APUSH - Imperialism

Josiah Strong - Our Country

An 1885 book that provided racial/moral justification for imperialism by saying that Anglo-Saxon races had a duty to help “uncivilized” races through imperialism.

“Remember the Maine! To H*ll with Spain”

A rally cry for the Spanish-American War popularized by yellow journalism after the 1898 explosion of the USS Maine in Havana, Cuba.

Jose Marti

Cuban poet, revolutionary, and journalist who warned Latin America about American imperialism and advocated for Cuba’s independence from Spain. He lived in New York as an exile and advocated his opinions to Cuban communities in Florida and wrote “Our America”, which called for Latin American unity.

Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr. (MA)

Republican Massachusetts senator who advocated for expansive imperialism against Theodore Roosevelt, and led the “reservationists” who wanted to block U.S. entry into the League of Nations. He influenced immigration policy and earned one of the first history PhDs from Harvard.

Alfred Thayer Mahan/The Influence of Sea Power Upon History

U.S. Navy officer and advocate for imperialism who wrote The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, an 1890 book stating that a country could not be dominant without a strong Navy. His ideas helped fuel the global naval arms race and promoted need in US to have powerful fleets and bases.

Queen Liliuokalani

Last queen of Hawaii who was overthrown in 1893 by a U.S.-led coup. She wanted to restore power to the monarchy and Native Hawaiians and was very against annexation.

McKinley Tariff 1890

Extremely high protectionist tariff that raised taxes on many imports up to close to 50%. This was signed in by President Benjamin Harrison, and it encouraged the annexation in Hawaii due to sugar trade complications as well as causing many other issues, leading to the financial panic of 1893.

Alaska Purchase

1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2M, led by Secretary of State William Seward. It was mocked as “Seward’s Folly” originally, but it ended up being extremely beneficial as it had gold, silver, and timber. It led to the Klondike Gold Rush and was under President Andrew Johnson.

Rough Riders

Theodore Roosevelt’s volunteer cavalry regimen during the Spanish-American War, which included diverse groups including cowboys, hunters, and Natives. They were known for charging San Juan Hill in Cuba, which helped secure the US victory and made Roosevelt famous.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Filipino leader who helped lead independence movement against Spain and was very against annexation by the US. He is known as the first president of the Philippines and led aggressive efforts in the Philippine-American war, and was later arrested and declared loyalty to the US.

Open Door Policy

1899 diplomatic principle by Secretary of State John Hay that aimed to ensure that all nations had the ability to trade with China, which placed the US as a major part of Asian affairs.

Panama Canal

Man-made waterway finished in 1914 under Roosevelt connecting the Atlantic and Pacific through the Isthmus of Panama. It was an important trade and military route, and the US gained the right to build it after helping Panama win independence from Colombia.

Great White Fleet

16 white-painted US Navy ships that completed a global circumnavigation under Roosevelt from 1907-1909. It exemplified “big stick” imperialism and showed the US as an imperialistic power.

Imperialist Presidents

McKinley - led US through Spanish-American war - PR, Guam, Philippines

Roosevelt - “big stick” policy and Roosevelt Corollary

Taft - “dollar diplomacy”

Monroe Doctrine

1823 foreign policy that ended further European colonization of the Western hemisphere. In return, the US did not involve itself with European affairs.

Pancho Villa

Important Mexican general who provoked the US through his invasion on Columbus, NM, into intervening in the Mexican Civil War through the Punitive Expedition, led by Pershing, which was was to capture Villa, in hopes that he would discredit current president Carranza and build a reputation as opponent to the US. 

Big Sister Policy

1880s foreign policy led by Secretary of State Blaine that wanted to unite Latin American nations under US advisement and open them to trade with the US. A success of this was the First International Conference of American States in 1889.

Venezuela Boundary Dispute

An 1895 border dispute between Venezuela and British Guiana. The US forced Britain to recede due to the Monroe Doctrine. The result was that British Guiana still gained most of the disputed territory, but it was still a significant usage of the Monroe Doctrine.

Insular Cases

Series of SCOTUS cases in 1901 that stated that residents of territories gained by the US during the Spanish-American War did not automatically get all constitutional rights, giving Congress the right to distinguish between incorporated and unincorporated territories.

Treaty of Portsmouth

1905 peace agreement brokered by Theodore Roosevelt that ended the Russo-Japanese War, which established Japan as a major Asian power and as having control over Korea as well as getting Roosevelt the Nobel Peace Prize. 

“Gentlemen’s Agreement”

1907 informal agreement under Roosevelt between the US and Japan that aimed to fix immigration tensions, with Japan ending the sending of unskilled workers and the US stopping discrimination against Japanese, rescinding San Francisco’s school segregation against Japanese children.

De Lome Letter

Private letter from a Spanish ambassador in Washington who was criticizing McKinley as weak, which was published in American newspapers in 1898 and fueled anti-Spanish sentiment before the Spanish-American war. 

“Reconcentration” Policy

Spanish military strategy during the Cuban War of Independence which forced Cubans into fortified camps. This was implemented by Spanish General Weyler in 1896 and led to horrible conditions for Cubans. It was criticized by the US and led to more anti-Spanish sentiment.

Platt Amendment (1901)

Legislation that set regulations for the US to withdraw from Cuba after the Spanish-American War. It was to allow the US to interfere in Cuban affairs, prohibited Cuba to make alliances with other countries, and forced Cuba to allow land for US Naval bases, solidifying US control in Cuba.

Valeriano Weyler

Spanish general known for leading “reconcentration” who was very heavily criticized by the US due to the exposes by yellow journalists of the harsh conditions Cubans were forced into, leading to anti-Spanish sentiment.

Jingoism

Extreme patriotism that promotes warlike foreign policies, driven by nationalism and feelings of superiority. Backed by yellow journalists, it led Americans to support Roosevelt against Spain.

Yellow Journalism

Led by Pulitzer (NY World) and Hearst (NY Journal), it was exaggerated journalism that, for the Spanish-American War, built anti-Spanish sentiment by stirring emotions.

Social Darwinism

“Scientific” theory that applied “survival of the fittest” to people, used to justify racism and popularized by Spencer and Graham.

Teller Amendment

1898 act led by Senator Teller that prevented the US from annexing Cuba after the Spanish-American War, reassuring people that the US was only helping Cuba to gain independence, not taking it over. It was later limited by the Platt Amendment.

“Big Stick” Policy

Theodore Roosevelt’s method of diplomacy that supported diplomatic relations by using military threats. The policy was “speak softly and carry a big stick”, meaning that they would start with diplomacy but threaten military action if necessary.

Roosevelt Corollary

1904 addition under Roosevelt to the Monroe Doctrine that said the US could intervene in Latin American affairs to maintain stability, acting as a “police power”. It also prevented European intervention.

American Commonwealths (PR/Guam)

PR and Guam were unincorporated territories gained by the US from the Spanish-American War through the Treaty of Paris. They were ruled as only somewhat part of the US during the Insular Cases of 1901.

Dollar Diplomacy

President Taft’s policy that focused on using American investment to create stability and increase American influence in Latin America/Asia.

Jones Act

1916 act that gave the Philippines status as an territory and promised independence once a stable government was established.

Moral Diplomacy

Wilson’s foreign policy that promoted human rights and democratic values over economics/imperialism, aiming to use the US’s moral authority to influence foreign relations. It supported countries with similar moral/democratic beliefs and economically pressured countries with opposing beliefs.

Tampico Incident

1914 diplomatic incident when 9 US soldiers were briefly detained by the Mexicans. When dictator Huerta did not allow General Mayo to fully extend his apology and 21-gun salute to the American flag, it fueled Wilson to order for the occupation of Veracruz. 

Mexican Civil War

1910-1920 war against the authoritarian regime of Diaz. It led to Diaz’s fall, Madero’s assassination, the rule of Huerta, and the 1917 Constitution, the first in the world to enshrine social rights.

Manifest Destiny

19th century belief that the US was destined and had the divine right to expand across North America, used as justification for Westward expansion as a means of American exceptionalism.

William Seward

Secretary of state under Lincoln and Johnson who convinced Britain and France to remain neutral during the Civil War and not recognize the Confederacy. He also spearheaded the purchase of Alaska and helped work to get French troops out of Mexico and contributed to a treaty ending the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Pan-American Conference

1889-1890 series of meetings headed by Blaine to increase cooperation, peace, and economic ties by opening up Latin American markets to US trade. It led to the establishment of the Pan-American Union and later the Organization of American States. It was the manifestation of the “Big Sister” policy.

“A splendid little war”

Term coined by Secretary of State John Hay to refer to the Spanish-American War of 1898 due to the war’s short duration of under 100 days and all of the territorial gains made by the US, and failed to acknowledge harsh realities in some such as the Philippines.

Boxer Rebellion

1899-1901 Chinese rebellion against foreign imperialism led by a group called the “Righteous and Harmonious Fists”, also known as the Boxers. They attacked foreigners as well as Chinese Christians, and were eventually shut down by a foreign coalition including the US.

Root-Takahira Agreement

1908 agreement between the US and Japan that said that they would respect each other’s territories in the Pacific and supported China’s territorial integrity and Open Door policy. It was signed by US Secretary of State Root and Japanese ambassador Takahira.

Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty

1903 treaty between the US and Panama that gave the US the right to build and control over the Panama Canal. It followed an unsuccessful treaty in Colombia called the Hay-Herran Treaty. It was largely a result of the US’s support for Panama’s independence from Colombia.