Chapter 20

Theodore Roosevelt

26th president, known for: conservationism, trust-busting, Hepburn Act, safe food regulations, "Square Deal," Panama Canal, Great White Fleet, Nobel Peace Prize for negotiation of peace in Russo-Japanese War

William Howard Taft

27th president of the U.S.; he angered progressives by moving cautiously toward reforms and by supporting the Payne-Aldrich Tariff; he lost Roosevelt's support and was defeated for a second term.

Williams Jennings Bryan

3 time Democratic runner in 96, 00, and 08. Pushed free silver.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

A United States Navy officer, geostrategist, and educator. His ideas on the importance of sea power influenced navies around the world, and helped prompt naval buildups before World War I. Several ships were named USS Mahan, including the lead vessel of a class of destroyers. His research into naval History led to his most important work, The Influence of Seapower Upon History,1660-1783, published in 1890

The Philippine War

American military campaign that suppressed the movement for Philippine independence after the Spanish-American war; America's death toll was over 4,000 and the Philippines' was far higher.

The Influence Of Sea Power Upon History

Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan's 1890 book which helped create and develop the expansionist movement. Mahan wanted to expand United States Navy, to build an isthmian canal, to establish strategic colonies as coaling stations, and to protect US political and economic interests.

Cuba Libre

Cuban independence and Cuban revolution, declared Cuba free but we still had full control of their decisions and money

The Open Door

In 1899 the United States feared that countries with "spheres of influence" in China might choose to limit or restrict trade to and from their respective areas. John Hay avoided any problems with trade by sending notes to each country who held power in China asking them to keep trade open and tariffs low.

Platt Amendment

Legislation that severely restricted Cuba's sovereignty and gave the US the right to intervene if Cuba got into trouble

Pan-American Congress

Organized by James G. Blaine, the first Pan-American Congress of 1889 consisted of 19 nations. The congress rejected Blaine's proposals for an inter-American custons union and arbitration procedures for hemispheric disputes. The congress also created the Pan-American union, a weak international organization located in DC that served as a clearinghouse for distributing information to the member nations. They dealt with a border violation of Venezuela by British New Guinea, claiming that they went against the monroe doctrine and threatening war (British complied).

John Hay

Secretary of State under McKinley and Roosevelt who pioneered the open-door policy and Panama canal

Treaty of Paris

Signed by the United States and Spain in December 1898, this treaty ended the Spanish-American War. Under its terms, Spain recognized Cuba's independence and assumed the Cuban debt; it also ceded Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States. At the insistence of the U.S. representatives, Spain also ceded the Phillipines. The Senate ratified the treaty on February 6, 1899.

San Juan Hill

Site of the most famous battle of the Spanish-American war, where Theodore Roosevelt successfully leads the Rough Riders in a charge against the Spanish trenches

The Boxer Rebellion

The Boxers were a group of Chinese revolutionaries that despised western intervention in China. The rebellion resulted in the deaths of thousands of converted Chinese Christians, missionaries, and foreign legions. It took 5 countries' armies and four months to stop the rebellion.

Rough Riders

The First United States Volunteer Calvary, a mixure of Ivy League athletes and western frontiersmen, volunteered to fight in the Spanish-American War. Enlisted by Theodore Roosevelt, they won many battles in Florida and enlisted in the invasion army of Cuba.

"A splendid little war"

The ambassador to England wrote to his friend, Teddy Roosevelt, with these words because of low casualties in the fight against Spain

Kettle Hill

The most important battle of the Spanish American war, also called San Juan hill. This fight for the heights was the bloodiest and most famous battle of the War

Foraker Act

This act established Puerto Rico as an unorganized U.S. territory. Puerto Ricans were not given U.S. citizenship, but the U.S. president appointed the island's governor and governing council.

William Randolph Hearst

United States newspaper publisher whose introduction of large headlines and sensational reporting changed American journalism (1863-1951)

Spanish-American War

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.

"Yankee Imperialism"

after winning the Spanish American war, American's flooded Cuba with American capital and investers, making it an American economic appendage as they went into Cuba, buying up plantations, factories, railroads and refineries. Any resistance to this produced revolts against the Cuban government, some prompted U.S. military intervention.

"Yellow Press"

also called yellow journalism, a term used to describe the sensationalist newspaper writings of the time of the Spanish American war. They were written on cheap yellow paper. The most famous yellow journalist was William Randolph Hearst. Yellow journalism was considered tainted journalism - omissions and half-truths.

"Spheres of Influence"

areas in which countries have some political and economic control but do not govern directly (ex. Europe and U.S. in China)

Joseph Pulitzer

creator of the "New York World;"cut the prices so people could afford it; featured color comics and yellow journalism

Quenn Liliuokalani

first and only reigning Hawaiian queen and he last Monarch of Hawaii

Joint Chiefs of Staff

high-ranking military officers who represent the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines. They assist the civilian leaders of the Department of Defense-advise the president on security matters.

Anti-Imperialist League

objected to the annexation of the Philippines and the building of an American empire. Idealism, self-interest, racism, constitutionalism, and other reasons motivated them, but they failed to make their case; the Philippines were annexed in 1900