8
Unit 1
Unit 1 – Becoming a World Power (1890-1915)
I. The Pressure to Expand
A. Growth of Imperialism
o The late 1800s marked the peak of European imperialism, with much of Africa and Asia under foreign domination
o DEFNE imperialism
1. Why Imperialism Grew? (several factors)
o Economic =
o Nationalistic =
o Military Factors =
o Humanitarian factors =
2. Europe leads the Way
o Improved transportation and communication made it easier for England, France and Russia to extend their grip over lands.
o What was the famous quote about the British Empire?
o By 1890, the US was eager to join the competition for new territories and the cry for annexing foreign lands began.
B. Expanding US Interests
Ø In Washington’s Farewell address, he warned against making alliances with foreign countries and European affairs.
Ø What were the reasons why Americans followed this advice for over 100 years?
Ø The Monroe Doctrine was the main principle of foreign policy in the United States.
Ø After the Civil War, American secretaries of state continued to apply the principles of the Monroe Doctrine
1. What 2 actions did William Seward take?
2. What did Matthew Perry accomplish?
3. Midway Islands were annexed in 1867 and trade agreements were made with Hawaiian Islands.
C. Arguments for US Expansion
1. Promoting Economic Growth
o Americans could not consume all the goods being produced by US industries and this led to financial panics and depressions.
o Many business leaders agreed that by expanding markets, economic problems could be fixed. DEFINE banana republics
2. Protecting American Security
o Many felt that strong navy was vital to the push for expansion.
o Who was Alfred T. Mahan?
o The government began expanding the Navy and by 1900 the United States had one of the most powerful navies in the world.
o What did this mean?
3. Preserving American Spirit
o A 3rd force for expansion consisted of people who feared that the US was losing its vitality.
o Some of these people included Frederick Jackson Turner, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Teddy Roosevelt.
o Explain the idea of “Social Darwinism”?
3. Americans Lean Toward Expansion
o Gradually public opinion warmed to the idea of expansionism and they liked the idea of new markets and favorable trade relations.
II. The Spanish-American War
A. Setting the Stage for War
Ø American expansionists paid close attention to the political and economic actions of countries in the Western Hemisphere
1. Displays of United States Power
q After 2 US sailors were killed in Chile, the US demanded the Chilean government to pay the families $75,000.
q The US used its navy to protect its shipping interests in Brazil, which broke the back of a rebellion in that country.
q What was the outcome and importance of the standoff with Great Britain over Venezuela?
q DEFINE arbitration
2. The Cuban Rebellion
q In 1895, after the island’s economy had collapsed, the Cubans rebelled.
q How did Spain react to this?
q Cuban exiles in the states urged the US to intervene, but both Presidents Cleveland and McKinley refused to help – so what did the rebels do?
3. Yellow Journalism
q Demands for US intervention in Cuba also came in large part from American newspapers – New York World + New York Morning Journal
q Both newspapers reported exaggerated and sometimes false stories about the events in Cuba – Why did they do this?
Ø Both Hearst and Pulitzer took advantage of the horrifying stories about ‘Butcher” Wyler and his barbed wire concentration camps.
Ø What was the impact on Americans and define Jingoism?
B. The Spanish-American War
Ø With the stories in the papers, the demand for US intervention began to build.
1. Steps to War
q Early in 1898, riots erupted in Havana, the capital of Cuba.
q In response, President McKinley moved the battleship USS Maine into the city’s harbor to protect American citizens and property.
q Several events followed that pushed the US to war:
a. The de Lome letter
- Dupuy se Lome (Spanish ambassador to the US) wrote a letter that criticized McKinley and newspapers published this letter.
- The letter caused an outcry in the US and furthered anti-Spanish feelings amongst Americans.
b. The explosion of the Maine - EXPLAIN what happened
c. Preparing in the Philippines
- Teddy Roosevelt (assistant Sec of Navy) ordered the fleet in the Philippines to prepare for military action against Spain.
- Who was ordered to attack the Spanish fleet?
d. McKinley’s War Message
- McKinley sent a list of demands to Spain (including Cuban independence) but Spain would not allow Cuba to go
- On April 11, McKinley sent his war message to Congress
- What was the rallying cry of the war?
2. “A Splendid Little War”
q The war’s first action took place in the Philippines where Admiral Dewey destroyed the entire Spanish fleet in Manila Bay.
q American troops prepared in Tampa, Florida for the invasion of Cuba.
q Who were the ‘Rough Riders”?
q Spanish fleet made an attempt to escape, but the US navy sunk every ship
q 2500 Americans died in the war (400 in battle) most from disease.
3. The Treaty of Paris – December 1898
q Cuba independent, US paid $20 million for Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam – became “unincorporated territories” - EXPLAIN
C. New Challenges After the War
Ø How could the US become a colonial power without violating the nation’s most basic principle - that all people have the right to liberty?
1. Dilemma in the Philippines
q McKinley felt that if the US did not act first, European powers might try to seize the islands and new conflicts could result.
q Filipino rebels who fought side by side with expected their independence from the US – who was their leader?
q This led to a bitter 3-year war between the rebels and the Americans.
q When did the Philippines get their independence?
2. The Fate of Cuba
q Cubans also wanted their independence, but McKinley established a military government led by General Leonard Wood.
q What did Walter Reed do in Cuba?
q In 1900 the Cubans were allowed to begin writing their own constitution.
q What was the Platt Amendment to this constitution?
3. The United States in Puerto Rico
q Puerto Rico never got its independence, but the US helped develop its infrastructure and education system.
q Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917 (Jones Act), not full citizenship because the US Constitution did not apply to territories.
D. Other Gains in the Pacific
Ø The US government intervened in other parts of the Pacific and this intervention brought about changes in the relationships with Hawaii, Samoa and China.
1. Annexation of Hawaii
q The US had good trade relations with the Hawaiian King Kalakaua, but when he died his sister Liliuokalani resisted American wishes.
q With the help of the Marines, who removed the queen?
q Hawaii would provide a good naval station in the Pacific.
2. Samoa
q The Polynesian islands of Samoa represented another possible stepping-stone to the growing trade with Asia.
3. An Open Door in China
q China’s huge population and its vast markets became increasingly important to American trade by the late 1800s.
q DEFINE spheres of influence
q What was the Open Door Policy?
III. A New Foreign Policy
A. The Panama Canal
Ø The Spanish-American War brought home the need for a shorter route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. What were the 2 main reasons?
i.
ii.
1. Building the Canal
q The Isthmus of Panama was an ideal location, but it was a province of Colombia.
q A French company bought a 25-year concession (DEFINE) to build a canal across Panama; but what happened?
q The US picked up where the French left off, but had a difficult time working out a deal with Columbia for a lease on the land.
q How did the US eventually get the land for the canal?
q Construction began in 1904 and was finished ahead of schedule in 1914.
2. Reaction to the Canal
q Roosevelt’s opponents did not appreciate the methods he had used to secure the Canal Zone.
q Most Americans approved because they were convinced that the canal was vital to American national security and interests.
q What was the legacy of this acquisition?
B. Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy
Ø Roosevelt’s famous quote “Speak softly and carry a big stick; and you will go far” set the tone for US policy. The “big stick” referred to?
1. The Roosevelt Corollary: 1904-05
q Roosevelt denied that the US wanted any more territory.
q The US wanted only “to see neighboring countries stable, orderly, and prosperous” – what would happen if this was not the case?
q The first successful test of this was with Santo Domingo when an economic crisis forced the US to take over the country’s finances.
2. Roosevelt as Peacemaker
q Keeping an “Open Door” in China was key.
q What war threatened trade in Asia?
q Roosevelt negotiated a peace between the warring countries and he won the Nobel Peace prize for his efforts.
C. Foreign Policy After Roosevelt
Ø Roosevelt’s successors where thrown into a complex mix of political alliances and world events that would require careful and creative policymaking.
1. Taft and Dollar Diplomacy
q William H. Taft succeeded Roosevelt, but was not aggressive in foreign policy aims as his predecessor.
q Taft wanted to substitute “dollars for bullets”; which later became known as Dollar Diplomacy – EXPLAIN this policy
2. Wilson and the Mexican Revolution
q In 1911, a revolution forced Mexico’s longtime dictator (Porfirio Diaz) to resign.
q The new president (Fransico Madero) promised democratic reforms but could not unite the people - What happened to him?
q President Wilson did not want to recognize the new Mexican leader General Victoriano Huerta. What was the result of this?
q Wilson then threw his support around Venustiano Carranza.
- Francisco “Poncho” Villa opposed Carranza and this led to American military intervention under Gen. John “Blackjack” Pershing.
- Wilson’s policy had not worked well and this led to bad feelings between the two countries for years.
IV. Debating America’s New Role
A. The Anti-Imperialists
Ø In November 1898 opponents of US policy in the Philippines established the Anti-imperialist League.
1. Moral and Political Arguments
q They argued that expansionist behavior was a rejection of the nation’s foundation of “liberty for all”.
q What was the ‘Constitution must follow the flag..’ argument?
2. Racial Arguments
q Racism = is a belief that differences in character or intelligence are due to one’s race.
q Many Americans of this period believed that people of Anglo-Saxon heritage were superior to other races.
q Why did southern Democrats oppose imperialism?
3. Economic Arguments
q Expansion cost too much, especially militarily, and might even led to compulsory (required) military service.
q What was labor leader Samuel Gompers concern?
q Industrialists were also afraid that goods produced in annexed countries could be imported in free of custom’s duties and hurt US businesses.
B. Imperialism’s Appeal
Ø Despite the strength of these arguments, imperialism maintained a powerful hold on the American imagination.
Ø What was one big argument made by many, including Walter Hines Page?
Ø Other arguments focused on the economic gains in foreign markets and resources, or military gains in strategic bases.
Ø What was the Great White Fleet and its purpose?
C. Imperialism Viewed From Abroad
Ø Identify negative views of US policy:
Ø Identify positive views of US policy: