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The U.S. sets up a base on Midway Islands
The U.S. makes a new base on Midway Island 1300 miles north of Hawaii. -
Alaska Purchase
Alaska is properly made a Territory of the United State after the Russian Empire sold it for $7.2 million dollars. It was originally called “Seward’s Folly” because it seemed like a pointless and provided nothing. However, there was mass amounts of Natural resources. And oil was found many years later under all of the snow. -
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First Cuban Revolt
Cuba unsuccessfully attempts a Revolution against Spain. -
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New Battleships are built
Under suggestion of Admiral Alfred T. Mahan of the U.S. Navy, 9 steel-hulled cruisers are built to increase the power of the U.S. Navy. The U.S. becomes the third largest naval power of the world. -
Slavery is Abolished in Cuba
Slavery is abolished in Cuba, causing U.S. businessmen to invest in sugar cane plantations. -
Pearl Harbor is Made
The Monarchy of Hawaii gives the U.S. the right to build a naval base in Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island. -
Bayonet Constitution is signed
King Kalākaua is force by non-natives to sign the "Bayonet Constitution," removing his power and the rights of the natives of Hawaii so that the non-natives can control the Monarchy. -
Queen Lili'uokalani is overthrown
U.S. Minister to Hawaii John Stevens, plantation owners, and the U.S.S. Boston filled with U.S. marines overthrow Queen Lili'uokalani in a bloodless cuw. They do this because Sugar plantation owners told the U.S. government that the Monarchy was mistreating them. In truth, it was because the plantation owners didn't want to pay the McKinley Tariff put on sugar in 1890. Sanford B. Dole is made the new head of government for the time beong. -
The Second Cuban Revolution
José Martí, a Cuban poet and journalist, launched a second revolution while in exile in New York. He told the people of Cuba to destroy public property, especially American-owned sugar mills and plantations. This caused the public opinion of the U.S. split between helping Cuba gain freedom and helping Spain to protect American interests. -
General Valeriano Weyler goes to Cuba
General Valeriano Weyler is send to Cuba to crush the rebellion. He sent rural population to concentration camps to stop them from aiding the rebels. As many as 300000 cubans were sent and 1000's died from starvation and disease. -
William McKinley takes office
William McKinley takes office after Grover Cleveland. He believed in Tariffing goods and expanding American influence. -
The Army lands in Cuba
17,000 men landed on Cuba. Many were ill-prepared and lacked the right supplines. The Rough
Riders, a volunteer cavalry under the command of Leonard Wood and Theodore Roosevelt, and four African-American regiments were also part of these men. -
THE DE LÔME LETTER
Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, the Spanish minister for Spain in America, wrote a letter insulting President McKinley and calling him weak. The New York Journal got a hold of the letter and put it in the news for weeks. Only a few days later, the U.S.S. Maine was sunk. -
The U.S.S. Maine Explodes
While in the Havana harbor to evacuate U.S. citizens in Cuba, the U.S.S. Maine bellows up and kills 260 men. The American public thinks that Spain is the one to blame and that they need to take action. -
The U.S. declares war on Spain
The U.S. declares war on Spain, 65 days after the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine. 125,000 Americans had volunteered to fight. A Blockade was put around Cuba as a start to the war. -
The War begins... in the Philippines
American warships lead by Commodore George Dewey traveled to the Philippines to start fighting Spain. Dewey commanded his to open fire on the Spanish fleet at the Capital of the Philippines, Manila, sinking all of their ships. -
The Battle of San Juan Hill
This was the most famous land battle that took place in Cuba. The Rough Riders and the Ninth and Tenth Cavalries won the first half of the battle on Kettle Hill. Thanks to this victory, the rest of the army defeated the Spanish on San Juan Hill. Despite his small role in San Juan Hill, Teddy Roosevelt was named the hero of San Juan Hill. -
Spain tries to leave the war
The Spanish tried to flee from Santiago harbor. The Spanish fleet was wiped out as a result. -
The U.S. invades Puerto Rico
The U.S. invaded Puerto Rico after the Spanish tried to flee. General Nelson A. Miles was in charge during the remainder of the war. -
Hawaii is made a U.S. Territory
Thanks to William McKinley succeeding President Cleveland in 1897, Hawaii is officially made a territory by Congress. -
A cease-fire is made
The U.S. and Spain sign a cease-fire. Secretary of State John Hay called the Spanish-American War “a splendid little war.” Combat only lasted 15 weeks. -
Treaty of Paris 1898
The U.S. and Spain met in Paris to work out their treaty. Spain frees Cuba, gives the U.S. Guam and Puerto Rico, and sells the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million dollars. -
Philippine-American War
Emilio Aguinaldo led the Filipinos in revolt against the U.S. after they mistreated them in a much similar way as the Spanish did. -
Open Door Notes
U.S. Secretary of State Jon Hay issued statements to other imperialist nations called the Open Door notes. The notes ask the nations to share their trading rights in China. This meant that no nation could have all of the trade in China to themselves, keeping the door open to the U.S. Other nations accepted this policy even if they weren’t happy about it. -
THE BOXER REBELLION IN CHINA
Some of the Chinese viewed the many foreigners as “devils” that were taking over their large cities. Many then created secret groups to get rid of them. The most famous group was called the Boxers. The Boxers killed many missionaries, foreigners, and Chinese converts to Christianity. In August of 1900 troops from the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, and Japan marched on the capital in China to challenge the Boxers. -
The Treaty is Approved
The U.S. Senate approves of the Treaty of Paris, making the U.S. an empire -
The Foraker Act is passed
The military rule of Puerto Rico was ended and a new civil government was made. President of the U.S. could appointment a governor and higher members of the legislative house. Puerto Ricans could vote for lower members of the legislative house. -
Cuban government writes its first independent constitution
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July 1900 Second round of Open Door notes
The Open Door notes included three American beliefs about capitalism.
First, the U.S. economy was dependent on exports. Second, the U.S. feels they can intervene in foreign countries to keep foreign markets open. Third, the U.S. feels that if a country is closed to U.S. products, citizens, or ideas will threaten the survival of the U.S. -
William McKinley is re-elected President
In 1900, William McKinley, who was an imperialist, was re-elected as president. Under McKinley the U.S. created an empire -
Platt Amendment proposed to be added to the Cuban Constitution
The amendment stated that Cuba couldn’t let other countries control any part of its territory or limit its independence, the U.S. could intervene in Cuba,
Cuba could not go into debt that it couldn’t repay, and the U.S. could have naval stations on Cuba. -
The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty gave the U.S. exclusive rights to build and control a canal through Central America. -
Theodore Roosevelt becomes President
President William McKinley is assassinated making VP Theodore Roosevelt the new president of the U.S. -
THE BOXER PROTOCOL
Sept 7, 1901 China and 11 other nations signed the Boxer Protocol. This protocol agreed to execute some of the Chinese officials and punish others involved in the Boxer Rebellion. They agreed to pay $332 million in damages. The U.S. got $24.5 million. -
PHILIPPINE–AMERICAN WAR ENDS
The war lasted three years. 20,000 Filipinos died. 4,000 Americans died. The cost of the war was $400 million. This was TWENTY times the amount the U.S. paid to originally purchase the islands.
AFTERMATH OF THE WAR
The U.S. set up a similar government as in Puerto Rico in which the President appoints the governor, who in turn appoints the upper legislative branch. The Filipinos elect the lower legislative branch. -
Platt Amendment is ratified to the Cuba Constitution
Even with protests from Cubans, the amendment was ratified. -
U.S. buys the land for the Panama Canal
A French company tried to build a canal in Panama for 10 years but gave up. Philippe Bunau-Varilla organized selling the land to the U.S. for $40 million dollars. -
Panama declared its independence from Colombia
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U.S. agrees to payments for the canal
The U.S. agrees to pay Panama $10 million plus an annual rent of $250,000 a year for the land that the canal will be built on. -
Russia and Japan go to war
Russia and Japan went to war to control Korea. Japan fired first by destroying two of the Russian Pacific fleets. Japan won several of the land battles taking over Korea and Manchuria. -
Work begins on the Panama Canal
Work began on the canal by draining swamps and clearing brush. Construction of the Panama Canal ranks as one of the world’s greatest engineering feats. -
Roosevelt added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
Roosevelt added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This corollary said that if there is any disorder in Latin America. might “force the United States . . . to the exercise of an international police power.” The corollary said that the United States would now use force to protect its economic interests in Latin America. His Latin American policy was to “speak softly and carry a big stick.” -
Treaty of Portsmouth
In 1905 when the Japanese started to run out of money and men they asked Roosevelt to mediate peace negotiations. Roosevelt hosted the delegates on his presidential yacht in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Japan asked for the Sakhalin Islands, near Siberia, and a large payment. The Russians refused. Roosevelt was able to get them to agree to half of the island and no payment. The treaty was signed and ended the war. -
President Theodore Roosevelt awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
President Theodore Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for successfully negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth. He was the first American to ever receive this prize -
U.S. returns portion of Boxer Protocol Settlement
In 1908 the U.S. returned a portion of the settlement to educate Chinese students about the U.S. and China. -
Dollar Dipolmacy
President Taft arranged for U.S. banks to loan money to Nicaragua to pay its debts. The banks would be paid back by collecting Nicaragua’s customs duties, by controlling their railroad system, and controlling the national bank.The dollar diplomacy was used many times. Where the U.S. government asked U.S. businesses were used to help guarantee loans to keep European powers out of the Caribbean and Latin America. -
Mexican Revolution
Mexico’s military dictator, Porfirio Díaz was overthrown by Francisco Madero and Mexican peasants -
Work continues on Panama Canal
By 1913, there were more than 43,000 employees working on the canal. Workers came from Italy, Spain, and the British-West Indies. 5600 workers died from accidents or disease. -
General Victoriano Huerta takes over Mexico
General Victoriano Huerta took over and Madero was murdered. President Wilson refused to recognize the government that Huerta formed. -
U.S. and Mexico almost go to war
Huerta’s officers arrested American sailors. Wilson used this incident to send the U.S. Marines to occupy Veracruz, Mexico. This incident almost started a war between the U.S. and Mexico. Many Latin American countries tried to negotiate a withdrawal of the U.S. troops but all were denied. -
The Panama Canal Opens
More than 1,000 ships went through in the first year.
The total cost of building the canal was about $380 million. -
Venustiano Carranza becomes president of Mexico
The Huerta regime soon collapsed, and Venustiano Carranza, a nationalist leader, became president of Mexico.
Wilson then withdrew the Marines from Veracruz and recognized Venustiano Carranza’s government. -
Pancho Villa becomes an enemy of the U.S.
In January 1916, Carranza invited American engineers to operate mines in northern Mexico. An upset Pancho Villa took these American’s off the train and murdered them.
After this Pancho Villa’s men went into New Mexico and killed 17 Americans. Pancho Villa himself was made an enemy of the U.S. -
Almost War with Mexico
The U.S. forces clashed with Mexican troops. There were deaths on both sides.Carranza demanded U.S. withdrawal of troops, but Wilson refused. Both sides eventually backed down. -
CHASING VILLA
President Wilson ordered Brigadier General John J. Pershing and 15,000 soldiers to go into Mexico and capture Pancho Villa. Pershing searched for Villa for a year and did not find him. Mexicans were furious with U.S. troops invading their land. -
Luis Muñoz Rivera gives his speech.
Luis Muñoz Rivera, an advocates for Puerto Rico being a self-ruling territory, spoke in front of U.S. House of Representatives. He told them that Puerto Rico should be sovereign nation and to choose its fate for itself. -
Puerto Ricans are made U.S. citizens
Puerto Ricans are made U.S. citizens. This gave them the right to vote of all members of the legislative house -
Wilson orders Pershing out of Mexico
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Alvaro Obregón becomes Mexico's president
Mexican civil wars end and reform of the Mexican government starts under him. -
U.S. pays Colombia
The U.S. tried to make relationships in Latin America better by paying Colombia $25 million for losing Panama -
U.S. foreign policy goals in the 20th century
U.S. foreign policy goals in the 20th century will continue to spread the U.S. imperialism. In the 20th century the U.S.expands its access to foreign markets to grow the domestic economy. Builds a modern navy to protect its interests abroad. And Uses its international police power, it’s military and political influence, to ensure it’s dominance over Latin America -
Philippines become a country
On July 4, 1946, with the help of the U.S., the Philippines finally became an independent republic. -
Alaska and Hawaii Become States
Alaska and Hawaii are officially made states. They are the 49th and 50th states as a part of the United States of America.