APUSH Imperialsim Terms

Protectorate -

A protectorate is a country that is under protection by another power for defense against aggression and other violations of law. After the Spanish American War, the U.S. had four new protectorates: Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and the island of Guam. America treated Cuba very cruelly. Teller amendment of 1898, prior to the declaration of war, stated that the US would not control Cuba after the war. After we had owned Cuba, America forced Cuba to do things it didn't want to do. We forced Cuba to add the Platt Constitution to Cuba's new constitution. The Platt Constitution claimed the US had the right to intervene in Cuban affairs to protect American business interests. America also forced Cuba to lease the harbor to the US navy. Puerto Rico is treated more gently than Cuba. America, with the Foraker Act, ended military rule, helped them write a constitution, and set up civil government. In 1917, Puerto Ricans became US citizens. This allowed the U.S. government to draft and tax Puerto Ricans. The Philippines were annexed and used as a base for US business and military interests in the Asain-Pacific region.

William Gorgas -

About 5600 workers died from malaria and yellow fever. Theodore Roosevelt had seen so many people die because of these diseases: in Cuba, when fighting the Spanish, and while observing the construction of the Panama Canal. As his position as President, he felt it was his responsibility to save more people from dying. After figuring out malaria and yellow fever came from mosquitos (thanks to Dr. Reed), he ordered William Gorgas to find a way to kill them. Gorgas cleaned up mosquitos ridden areas by draining swamps and spraying insecticide.

White Man's Burden -

America considered themselves better than the people of the other countries. Nationalism, which is what Americans believed in at the time, was the belief in cultural superiority. Like the Spanish did to the Americas, America justified their nationalism by the spread of christianity to civilize the world. This form of nationalism is known as "the white man's burden." Since the late nineteenth century, "The White Man's Burden" has served the arguments and counter-arguments of supporters and the opponents of imperialism and white supremacy.

Philippine Insurrection -

America was not sure what to do with the Philippines. We could return to Spain, but America didn't like Spain. We could have granted them independence, but America believed they were not strong enough to defend themselves. America decided to annex them because we saw it was our duty to "civilize" them. Religion played a role in the decision to keep. The majority of Filipinos were catholic and America feared that the rest of Asia would push their religion onto the Philippines. "Civilizing" the Philippines violated our commitment to self-determination. They will eventually serve as a base for US business and military interests in the Asain-Pacific region.

Dr. Walter Reed -

Approximately 5600 workers died from malaria and yellow fever. Roosevelt had seen so many people die because of these diseases. He saw it in Cuba, when fighting the Spanish, and while observing the construction of the Panama Canal. He wanted to make sure he could stop these deaths. He ordered Dr. Walter Reed to discover why this was happening. Reed figured out that mosquitoes carried these diseases. He ordered another man, William Gorgas, to find a way to kill the mosquitos. While Gorgas did that, Roosevelt wanted Reed to make a cure. Eventually, Dr. Reed made a cure for both malaria and yellow fever.

Imperialism -

Between 1890 to 1914, America began to build an empire via imperialism. Imperialism is the desire to own territory outside your borders. According to America's logic, stronger nations controlled weaker nations. Many European nations had colonies, but the USA did not. Other nations still saw America as weaker. In order to prove to the world that America was a strong nation, it began to enact imperialism. U.S. imperialism ranged from colonies in Puerto Rico and the Philippines to protectorates in Cuba, Panama, and other countries in Latin America.

Spheres of Influence -

Forgein nations control areas of China known as Spheres of influence. Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan held special powers over large swaths of Chinese territory based on securing "nonalienation commitments'' for their "spheres of interest." Only the United States was unable to participate due to their involvement in the Spanish American War. America wanted to be included in the Spheres of Influence because they still want to prove to the world that they are a strong nation. Nations like Spain have already feared America, but America hasn't noticed it; they feel left out of the loop. In order to take land from China to be a part of the Spheres of Influence, America proposes the Open Door Notes (Policy).

Russo-Japan War -

In 1853, the US opened Japan to world trade Through Commodore Matthew Perry's forced trade treaty. By 1904, Japan had become a powerful industrialized nation. Right after, the Russo Japan War commenced. Japan started the war with Russia to fill the need for natural resources; they needed Iron ore and coal for steel production to further industrialize themselves. Japan also wanted to be included in the Sphere of Influence and though owning Manchuria would help with that. Both Russia and Japan claimed Manchuria without each other realizing. When they went to war, nobody expected Japan to win; they were going to war with a powerful European nation. The war ended when the US intervened and proposed the Portsmouth Treaty.

Queen Liliuokalani -

In 1887, America forced Hawaii to allow us to build Pearl Harbor. This was our first move on our imperialistic ideals. American settlers built sugar and pineapple plantations, which created jobs for the Hawaiian people. Queen Liliuokalani tried to stop American influence and growth. She wanted Hawaii to control their own economy and be left alone. In 1893, the Queen was overthrown and Sanford Dole served as Hawaii's president until annexed by the U.S. Dole agreed to be president for the time being, but he wanted to return to his own plantation. President Clevland refused to annex Hawaii because he didn't like imperialism. He believed that the plantation owners had unjustly deposed the Queen. There was no precedent to acquire territory except by purchase. In 1898, Hawaii was annexed as U.S. territory after the Spanish American war.

Yellow Journalism -

In 1896, Spain sent Valeriano Weyler, a harsh dictator, to Cuba to restore order. American newspapers exaggerated and fabricated stories to sell newspapers, which pushed us towards war with Spain. Many Americans were buying newspapers because they wanted to keep updated on Cuba's situation. William R. Hearst was eager to get stories from Cuba to make more money. One of his photographers, Fredrick Remington, did not see the need to keep taking photos. Hearst told him, "You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war."

Valeriano Weyler -

In 1896, Spain sent Valeriano Weyler, a harsh dictator, to Cuba to restore order. General Valeriano Weyler placed 300,000 ppl in concentration camps so they could not help the rebels. He hoped the camps would draw out Marti and his followers. Many Cubans died from hunger, disease, and torture. Weyler even tortured kids, thinking they would give up where Marti was, but no one would give in to him. American newspapers overdramatized the events going on in Cuba. The Spanish feared the U.S. because they were a rising power. Spain wanted to avoid war with the U.S., so they conceded to several points. The points were as follows: to recall Weyler, end Cuban concentration camps, and to give Cuba limited self-government.

Pancho Villa -

In the Intervention in Mexico (1911-1916), the US refused to recognize Mexico's government because we do not recognize dictatorships as a form of government. America adopted a policy of "watchful waiting," but a revolution eventually involved the US. From 1915 to 1916, Fransisco "Pancho" Villa led a revolution. He is seen as a bandit in America, but praised in Mexico. He tries to get the US involved in the revolution by attacking American towns and businesses. The US sends General John J. "Blackjack" pershing into Mexico to capture him. BLackjack spent a year and never could find him, but he did clash with the Mexican army a few times. Blackjack was eventually called to serve in WW1 in Germany. This incident shows how willing the US was to use troops in Latin America.

John "Black Jack" Pershing -

John "Black Jack" Pershing was U.S. General that was in charge of the 10th and 24th cavalry unit. Pershing earned the nickname "Blackjack" because his troops were African American. Their mission was to conquer San Juan Hill to establish American dominance in Cuba. This altercation became the first battle of the Spanish American War. Pershing did an excellent job in leading his troops, causing the Spanish to disperse. He received help from Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. All docs were being controlled by the Spanish, so the Rough Riders tried making the horses swim to the shores. The majority of the horses died, so only officers rode the leftover horses. Teddy and his troops covered the 10th and 24th cavalry on Kettle Hill. Because Pershing's troops were African American, their success was not publicized. Teddy and Roosevelt and the Rough Riders were painted as heroes, even though they didn't do much.

Jose Marti -

Jose Marti led Cuban revolts against the Spanish government that indirectly led to Cuba's partial independence. The Spanish American War was known as the "Splendid Little War". The U.S. had always wanted Cuba as a colony for its sugar industry. In 1895, Cuban rebels, led by Jose Marti, rebelled against Spanish rule. America would not assist the Cubans, so Marti destroyed American owned property to provoke them. He hoped this would get the U.S. involved in the war, but it did not. In 1896, Spain sent Valeriano Weyler, a harsh dictator, to Cuba to restore order. American newspapers exaggerated and fabricated stories to sell newspapers, which pushed us towards war with Spain. The Spanish ultimately folded into the U.S. demands because they were afraid of the new rising power. In order to keep peace, Spain agreed to the following: to recall Weyler, end Cuban concentration camps, and to give Cuba limited self-government. Jose Marti's rebellion against the Spanish government ultimately led Cuba to partial independence.

Open Door Notes -

Many powers owned land in China and were called the Sphere of Influence. In order to be a part of the Spheres of Influence, America proposed the Open Door Notes (Policy). This proposal was announced by John Hay, America's Secretary of State. It suggested three important key points. All nations, including the United States, should be allowed reciprocal free access to any Chinese port or commercial market. Only the Chinese government should be allowed to collect trade-related taxes and tariffs. None of the powers having a sphere of influence in China should be allowed to avoid paying harbor or railroad fees. This was meant to protect US commercial interests in China and allow them to receive land from China, being included in the Sphere of Influence.

"Speak Softly but Carry a Big Stick" -

Roosevelt instills the "Speak softly but carry a Big Stick '' policy. Negotiations made by Roosevelt were always backed by the threat of military force. Theodore Roosevelt was always portrayed as carrying a big stick, which was actually the military (specifically the navy). The US would act as the policemen in Latin America, even though they felt they never needed protection. Another reason Roosevelt wanted to protect Latin America was to protect American interest in the region, which required a strong navy. Roosevelt would "carry his big stick" all over Latin America.

Dollar Diplomacy -

Soon after Roosevelt established the Roosevelt Corollary, his term finished. William Taft is now president and established the "Dollar Diplomacy." Taft believed he could use economic investments to help Latin American economies. He urged US business to invest in Latin American economies and loans/investments were rarely paid back. Taft soon became concerned for US economic and strategic interests, so he sent Marines into Nicaragua to force repayment. The reason he was worried was because the lack of paying loans would cost him the next election. Due to the loan issue with Latin America, William Taft did not get re-elected. The next president that was elected was Woodrow Willson.

Seward's Folly -

Steward's Folly was the buying of Alaska, prompted by William Stweard. Russia sold Alaska to America for 7.2 million dollars because they did not want the land any more. The Natives in the area were savage and the Russians could not control them. Considering we have native Americans in our land, Russia thought we could handle the land. The buying of Alaska became known as "Seward's Folly" because of how disappointing the land was to the people. Midway Island was added to the territory of Alaska because no one claimed the island. Though buying Alaska was not an imperialist act, it did prompt the start of America's colonies.

San Juan Hill -

The Battle of San Juan Hill was a major battle of the Spanish-American War. The 10th and 24th Calvary, mostly African American troops, went up San Juan Hill. Their commander, John "Blackjack" Pershing, was nicknamed "Blackjack" because of the race of his troops. This nickname stuck with him till the day he died. Even though the 10th and 24th cavalry fought most of the battle, they were given no publicity in the American newspapers. Instead, the Rough Riders and Teddy Roosevelt were painted as the heroes. The unit could not get their horses on land, so they covered the 10th and 24th cavalry on Kettle Hill. The Rough Riders were put in this position to support the calvary, not be the main offense.

Boxer Rebellion -

The Boxer Rebellion was started by the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists. Americans called them Boxers because it was easier to say. The Boxers were chinese patriots that demand all foreigners leave China. They would kill anyone who was a foreigner or Chinese who helped foreigners. The Chinese government did not support the Boxers at first. Eventually, the Chinese government joins the Boxers, causing the Chinese army and boxers to merge. The Attack on Beijing was a 55 day siege. The forgein powers were running out of supplies and were coming close to breaking. It ended when forgein powers sent additional forces to break the siege. The foreigners were now in-charge of China because the Chinese government dissipated. The US realized we have taken the wrong step and have lost our morality/beginning.

DeLome Letter -

The DeLome Letter was one of two events that caused the U.S. to declare war on Spain. The Spanish ambassador sent a private letter to the Spanish government. The letter called President McKinley weak in the sense that he would not be able to enforce the agreement. This letter was leaked to the public and was published in the American newspaper. With the amount of nationalism in the country at this time, the people were very angry. They took pride in their president and wanted to show the Spanish how strong of a nation we were.

William Seward -

The Natives in the area were savage and the Russians could not control them. Considering we have native Americans in our land, Russia thought we could handle the land. Russia sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million because they saw no use for it. William Steward was the Secretary of State that allowed Alaska to be bought. The buying of Alaska became known as "Seward's Folly" because of how disappointing the land was to the people. Midway Island was later added to the Alaska territory because no one claimed it. The act of buying Alaska was not an imperialist act, but it did prompt the start of America's colonies.

Panama Canal -

The Panama Canal was established as the new American dream since the California Gold Rush of 1849.Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850) promised that England and the US would jointly protect the canal once it was built. There were three arguments for the construction of the Panama Canal: it would reduce shipping distance between east and west coast, from weeks to hours; increase speed and reduce cost of international trade; expand overseas markets; and increase naval mobility. France began construction of the canal in 1880. Many workers would catch yellow fever and malaria, causing over 20,000 deaths. In 1889, France quit the project after spending $287 million. No other country attempted to continue until the US in 1904. Roosevelt wanted to show the world what we were capable of doing and show the Americans won't quit, unlike the French. Nicaragua was the first choice because the land was flat, but it was prone to earthquakes. The US needed permission from Columbia in order to dig in Panama. When Columbia refused to let us dig, Roosevelt inspired Panama to revolt from Colombia and gave them the idea of independence. Columbia gave Panama independence because they feared war with the US. The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty gave the US the right to build and control the canal. The US controlled until 1979, then had joint control with Panama. In 1999, Panama had complete control of the canal. Construction lasted 10 years, from 1904 to 1914, but we eventually finished building the Panama Canal. Around 5600 workers died from malaria and yellow fever.

Portsmouth Treaty -

The Portsmouth Treaty of 1905, established by the US, ended the Russo-Japanese War. Theodore Roosevelt mediated an end to the war, but never attended meetings. Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize for "ending the war." The treaty confirmed Japan's emergence as the pre-eminent power in East Asia and forced Russia to abandon its expansionist policies there. This treaty also divided Manchuria into two parts, one for Russia and the other for Japan. Japan received the smaller segment of land, while Russia was given the bigger half. Japan resented the agreement because they were cheated out of land and felt it favored Russia. Roosevelt feared Japan would become too strong and lead to eventual confrontation with the US.

Roosevelt Corollary -

The Roosevelt Corollary expanded the Platt Amendment and added to the Monroe Doctrine. Anywhere in Latin America, the US could send troops in if American business was threatened. America had the right to intervene in the affairs of Central America and the Caribbean. They can also use military force to protect its interests in Latin America. Roosevelt was worried that European loans to Latin America could result in conflict, like war. Eventually, the US sent troops into several countries and Latin America did not appreciate this.

Rough Riders -

The Rough Riders was the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry under the secondary leadership of Theodore Roosevelt. The volunteer unit was established to capture San Juan Hill. These men were specially trained to fight on horseback and were very skilled. When the Rough Riders arrived in Cuba, they couldn't unload their horses. All the docs were guarded by the Spanish. Horses were pushed into the water and expected to swim to the shore, but the majority of them died. Only captains and officers were given the remaining horses. Instead of attacking on San Juan Hill, the Rough Riders attacked Kettle Hill in support of the 10th and 24th calvary.

Emilio Aguinaldo -

The Spanish American War was fought in two different areas of the world, one of which was the Pacific Theater. One of the areas of land America wanted was the Philippines. Emilio Aguinaldo was the rebel leader, similar to George Washington, and wanted to gain independence. With the U.S.'s help, Emilio expected the Philippines to gain complete independence. Instead, Emilio helped the U.S. capture Manila and win the Philippines. For a period of time, the U.S. thought about giving the Philippines independence. After careful consideration, America decided to keep the philippines; this was not the result Emilio wanted of the war.

Treaty of Paris, 1898 -

The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was passed by a very narrow margin in the Senate. Another Treaty of Paris (1783) ended the American Revolution; these treaties are completely different. In the 1898 Treaty of Paris, Spain gave up the following territories: Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and the island of Guam. America was not sure what to do about the Philippine Islands, but we eventually decided to annex them. We thought about letting them be independent, but America feared another European power would conquer them. The U.S. paid Spain $20 million for the Philippines out of pity; In all actuality, the U.S. didn't need to pay Spain a single cent. The U.S. became a world power and ended Spain's once vast empire.

U.S.S. Maine -

The sinking of the U.S.S. Maine was the second of two events that caused the U.S. to declare war on Spain. In February of 1898, the U.S.S. Main sank in Havana Harbor. As a result, 266 Americans were killed. The American press blamed Spain even though no one had evidence that they attacked the ship. There is evidence to suggest that the ship was blown up on the inside. The metal of the ship, examined after the explosion, was facing outwards. The pressure was building up inside of the ship, forcing the metal outwards. "Remember the Maine" became the battle cry of the Spanish American War. McKinley called 150,000 volunteer troops to stand ready, so Spain declared war on the U.S. out of fear.

Great White Fleet -

Theodore Rooseovelt had a plan to show the world that the United States has become a world power. He sent a US fleet of battleships around the world to show off our strength. Sixteen new boats were taken from the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet in order to construct the fleet. Roosevelt called it the Great White Fleet because all boats were painted white. No one really knows why the boats are white, but some suggest that the color might allow the boats to blend in with the sky.

George Goethals -

Theodore Roosevelt believed that a US-controlled canal across Central America was a vital strategic interest of the country. Roosevelt encouraged the acquisition of the French Panama Canal effort. George Goethals was an engineer that developed the lock system for the Panama Canal. The original canal had a total of six steps (three up, three down) for a ship's passage and uses a hydraulic system. The process of adjusting the water level per gate takes an hour to complete. Passing through the whole Panama Canal takes 8 hours. The bigger ships used mules in order to pull boats. If the engine of the boat was used, it could hit the side of the canal.

Teddy Roosevelt -

Theodore Roosevelt was the second in command for the Rough Riders. He formed the calvary in San Antonio and these men were specifically trained to fight on horses. Though Roosevelt was made the hero of this battle by newspapers, he actually had little to do with capturing it. Instead of going up San Juan Hill, he and his troops went up Kettle Hill. They made this decision because they had no horses. The docks were guarded by the Spanish, so they tried to see if the horses could swim to shore. The majority of them died, so only officers had the remaining horses. Teddy's men were not trained for the ground, so they didn't want to put them on San Juan Hill. Instead, the Rough Riders attacked from Kettle hill to provide support. This put Teddy in the American spotlight and made him well known.

Alfred Mahan -

There were three factors that fueled America's expansion in the late 1800s. One of these factors was strategic military reasons. Admiral Alfred Mahan urged the strengthening of the American navy. He wanted to build more steel ships to help America become the world's largest naval power. In order to achieve the title of the world's strongest navy, Alfred suggested America needed overseas naval bases. America already had a strong navy; in fact, America's navy was stronger than the Spanish navy. Alfred Mahan's reasoning for wanting more naval bases is not a just enough reason for America's actions on imperialism.