American Imperialism and the Spanish-American War

Imperialism

Policy of stronger nations dominating weaker ones.

Old Imperialism

Colonization by European powers since the 16th century.

Berlin Conference

1884 meeting to divide Africa among European powers.

New Imperialism

Late 19th-century American expansionist policies.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

Naval captain advocating for a strong U.S. navy.

Social Darwinism

Belief in Anglo-Saxon superiority justifying imperialism.

U.S. Foreign Policy

Strategy to expand influence through imperialism.

Expansionism

Policy to spread influence via colonial possessions.

Raw Materials

Natural resources extracted from colonies.

Overseas Markets

Foreign markets for American goods.

Naval Bases

Strategic locations for military ships.

Treaty of Kanagawa

1854 agreement opening Japan to U.S. trade.

Seward's Folly

Criticism of Alaska purchase, later proven valuable.

Alaska Purchase

1867 acquisition of Alaska for $7.2 million.

Midway Islands

Pacific islands purchased by the U.S. under Seward.

Samoa

Island with shared U.S., German, and UK control.

Hawaii

Autonomous kingdom that became a U.S. state.

Queen Liliuokalani

Hawaiian queen overthrown by American interests.

Annexation of Hawaii

Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1898.

Sanford B. Dole

Advocate for Hawaii's annexation and governance.

Sphere of Influence

Area with special trading privileges for a nation.

Open Door Policy

1899 U.S. policy for equal trading rights in China.

Equal Trading Rights

All nations should trade equally, regardless of influence.

Boxer Rebellion

Chinese nationalists opposed foreign involvement in China.

Spanish-American War

Conflict in 1898 between U.S. and Spain.

Cuban Rebellion

Cuba fought for independence from Spanish rule.

Jose Marti

Leader of the Cuban rebellion against Spain.

Reconcentration Camps

Spanish forced Cubans into camps to control rebellion.

Remember the Maine

Slogan after battleship Maine sank in Havana.

De Lome Letter

Spanish ambassador criticized McKinley, increasing tensions.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news reporting to influence public opinion.

Joseph Pulitzer

Publisher known for sensational journalism in New York.

William Randolph Hearst

Publisher who promoted yellow journalism techniques.

Cuban Independence

U.S. recognized Cuba's independence from Spain.

Maine Explosion

Battleship Maine exploded, killing 260 crew members.

Cuban Sugar Plantations

Cuba's wealth stemmed from sugar production.

American Investments

U.S. interests in Cuba prompted intervention concerns.

Grover Cleveland

Opposed U.S. intervention in the Cuban conflict.

William McKinley

President during the Spanish-American War declaration.

Cuban Casualties

95,000 Cubans died from disease and starvation.

Spanish Brutality

Newspapers depicted Spain as violent against Cubans.

Political Power of Press

Media significantly influenced public and political opinion.

American Neutrality

Initial U.S. stance before entering the Spanish-American War.

Cuban Riots

Riots in Havana escalated tensions leading to war.

Spanish American War

Conflict between the U.S. and Spain in 1898.

Philippines

First military action occurred in this Spanish colony.

Theodore Roosevelt

Navy Secretary who ordered Dewey's attack.

George Dewey

Commodore who led the Manila Bay attack.

Manila Bay

Site of Dewey's surprise attack on Spanish fleet.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Leader of Filipino rebels seeking independence.

Luzon

Island where American forces seized the capital.

Cuban Campaign

Military operations conducted in Cuba during the war.

Santiago Harbor

Location where Spanish fleet was trapped.

Rough Riders

1st Regiment of U.S. Cavalry Volunteers led by Roosevelt.

Battle of San Juan Hill

Key battle where Americans captured the hill.

African American soldiers

One quarter of American forces in Cuba.

U.S. Navy blockade

Naval strategy to trap Spanish fleet in Santiago.

Spanish fleet destruction

Ended the Spanish-American War after four-hour battle.

McKinley's Call to Service

Led to nearly 1,000,000 enlistments in the army.

Cuban rebels

Local forces that allied with American troops.

American troops arrival

U.S. forces arrived in the Philippines in July.

Spanish resistance

Opposition faced by American and Cuban forces.

Blockade of Santiago

American naval blockade preventing Spanish escape.

Independence declaration

Filipino rebels declared independence from Spain.

Spanish-American War

Conflict resulting in U.S. territorial acquisitions.

Treaty of Paris (1898)

Ended Spanish-American War; U.S. gained territories.

Cuba's Independence

Cuba became independent from Spain post-war.

Puerto Rico Acquisition

U.S. annexed Puerto Rico after the war.

Guam Acquisition

U.S. acquired Guam from Spain in 1898.

Philippines Acquisition

U.S. paid $20 million for Philippines islands.

Foraker Act (1900)

Granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans.

Popular Vote for Governors

Puerto Rico elected governors since 1948.

Commonwealth Status (1952)

Puerto Rico adopted commonwealth status in 1952.

Platt Amendment (1901)

Allowed U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs.

'A Splendid Little War'

Term coined by John Hay for the war.

War Duration

Spanish-American War lasted four months.

American Casualties

Only 400 American casualties during the war.

Tropical Disease Deaths

5,500 died from diseases like yellow fever.

Anti-Imperialism Debate

Opposition to U.S. imperialism in the Philippines.

Pro-Imperialist Argument

Filipinos needed American guidance for governance.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Leader of the Philippine Republic against U.S.

Philippine-American War

Conflict between U.S. and Filipino forces (1899-1902).

American Atrocities

U.S. soldiers committed atrocities in the Philippines.

American Anti-Imperialist League

Formed in 1899 to oppose imperialism.

Theodore Roosevelt

26th U.S. President known for Big Stick Diplomacy.

Panama Canal

Built to connect Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

French Canal Failure

French abandoned canal due to diseases.

Panama Canal Lease Cost

U.S. purchased lease from French for $40 million.

Big Stick Diplomacy

TR's approach using military threat for foreign policy.

Panama Canal

51 miles long, built in 10 years, vital trade route.

Roosevelt Corollary

U.S. may intervene in Latin America for debt collection.

Drago Doctrine

Prohibited foreign armed intervention for debt collection.

Monroe Doctrine

U.S. policy opposing European colonialism in Americas.

Great White Fleet

Roosevelt's naval fleet showcasing U.S. naval power.

Dollar Diplomacy

Taft's policy using financial leverage in foreign affairs.

USS Maine

First armored battleship of the U.S. Navy.

Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan

Naval strategist advocating for a strong U.S. Navy.

Steel-hulled ships

Modern ships built for strength and durability.

Nicaragua Loan Incident

U.S. intervention due to Nicaragua's loan repayment issues.

Secretary Hays

Negotiated Panama Canal treaty for U.S. interests.