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Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million (about 2 cents per acre). Though critics called it 'Seward's Folly' or 'Seward's Icebox,' the territory proved incredibly valuable for its natural resources. This massive land acquisition added 586,412 square miles to U.S. territory.

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American and European business interests, led by Sanford B. Dole and supported by U.S. Marines, overthrew Queen Liliuokalani and the Hawaiian monarchy. This coup established a provisional government that would later lead to Hawaii's annexation by the United States in 1898.

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During the Spanish-American War, Commodore George Dewey led the U.S. Asiatic Squadron to a decisive victory over the Spanish Pacific Squadron. This battle marked the beginning of American control over the Philippines and established the U.S. as a Pacific power.

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Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, along with Buffalo Soldiers, famously charged up San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War. This victory helped secure Cuba's independence from Spain, though Cuba would remain under U.S. influence through the Platt Amendment.

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The United States claimed Wake Island, a strategic location in the Pacific Ocean. This tiny atoll would later serve as an important military and commercial aviation station, highlighting America's growing presence in the Pacific region.

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After supporting Panama's independence from Colombia, the U.S. secured rights to build and control the Panama Canal through the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty. This gave America a crucial strategic and economic advantage in controlling maritime traffic between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

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The Spanish-American War ended with this treaty, where Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States for $20 million. This treaty marked the emergence of the United States as a global colonial power.

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President Theodore Roosevelt announced this addition to the Monroe Doctrine, declaring that the U.S. would serve as the 'police power' in the Western Hemisphere. This was first demonstrated in the Dominican Republic, where the U.S. took control of customs houses to manage the country's debt.