20-1 Flashcards
Matthew Perry
American naval commander who opened Japan to the West in 1854 for trade and coaling stations. Japan started to modernize after this event because it didn’t want to be bullied by the more modernized nations.
isolationism
A national policy of avoiding involvement in world affairs.
imperialism
Building empires by taking over other nations for political, economic and social reasons. The U.S., Britain, France, Russia, Germany and Japan did this to get natural resources, markets to sell products, build military bases, to show national power, missionary work and to “civilize lesser races” with their culture.
Sphere of Influence
A foreign region in which a nation has control over trade and other economic activities. China was cut into spheres of influence because it was weak.
Manifest Destiny
1800’s belief that Americans had the right to spread across the continent. After the Civil War, many Americans wanted the U.S. to expand its influence across the Pacific Ocean and Latin America.
Purchase of Alaska (1867)
This was purchased from Russia in 1867. Many Americans called this “Seward’s Folly”, feeling that U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward got the worst of the bargain. After gold and oil were found it is now seen as a great bargain.
Annexation of Hawaii (1898)
Although independent, Hawaii already had close economic ties with the U.S. in the late 19th century, and its economy was dominated by American-owned sugar plantations. In 1893, a group of American planters organized a rebellion that overthrew the Hawaii government of Queen Liliuokalani. In 1898, the U.S. annexed the Hawaiian Islands.
Open Door Policy
A policy proposed by the US in 1899 that all nations would have equal opportunities to trade in China. The other western (imperialist) nations rejected this.
