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U.S. Imperialism
Vocabulary List
Imperialism
Definition:
 The actions by which one
nation is able to control
other, usually, smaller or
weaker nations.
 Strong countries are able to
control a weak nation by
using military force,
political or economic
influence.
 In the case of the United
States, the U.S. made
several independent
nations U.S. territories.
Colony
Definition:
 An area that is controlled
by or belongs to a
country and is usually far
away from it.
 (i.e., The Philippines
became a U.S. territory
(colony) after the
Spanish American War.)
U.S. Territory
Definition:
 A geographic area
belonging to or under the
control of the United
States government.
 (i.e., the Philippines,
Guam, and Puerto Rico
became United States
territories after the
Spanish-American War.)
U.S. Protectorate
Definition:
 A country that is partly
controlled and protected
by a more powerful
country.
 (i.e., Cuba became a
protectorate of the
United States following
the conclusion of the
Spanish-American War.)
Imperialist
Definition:
 An individual who
supports the practice and
policy of imperialism.
 (i.e., President Theodore
Roosevelt was an
imperialist, he believed
the United States should
build a vast imperial
empire throughout Latin
America and Asia.)
Anti-Imperialist
Definition:
 A person who was
against the practice and
policy of imperialism.
 (i.e., Andrew Carnegie
was an anti-imperialist,
he believed it was wrong
for the United States to
conquer and control
foreign nations.)
Isolationist
Definition:
 A person or country that
wants to stay out of the
political affairs of other
countries.
 (i.e., Japan was an
isolationist nation during
the early and midnineteenth century.)
Empire
Definition:
 A major political unit
with a large territory or a
number of territories or
peoples under one ruler
with total authority.
 (i.e., the U.S. imperial
empire included the
Philippines, Guam,
Puerto Rico, Alaska, the
Midway Islands, and
Hawaii.)
Foreign Policy
Definition:
 A government’s strategy
in dealing with other
nations.
Monroe Doctrine (1823)
Definition:
 A statement of United
States foreign policy
expressing opposition to
further European
colonization of states in
the western hemisphere.
Manifest Destiny
Definition:
 The belief that it was the
destiny of the United States
to expand its rule over the
North American continent
from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Pacifica Ocean.
 This belief was created
during the nineteenth
century, and completed by
the end of the nineteenth
century.
Expansion (imperialism)
Definition:
 The act of expanding the
physical borders and
political, economic, and
social influence of the
United States during the
age of imperialism.
Annex
Definition:
 To add or take
possession of a smaller
country.
 (i.e., During the age of
imperialism, the United
States annexed Hawaii,
the Philippines, Puerto
Rico, Alaska, the Midway
Islands, and Guam.
Sphere of Influence
Definition:
 A territorial area over
which political or
economic influence is
wielded by one nation.
 (i.e., During the age of
imperialism, European
nations “carved” spheres
of influence in China.)
Open Door Policy
Definition:
 The policy of granting
equal trade opportunities
to all countries.
 (i.e., The United States
created the Open Door
Policy to have a fair chance
in acquiring economic
markets in Asia during the
age of imperialism. The
Open Door Policy was also
created to prevent any
nations from colonizing
parts of China.)
Nationalist
Definition:
 A member of a group
promoting national
independence.
 (i.e., During the age of
imperialism, many
nationalist groups
(Chinese, Filipinos)
fought wars to gain
independence from
foreign rule or
domination.)
The Boxer Rebellion
Definition:
 An rebellion carried out
by Chinese nationalists
(the Righteous Harmony
Society) to remove all
foreign influences from
China. The rebellion was
put down by the Eight
Nation Alliance and
foreign powers continued
to politically and
economically dominate
China.
The Boxer Protocol (1901)
Definition:
 A treaty between the Eight
Nation Alliance and the
Qing government in China
that formally ended the
Boxer Rebellion.
 The treaty stated that
China must pay 67 million
pounds to the members of
the Eight Nation Alliance,
and allow them to keep
foreign troops in Peking.
Panama Canal
Definition:
 A canal built across central
America to connect the Pacific
and Atlantic oceans.
 The canal allowed the United
States to move naval and
merchant vessels from the
Atlantic to the Pacific without
having to go around South
America.
 This significantly shortened
the amount of time it took for
U.S. navy and merchant
vessels to get from the
Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
The Spanish-American War
Definition:
 A war fought between
Spain and the United
States during 1898.
 The United States went
to war with Spain to help
Cuba became an
independent nation
(from Spanish rule).
 The war also allowed the
United States’ to gain
Spain’s colonial empire.
The Teller Amendment
Definition:
 An amendment in the war
resolution drafted against
Spain.
 The Amendment stated
that the United States
would not make Cuba a
United States territory
following the conclusion of
the Spanish-American War.
 The amendment also
recognized Cuba as an
independent nation.
The Platt Amendment
Definition:
 An amendment that
granted Cuba
independence from the
United States (as a
protectorate).
 The amendment also stated
that the U.S. government
could intervene in Cuba to
protect national interests.
 The amendment also
allowed the United States
to build a naval base in
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Yellow Journalism
Definition:
 Journalism that exploits,
distorts, or exaggerates
the news to create
sensation and attract
readers.
 (i.e., Yellow journalism
played an important role
in convincing American
citizens to support a war
against Spain in 1898.)
Treaty of Paris (1898)
Definition:
 The treaty that formally
ended the SpanishAmerican War.
 In the treaty, Spain
ceded Puerto Rico, Cuba,
and Guam to the United
States.
 In the treaty, the United
States purchased the
Philippines from Spain
for $20 million dollars.
Commonwealth
Definition:
 A nation that is
controlled by the United
States, but has the power
to elect local government
officials (i.e., governor,
local legislature).
 (i.e., Puerto Rico is a
commonwealth of the
United States.)
Guerilla War
Definition:
 Military actions carried out
by small groups of soldiers
behind enemy lines with
the object of harassing the
enemy, interrupting his
lines of communication,
and destroying his
supplies.
 (i.e., Filipino rebels used
guerilla war tactics to fight
the United States during
the Philippine-American
War.)
Atrocity
Definition:
 A very cruel or terrible
act or action.
 (i.e., Many atrocities
were committed during
the Philippine-American
War.)
The American Anti-Imperialist League
Definition:
 A group of Americans
opposed to United States
imperialist policy.
 The organization
protested the annexation
of the Philippines by the
United States.
 The organization
believed imperialism
violated the principles of
United States democracy.
Treaty of Manila (1946)
Definition:
 A treaty signed between
the United States and the
Republic of the
Philippines recognizing
the Philippines as an
independent nation.
 The treaty ended U.S.
control of the
Philippines.
Colonize
Definition:
 The act by which a larger
nation takes control over
a smaller nation.
 (i.e., the United States
colonized the Philippines
following the SpanishAmerican War.)
Corollary
Definition:
 An addition to a
document.
 (i.e., the Roosevelt
Corollary was an
addition to the Monroe
Doctrine.)
Roosevelt Corollary
Definition:
 The Roosevelt Corollary was
an addition made to the
Monroe Doctrine.
 The Roosevelt Corollary
stated that the United States
must act as an international
police force to maintain
political stability in the
western hemisphere.
 The United States used the
Roosevelt Corollary to
intervene in Latin American
nations to protect the United
States political and economic
interests in the western
hemisphere.
Dollar diplomacy
Definition:
 A policy created by President
Taft to allow the United States
to control Latin American
nations without actually
making them a U.S. territory.
 The United States did this by
supporting and encouraging
U.S. businessmen to create
economic markets in Latin
America.
 Dollar diplomacy was created
to control Latin American
nations, while building their
economies.
Western Hemisphere
Definition:
 The half of the earth
including North America,
South America, and the
surrounding waters.