Theodore Roosevelt Becomes America's Youngest Leader

The war between the United States and Spain in eighteen ninety-eight was one of the shortest in American history. The fighting lasted about three months. Yet that short war led to long-term changes for America. Victory made the United States an increasingly important world power.

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A Filipino nationalist group led by Emilio Aguinaldo rejected American control. Aguinaldo declared the formation of a Philippine republic. And he started a guerrilla war against the occupying forces.

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The majority of voters liked what Roosevelt said. They elected the Republican candidates.

With this agreement, the rebellion ended on the island of Luzon. But it continued for more than a year in the southern Philippines. Hostilities ended officially on July fourth, nineteen-oh-two.

Other countries were interested in this market, too. Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and Russia all claimed special rights in parts of China. They began to divide the country into areas called "spheres of influence. " It seemed these areas could become foreign colonies. Then the United States would be cut off from trading directly with China.

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Secretary Hay refused to wait for them to act. So in may, nineteen hundred, he announced that all the nations involved had given their approval to the "open door" policy. The new policy was tested very soon. Within a month of Hay's announcement, violence broke out against foreigners in China.

The rebellion lasted about two months. It ended when an allied force of American, British, French, German, and Japanese soldiers reached Beijing and ended the Boxer occupation.

Britain and Germany agreed. With their help, Secretary Hay got the others to accept money -- not territory -- as payment for damages. The final settlement forced China to pay three hundred thirty-three million dollars. The United States used some of its share to pay for the education of Chinese students in America.

The next day, President McKinley went to the fair's temple of music. He planned to spend several hours meeting the public and shaking hands.

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