The Wilmington Post
The Spanish American War and American Foreign Affairs
Yellow Journalism is Killing this Country!!!
Yellow journalism is a tactic taken up by journalists around the turn of the 20th century. This tactic included an exaggerated title, which I have demonstrated by the title of this section. The title would be exaggerated to draw the eye of passers-by. Titles were often misleading or dishonest.
Imperialism
During the turn of the 20th century, the US started to have a larger influence on a global scale. Part of this influence included the annexation of the Philippines, which sparked an anti-imperialist movement.
Anti-Imperialist League
The Anti-Imperialist League was a group aimed at ending American Imperialism in other countries. Specifically, they wanted to stop the US from annexing the Philippines. The league wasn't very successful in their efforts.
The Sinking of the USS Maine
The USS Maine was sunk by what seemed* to be the Spaniards. Such an action is considered an act of war. This sparked the Spanish American war.
*The reason I said seemed was because there is an old conspiracy theory that the ship was blown up by the US in efforts to start a war between us and Spain.
Spanish American War
A conflict in 1898, the War didn't last for very long, being about 5 or 6 months long. this war was sparked by the Sinking of the USS Maine. By the end, the US gained control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Samoa. The US was also supposed to gain Cuba, but Cuba decided to be an independent country.
Big Stick Diplomacy
"Speak softly, and carry a big stick.": the quote that created the name for this policy. The quote and the policy are from Theodore Roosevelt. The policy meant that the US would act well before any crisis to prevent it fro m happening. also, it meant that we will negotiate peacefully, and then threaten with our "big stick" or military, in order to get our way.
Dollar diplomacy
Under this policy, you'd better substitute your bullets for guns. Dollar diplomacy was predominantly under Taft's reign as president. It relied on a promise of loans to countries or the US's economic power in order to gain Latin America and the Philippines.
missionary diplomacy
Woodrow Wilson's ideology that a Latin American country or government would not be recognized by the US if deemed hostile to the US's interests. Interestingly enough, Woodrow Wilson is the fist and only president to visit Cuba, but Obama will soon visit Cuba.
U.S. gaining the Panama Canal
The US took over the French-owned canal in 1904. This brought a lot of power to the US because the canal was frequented by cargo ships. The canal was frequented because it cuts travel time by nearly HALF when traveling through it versus going around South America.
Platt Amendment
This amendment stated that the US would withdraw troops from Cuba. It also stated that the US had an overwhelming dominance over Cuba, and there were many conditions to the US withdrawing from Cuba. It also limited Cuba's right to make treaties with other nations.
the "Rough Riders"
The Rough Riders were the first voluntary cavalry to join in the Spanish American War. They were formed when Theodore Roosevelt left the Navy in 1898 to create them. This was before Theodore was president of the US.
Pancho Villa raids
There were many raids, but the most notable may have been the one performed on a border town known as Columbus, New Mexico. 17 US citizens were dead, and parts of the town were burned down. This resulted in president Wilson issuing US forces to bring Pancho back from Mexico, dead or alive.