chapter 23

A policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries.

The act of extending national boundaries.

Japan accepted demands to help shipwrecked sailors and opened two ports to American trade.

To take over or acquire territory.

The policy of powerful countries seeking to control the economic and political affairs of weaker countries or regions.

The belief that one race is superior to another.

Steam-powered ships of the U.S., known for their white-painted steam hulls.

An area, usually around a seaport, where a nation had special trading privileges and made laws for its own citizens.

A policy that permits any nation to trade in the spheres of others.

A Chinese uprising fueled by resentment towards foreigners and their privileges, and disrespect towards Chinese culture.

The act of sending thousands of Cubans into concentration camps, done by General Valeriano Weyler.

Wartime acts of cruelty and brutality.

Reporting that relied on sensational, biased, or untrue stories and headlines.

A war originating in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain, caused by the exploding of the U.S.S. Maine.

The first volunteer cavalry regiment formed by T.R., consisting of a mixed crew ranging from cowboys to college students and adventurers.

African American members of the 9th and 10th cavalry regiments, nicknamed buffalo soldiers, who played a major role in the Spanish American War.

An amendment allowing the United States to intervene in Cuba and control the naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

A nation whose independence is limited by the control of a more powerful country.

An act that gave Puerto Ricans only a limited say in their own affairs and made them citizens of the United States in 1917.

A narrow strip of land connecting two larger bodies of land.

An addition or extension to a principle or doctrine.

Claimed the U.S. right to intervene in Latin America to preserve law and order, using 'international police power' to force Latin Americans to pay their debts to foreign nations and prevent meddling in Latin American affairs.

Taft's policy of building strong economic ties to Latin America, known as dollar diplomacy.

A policy to condemn imperialism, spread democracy, and promote peace.

• The policy by which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker nations. “Empire Building”.

The United States took an interest in overseas expansion in the late 1800s to fulfill their manifest destiny– which expanded further from just the U.S. They wanted to have world power and control over the Western Hemisphere, by getting more land, they had more power.

The main reasons why American leaders supported imperialism is because of economic, military, and cultural interests. The United States wanted to join the imperialist powers of Europe. Most Americans gradually came to approve of the idea of expansion overseas.

The importance of missionaries is that American missionaries moved to Hawaii to convert the local population to Christianity. Some of these missionaries’ descendants started sugar plantations.

The first and only reigning queen of Hawaii. American sugar planters in Hawaii, supported by a U.S. naval gunboat, overthrew the Hawaiian government–Queen Liliuokalani. 

American planters in Hawaii staged a revolt in 1893 because Queen Liliuokaani tried to limit their power. The planters in Hawaii were upset by these threats to their political and economic interests, thus they staged a revolt as a result.

If President Cleveland’s wishes had been respected by subsequent U.S. administrations, Hawaii would remain not annexed to the U.S. 

William Seward was the secretary of state under presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson: He purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for 7.2 million dollars and it eventually was found that Alaska was rich in timber, minerals, and oil.

The United States pressured Hawaii to allow a U.S. base to be placed at Pearl Harbor (The Kingdom's best port). Pearl Harbor became a crucial refueling station for American merchant and military ships bound for Asia 

William Seward contributed to U.S. expansion by arranging the purchase of Alaska from Russia. Congress officially annexed Alaska in 1884. 

The public reacted to the purchase of Alaska in 1867 by calling the purchase of Alaska “Seward's Icebox” Meaning that it was too cold in Alaska and most Americans thought it was a waste of money to spend 7.2 Million dollars on this so-called “Icebox”. This land eventually turned out to be very useful and had lots of raw materials on it.  

Alaska was arranged by purchase from William Seward. Then, Alaska was annexed to the U.S. For Hawaii, American planters were upset by threats to their political and economic interests, so they revolted– and overthrew the monarch of Hawaii.

The significance of the Spanish-American War was that the U.S. won– and received Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines as a result of a Treaty of Peace in Paris. 

 A battleship sent by William McKinley, the president in 1898, to Havana to protect U.S. citizens. On February 15, the Maine exploded and sank. 266 American sailors died. No one knows what caused the explosion, and many historians today believe that it was an accident. Most Americans blame Spain. 

George Dewey gave the command to open fire on the Spanish fleet at Manila, the Phillippine capital. In 7 hours, Dewey’s men had destroyed the Spanish fleet. No Americans died, and U.S. troops took control of Manila in August. 

U.S.S. Maine sent to Havana

In seven hours, Dewey’s men had destroyed the Spanish fleet. No Americans died. U.S. troops took control of Manila in August.

Gave the U.S. control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

The Americans wanted to stop Spain's harsh treatment of the Cubans and when the USS Maine blew up they declared war on Spain.

The Spanish-American war began when the USS Maine ship was blown up and the U.S. declared war on Spain. The New York journalist instigated the war by using yellow journalism and making the war bigger than it seemed.

The Spanish were now not in control of the Philippines because they fought off all the Spanish troops and aided the Philippines.

The outcome of the Spanish-American War was the Treaty of Paris. The territory that the U.S. took as a result is Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

This gave the United States the right to intervene in Cuban affairs anytime there was a threat to “life property, and individual liberty.” Cuba was forced to add this to their constitution. . 

Several influential Americans, including former president Grover Cleveland, business-man Andrew Carnegie, reformer Jane Addams, and writer Mark Twain joined those who formed the league. The league believed that Americans should not deny other people's right to take office and govern themselves.

Americans viewed their nation’s new power as something worthy because with new lands– such as Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Hawaii, and other territories, perhaps because they felt satisfied that they have fulfilled their “Manifest Destiny”, which was what urged the U.S. for more expansion– for “power”. More land meant more power for the U.S., and they got that.

The United States betrayed its democratic principles by adding the Platt Amendment to Cuba’s constitution because although it was declared an independent place, the U.S. technically still had power over Cuba because Cuba remained under the control of the U.S. military, and it can intervene in Cuban affairs anytime there was a threat. However, this is contradictory to the U.S. advocating for freedom. The U.S. denied other people the right to govern themselves.

Americans formed the Anti-Imperialist League. Formed by several influential Americans, including former president Cleveland, Carnegie, and Twain. Members of this League believed that Americans should not deny other people the right to govern themselves.

Spheres of influence were areas where foreign nations claimed special rights and economic privileges.

This was a policy that barred European nations from intervening in Latin America. (Hands-off).

There was an interest in building a canal across Latin America because it would reduce shipping costs (via time and distance), and allow the navy to easily move ships from the Atlantic to the Pacific and vice versa. The building of Panama Canal supported the United States efforts to become a world power because it gave them access to swifter transportation and it would allow their navy to settle disputes much easier via Panama Canal.

After new land was annexed to the U.S., it would be much easier to travel to new lands– such as Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam through the Panama Canal.

The United States expanded involvement in Latin America because of the Treaty of Paris– it gave us naval bases in Cuba.

The U.S. was interested because of the land we owned— such as Cuba. They were protectorates– and thus we had to watch over. 

They all are similar because they intervene with Latin American affairs.

William Howard Taft favored a strong role in Latin America. However, he wanted to “Substitute dollars for bullets”. He urged American bankers to invest in Latin America. Taft’s policy for building a strong economic ties to Latin American became known as the Dollar Diplomacy. 

Woodrow Wilson, condemned the heavy-handed foreign policy of his predecessors. “The force of America is the force of moral principle”. The goals of Wilson’s moral diplomacy were to condemn imperialism, spread democracy, and promote peace.

A civil war breaks out in Mexico, and a minor incident led to American intervention. Huerta’s troops arrested several American sailors, which were released. Still, Wilson ordered the U.S. Navy to occupy the Mexican port of Veracruz.