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Foreign Affairs Timeline : American relations with Latin-
America from 1850 to 1920
1850 May 25 New Mexico, impatient for statehood, formed own
state government. Convention set boundaries of
state, banned slavery, applied for statehood.
July 9 President Zachary Taylor died. Vice-President
Millard Fillmore became president on July 10th.
Taylor was the 2nd and last of the Whig party to
be elected to presidency.
Sept 9 Texas and New Mexico act passed. The act
established the Texas boundaries, authorized
payment of $10 million for relinquishing her
claims to territories beyond the new state
lines, and established the boundaries of New
Mexico territory. Part of Compromise of 1850.
1851 Aug 24 Lopez Expedition, a group unauthorized by the
federal government formed for the purpose of
taking Cuba by force. General Narciso Lopez was
a leader of Spanish refugees agitating for the
liberation of Cuba. Lopez attracted a group
from New Orleans who thought that Cuba could be
annexed to the U.S.
1853 Gadsden Purchase negotiated for $10 million.
Southern Arizona and New Mexico, the territory
acquired, was the last addition to the present
U.S. boundaries. Congress passed legislation,
and on June 30, 1854 the treaty was mutually
ratified. Under final terms, the U.S. received
the Mesila Valley, about 20 million unfertile
acres of land and was able to adjust the
disputed U.S. Mexican boundary. The treaty made
it unnecessary for the U.S. to protect Mexico
from Indian invasions.
Mar 4 Franklin Pierce, 14th president inaugurated. He
was a Democrat and served one term in office.
1854 Oct 18 Drafting of the Ostend Manifesto, declaring that
in order to preserve slavery, U.S. should obtain
Cuba. William Marcy had ordered the conference
to establish policy toward Cuba.
1855 William Walker landed a company of men in
Nicaragua, overthrew the government, and set
himself up as ruler. Walker, a lawyer, doctor,
and newspaper editor had seized Lower California
in 1853, and made himself by proclamation
president. Walker was executed in Nicaragua in
1860 by a Honduras court when a new invasion of
Nicaragua failed.
1857 Feb 21 Foreign coins declared no longer legal tender by
Act of Congress.
Mar 3 Foreign duties lower to level of about 20% by
Tariff Act, and free list enlarged.
Mar 4 James Buchanan, 15th president, sworn to office.
He was a Democrate and served one term in
office.
1861 Feb 18 Jefferson Davis inaugurated president of the
confederacy. Capital first established in
Montgomery, Alabama. Later moved to Richmond,
Virginia.
Mar 4 Abraham Lincoln inaugurated president of what
was no longer the United States.
1862 July 22 1st draft of Emancipation Proclamation submitted
to cabinet by President Lincoln.
1863 Jan 1 Lincoln issued Emancipation Proclamation.
1865 Apr 15 Andrew Johnson, 17th president inaugurated.
1867 Feb 25 Survey for canal at Darien, Panama, connecting
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans provided for by
a resolution adopted by Congress.
1869 Mar 4 Ulysses S. Grant inaugurated as 18th president.
He was a Republican and served two terms.
1877 Jan 2 Carpetbag government ended in South Carolina
when Federal troops evacuated Columbia.
1877 Mar 4 Rutherford B. Hayes inaugurated, 19th president,
served one term as Republican.
1878 Jan 17 Commercial Treaty with Samoa signed. Pago Pago
harbor reserved for a coaling station for U.S.
Naval vessels.
1881 James A. Garfield, 20th president, inaugurated.
He was a Republican and died 6 months., 15 days
in office. Vice-president Chester A. Arthur
succeeded him. On July 2nd, Garfield was shot.
He died September 19th, 1881.
Sept 20 Chester A. Arthur inaugurated as 21st president,
Republican, he served 3 years, 5 months in
office.
Nov 22 Pan-American movement launched.
1885 Mar 4 Grover Cleveland, 22nd president inaugurated. He
was a Democrat.
1889 Mar 4 Benjamin Harrison, 23rd president inaugurated.
He was a Republican and served one term.
1890 High protective tariffs issued by President
McKinley in order to cut down on imports.
Feb 4 Senate ratified the Samoan treaty with Germany
and Great Britain. This treaty placed Samoan
Islands under the joint control of the three
powers, and provided the U.S. with a fueling
station for it's Pacific fleet.
Apr 14 Resolution of Pan-American Conference held in
Washington between Oct. 2nd, 1889, and April
21st, 1890, established the Pan-American Union.
1892 Boll Weevil, of Mexican or Central American
origin, first seen in Texas; pest spread widely
and has caused as much as $200,000,000 damage a
year to U.S. cotton crops.
1893 Mar 4 Grover Cleveland, 24th president, inaugurated
for second time. He was a Democrate and served
one term.
1895 Feb 24 Revolt against Spanish rule broke out in Cuba.
On June 12 President Cleveland called on the
U.S. citizens to avoid giving aid to
insurgents. Part of the cause of the rebellion
was the panic of 1893 which caused severe
economic depression in the Cuban sugar industry.
Repressive measures taken by the Spanish aroused
American sympathy, which was inflamed to a war
pitch by the "yellow journalism" of William
Randolph Hearst's New Your Journal and Joseph
Pulitzer's New York World.
Dec 21 Congress authorized President Cleveland to
appoint Venezuelan Boundary Commission.
1897 Mar 4 William McKinley, 25th president inaugurated.
He was a Republican and died by assassination
after serving 6 months of his 2nd term.
May 24 Congress voted $50,000 for relief of Americans
in Cuba. Time of Cuban rebellion.
1898 Jan 25 U.S. battleship Maine arrived at Havana on
friendly visit. The real purpose of the Maine
was to protect American life and property.
Feb 15 American battleship Maine blown up in Havana
harbor; 260 seamen lost. U.S. sympathies were
already strong for Cuba in the revolt against
Spanish tyranny; the Maine disaster made U.S.
intervention inevitable, though the cause of the
sinking was never established.
Apr 5 President McKinley recalled U.S. consuls in
Cuba.
Apr 19 Congress adopted resolutions declaring Cuba
independent and directing the president to use
forces to put an end to Spanish authority in
Cuba.
Apr 22 U.S. instituted a blockade of all Cuban ports.
1st prize of the Spanish-American War taken by
gunboat Nashville, which captured the Spanish
ship, Buena Ventura.
Apr 24 Spain recognized state of war. U.S. declared
that state of war existed since April 21st when
Spain broke diplomatic relations with U.S.
June 11 About 600 marines landed at Guantanamo, Cuba,
and made contact with the enemy the next day.
June 12 (thru 14th) 17,000 Americans embarked under
General Shafter at Key West, Florida to attempt
an invasion of Santiago.
June 15 Battle at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba where the U.S.
marines repulsed a Spanish force.
Pacific island of Guam was taken over. No
ammunition was on the island, and they had not
yet received word of war.
June 22 General Shafer's invasion forces landed at
Daiquiri, 15 miles from Santiago. American
casualties were 1 killed, 4 wounded.
July 1 (thru begining of August) Many battles occured
leaving many cities and towns surrendering to
U.S. troops. Included in these: Ponce, Puerto
Rico; Guanica, Puerto Rico; Cuban harbor of
Nipe, and Coamo, Puerto Rico
Aug 9 Spanish government formally accepted peace
terms.
Dec 10 Treaty ending Spanish-American War signed in
Paris. U.S. acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and
Spain relinquished claim to Cuba. Treaty was
ratified by congress Jan. 9, 1899. U.S. paid
Spain $20 million for the Philippines.
1901 Mar 2 Platt Amendment adopted by Congress.
Amendment established a quasi-protectorate over
Cuba. It was abrogated May 29, 1934.
Apr 19 Rebellion in the Philippines ended by
proclamation.
Sept 6 President McKinley shot during public reception
at Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y.
He died on September 14th, and Theodore
Roosevelt was sworn in as 26th president serving
McKinleys remaining term of 3 years, 5 months
and was elected another term in 1904.
1902 May 20 U.S. flag lowered from government buildings in
Cuba and replaced with flag of new Cuban
government. Cuban independence achived 4 years
after end of Spanish-American war.
June 28 Isthmian Canal Act passed by Congress. It
authorized the financing and building of the
canal across the Isthmian of Panama. Negotiated
with Columbia to authorize canal through
Nicargua.
July 1 Philippine Government Act passed by Congress.
It declared the Philippine Islands an
unorganized territory.
1903 Jan 22 Hay-Herran Treaty (Panama Canal) signed with
Columbia. The U.S. Senate ratified it on March
17th, but on August 12th, the Columbian state
rejected it.
Nov 2 President Roosevelt ordered warships to Panama
to maintain "free and uninterrupted transit "
across isthmus. This insured success of
revolution, which was engineered in part by
officers of the Panama Company and in part by
native groups, all with tacit approval of
Roosevelt's administration. Separatist movement
in Panama was directed against Colombia.
Nov 3 Quickest recognition ever offered a foreign
county by U.S. came when Republic of Panama was
recognized 3 days after it was proclaimed.
Roosevelt's opponents openly hinted that he was
involved in the Panamanian revolution in order
to speed negotiations for the Panama Canal.
Nov 18 Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty negotiated. It gave
U.S. complete control over a 10-mile strip of
land in Panama in return for $10 million in gold
plus yearly payments of $250,000
1904 Jan 4 Citizens of Puerto Rico are not aliens, ruled
the U.S. Supreme Court. Although they are not
classified as citizens of the U.S., they can not
be denied or refused admission to the
continental limits of the U.S.
Feb 29 Panama Canal Commission appointed by President
Roosevelt. The 7-man board was in charge of the
construction of the waterway.
1905 Jan 21 Protocol signed with Santo Domingo which gave
the U.S. complete charge of customs finances
with the purpose of satifying European creditors
of Santo Domingo. This was an example of
Roosevelt's corollary to Monroe Doctrine in
action.
1906 Aug 23 Tomas Estrada Palma, 1st president of Cuba,
requested U.S intervention to quell a revolt
arising from election disputes. Order was
finaly restored after troops took over Cuban
government for 13 days in October.
Sept 29 Platt Amendment applied in Cuba when the U.S.
assumed military control.
Nov 9 1st time a U.S. president left the country while
in office occurred when President Roosevelt
sailed on battleship Louisiana to visit Isthmus
of Panama and inspect the Canal. He returned on
Nov. 26, 1906.
1907 Feb 8 Treaty with Santo Domingo signed.
Mar 21 U.S. Marines landed in Honduras to protect life
and property from revolutionary hazards.
1909 Mar 4 William H. Taft, 27th president inaugurated. He
was a Republican and served one term.
Nov 18 U.S. Warships and troops ordered to Nicaragua
after it was reported that 500 revolutionists,
with 2 Americans among them, were executed by
dictator Zelaya.
1911 Mar 7 20,000 U.S. troops were ordered to the Mexican
boarder. Conditions in Mexico were still
chaotic; fighting sometimes occured so close to
the border that crowds of U.S. citizens
gathered to watch. Troops recalled June 24th.
Apr 14 President Taft sent a message to the Mexican
Government demanding that fighting cease along
the American border.
June 5 U.S. Marines landed in Cuba to protect American
intrests.
1912 Oct 14 President Roosevelt shot from a distance of 6 ft
while in New York making a speech. He insisted
on delivering his speech before being taken to
the hospital.
1913 Mar 4 Woodrow Wilson, 28th president inaugurated. He
was a Democrat and served 2 terms.
Aug 27 President Wilson announced his policy on
"watchful waiting" in respect to Mexico.
1914 Jan 27 Permanent Civil government established in the
Panama Canal Zone by an executive order.
Apr 9 Small party of U.S. Marines, landing at Tampico,
Mexico, to obtain supplies were arrested and
detained for one and a half hours by the Mexican
authorities.
Apr 11 A breach of diplomatic relations with Mexico
occured because of an apology without a special
salute to the American flag.
Apr 14 President Wilson ordered American fleet to
Tampico Bay, Mexico, as result of incident
involving arrest of U.S. troops.
Apr 21 U.S. fleet seized the custom house at Vera Cruz,
Mexico, and Marines occupied the city. U.S.
losses: 4 dead; 20 wounded.
Apr 22 Mexico severed diplomatic relations with U.S.
Apr 25 So-called "ABC" countries - Argentina, Brazil,
and Chile - offered to arbitrate U.S.-Mexico
dispute. President Wilson quickly accepted.
General Huerta was forced to resign presidency
of Mexico on July 15th.
May 18 Panama Canal opened to barge service.
July 28 (thru August 6th) Outbreak of World War I in
Europe occured.
Aug 15 Panama Canal formally opened.
Nov 23 U.S. forces left Vera Cruz.
1915 May 24 Pan-American Finacial Conference opened at
Washing D.C.
Aug 5 Latin-American Conference to debate means of
ending unrest in Mexico opened at Washington
D.C.; attended by Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia,
Chile, Guatemala, Uruguay, and U.S.
Sept 16 Haiti becomes U.S. protectorate under terms of
treaty signed with that country. U.S. senate
approved February 28, 1916.
Oct 19 U.S. government recognized General Venustiano
Carranza as President of Mexico.
1916 May 1 U.S. Marines landed in Santo Domingo to settle
internal violence. Occupation continued untill
1924.
May 9 President Wilson ordered militia of Texas, New
Mexico, and Arizona to be mobilized for duty on
the Mexican border. 4500 regular army troops
were also sent to supplement the militia.
1917 Feb 19 War department issued an order for the
demobilization of U.S troops stationed along the
Mexican boarder.
Bibliography:
American Foreign Policy - edited by Robert A. Divine
THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY, N.Y. (c)1960
A History of American Foreign Policy - Alexander Deconde
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, N.Y. (c)1963
An Interpretive History of American Foreign Relations - Cole
THE DORSEY PRESS, Homewood, Ill. (c)1968
The Latin American Policy of the United States: An Historical
Interpretation - Samual Flagg Bemis
HARCOURT, BRACE & Co., N.Y. (c)1943
History of A Free People - Bragdon, McCutchen, Cole
MACMILLAN PUBLISHING Co., Inc., N.Y. (c)1973
Class notes were also used as a resource.