History Usa - 1865-1890 Foreign Policy Timeline

Front 1

What is Manifest Destiny?

Back 1

Belief that the expansion of the USA throughout the American continents was justified and inevitable.

Front 2

What was the Monroe Doctrine?

Back 2

A policy that opposed European colonialism in the Americas. It also argued any intervention in the politics of the Americas by foreign powers was a potentially hostile act against the USA.

Front 3

What was isolationism?

Back 3

Policy of avoiding political or economic entanglements with other countries.

Front 4

What was the Louisiana Purchase, 1803?

Back 4

President Jefferson supported the purchase of the Louisiana territory for $15 million from France. Added 82,800 Square miles to the USA.

Front 5

What happened with Texas, 1836-1845?

Back 5

Texts became independent from Mexico in 1836. Mexico's dictator previously agreed to it but now refused. 1845, President Pole passed a joint resolution and Texas joined the union.

Front 6

What was the War with Mexico, 1846-1848?

Back 6

President Polk provoked Mexico leading to war from 1846 until 1847 when Mexico lost. The treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848, confirmed the USA in Texas and secured the area to the west including California.

Front 7

What was the Gadsden Purchase, 1853?

Back 7

James Gadsden sent by the government to negotiate purchse of some land south of New Mexico to allow for the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad. Bought for $10 million from Mexico.

Front 8

What were the developments in communications?

Back 8

Stagecoaches formed the basis of the earliest communication and postage systems. In 1860, the Pony Express service formed but was then superseded in 1861 by the transcontinental telegraph line.

Front 9

What were the developments in the railroads?

Back 9

It took a long time but eventually the first transcontinental railroad (the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific lines met in Utah) was finished in 1869. Due to its rapid use more lines were built.

Front 10

What was the Alaska Purchase, 1867?

Back 10

William Seward, Secretary of State, bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. It gave the USA new harbours for trade with Asiatic nations and expanded the coastline which would help continue isolationism.

Front 11

What happened in the far east during Reconstruction?

Back 11

1867, USA acquired the Midway Island, using Alaska, to obtain guano for gunpowder and fertiliser. The Burlingame Treaty, 1868, allowed free movement and free trade with China.

Front 12

What happened with the attempted annexation of Santo Domingo, 1870?

Back 12

Grant attempted to annex Santo Domingo, believing it could be a haven for persecuted southern African Americans. The Senate rejected the annexation treaty.

Front 13

What happened with tensions over Canada, 1867-1872?

Back 13

Tempting for USA to annex Canada as trade was dependent on rivers which normally ran from North to South. USA demanded $2 billion in compensation or cede all of Canada due to Britain supporting the Confederacy. They refused. USA wanted British Colombia to join the USA as it would connect Alaska. They decided to stay with Canada. USA got $15.5 million from Britain.

Front 14

How did westward expansion, 1865-1877, happen?

Back 14

Federal territories created and populated with settlers. Once they had 60,000 inhabitants could apply to become a state.

Front 15

How was settlement encouraged in the lands west of the Mississippi?

Back 15

1-Homestead Act of 1862 - allowed people to settle on new land at the expense of Native Americans

2- Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 - authorising a transcontinental railroad to run through Native American lands. Completed in 1869. Trains disturbed buffalo herds.

Front 16

How were the Native Americans removed from their lands during Reconstruction?

Back 16

They were gradually removed from their lands and put in reservations. By the early 1860s some tribes became hostile.

Front 17

What was Grant's policy towards the Native Americans during Reconstruction?

Back 17

The policy was reservation or assimilation, they had to move to reservations or assimilate into individual citizens. This was in reality to organise the Great Plains for further settlement.

Front 18

What happened in the Great Sioux War during the Reconstruction period?

Back 18

It started in 1867 after gold was found in the Black Hills of Dakota. The Sioux victory in 1867, at the battle of little bighorn, left Custer's men all killed. This encouraged further attacks against them and lead to the culling of the bison.