Imperialism

Question 1

Isolationism

Answer 1

A foreign policy stance where a country seeks to avoid involvement in international conflicts, alliances, or affairs, focusing instead on its own interests.

Question 2

Imperialists

Answer 2

Individuals or nations who advocate for the expansion of their country’s power and influence through colonization, military force, or other means.

Question 3

Anti-Imperialist League

Answer 3

An organization founded in 1898 to oppose the expansion of U.S. territories, particularly after the Spanish-American War, arguing that imperialism contradicted American democratic values.

Question 4

Expansionism/Imperialism

Answer 4

Expansionism refers to a country’s desire to increase its territory or influence. Imperialism is the policy or practice of extending a country’s power and dominion through colonization or force.
Alfred Mahan “The Influence of Sea Power Upon History”: A book by U.S. naval officer Alfred Thayer Mahan, published in 1890, arguing that national greatness and prosperity depended on the control of international sea trade routes.

Question 5

Alfred Mahan “The Influence of Sea Power Upon History”

Answer 5

A book by U.S. naval officer Alfred Thayer Mahan, published in 1890, arguing that national greatness and prosperity depended on the control of international sea trade routes.

Question 6

William H. Seward - “Seward’s Folly”

Answer 6

The U.S. Secretary of State who arranged the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, which was initially mocked as “Seward’s Folly” but later proved to be valuable.

Question 7

Alaska

Answer 7

The U.S. territory purchased from Russia in 1867, often criticized at the time but later recognized for its natural resources, especially oil and minerals.

Question 8

Hawaii

Answer 8

An archipelago in the Pacific Ocean annexed by the U.S. in 1898. It became a key military and commercial outpost and later a U.S. state in 1959.

Question 9

McKinley Tariff

Answer 9

A high tariff passed in 1890 under President William McKinley, which raised duties on foreign goods, impacting Hawaiian sugar exports to the U.S. and contributing to the eventual annexation of Hawaii.

Question 10

Absolute Monarchy

Answer 10

A form of government in which a single ruler, often a king or queen, holds complete and unchecked power, typically inherited and not subject to a constitution.

Question 11

Bayonet Constitution

Answer 11

A 1887 constitution forced upon the Hawaiian king by American business interests, significantly reducing the power of the monarchy and giving more control to U.S. interests in Hawaii.

Question 12

Queen “Lil”

Answer 12

Queen Liliuokalani was the last monarch of Hawaii. Her reign ended in 1893 when she was overthrown by American businessmen, leading to Hawaii’s annexation by the United States.

Question 13

Hawaiian League

Answer 13

A group of American and European businessmen and sugar planters in Hawaii who worked to overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy and establish a U.S.-controlled government.

Question 14

Reconcentrados

Answer 14

A policy used during the Spanish-American War in Cuba, where Spanish forces forcibly relocated Cuban civilians into concentration camps to isolate them from rebel forces and prevent them from aiding insurgents.

Question 15

Jose Marti

Answer 15

A Cuban revolutionary and poet who fought for Cuban independence from Spain and became a symbol of Cuban nationalism.

Question 16

Importance of the USS Maine

Answer 16

The U.S. battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, leading to the U.S. entry into the Spanish-American War, though the cause of the explosion remains disputed.

Question 17

Filipino Revolution

Answer 17

A revolution against Spanish rule in the Philippines, which continued after Spain ceded the islands to the U.S. in 1898, leading to the Philippine-American War.

Question 18

Yellow Journalism, Hearst, Pulitzer

Answer 18

Sensationalized, often exaggerated news reporting aimed at increasing circulation. William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer were major publishers who used yellow journalism to push the U.S. into war with Spain in 1898.

Question 19

Rough Riders

Answer 19

A volunteer cavalry regiment led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War, famous for their charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba.

Question 20

Teddy Roosevelt

Answer 20

The 26th President of the United States (1901–1909), a progressive reformer, military leader, and conservationist, known for his leadership in the Spanish-American War and his role in expanding U.S. influence internationally.

Question 21

Buffalo Soldiers

Answer 21

African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army, especially in the West during the Indian Wars and in the Spanish-American War.

Question 22

George Dewey & Manila Bay

Answer 22

U.S. Admiral George Dewey led the naval victory over the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Question 23

Emilio Aguinaldo

Answer 23

Leader of the Filipino independence movement against Spanish colonial rule and later the U.S. during the Philippine-American War (1899–1902).

Question 24

Treaty of Paris

Answer 24

The peace treaty that ended the Spanish-American War, under which Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S. and relinquished control of Cuba.

Question 25

DeLome Letter

Answer 25

A private letter written by the Spanish ambassador to the U.S., which was intercepted and published in the American press, insulting President McKinley and fueling public support for the Spanish-American War.

Question 26

Foraker Act

Answer 26

A 1900 law that established a civilian government in Puerto Rico, which was a U.S. territory after the Spanish-American War.

Question 27

Platt Amendment

Answer 27

A 1901 amendment to the Cuban constitution, which gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and established U.S. control over Cuban foreign policy.

Question 28

Protectorate

Answer 28

A state or territory that is controlled and protected by a stronger power, often through military or economic means, but maintaining a degree of internal autonomy.

Question 29

Pan-Americanism

Answer 29

The idea of cooperation and solidarity among the countries of the Americas, promoted by the U.S. as a way to strengthen ties and increase economic and political influence in the Western Hemisphere.

Question 30

Yellow Fever and Malaria

Answer 30

Yellow fever: A viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that caused a major health crisis in tropical areas like Cuba and Panama, particularly affecting U.S. soldiers during the Spanish-American War and the construction of the Panama Canal.

Malaria: A mosquito-borne infectious disease that affected soldiers and workers in tropical regions, including Cuba and Panama, and hindered U.S. efforts in the Spanish-American War and the building of the Panama Canal.

Question 31

Open Door Note

Answer 31

A series of diplomatic notes by U.S. Secretary of State John Hay in 1899 and 1900, advocating for equal trade access for all nations in China and the preservation of Chinese sovereignty.

Question 32

John Hay

Answer 32

U.S. Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, who is best known for his role in promoting the Open Door Policy in China.

Question 33

“Sphere of Influence”

Answer 33

A region or area where a particular country has exclusive rights or influence, often related to trade, investment, or military control.

Question 34

Boxer Rebellion:

Answer 34

A violent anti-foreign, anti-Christian uprising in China (1899–1901) led by the Boxers, which sought to expel foreign influence from China. The U.S. was part of an international force that helped suppress the rebellion.

Question 35

Russo-Japanese War

Answer 35

A 1904-1905 war between Russia and Japan over control of territories in East Asia, which ended in Japan’s victory. Theodore Roosevelt brokered the peace treaty, earning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Question 36

Panama Canal

Answer 36

A man-made waterway constructed through Panama (completed in 1914) that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, greatly enhancing global trade and U.S. naval power. It was built after the U.S. supported Panama’s independence from Colombia.

Question 37

Monroe Doctrine

Answer 37

A U.S. foreign policy, declared in 1823, that warned European powers against colonizing or interfering in the Americas, asserting U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

Question 38

Roosevelt Corollary

Answer 38

An extension of the Monroe Doctrine announced by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904, asserting the U.S. right to intervene in Latin American countries to maintain stability and prevent European interference.

Question 39

“Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick”

Answer 39

Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy philosophy that emphasized negotiation backed by the threat of military force to achieve American interests, particularly in Latin America.

Question 40

Dollar Diplomacy

Answer 40

A policy promoted by President William Howard Taft to further U.S. interests abroad by encouraging American businesses to invest in foreign countries, particularly in Latin America and East Asia.

Question 41

Porfirio Diaz

Answer 41

The Mexican dictator who ruled Mexico for over 30 years, from 1876 to 1911, promoting economic modernization but leading to widespread social inequality, which contributed to the Mexican Revolution.

Question 42

Francisco “Pancho” Villa

Answer 42

A leader of the Mexican Revolution and a key military figure who fought against both the Mexican government and the U.S. during the early 20th century.

Question 43

Mexican Revolution

Answer 43

A major armed struggle in Mexico (1910–1920) that sought to end the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz, leading to reforms and the establishment of a constitutional republic.

Question 44

Francisco Madero

Answer 44

A key figure in the Mexican Revolution, Madero was elected president of Mexico in 1911 after overthrowing Diaz but was later assassinated in 1913.

Question 45

Victoriano Huerta/Carranza - President Wilson involvement

Answer 45

Huerta led a military coup in 1913, ousting Madero and becoming dictator of Mexico. Carranza, another revolutionary leader, opposed Huerta. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson initially supported Carranza, and his involvement in Mexican affairs further complicated U.S.-Mexico relations.

Question 46

General John J. Pershing

Answer 46

Was ordered by President Woodrow Wilson to lead a military expedition into Mexico in 1916. The mission aimed to capture Villa but failed due to harsh terrain and Mexican resistance.