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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.