Spanish American War
Who was blamed for sinking the USS Maine
Spain
Describe Dollar Diplomacy
Dollar Diplomacy refers to the foreign policy approach initiated by President William Howard Taft (1909–1913) and his Secretary of State, Philander C. Knox. It sought to advance American geopolitical and economic interests overseas—particularly in Latin America and East Asia
Why did the US annex Hawaii
Hawaii occupied a crucial geographic position in the mid-Pacific. The U.S. Navy wanted a permanent coaling station and naval base in the Pacific to project power toward Asia and protect the West Coast.
Who was the leader of the Philippines?
The principal leader of the Filipino forces during the Spanish-American War was Emilio Aguinaldo.
When the Treaty of Paris revealed that Spain had sold the Philippines to the United States for $20 million rather than recognizing its independence, Aguinaldo led Filipino forces in resistance against American occupation.
Describe the importance of the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal, opened in 1914, is one of the greatest engineering feats in human history and a cornerstone of global trade and military strategy. By cutting across the narrow Isthmus of Panama to link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the canal fundamentally reshaped world geography, international commerce, and American foreign policy.
What is Yellow Journalism
Yellow journalism refers to the sensationalist, exaggerated, and often fabricated style of reporting that dominated American newspapers in the late 1890s
Describe Big Stick Policy
It meant negotiating peacefully and diplomatically with foreign powers while simultaneously maintaining a strong, visible military—specifically a powerful navy—to threaten force if necessary.
How did we acquire the land to create the Panama Canal
President Theodore Roosevelt supported the Panamanian separatists (rebels) in their revolution against Colombia to secure the land for the Panama Canal.
Who was Alfred T Mahan
He published The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660–1783, which argued that control of sea lanes and maritime trade was the single most decisive factor in determining a nation's wealth, global power, and empire.
What was the Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901) was an anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising in China led by a secret society known as the Yìhéquán ("Militia United in Righteousness"), whom Westerners dubbed the "Boxers" due to their practice of martial arts and physical exercises.
Describe Teller Amendment
It explicitly stated that the United States would not annex Cuba following the Spanish-American War
What is the Open Door Policy
It advocated for equal commercial access and trading rights for all foreign nations in China, while formally calling for the preservation of China's territorial and administrative integrity.
Who was George Dewey
George Dewey (1837–1917) was a senior officer in the U.S. Navy best known for his decisive victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. He is the only person in United States history to attain the rank of Admiral of the Navy (the highest rank possible in the U.S. Navy).
What was the importance of the Influence of Sea Power
Mahan argued that national greatness, economic dominance, and imperial power throughout history were inextricably linked to control of the seas.
U.S. Naval Modernization: It provided the justification to transform the U.S. Navy from a small, coastal defense force into a modern, steel-hulled blue-water fleet.
He emphasized the critical necessity of securing strategic maritime gateways and transit routes, such as the Caribbean, Hawaii, and an isthmian canal across Central America (which directly inspired the building of the Panama Canal).
What was the Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was an unorganized, unincorporated U.S. territory that spanned a 10-mile-wide strip of land (5 miles on each side of the canal centerline) cut directly across the Isthmus of Panama.
Established in 1903 and officially abolished in 1979, it encompassed approximately 553 square miles and served as the administrative, residential, and military enclave built around the construction and operation of the Panama Canal.
Describe Platt Amendment
The Platt Amendment was a legislative provision passed by the U.S. Congress in March 1901 that effectively transformed Cuba into a American protectorate
What was a Rough Rider
Theodore Roosevelt, The Battle of San Juan Heights (July 1, 1898): The regiment's defining moment came during the assault on Spanish fortifications outside Santiago de Cuba. Roosevelt famously led a daring uphill charge on horseback up Kettle Hill (part of the broader Battle of San Juan Heights), breaking through Spanish lines alongside the African American regulars of the 9th and 10th Cavalry ("Buffalo Soldiers").
Explain the Economic Sphere of Influence
By keeping European competitors out of the Western Hemisphere, the Monroe Doctrine laid the groundwork for William Howard Taft's Dollar Diplomacy, ensuring that American banks and corporations faced minimal foreign competition while buying up debts, infrastructure, and agricultural assets across Latin America.
What was the Great White Fleet
Roosevelt wanted to showcase to the world—especially to Japan, European empires, and Latin American nations—that the United States had emerged as a premier blue-water naval superpower capable of projecting military force anywhere on Earth.
Perspective on American Imperialism
The debate surrounding late 19th and early 20th-century U.S. expansionism divided the nation, presenting two starkly opposing viewpoints on America's role in the world.
They contended that ruling foreign peoples without their consent directly violated the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Obstacles to create the Panama Canal
mosquitoes transmitted both yellow fever, Cutting through the Continental Divide triggered frequent, massive landslides, This required constructing the massive Gatun Dam to create Gatun Lake and designing giant concrete lock chambers
Describe anti-imperialist
an anti-imperialist specifically opposed the United States acquiring overseas colonies, such as the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Hawaii. They argued that subjugating foreign territories without the consent of the governed violated the core principles of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution
Spain originally colonized what four regions during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Cuba
What is White Mans Burden
The White Man's Burden" is a concept originating from an 1899 poem by British author Rudyard Kipling. It became a famous ideological justification for European and American imperialism, asserting that white Western nations had a moral obligation to conquer, govern, and "civilize" non-white foreign populations.
Difference between Big Stick Policy and Dollar Diplomacy
The primary difference between the Big Stick Policy and Dollar Diplomacy lies in their primary method of enforcing influence: Theodore Roosevelt relied on coercive military power, whereas William Howard Taft relied on financial leverage and commercial investment