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United States History
Topic 3: America Comes of Age (1890-1920)
3-7 – The United States Emerges as a World Power
Key Terms
U.S. Trade and Intervention in China
spheres of influence – a region dominated and controlled by an
outside power
John Hay – (1838–1905) U.S. Secretary of State from 1895 to 1905,
guiding U.S. diplomacy as the country emerged as a world power;
instrumental in crafting the Open Door policy toward China.
Boxers – in response to the growing influence of outsiders in their
country, some Chinese joined secret societies; one was the Righteous and
Harmonious Fists, nicknamed “Boxers” by Europeans because its members
trained in martial arts; celebrated traditional Chinese customs and criticized
Western ways, including Chinese converts to Christianity
Boxer Rebellion – (1899-1901) Boxers killed foreign missionaries
and besieged the foreign diplomats’ district in Beijing; prompted the
governments of Europe and America to send troops to squash the rebellion;
eventually led to Chinese nationalists’ overthrow of the emperor in 1911
Open Door Policy – an American statement that the government did
not want colonies in China, but favored free trade there
Roosevelt Works with Japan
Russo-Japanese War – (1904-1905) a war between Japan and
Russia over the presence of Russian troops in Manchuria; the world was
shocked by the Japanese victory; Japan entered the world stage
Treaty of Portsmouth – (1905) meeting in New Hampshire between
representatives from Russia and Japan; when the talks stalled, President
Theodore Roosevelt intervened and convinced the two sides to sign a peace
treaty; TR won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts; America’s prominence
was growing
“Gentlemen’s Agreement” – (1906-1907) pact between the United
States and Japan to end segregation of Asian children in San Francisco
public schools; in return, Japan agreed to limit the emigration of its citizens
to the United States
Great White Fleet – (1907-1909) armada of 16 white battleships
sent by President Theodore Roosevelt on a “good will cruise” around the
world; demonstrated America’s increased military power to the world; TR
helped make the US into a world power by strengthening and asserting US
military power
American Foreign Policy in Latin America
Foraker Act – (1900) law establishing a civil government in Puerto
Rico; authorized the POTUS to appoint a governor and part of the Puerto
Rican legislature (the rest were filled by election in Puerto Rico)
Insular Cases – series of Supreme Court cases that determined the
rights of Puerto Ricans; SCOTUS ruled that Puerto Ricans did not enjoy the
same rights as US citizens, causing many Puerto Ricans to express
discontent
Platt Amendment – (1902) set of conditions under which Cuba was
granted independence, including restrictions on rights of Cubans and
granting the U.S. the “right to intervene” to preserve order in Cuba; made
Cuba a protectorate of the US
“Big Stick” Diplomacy
“big stick” diplomacy – Theodore Roosevelt's policy of creating and
using, when necessary, a strong military to achieve America's goals; name
came from an African saying that TR admired, “speak softly and carry a big
stick; you will go far.”
Panama Canal – (1903-1914) human-made waterway linking the
Atlantic to the Pacific across the Isthmus of Panama; the finished waterway
cut some 8,000 nautical miles of the trip from the west coast to the east
coast of the US
Republic of Panama – the US had to get permission to build the
Panama Canal; Panama was part of Colombia; Colombia demanded too
much; the US supported a Panamanian rebellion against Colombia; the new
nation quickly approved American control of the “Canal Zone”
Challenges - workers had to build locks to raise ships to the level of
Gatun Lake, 85 feet above sea level; workers relied on a scientific
breakthrough by doctors as they learned how to combat tropical diseases
(yellow fever and malaria) spread by mosquitoes
Roosevelt Corollary – TR's reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine
(1823) to keep the Western Hemisphere free from intervention by European
powers; in the case of “chronic wrongdoing” by a Latin American nation –
the US would assume the role of police power
“dollar diplomacy” – President Taft's policy of expanding American
investments abroad; wanted to substitute “dollars for bullets”; didn’t always
work, Taft had to fall back on “big stick” diplomacy several times
Wilson’s “Moral Diplomacy”
“moral diplomacy” – Woodrow Wilson’s statement that the U.S.
would not use force to assert influence in the world, but would instead work
to promote human rights
Francisco “Pancho” Villa – (1878–1923) was a Mexican
revolutionary and guerrilla leader; in 1916 Villa's forces killed 18 Americans
in New Mexico, which resulted in U.S. General John J. Pershing’s
unsuccessful expedition into Mexico with 10,000 troops to capture and
punish Villa