Chapter 27 The Path of Empire

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Chapter 27 The Path of Empire America began to
pay attention to the outside world by the 20th
century -farmers business wanted new
markets -public opinion believed we needed
expansion -US had new confidence that labor
violence unrest among farmers could be relieved
by expansion Hearst Pulitzers articles (in
their papers) looked at foreign intervention as
an adventure Darwins theories applied to
nations fit ones were supposed to take care
of unfit ones Capt. Alfred Thayer Mahan argued
that naval power led to world dominance Sec of
State James Blaine pushed the Big Sister
theory Latin America should fall in line behind
the US to create markets we could sell to
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President Cleveland upset that Britain was giving
Venezuela a hard time over its border Sec of
State Richard Olney stressed our reliance on the
Monroe Doctrine Britain was annoyed, but did not
want war Germany accidentally diffused the
problem Hawaii was the focus of our attention
New England missionaries went there in 1820 US
regarded HI as an extension of our border rights
to Pearl Harbor 1887 McKinley Tariff made sugar
more expensive sugar growers wanted annexation
to avoid tax Grover Cleveland stopped the
process when he took office
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Cubans wanted independence from Spain US rallied
for Cuba to protect trade, sugar plantations and
shipping lanes at sea Hearst Pulitzer competed
to sell papers yellow journalism pumped up
small stories to big ones Hearst sent Frederic
Remington to Cuba. US sent a friendly destroyer
(the Maine) 260 officers lost when it blew up
we blamed Spain (not proven to be an accident
until 1976) US public excited for a war the new
US navy in much better shape than Spanish ships
Secretary of the Navy Teddy Roosevelt wired
Admiral Dewey to send warships to Manila (held by
Spain) US quickly destroyed 10 Spanish ships
and we took the bay US troops helped by Emilio
Aguinaldo Hawaii takes on new importance
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Congress adopted the Teller Amendment when the
U.S. had overthrown Spanish misrule, it would
give the Cubans their freedom. American ground
troops were poorly prepared for combat in the
tropical environment The Rough Riders, a
regiment of volunteers led by Theodore Roosevelt
and Colonel Leonard Wood, rushed to Cuba and
battled at El Caney San Juan Hill In
negotiations in Paris, America got Guam and
Puerto Rico and freed Cuba, but the Philippines
were problematic McKinley decided to keep the
Philippines (the U.S. paid 20 million for the
islands). The debate was on.
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The Anti-Imperialist League sprang into being,
firmly opposed to this new imperialism of America
(members included Mark Twain, William James,
Samuel Gompers, and Andrew Carnegie) In the
Senate, William Jennings Bryan argued for its
passage (his new issue) The Foraker Act of 1900
gave Puerto Ricans a limited degree of popular
government 1917 ? Congress granted Puerto Ricans
full American citizenship.
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-U.S. help also transformed Puerto Rico and
worked wonders in sanitation, transportation,
beauty, and education. the Insular Cases ? the
Supreme Court (barely) ruled that the
Constitution did not follow the flag (bad news
for Philippines) America could not improve Cuba
that much, other than getting rid of yellow fever
with the help of Dr. Walter Reed. 1902 the US
left Cuba, but it encouraged the passage of the
Platt Amendment -stated that the U.S. could
intervene restore order in case of anarchy US
could also trade freely with Cuba -US got bays
in exchange for naval bases, notably Guantanamo
Bay.