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The USS Maine

The USS Maine was an American battleship 

fighting against the Spanish that blew up in 

1898. We blamed the Spanish because we 

wanted to fight with Spain. When the ship 

exploded 260 officers and crew members. When 

it blew up we chanted "Remember the Maine" 

for pay back. 

Bria Godshall

       Pre-Imperial Attitudes Towards 

Expansion

 George Washington, the first president of the United States did 

not want to expand America. He did wanted to continue to be 

separated from the other countries. The American people, on the 

other hand, did want trade with other countries. America 

continued to expand trade. They expanded out to Japan. In order 

to trade with isolated Japan the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854.

Jamay Sidberry

Acquisition of Alaska

In 1867 William H. Seaward bought Alaska 

from Russia. Seaward bought it from 

Russia for $7.2 million. That was a good 

price for land a lot bigger than Texas. 

Many people thought he made a mistake 

but in 1890 they found gold.

Failed Expansion Schemes

William H. Seward wanted to connect America with other 

countries by using a transcontinental railroad. Seward would 

make it possible to communicate with the telegraph. In order to 

achieve this Seward purchased Alaska. Americans did not think 

this was a good idea.

Jamay Sidberry

Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio led the Filipino Rebels who 

helped get the city of Manila.In 

February 1899, his group fought for 

freedom for the Philippines. Emilio was 

caught in March 1901 and tried to get 

other Filipino armies to stop fighting.

Bria Godshall

Economic motives for imperial Expanision

Americans wanted to move America's trade and trade with more 

countries. More specifically, Latin American countries. This 

would help boost the economy a lot.

Jamay Sidberry

Yellow Journalism

Yellow Journalism is stretching out the 

truth to make something more interesting 

to get readers attention. Yellow 

Journalism played a big role in the 

making of before war opinion in the 

United States. William Randall Hearst 

was the first to publish this type of 

writing. 

Bria Godshall 

Strategic motives for imperial 

Expansion

Captain Alfred Thayer wanted America to be able to refuel naval 

ships. Americans ships were made to be steam powered instead 

of using sails.

Jamay Sidberry

Panama/Panama Canal

Before the United States got the land 

we offered to pay $10 million. Once 

Panama declared freedom the United 

States was given the land to build the 

canal. In 1914 the canal was opened. 

The canal connected the Pacific and the 

Atlantic ocean. They built the canal to 

shorten the trip by not having to go 

around South America. The first ship to 

go thought the canal was called the 

Ancon.

Bria Godshall  

War With Filipinos

In 1899 the Philippines decided to rebel against the   United 

States. More than 4,000 Americans were killed. In 1901 many 

soldiers began to surrender.

Acquisition of Hawaii

(The buying of Hawaii)

While president Benjamin Harrison was 

president he sent the treaty to buy hawaii 

to senate but was not approved before he 

left office.Once Grover Cleveland became 

president the senate approved it but 

Grover removed the treaty because most 

Hawaiians didn't want Hawaii to become a 

part of the United States.When william 

McKinley became president congress allowed 

him to buy hawaii. In 1900 Hawaii became a 

part of the United States.

Bria Godshall

Racial motives for Imperial 

expansion

Josiah Strong thought that America should spread Christianity 

to other countries. He thought that they should try to change 

other people in different countries so that they would be more 

like them. He figured this would make them more "civilized" or 

"improved".

Jamay Sidberry

Work Cited

"Alaska Map Collection." Map of Alaska. N.p., 

n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.

"LARGE COLOR MAP." Cuba Large Color Map. N.p., 

n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.

"Panama Canal Locks 1994." Wikimedia Commons. 

N.p., 5 June 2010. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.

"___ Reference Map of Hawaii (HI)." Reference 

Map of Hawaii, USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 

2014.

"Spanish-American War." WRS Latin American and 

the 20th Century /. N.p., 2010. Web. 28 Feb. 

2014.

"William Randolph Hearst." Hearst Castle. N.p., 

n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.

Outcome for the Philipines

The United States gave control over the Philippines to the civilian 

government. The leader of the civilian government tried to get 

the Philippines independence. The Philippines did not get their 

independence until 1946.

Jamay Sidberry

William McKinley, Spain, and Cuba

President William McKinley of the United States sent out a ship 

called the Maine in 1898. The ship exploded and blaming the 

Spanish, McKinley sent the Spanish a strongly worded note. This 

note also asked demands of the Spanish and the Spanish agreed 

to some of them. Later that year, Cuba was given its 

independence.

Jamay Sidberry

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