History of the United States II / Unit 7 USH2 0923 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Open Door
Captions available
The idea
Secretary of State John Hay's Open Door notes of eighteen ninety-nine asked the powers to keep equal access to all Chinese treaty ports.
In practice
Standard fees for every nation, and only China allowed to tax trade within its borders.
Where people slip
The anchor says equal access suited the United States, whose goods were cheaper and better made. Empire without territory.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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