| 1893 | May: World's Columbian Exposition opens in Chicago, celebrating industrial growth and progress. At the fair, the historian Frederick Jackson Turner delivers a paper announcing the "closing" of the frontier, which he defines as the disappearance of "free land" and democratic opportunity in the West. Meanwhile, 1893 marks the beginning of the worst economic crisis in American history to that point -- an event that Americans would refer to until the 1930s as "the Great Depression." |
| 1895 | The Spanish colony of Cuba begins fighting its second War for Independence |
| 1896 |
Filipino nationalists initiate a revolt against Spanish colonial rule. Republican William McKinley defeats Democrat William Jennings Bryan to become President of the U.S. |
| 1897 | Economic recovery begins. |
| 1898 |
February 15: U.S.S. Battleship Maine blows up and sinks in Havana Harbor; 260 American sailors killed. Source of explosion unknown. April 25: U.S. declares war against Spain, starting its first overseas war. December 10: U.S. signs treaty of Paris (with Spain); Spain frees Cuba, cedes Puerto Rico and Guam to the U.S. and sells the Philippines to the U.S. for $20,000,000. |
| 1899 |
February: Rudyard Kipling publishes "The White Man's Burden" in McClure's magazine. Imperialists in the United States seize upon the phrase "white man's burden" as a noble justification for their policies. Anti-imperialists quickly respond with parodies of the poem. February 4: Gunfire between U.S. troops and Philippine army initiate hostilities between U.S. and the Philippine. Philippine-American War begins. Two days later, the U.S. Senate ratifies the treaty of Paris, officially ending the Spanish-American War. The treaty cedes Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States and places Cuba under U.S. control. October: Local anti-imperialist groups meet and establish a national Anti-Imperialist League to fight annexation of the Philippines. November 19: U.S. troops again capture the seat of the Philippine Independent Republic. Congress is dissolved. Filipinos adopt "guerrilla" war tactics. |
| 1901 | Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt becomes President after the assassination of McKinley. |
| 1902 |
January: Congressional investigation into U.S. atrocities in the Philippines opens. July 4: President Roosevelt declares the end of the Philippine war. Islands placed under U.S. civilian administration |
| 1904 - 1905 | Portland, Oregon and St. Louis, Missouri host World's Fairs with expansionist themes. Exhibits include displays of industrial progress, Asian products, and "savage" Filipino tribesmen; events include a night-time re-enactment of the Battle of Manila Bay. Fairgoers in Portland are greeted with a large banner reading "Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way." |
| 1902 - 1942 | Philippines remains under U.S. rule until invaded by Japan during World War II. After 1945 U.S. maintains influence through financial and military support to dictators. |
| 1986 - 1987 | Philippine People's Power Movement overthrows U.S. backed dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Major U.S. military bases remain until 1991. |
| Video Home | |
|
