American Imperialism

Annexation of Alaska

Dec 5, 1867

Alaska was purchased from Russia, by the United States, for 7 million dollars

Josiah Strong - "Our Country the Maine"

Dec 5, 1885

Strong aimed to persuade Anglo-Saxons to spread their better values to “inferior races” in the U.S.

Alfred Thayer Mahan - "Influence of Sea Power on History"

Dec 5, 1890

Argued that British control of the seas
- decline in the naval strength of its major European rivals
- decline of rival naval strength = Great Britain world’s dominant military, political, & economic power

Annexation of Hawaii

Jan 5, 1898

Hawaiian kindgom was overthrown by American colonists in Hawaii

De Lôme Letter

Feb 5, 1898

Written by Señor Don Enrique Dupuy de Lôme (Spanish Ambassador) to Don José Canelejas (Foreign Minister of Spain)
- reveals de Lôme's opinion about the Spanish involvement in Cuba and US President McKinley's diplomacy

Spanish American War

Apr 7, 1898

April 1898 - August 1898 -War fought between the US and Spain in Cuba and the Philippines. It lasted less than 3 months and resulted in Cuba's independence as well as the US annexing Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
The war started by the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain

Teller Amendment

Apr 20, 1898

Joint resolution of the United States Congress
- enacted on April 20, 1898
- reply to President William McKinley's War Message
- placed a condition on the United States military's presence in Cuba

Anti-Imperialist League

Jun 5, 1898

-The Anti-Imperialist League opposed annexation
- It was founded in New England
- Prominent statesman George S. Boutwell served as president from the League's inception in 1898 to his death in 1905

Treaty of Paris 1898

Dec 7, 1898

Ended the Spanish American war

Philippine Annexation

Dec 10, 1898

caused problems. Anti-imperialists argued that the Philippines was too populated with people that were different and thought that annexation would violated the principles of the Declaration of Independence because Filipinos would be deprived of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The United States would also be forever stuck in Asian political conflicts. The imperialists won the arguments and annexed the Philippines. Filipinos were mad and the Philippine-American War would begin

"White Man's Burden" Rudyard Kipling

Dec 7, 1899

In this poem, Kipling’s purpose is to persuade the USA that imperialism in beneifical. He also says that the USA should civilize with the Philippines and help them out

Platt Amendment

Dec 7, 1903

A treaty between the United States and Cuba made to protect Cuba's independence. It also allowed the United States to get involved with the domestic and international affairs in Cuba in exchange for giving Cuba it's independence.

Roosevelt Corollary

Dec 7, 1904

Roosevelt's extension of the Monroe Doctrine, stating that the United States has the right to protect its economic interests in South And Central America by using military force.

Great White Fleet

Dec 7, 1907

President Roosevelt launched the Great White Fleet to circumnavigate oceans and seas around the world in 1907. Roosevelt wanted to show that while the U.S. was not engaged in warfare, it had a strong and powerful navy that was ready for battle when called upon.

Dollar Diplomacy

Dec 7, 1909

President William Howard Taft followed a foreign policy characterized as “dollar diplomacy.” the goal of diplomacy was to create stability and order abroad that would best promote American commercial interests, and also to use private capital to further U.S. interests overseas.

Moral Diplomacy

Dec 7, 1912

A diplomatic approach create by President Woodrow Wilson made to give support to countries whose moral beliefs aligned with of the United States. Wilson's theory was that by old supporting those countries, U.S. ideals would spread to other countries that held different ideas.

Sinking of Luistania

Dec 7, 1915

-A German U-boat operating off the coast of Ireland fired a torpedo into RMS Lusitania
- It sunk in just 18 minutes
- It killed 1,198 passengers and crewmembers, including 128 Americans
- This did not directly make the U.S. involved in World War I

Sussex Pledge

Dec 7, 1916

A promise made by Germany to change the naval warfare policy towards the US. Germany had instituted a policy of intensified sub warfare, allowing armed merchant ships, but not passenger ships, to be torpedoed without warning. Despite this restriction, a ferry, the Sussex, was torpedoed without warning. It prompted Wilson to declare that if Germany were to continue this practice, the US would declare war.

Zimmerman Telegram

Dec 7, 1917

A telegram from Germany to Mexico proposing an alliance between them, in the case of war between Germany and the USA