US?  Imperialists?

 

Top Ten People and Events

1.         Purchased Alaska (1867): U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.

2.         Annexation of Hawaii (1898): Queen Liliuokolani was forced to give in to America and became part of the United States.

3.         Spanish-American War (1898): a USS Maine ship was blown up in Havana which started the war.

4.         Plat Amendment (1900): stated that America wouldn't be an imperialistic nation.

5.         Philippines fight the U.S. (1899): leader of the Philippines, Emilio, fights us because he doesn't want to join the U.S. and the Filipinos lose within days.

6.         Theodore Roosevelt gets Panama: T.R. offers money to Columbia for Panama, but they refuse. So the U.S. fights for it and wins easily. We end up paying France, to get out, Columbia, for the war, and Panama, for us to build the canal.

7.         Roosevelt Corollary (1904): Stated with his typical disregard for the subtleties of complex affairs, might require outside intervention.

8.         "Open Door Policy" (1902): asked the powers to agree to respect the trading fights of all countries and to improve no discriminatory duties within their spheres of influence. It also stated that Chinese tariffs should continue to be collected.

9.         Boxer Rebellion (1902): this was the response of the boxers in China. They trapped Americans in the walls of Peking and treated them awful and unable to contact anyone.

10.  "Gentleman's Agreement" (1907): Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping out Japan and Russia negotiate a peace treaty.  By causing a coup and backing the side that won we are able to use Panama for the Isthmian or Panama Canal, it is completed in 1914.

11. Cleveland sides with the Venezuelans to help end British control in South America in the Venezuelan Border Dispute.

 

Notable Quotes

"Don't bluster, don't flourish a revolver and never draw unless you intend to shoot."   (Theodore Roosevelt)

 

"Sea power is essential to the greatness of every splendid people." (Henry Cabot Lodge)

 

"We do not want to take them for ourselves. We do not want any foreign nations to take them for themselves. We want to help them." (Elihu Root)

 

"I have about the same desire to annex it (Dominican Republic) as a gorged boa constrictor might have to swallow a porcupine wrong-end-to" (President Roosevelt)

"Walk softly and carry a big stick." Theodore Roosevelt on Foreign Policy

 

Summary

As the west was won the United States felt further growing pains and wanted to spread Democracy, Freedom, and Christianity. We also wanted to win power and prestige among the world of nations. One other big thing was in the Capitalist head if the United States, and that was money. The business was beginning to build so we worked with it. These things caused the US. to hop on the opportunities to control foreign lands when we could. First in Hawaii then the Caribbean, Philippines, Cuba, South America, and even into China in the hope of big business. As our power grew we did what it took to get our way. Using either money or soldiers we created a South America that is free offoreign intervention. Along the way we also happened to gain prize things like the Panama Canal, land in Cuba, and bases in the Pacific. We were lucky and fortunate that we could aquire these things in our quest for global freedom.