of newspaper reporting that fabricates or exaggerates news to attract readers, exemplified by Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst during the Cuban uprising.

USS Maine

A U.S. battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, killing 260 sailors and fueling American public outcry for war with Spain, despite internal explosion being the likely cause.

Teller Amendment

A declaration passed prior to the Spanish-American War, stating that Cuba would be granted independence once freed from Spanish rule, but caused complications later.

Spanish-American War

A conflict in 1898, dubbed 'TR's Splendid Little War,' that saw the U.S. emerge as a new world power and acquire territories.

Roughriders

A volunteer cavalry regiment organized by Teddy Roosevelt and commanded by Leonard Wood, consisting of westerners and Ivy League recruits, known for their charge up San Juan Hill.

General William Shafter

The commander of U.S. forces in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, whose troops faced challenges fighting in the tropics.

Foraker Act (1900)

Legislation that made Puerto Rico a U.S. territory after the Spanish-American War.

Jones Act (1917)

Legislation that granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto Rican islanders.

Treaty of Paris of 1898

The agreement that ended the Spanish-American War, freeing Cuba, ceding Guam and Puerto Rico to the U.S., and selling the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million.

Dr. Walter Reed

An Army doctor who addressed disease problems during and after the Spanish-American War, successfully wiping out yellow fever by discovering its carrier mosquito.

Insular Cases

A series of Supreme Court cases that determined the U.S. Constitution did not necessarily 'follow the flag,' meaning citizens in new territories did not automatically have all the rights of American citizens.

Platt Amendment

A condition imposed on Cuba's constitution to ensure U.S. safety, allowing the U.S. to intervene with troops, restrict Cuban debt, and maintain a naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

Elihu Root

Secretary of War who reformed the U.S. military after the Spanish-American War, appointing a 'General Staff' and establishing the War College.

Admiral Alfred T. Mahan

A major advocate for building a steel navy, whose book 'The Influence of Sea Power Upon History' significantly influenced naval advancements.

USS Oregon

A battleship whose 66-day journey from the Northern Pacific to the Caribbean during the Spanish-American War highlighted the urgent need for a Central American canal.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Initially aided the U.S. against Spain in the Philippines, but later led Filipino insurgents in a brutal guerrilla war against U.S. forces when the Philippines was not granted independence.

William Howard Taft

Appointed head of the Philippine Commission by McKinley, he worked to assimilate the islands by improving infrastructure, sanitation, schools, and hospitals.

Open Door Note

A policy dispatched by Secretary of State John Hay, requesting European powers respect the rights of Chinese in their spheres of influence and allow open trade, benefiting American interests in China.

Boxer Rebellion

An uprising by ultra-patriotic Chinese groups (Boxers) who rebelled against foreign influence, killing missionaries and traders, leading to an 18,000-soldier multinational intervention.