Treaty of Whangia
Treaty that opened Chinese ports up to US shipping
Matthew Perry
Commodore of the US Navy who opened up Japan with the Treaty of Kanagawa
Alaska
Referred to as Seward's folly
Treaty of Washington
British-American treaty addressing grievances from the civil war: the British reimburses the US for damages done by their warship the Alabama
Samoa
Site of a tri-protectorate between Britain, Germany and the United States
Valparaiso Incident
Foreign incident where two sailors are killed in a fight in Chile, the US demands an indemnity and gets it
Liliuokalani
Queen of Hawaii who is overthrown by Dole
James Dole
Industrialist who established the pineapple industry in Hawaii and was responsible for overthrowing Queen Liluokalani
Venezuela
Site of a boundary dispute with Britain, US steps in and mediates, reinforcing the Monroe Doctrine
Spanish-American War
War that resulted in the American acquisition of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam and firmly established American imperialism
Yellow journalism
Term given to sensationalist newspaper writing, exemplified by that of Hearst and Pulitzer when they were attempting to garner support for war with Spain
USS Maine
Ship that explodes off the coast of Cuba in Havana harbor and helps contribute to the start of the Spanish-American War
De Lôme Letter
Secret correspondence sent by French diplomat to Spanish insulting President McKinley, helping galvanize the American public towards war
Teller Amendment
Legislation that promised the US would not annex Cuba after winning the Spanish-American war
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
Rough Riders
Nickname of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment during the Spanish-American War
Manila Bay
Site of famous naval battle where Commodore Dewey decimates the Spanish navy
George Dewey
Commodore who won the Battle of Manila bay
Emilio Aguinaldo
Filipino who was lead both the Phillipine revolution against Spain and then the United States
Platt Amendment
Legislation that severely restricted Cuba's sovereignty and gave the US the right to intervene if Cuba got into trouble
Open Door Policy
Idea that all nations should have equal trading rights in China. Is ultimately a failure because no-one followed it
John Hay
Secretary of State under McKinley and Roosevelt who pioneered the open-door policy and Panama canal
Boxer Rebellion
Chinese rebellion against foreign influence
Big Stick Diplomacy
Foreign policy adopted by Roosevelt
Mahan
Author of "The Influence of Sea Power" in which he argued a strong navy was essential for the protection of American interests
Panama
Site of a canal and a revolution
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty
Agreement between US and UK not to colonize any Central American kingdom
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
Agreement between US and UK that permits the US to construct a canal, as long as it was open to all nations
Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty
Treaty signed with the new Panamanian government (not Panamanian) that authorized the construction of the Panama canal
Great White Fleet
Navy force that circumnavigated the globe to show off US naval prowess
Russo-Japanese War
War between to imperialistic powers over Manchuria and Korea. The Japanese whup the Russians.
Roosevelt Corallory
Asserts the right of the US to forcible intervene in the affairs of Central American countries to keep Europeans out
Gentlemen's Agreement
Informal agreement between the US and Japan, in which Japan would cease issuing passports in exchange for the US accepting Japanese immigrants already in America
Root-Takahira Agreement
Agreement between US and Japan officially recognizing the territorial sovereignty of each nation
Dollar Diplomacy
Foreign policy adopted by Taft
Moral Diplomacy
Name of foreign policy adopted by Wilson
Tampico Affair
Results in a breakdown of diplomatic relations between the US and Mexico, caused by misunderstandings between American and Mexican sailors, and the refusal of Mexico to give a 21-gun salute
Huerta
Military dictator who usurped throne, and was kicked out by Wilson
Carranza
Lead the opposition against Huerta during the Mexican Revolution
Pancho Villa
Mexican revolutionary who conducted numerous raids on American soil
John Pershing
US General who searched for Pancho Villa