Imperialism

Imperial Powers

Countries maintaining or extending power over foreign nations

William Seward

He proposed the purchase of Alaska in 1867; his peers thought he had gone mad.

Purchase of Alaska

In 1867, also known as Russian America.

“Seward’s Folly”

The belief that Alaska was a vast frozen wasteland, surely not worth 7.2 million American dollars.

Samoan Islands of the South Pacific

An archipelago covering 3,030 km² in the central South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia and of the wider region of Oceania.

Monroe Doctrine

A United States foreign policy position that opposes European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere.

McKinley Tariff

Raised import rates on foreign sugar.

Queen Liliuokalani

Only queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom; determined that the root of Hawaii's problems was foreign interference.

Grover Cleveland

An outspoken anti-imperialist who thought Americans had acted shamefully in Hawaii; he withdrew the annexation treaty from the Senate and ordered an investigation into potential wrongdoings.

William McKinley

Signed a joint resolution annexing the islands; much like the manner in which Texas joined the Union in 1845.

William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer

Two prominent publishers willing to use sensational headlines to sell papers.

Frederick Remington

A renowned painter sent to Cuba to depict Spanish misdeeds.

Dupuy De Lôme

The Spanish minister to the United States who wrote a stinging letter about President McKinley; after being stolen, it was published by Hearst on February 9. Public outcry led to his recall to Spain and an apology from the Spanish government.

Teller Amendment

Promised that America would not annex the precious islands.

The Battle of Manila Bay

Also known as the Battle of Cavite; took place on May 1, 1898, during the Spanish–American War and resulted in an American victory.

General William Shafter

A major general in the Spanish–American War; Fort Shafter, Hawaii, is named for him, along with the city of Shafter, California, and the ghost town of Shafter, Texas.

Rough Riders

A volunteer regiment commanded by Leonard Wood, organized by Theodore Roosevelt; charged up San Juan Hill and helped Shafter bottle the Spanish forces in Santiago harbor.

Leonard Wood

A United States Army major general, physician, and public official.

Treaty of Paris

The United States received the Philippines and the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico. Cuba became independent, and Spain was awarded $20 million for its losses; the treaty prompted heated debate in the United States.

Platt Amendment of 1901

Cuba was forbidden from entering any treaty that might endanger their independence; to prevent European gunboats from landing on Cuban shores, Cuba was also prohibited from incurring a large debt. If any of these conditions were violated, Cuba agreed to permit American troops to land to restore order.

"Chronic Wrongdoing"

A phrase that included large debts or civil unrest.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick"

To Roosevelt, the big stick was the new American navy; negotiating peacefully but also having strength in case things went wrong.

Yankee Imperialism

The act of pushing American military and economic influence over other parts of the world, also called U.S. Imperialism.

Spheres of Influence

A territory or region where an external group or institution holds power or authority in a foreign territory.

Open Door Notes

Letters circulated among all powers, requesting that all nations agree to free trade in China.

Fists of Righteous Harmony

A group of Chinese nationalists who attacked Western property.

The Boxers

As they were known in the West, they continued to wreak havoc until a multinational force invaded to stop the uprising.

Boxer Rebellion

Marked the first time United States armed forces invaded another continent without aiming to acquire the territory.

Gentlemen's Agreement of 1907

The United States agreed to end the practice of separate schooling in exchange for a promise to end Japanese immigration.

Great White Fleet

Roosevelt’s flotilla, representing the American Navy; his “big stick”.

Root-Takahira Agreement

Japan and the United States agreed to respect each other's holdings on the Pacific Rim.

Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

The United States and Great Britain agreed in 1850 that neither side would build a Central American canal; a half-century later, the now-dominant United States wanted to nullify this deal.

South African Boer War

Great Britain, nervous about its war and an increasingly cloudy Europe, sought to make a friend in the United States.

Hay-Pauncefote Treaty

Permitted the United States to build and fortify a Central American canal, provided that the Americans promised to charge the same fares to all nations.

Ferdinand de Lessups

The engineer who designed the Suez Canal and organized a French attempt in Panama in the 1870s.

Hay-Herran Treaty

Permitted the United States to lease a six-mile wide strip of land at an annual fee.

Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty

Awarded a 10-mile strip of land to the United States, clearing the last hurdle for the canal project.

Isolationism

(Loner) Strict non-involvement in the affairs of other nations

Collective Security

(Team Player) Working with other countries to maintain peace and influence world affairs

Internationalism

(World Policeman) Intervening in other countries’ affairs to promote important national interests and/or to safeguard national security

Imperialism

(Bully) Extending power by acquiring territory around the globe or exploiting weaker nations to serve national interests

Age of Imperialism

Near the turn of the 20th century

Annex

to acquire new land and make it part of another country

Panama Canal

a manmade pathway to connect the Atlantic to the Pacific