Imperialism Vocab

Question 1

Monroe Doctrine

Answer 1

• formed by John Quincy Adams in 1823
• states that America is no longer subject to colonization of European countries
• states that America will remain neutral in European conflicts
• America didn’t want the British + French to replace Spain + Portugal as colonial powers in USA
• invoked after Civil War by William H. Seward
• 1895 - 1896: US used Monroe Doctrine against Britain over a boundary of Venezuela + Guiana

Question 2

Big Sister Policy

Answer 2

• pushed by James G Blaine
• aimed @ rallying the Latin American nations behind Uncle Sam’s leadership + opening Latin American markets to Yankee traders

Question 3

Great Reproachment

Answer 3

• “reconciliation”
• American + Britain become friends → Britain “pats the Eagle’s head”

Question 4

McKinley Tariff

Answer 4

• Oct. 1, 1890
• raised the average duty on imports to almost 50 %
• designed to protect domestic industries from foreign competition protectionism
• supported by republicans, condemned by democrats

Question 5

International Darwinism

Answer 5

• the belief that Earth (and its territories) belonged to the strong and fit
• practiced by TR & Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge

Question 6

Insurrectors

Answer 6

• activity led by Cuban insurgents who torched cane fields & sugar mills; dynamited passenger trains / Menaced American interests on their island

Question 7

Yellow Journalism

Answer 7

• started w/ riffs between William Hearst & Joseph Pulitzer
• journalism based on sensationalism and crude exaggerations
• used little to no legitimate, eye-catching headlines, and atrocious stories for readers

Question 8

Maine (ship)

Answer 8

• battleship; 1989 → voyage to Cuba for a “friendly visit” BUT ACTUALLY it was to protect ‘/ evacuate Americans if a dangerous flare-up occurred
• on Feb 15, 1989 → Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana Harbor, killing 260 sailors
• real reason for explosion: spontaneous combustion in coal bunker
• American’s presumed reason: Spain submarine mine

Question 9

Teller Amendment

Answer 9

• proclaimed to the world that when the US had overthrown Spain missle, it would free Cubans → imperialistic Europeans smiled skeptically

Question 10

“Jingoism”

Answer 10

• extreme patriotism, especially in the form of aggressive, warlike foreign policy
• ex.) a country’s advocacy for the use of threats or actual force instead of peaceful relations

Question 11

Rough Riders

Answer 11

• commanded by Col. Leanard Wood, organized by TR (now a lieutenant colonel)
• 17k men → embarked @ Tampa, FL to El Caney and Kettle Hill on July 1, 1989
• consisted largely of Western Cowboys and other hearty characters → volunteers

Question 12

Anti-Imperialistic League

Answer 12

• fought the McKinely administration’s expansionalist moves
• included some of the most prominent people in US (pres. of Stanford, Harvard, Mark Twain, Samuel Gompers, Andrew Carnegie)
• appealed to patriotism, invoked America’s “civilizing mission” + played up possible trade profits

Question 13

Foraker Act of 1900

Answer 13

• accorded the Puerto Ricans a limated degree of popular government
• outlawed cockfighting → a favorite island pastime
• many inhabitants still apsired to independence
• lots of Puerto Ricans moved to NYC
• Who are we → “citizens or subject?”

Question 14

Insular Acts

Answer 14

• a badly divided Supreme Court decided that the flag didn’t outrun the Constitution / the outdistanced document didn’t extend w full force to new Puerto Ricans / Filippino

Question 15

Platt Amendment

Answer 15

• the Cuban’s own Consitution of 1901
• Why?… The Washington government couldn’t turn this rich, strategic island completely loose on the international sea → Gernamny could settle
• loathed by Cuband because McKinley had served Cuba under American control
• Cubans were:
  → forced to agree to not conclude treaties that might compromise their independence
  → forced to not take on debt beyond their resources
  → forced to agree that the US would intervene w/ troops to restore order when seen fit
  → forced to promise to sell / lease needed coaling or naval stations to other powerful “benefactors”
• abrogated in 1934

Question 16

Open Door Policy (1898)

Answer 16

• Hay’s urgency to announce respect for Chinese rights and the ideal of fair competition with the Great Powers
• Hay didn’t bother to consult the Chinese themselves
• caused much squirming in the leading capitals of the world

Question 17

Boxer Rebellion

Answer 17

• Chinese boxers (skilled in martial arts) murdered over two hundred foreigners + thousands of Chinese Christains & designed the foreign diplomatic community in Beijing
• quelled by around 18k soldiers (US troops dispatched from Philippeans)

Question 18

“Big Stick Policy”

Answer 18

• TR’s ideology to negotiate peacefully while having the strength of military (navy)
• pursuit of political power

Question 19

Hay-Paunce Treaty

Answer 19

• gave the US a free hand to build Panama Canal
• conceded the right to fortify the canal

Question 20

Roosevelt Corollary

Answer 20

• Roosevelt’s declaration of a brazen policy of “preventive intervention”
• he announced that the US would intervene in future financial malfeasances by the Latin American nations/ intervene → take over the customs houses, pay off the debts, and keep troublesome Europeans on the other side of the Atlantic

Question 21

Russo Japanese War

Answer 21

• In Portsmith NH, TR guided the warring nations (Russia, Japan) to a settlement both countries were still pissed, especially Japan
• TR received Nobel Peace Prize

Question 22

Gentleman’s Agreement

Answer 22

• a secret understanding in which Tokyo agreed to stop the flow of laborers to the Americann mainland by withholding past ports

Question 23

ABC Powers (1914)

Answer 23

• South American countries attempted to mediate a dispute between Mexico and US in 1014

Question 24

Root-Tasahira Agreement (1908)

Answer 24

• pledged both US + Japan to respect each other’s territorial possesions of the Pacific + to to uphold the open door in China
• maintained a temporary peace between the two nations

Question 25

Jones Act (1916)

Answer 25

- law according territorial status to the Philippeans and promising independence as soon as a "stable government" could be establsihed → didn't happen until 1946

Question 26

Great White Fleet (1907 - 1909)

Answer 26

- done to demonstrate naval power to Japan / other nations -TR sent a fleet of battleships around the world for an impressive sight - welcomed warmly @ Tokyo Bay

Question 27

Hague Conference (1907)

Answer 27

- a conference at which the great powers discussed internationalism and arms reduction - discussed rules for limiting warfare

Question 28

Dollar Diplomacy (1909 - 1913)

Answer 28

- Taft believed that private American financial investment in Chia + Central America → greater stability - furthering the interests of US abroad by encouraging the investment of US Capitol in foreign countries like Latin/South America

Question 29

Lodge Corollary

Answer 29

- Lodge (Republican Senator - MA) - stated that non-European powers (Japan) would be excluded from owning territory in the Western Hemisphere - Pres. Taft opposed the corollary