1898–1914
Spanish American War & American Expansion
The United States emerged as a global power through war, territorial acquisition, and increased overseas influence.
Defining Moments
Key Historical Events
1871
Great Chicago Fire
Spanish American War & American Expansion
The Great Chicago Fire swept through the rapidly growing city in October 1871, killing about 300 people, displacing roughly 100,000, and destroying thousands of buildings.
Explore Event
1898
Spanish American War
Spanish American War & American Expansion
The Spanish-American War was a brief conflict fought mainly in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines that ended Spanish colonial rule and expanded U.S. power overseas.
Explore Event
1906
San Francisco Earthquake
Spanish American War & American Expansion
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the fires that followed killed more than 3,000 people, left hundreds of thousands homeless, and transformed earthquake science and rebuilding.
Explore EventHistoric Places
Explore Destinations From This Era
Arkansas State Capitol
Little Rock, AR
Arkansas's working statehouse is a grand early-20th-century neoclassical landmark where visitors can explore the architecture, history, and ongoing work of state government.
View Details
Borderland State Park and Ames Mansion
North Easton, MA
A former Ames family country estate pairing an early-twentieth-century stone mansion with designed grounds, ponds, and miles of recreational trails.
View Details
Boston Fire Museum
Boston, MA
A free museum inside an 1891 firehouse preserves antique apparatus, alarms, artifacts, and stories from Boston’s pioneering professional fire department.
View Details
Cape Canaveral Lighthouse
Cape Canaveral, FL
A 151-foot active lighthouse that links Florida's maritime heritage with the launch complexes of Cape Canaveral.
View Details
Empire Mine State Historic Park
Grass Valley, CA
A preserved hard-rock mining complex where visitors can explore the industrial workings, elegant estate, and landscaped grounds of one of California’s richest gold mines.
View Details
Fort Clinch State Park
Fernandina Beach, FL
A coastal state park centered on a remarkably preserved nineteenth-century fort interpreted as it appeared during the Civil War.
View DetailsAbout This Era
The United States emerged as a global power through war, territorial acquisition, and increased overseas influence.
Last updated August 2, 2026
Road Trips in this Era
No road trips have been added to this era yet.