1898 – Turning point in history; U. S. emerges as world power; ended Spain’s colonial empire

Causes: Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine, Need to protect U. S. interests in Cuba

Humanitarian concerns, Yellow Journalism, acquisitions that McKinley was “weak”

U. S. gains Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam; Cuba becomes a U.S. protectorate

Proposal to keep Chinese markets open for all without allowing any one county to gain control over the region

Hays’ letter to other world powers proposed trade to free and open to all

U. S. interests were open access for missionaries and American businesses

1898 - after the Spanish American War, Spain ceded the Philippines to the U. S.

1899-1902 – Philippine-American War between American forces & nationals

1946 - U.S granted independence to the Republic of the Philippines

1901 – Treaty between the U.S.

and Cuba; attempted to protect

Cuba’s independence from

foreign intervention

Gave U.S. oversight in Cuba;

ensured that Cuba would

maintain a special relationship

with the U.S.

1904 – addition to Monroe Doctrine

T. Roosevelt’s assertive approach to Latin America & the Caribbean; U.S. would intervene (police) against foreign aggression; justified actions in Cuba, Haiti &

Dominican Republic

Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” policy

1898 – joint resolution placing “conditions” on U.S. military presence in Cuba

U.S. could not annex Cuba; must leave control of the island to its people

U.S. would help Cuba gain

independence and then withdraw its troops

1904-05 – Treaty formally ending the Russo-Japanese War; mediated by Theodore Roosevelt

Constructed a balance of power in Asia that might uphold U.S. interests

1917 – authorized the U.S. government to raise a national army for service in WWI through conscription (draft)

Canceled at the end of the war

Upheld by the U.S. Supreme

Court

1917 – government agency established to coordinate the purchase of WWI war supplies

Set priorities, fixed prices and standardized products to support the war efforts

Did not meet expectations; often had to negotiate with industry rather than direct it

1917 – Congress made it a federal crime for any person to

convey information intended to interfered with the U.S. war

efforts or to promote the success of country’s enemies

Reinforced by the passage of the Sedition Act one year later

1918 – enacted during WWI, made it a crime to willfully

speak or express negative opinions about the U.S. war efforts

Forbade disloyal, profane or abusive language

Repealed in 1920

January 1917 - Secret diplomatic communication from Germany to Mexico

Proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico if U.S. entered WWI; promised the return of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico to Mexico

1917 – 1919 – Agency created to influence public opinion to

support WWI war efforts

Provided propaganda to rally

support of American citizens

Freedom of press curtailed by

plan to control, manipulate and censor all news coverage on a scale never seen before in U.S.

1919 – Treaty between Allied Powers and Germany ending WWI

Dealt harshly with Germany; forced Germany to pay reparations (some say this harsh treatment directly contributed to WWII)

Germany lost all of its colonies

International diplomatic group formed after WWI to solve disputes between countries before they erupted into war

Origins were in Wilson’s Fourteen Points speech (1918)

1918 – President Wilson’s WWI war goals for the U. S. Demanded:

 creation of state for each

nationality

 an independent Poland

1919 - Leaders in WWI peace- treaty talks in Paris

David Lloyd George of Great Britain Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Georges Clemenceau of France, Woodrow Wilson of U.S.

Could not agree on how the terms of the Treaty

May 1915 – a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the Lusitania, a British ocean liner

Played a significant role in turning public opinion against Germany in the U.S. and abroad

Promise made by Germany to U.S. before the U.S entered the war; attempt to appease U.S.

Germany pledge that they

would not attack passenger ships and would allow the crew

of merchant ships carrying war materials to exit their vessels before they would be sunk