Zach Powell US & the World Digital Timeline 2025 by Zachary Powell

Age of Empire (1890-1945)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-07 14:53:19 UTC

The Age of Empire was the US's quest to become a prominent power in the world. This meant that in the late 19th century they would abandon their isolationism idea and become an imperial power. In this era, United States focused on advancing factors of: imperialism, economy, culture, and military reasons and it looked to expand its influence through territorial acquisitions and become intervented in the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific.

Early US Foreign Policy: George Washington, 1796

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-07 15:24:37 UTC

George Washington's farewell speech to all the US voters and the European powers. This speech established the US as an isolationist country, but open to foreign business. This was the first time that the president articulated an isolationist position for the country.

Early US Foreign Policy: John Quincy Adams, 1821

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-07 17:19:35 UTC

John Adams speech in congress on the 4th of July worked to tamper the idea of US military intervention into other countries. He was speaking in front of Congress in search of having an influence over policy. The speech highlights that US doesn't have to fully intervene to help other countries, but rather can just be a great example as a country for them to follow.

Early US Foreign Policy: Monroe Doctrine, 1823

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-07 18:33:31 UTC

James Monroe delivered a political address to the US and Europe around the time the Latin America independence movements gained full steam. The doctrine was surrounded around highlighting US power in the region. The doctrine stated that the American continents were no longer open to European colonization and that the US would not interfere in affairs of European nations or their existing colonies.

Age of Empire (1890-1945)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-09 01:51:28 UTC

The important moments that influenced the US to make the decision of becoming an "empire" was Historian Frederick Jackson Turner's idea of an "expanding frontier" and Alfred Thayer Mahan's strategy for naval dominance. The US marked its entry into world politics when it acquired territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.

Spanish-American War (1898)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-09 16:41:47 UTC

President William Mckinley asked Congress to declare war on Spain in 1898. The Spanish-American war lasted 13 weeks, the US navy made Spain surrender. The Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico become under US control, ending Spain's colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere and representing the start of the US's rise as a global power. The US wanted to have a war in Cuba to express a statement to the world that it was an imperial power.

Teller Amendment (1898)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-09 16:49:18 UTC

Senator Henry M. Teller of Colorado's amendment to the Spanish-American war declaration stated that the United States would not intend to establish permanent control over Cuba. This would mean that they would leave the Cuban government alone and instead help support Cuba's independence.

Platt Amendment (1901 )

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-09 16:57:38 UTC

The Platt amendment said that the US would end military affairs in Cuba, but it granted the US the right to intervene in Cuba. They used this amendment to lease and buy lands in Cuba which they used to build naval bases and coaling stations. This amendment limited Cuba's independence, and they couldn't make treaties with any other nation.

Roosevelt Corollary (1904)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-09 17:06:06 UTC

In Theodore Roosevelt’s Annual Message to Congress in 1904 he made a corollary to the previous Monroe Doctrine, explaining that the US would remain from intervening with other nations as long as they were able to remain decent in their social and political matters. If they couldn't, Roosevelt highlighted that the US would have to go against the Monroe Doctrine and intervene with police power. The US didn't want to have to intervene with other nations as it wasn't useful for the country's own concerns, but this corollary gave the US an option to intervene as a "last resort."

Isolationism and U.S. Foreign Policy After World War I (Early 1900s)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-15 00:59:13 UTC

During WW1 under Woodrow Wilson's presidency the US remained isolationist and stayed out of the war, but eventually Wilson changed his beliefs and decided for the US to involve itself as a leadership role in foreign relations (in 1917 they entered WW1). Soon, the Americans realized that joining the war was a mistake and they proposed the League of Nations as a way to end the war. This ensued a radical shift in US foreign policy where they promoted a stance of isolationism that would last until WW2. With new president Warren Harding he promoted the isolationist value and even decided for the US to not join the League of Nations.

Good Neighbor Policy, Britannica (1933)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-15 01:15:10 UTC

This source provides a full overview of the life and presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. It also highlights his Good Neighbor Policy that he established, which the US departed from interventionism, specifically in Latin America. The policy surrounded the idea that the US would not interfere in affairs with Latin America, but reinforced the idea that the US was still a "good neighbor" and would engage in reciprocal exchanges with Latin American countries. The US stopped its intervention in Cuba and the US marines were withdrawn from Haiti.

Good Neighbor Policy, Office of the Historian (1933)

zpowell2026 — 2025-04-15 01:23:14 UTC

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was determined to improve relations with the nations of Central and South America. FDR emphasized cooperation and trade rather than military force to maintain stability in the hemisphere. "The definite policy of the United States from now on is one opposed to armed intervention" -FDR.

Chilean Coup (1973)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-08 18:30:20 UTC

The Chilean Coup was a military overthrow of democratic socialist president of Chile Salvador Allende and his government. In 1973 Chilean military officers seized power in a coup, ultimately ending civil rule. President Salvador Allende along with at least 3,000 people died during this coup.

US Involvement in The Chilean Coup (1973)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-08 18:34:39 UTC

The US provided support to the Coup without actually participating in it. Declassified documents from Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and the United States government showed that the US was aware of the Coup before it happened. There is no evidence that they contributed to it, but it can be inferred that they did because they knew about the plans of it.

Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-27 21:16:35 UTC

This was a conflict between the U.S. and Mexico primarily based on territory. The US invaded Mexico. The war happened because there were disputes of the acquisition of Texas and the border between Texas and Mexico. In September of 1847, after a masterful overland campaign, American troops under Scott captured Mexico's capital, Mexico City, and the fighting ended.

Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-27 21:21:42 UTC

With a series of American wins in the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2, 1848, officially ending the war and extending the boundaries of the U.S. across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. The territory acquired included what would eventually become the states of Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. This was a significant moment in history, specifically in terms of U.S. imperialism as it was a large expansion of land. It made U.S. power in the in North America dominant.

Banana Republic

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-27 21:31:40 UTC

Banana Republic is a term used to describe a nation with an economy that is largely dependent on exporting a product that is limitedly resourced (the example being bananas). The countries that do this are usually politically unstable and have to rely on this exportation of a single product to maintain a steady economy. The term originated from the experience of many Central American and Caribbean nations in the early 20th century, whose economies were heavily reliant on the export of bananas, often controlled by American fruit companies.

United Fruit Company (1899)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-27 21:39:10 UTC

The United Fruit Company was an American corporation that dominated the banana trade in the early 20th century, particularly in Central America. The US controlled this company's ties with those in power in countries in Central America. The United Fruit Company had a lot to do with the creation of the Banana Republic structure within these countries in Central America. United Fruit was known for its harsh labor practices, including low wages, long working hours, and a lack of worker protections. The company started pushing a cartoon character named Señorita Chiquita Banana, which can still be seen today.

FDR Four Freedoms (1941)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-27 21:52:56 UTC

In his annual message to Congress on the State of the Union, Franklin Delano Roosevelt stated that there was a threat to U.S. democracy. In his speech, he outlined four fundamental freedoms that people worldwide should enjoy. It served as a "rallying cry" for American involvement in the war. He also used these freedoms to inspire hope for the post World War 2 world. These freedoms are listed below:

Freedom of speech and expression
Freedom of worship
Freedom from want
Freedom from fear

Pax Americana (Followed WW2; around 1945)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-27 22:43:23 UTC

Pax Americana is a latin phrase meaning "American Peace" and it refers to the period of relative peace in the Western Hemisphere and later, globally, that followed World War II, largely due to the US's economic and military leadership. This was when the U.S. became the world's most foremost economic, cultural, and military power exercising primary responsibilities for world order. This phrase describes the military and economic position of the United States relative to other nations.

Cold War (1947)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-28 20:13:34 UTC

The cold war was a period of tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. It was the fight of capitalism vs. communism; these contrasting ideologies. The two superpowers supported opposing sides in regional conflicts like the Korean War and the Vietnam War. There were proxy wars.

1950s and the Cold War: McCarthyism

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-28 20:26:28 UTC

Senator Joseph McCarthy coined the term McCarthyism during the period around the 1950s of intense suspicion and persecution of individuals who were suspected communists in America. They used unfair methods of investigation, fabricated evidence, and allegations to publicly accuse individuals of being communist even if they weren't. This was during the period of the "Red Scare" where there was a heightened fear of communism in the U.S.

1950s and the Cold War: Duck and Cover

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-28 20:37:12 UTC

The idea of "Duck and Cover" came from a 1951 Civil Defense social guidance film where a turtle demonstrates the act of ducking and covering whenever there is danger around, specifically the danger of the atomic bomb. This video was meant to make Americans aware of the possible danger of the atomic bomb and how they can personally protect against it. This film is a type of propaganda because America was scared of what danger may come as the Soviet Union engaging in nuclear testing and U.S. was involved in the Korean war.

NSC-68 (1950)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-28 20:46:45 UTC

NSC-68 was a secret report produced by the U.S. National Security Council that advocated for an increase in U.S. military spending during the Cold War. It also advocated for a global strategy to contain communism from spreading in response to the Soviet Union's testing of nuclear weapons and the Korean War. It called for the development of the hydrogen bomb and because of the Korean War President Truman implemented the NSC-68 recommendations. This was to deter communism in America, which was the U.S.'s main focus.

Korean War (1950-1953)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-28 20:54:58 UTC

The Korean War was a conflict fought in the Korean Peninsula. The fight was between North Korea who were backed up by China and the Soviet Union and South Korea who was backed up by the United Nations, which was led by the U.S. The conflict steamed from the land of Korea being divided after World War 2 , with communist North Korea and democratic South Korea claiming to be the legitimate government of the entire peninsula. It was one of the proxy wars in the Cold War. The war ended in an armistice, a peace treaty was never signed, leaving the conflict ongoing. This is why there is North and South Korea today.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-28 21:03:40 UTC

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a thirteen day period where the U.S. and the Soviet Union got into a standoff, almost leading to a nuclear war. This crisis happened because the Soviet Union deployed nuclear missiles to Cuba after the Bay of Pigs (U.S.'s failed attempt to overthrow Cuba's new communist government). These missiles were only 90 miles from the U.S. and threatened to target the major cities in the U.S. President John F. Kennedy responded by ordering a naval blockade (or quarantine) of Cuba to prevent further Soviet missile shipments. The Soviet Union refused to remove the missiles. They were finally removed after intense negotiations between both sides, the U.S. had to pledge not to invade Cuba and they had to remove their missiles from Turkey.

Building Hegemony in the Caribbean: Haiti (1915 to 1934)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-29 17:07:26 UTC

U.S. had control and military intervention in Haiti. The Marines launched punitive expeditions against bandits in the countryside, claiming thousands of Haitian lives. In the cities and towns, they enforced curfews, censored the press, and introduced American-style racial segregation in public places. The Haitian legislature, at gunpoint, elected a president who followed US orders. In February 1916, the US Senate consented to a treaty that permitted American control over Haitian finances and authorized training of a native guard. The US installed and supported various Haitian presidents, effectively creating puppet governments that were beholden to US interests.

Building Hegemony in the Caribbean: Dominican Republic (1916-1924)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-29 17:17:59 UTC

The U.S. was in fear that the Dominican Republic would be taken over by Europe so they instead took control of the D.R. The US government made infrastructural improvements in the D.R. that facilitated the expansion of modern cane plantations, but the majority of Dominicans remained poor, including those who had lost their land to sugar and subsequently joined the guerilla movement. The Marines treated Dominicans with the same bigotry, brutality, and highhandedness they were practicing in Haiti. Haitian and Dominican insurgents fought together against the Americans on the frontier between two countries. This was a classic guerilla war

Building Hegemony in the Caribbean: Cuba (1917)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-29 20:49:57 UTC

The platt amendment granted the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs. U.S. marines went to Cuba. They gained control over Cuba's sugar industry and infrastructure, consolidating its economic and political power. Cuba's geographical proximity to the United States, being only 90 miles from Florida, made it a strategic target.

Building Hegemony in the Caribbean: Puerto Rico (1917)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-29 21:24:25 UTC

In 1917, the Jones Act was passed which bestowed U.S. citizenship on Puerto Ricans. The US promoted American culture and lifestyle, aiming to assimilate Puerto Ricans into the US identity. Large US corporations invested in Puerto Rico's sugar and tobacco industries, leading to increased economic dependence on the US. The US established military bases in Puerto Rico, particularly in Vieques and Roosevelt Roads, which were used for training and staging military operations.

Vietnam War: Tet Offensive (1968)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-29 21:35:19 UTC

In the midst of the Vietnam War, U.S. and enemy forces declared a cease-fire during the Vietnamese holiday of Tet, the Lunar New Year. Although they declared cease-fire, the Viet Cong still attacked at strategic locations throughout the country. The U.S. was able to fight back and stop the uprising in most places, but the Tet Offensive signaled to the American public that the Vietnam War was a quagmire and an unwinnable stalemate.

Vietnam War: Golf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-29 21:40:22 UTC

A resolution passed by Congress that authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to take "all necessary measures" to defend U.S. forces and allies in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. This led to increased bombing of North Vietnam in 1965 as well as 3,500 U.S. Marines were landed near Da Nang, South Vietnam.This marked the beginning of the American ground war. This escalated U.S.'s efforts in the war.

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

zpowell2026 — 2025-05-29 21:47:14 UTC

The Vietnam war was fought primarily between communist North Vietnam, backed by the Soviet Union and China, and South Vietnam, supported by the United States. The United States viewed the conflict through the lens of the Cold War, fearing the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, a concept known as the "domino theory." Millions of Vietnamese civilians and soldiers died, alongside over 58,000 US military personnel.