Title: Becoming a World Power
1Becoming a World Power
2I. The Pressure to Expand
- The newly developed United States not only
revolutionized the lives of all Americans, but it
also forced them to strengthen ties with other
nations more than ever before - Why?
3A. Growth of Imperialism
- European nations were claiming many different
territories - Imperialism- where stronger nations attempt to
create empires by dominating weaker nations
economically, politically, culturally or
militarily - Was at its peak in the late 1800s
41. Why Imperialism Grew
- Economic Factors- Increased need for natural
resources and people to sell to - Nationalism- Devotion to ones nation (belief in
a superior nation) - Militarism- Technology advances produced large,
superior armies navies in industrialized
nations - Humanitarian Factors- Religion and missionary
reasons
52. Europe Leads the Way
- Improved transportation and communication helped
Great Britain, France, and Russia to extend their
empires - The sun never sets on the British Empire
- By 1890, the U.S. was ready to join in the
competition for new lands - Expansionist denied that the U.S. wanted to annex
foreign lands ( join a new territory to the
existing country)
6B. Expanding U.S. Interests
- The U.S. gradually increased in size during the
1800s. - Sewards Folly 1867 (Alaska)
- Seward annexed the Midway Islands in 1867
- Hawaii in 1875
- Ulysses S. Grant announced the Monroe Doctrine
would be extended to protect all territories in
the Caribbean and Latin America (It previously
said the U.S. would remain neutral in European
affairs)
7C. Arguments for U.S. Expansion
- There were many different opinions as to the
appropriate foreign policy for the U.S. to use
81. Promoting Economic Growth
- Overproduction was leading to financial panics
and frequent economic depressions - New markets abroad needed to be secured
- Business leaders argued economic problems would
be solved by expanding - Some Americans invested directly in other
nations economies (Banana Republics?)
92. Protecting American Security
- The U.S. needed a powerful navy to protect the
new markets abroad - The U.S. began expanding by building modern
battleships and cruisers in the 1880s - By 1900, the U.S. had one of the most powerful
navies in the world
103. Preserving American Spirit
- Some (including Teddy Roosevelt) suggested that a
quest for an empire might restore the countrys
pioneer spirit - Drew on the doctrine of Social Darwinism to
justify the takeover of new territories - Expansion was not only the nations destiny but
also a noble pursuit, for it introduced
Christianity and modern civilization to heathen
peoples around the world - Survival of the fittest!
114. Americans Lean Toward Expansion
- Public opinion gradually warmed to the idea of
expansionism - What was soon discovered was that political and
military entanglements would follow including a
few difficult, bloody, and painful foreign
conflicts
12II. The Spanish-American War
- President McKinley was very cautious in dealing
with foreign affairs - Newspapers began pushing vivid headlines and
controversial and exciting articles for readers - Newspapers did not cause the war, but they did
help reinforce and magnify a new set of
assumptions among the American people regarding
their place in the world - The Journal staged the rescue of a young Cuban
girl being held prisoner by the Spanish (1
example)
13A. Setting the Stage for War
- Several incidents in the 1890s took place that
allowed the U.S. to strengthen its role in Latin
American affairs
141. Displays of United States Power
- There were incidents in Chile and Brazil where
the U.S. reacted to foreign rebellions - The first conflict between the U.S. and Britain
came over disputed territory in Venezuela - The U.S. demanded Great Britain recognize the
Monroe Doctrine and submit the boundary dispute
arbitration (the settlement of a dispute by a
person or panel chosen to listen to both sides
and come to a decision) - Great Britain gave in
152. The Cuban Rebellion
- Cubans were being taken prisoner and placed into
guarded camps by the Spanish - Over 200,000 died of disease and starvation in
less than 2 years - Cuban exiles urged the U.S. to intervene, but it
was not until Cuban guerillas destroyed American
sugar plantations located in Cuba that the U.S.
would feel the pressure to act (businesses were
losing )
163. Yellow Journalism
- 2 different newspapers were reporting exaggerated
and sometimes false stories about the events in
Cuba in order to increase circulation - Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolf Hearst were
the editors of the two different NYC newspapers - Sensational headlines and storiesyellow
journalism - Jingoism- burst of national pride and desire
forms an aggressive foreign policy that followed
17B. The Spanish-American War
- Newspaper stories from the Journal and NY World
strengthened American sympathy for the Cuban
rebels - Demand for intervention slowly developed
181. Steps to War
- USS Maine (a U.S. battleship) was moved into
Havana harbor to protect American citizens and
property (1898) - Several events lead to the U.S. going to war
- The de Lome letter- U.S. newspapers stole a
letter from the Spanish Ambassador (de Lome) - The letter ridiculed President McKinley and
caused a public outcry in the U.S.
19- The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine
- More than 250 American sailors were killed
- The blast was probably from a fire that set off
ammunition - The American public put the blame on Spain
- Newspapers jumped on the story to arouse bitter
feelings towards Spain through yellow journalism
20- Preparing in the Philippines
- Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Theodore
Roosevelt) felt the Philippines were perfect to
place a base to protect Asian trade - President McKinley allowed one General to keep
men there in case war broke out with Spain - McKinleys war message
- McKinley sent a list of demands to Spain
- Spain denied Cuban independence so President
McKinley and Congress authorized force against
Spain
212. A Splendid Little War
- The first action of the Spanish-American war took
place in the Philippines - Admiral Dewey (U.S.) launched a surprise attack
against the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay and
destroyed the entire Spanish Pacific fleet in 7
hours - U.S. ships quickly bottled up Spains Atlantic
fleet in Cuba
22- The U.S. prepared troops in Florida for an
invasion of Cuba - The First Volunteer Cavalry aka the Rough Riders,
led by Theodore Roosevelt, was the most public
group in the war - Made up of cowboys, miners, policemen, and
college athletes from the Ivy League schools - The most famous incident of the war was when the
Rough Riders charged up San Juan Hill
23- The Spanish fleet made a last, desperate attempt
to escape, but was completely destroyed - The U.S. lost 2,500 soldiers but only 400 from
battle - Food poisoning, malaria, yellow fever, etc.
claimed many - Future Secretary of State, John Hay, wrote Teddy
saying the Spanish-American War had been, a
splendid little war.
243. The Treaty of Paris
- Treaty ended the war
- Spain recognized Cuban independence
- Spain gave up the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and
Guam to the U.S. for 20 million - The treaty passed with great debate in U.S.
Congress and the nations became unincorporated
territories (not intended to become eventual
states)
25C. New Challenges After the War
- Developing a policy for dealing with new
territories proved to be difficult - How could the U.S. become a colonial power
without violating the nations most basic
principle (that all people have the right to
liberty)?
261. Dilemma in the Philippines
- McKinley justified U.S. imperialism in the
Philippines by - Saying they are unfit for self-government
- Needed to be Christianized, civilized, and
educated - Saying a European power would try to seize the
islands if the U.S. didnt annex the Philippines
first - The Philippine rebels declared independence and
the U.S. ignored them - There was a 3-year war/battle that followed and
the Philippines never gained independence until
1946
272. The Fate of Cuba
- McKinley installed a military government in Cuba
in order to protect American business interests - Organized a school system
- Stabilized the economy
- The U.S. removed troops only after Cuba agreed to
the Platt Amendment - The Cuban government could not enter any foreign
agreements - Cuba must allow the U.S. to establish naval bases
- Cuba must give the U.S. the right to intervene as
needed
283. The United States and Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico did not become independent
- The Jones Act of 1917 made Puerto Ricans American
citizens - The U.S. can appoint key officials (governor)
- Based on Congressional Law, not the Constitution
29D. Other Gains in the Pacific
- Besides being involved in the Spanish-American
War, the U.S. government was intervening in other
parts of the Pacific Ocean
301. Annexation of Hawaii
- Increasingly important to U.S. business interests
in the late 1800s - Sugar was sold duty free to the U.S.
- Pearl Harbor was leased to the U.S. as a fueling
and repair station for naval vessels - The U.S. marines helped pineapple planter,
Sanford Dole, to overthrow Queen Liliuokalai - Dole proclaimed Hawaii a republic and requested
it be annexed by the U.S. - Congress agreed after persuasion from McKinley
312. Samoa
- The Polynesian islands of Samoa presented another
stepping stone to the growing trade with Asia - The U.S. divided Samoa with Germany and gained
access to the harbor at Pago Pago
323. An Open Door to China
- Many countries were seeking Spheres of influence
- Areas of economic and political control
- John Hay, the Secretary of State, spoke of
keeping an Open Door Policy that would ensure the
U.S. could have equal access to Chinas millions
of consumers - Open trade (The U.S. is continually trying to
protect economic interests!)
33III. A New Foreign Policy
- By 1900, the U.S. was a genuine world power
- McKinley was assassinated in 1901 making his Vice
President, Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, President
of the United States - Roosevelt continued to intervene in the affairs
of countries that were of economic and strategic
interest to the nation
34A. The Panama Canal
- The Spanish-American War showed the U.S. the need
for a shorter route between the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans - A canal built across Central America would link
the two oceans - Would make global shipping much faster and
cheaper - Also, the U.S. Navy could move fast in times of
war
351. Building the Canal
- The Isthmus of Panama was the ideal location
- Panama was a province of Colombia
- Colombia sold a 25-year concession to France to
build the canal - Concession a grant for a piece of land in
exchange for a promise to use the land for a
specific purpose - France abandoned the project after disease and
mismanagement made it fail - The U.S. purchased the rights from France but had
to negotiate with Colombia to lease the land
36- The negotiations went nowhere
- The U.S. supported Panamanian rebels to overthrow
Colombian rulers - Once the overthrow was successful, the U.S. was
given a permanent 10-mile wide strip of land for
the Canal to be build - The U.S. would have complete sovereignty in
return for a 10 million payment - It was finished in 1914
372. Reaction to the Canal
- Roosevelts opponents felt that his methods of
securing the Canal Zone were examples of foul
play in American politics - Most, however, felt that the canal was necessary
for national security and prosperity and approved
of Roosevelts actions - Many Latin Americans felt ill will towards the
U.S. for the methods used - The U.S. paid 25 million to Colombia to make up
for the methods in 1921 (2 years after Roosevelt
died)
38B. Roosevelts Big Stick Diplomacy
- Speak softly and carry a big stick you will go
far.
-Teddy Roosevelt (1901) - In his view, the big stick was the U.S. Navy
- The threat of military force allowed Roosevelt to
conduct an aggressive foreign policy.
391. Roosevelt Corollary
- Messages issued to Congress in 1904-05
collectively became known as the Roosevelt
Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine - Corollary extension of a previously accepted
idea - Roosevelt denied that the U.S. wanted more
territory - The U.S. would act as an international police
power if - Other countries provoked intervention
- Governments collapsed which would invite other
stronger nations to try to intervene
40- In other words, the U.S. government would
intervene to prevent intervention from other
powers - Under Roosevelt, U.S. intervention in Latin
America became common - This angered many Latin Americans
- It also angered Congress because Roosevelt would
make decisions without going through Congress
first which increased the power of the President
and decreased the power of Congress
412. Roosevelt as Peacemaker
- In Asia, his chief concern was to preserve the
open door to trade with China - Won a Nobel peace prize for negotiating a
settlement to end the Russo-Japanese War - Succeeded in keeping trade in China open to all
nations
42C. Foreign Policy After Roosevelt
- After Roosevelts forceful role in foreign
policy, President William Taft and President
Woodrow Wilson were forced to deal with a complex
mix of political alliances
431. Taft and Dollar Diplomacy
- From Ohio
- Main foreign policy goals
- Maintain an Open Door policy with China
- Preserve stability in Latin America
- Preferred substituting dollars for bullet
- Maintained orderly societies by investing into
foreign economies - Dollar Diplomacy was originally used to mock
his methods, but Taft eventually used the phrase
with pride
442. Wilson and the Mexican Revolution
- Applied moral and legalistic standards to foreign
policy decisions - Refused to support a butcher who was ruling
without the consent of the people - Interfered in a Mexican Civil War by choosing to
support one side - It did not go well at all and Mexican-American
relations would be soured for years to follow
45IV. Debating Americas New Role
- There were a lot of Americans against
imperialism, especially after the annexation of
the Philippines in 1898.
46A. The Anti-Imperialists
- The Anti-Imperialist League was formed in 1898 by
opponents of U.S. policy in the Philippines - Most members were wealthy professionals
- William Jennings Bryan, Jane Addams, Mark Twain,
etc.
471. Moral and Political Arguments
- Expansionist behavior was a rejection of the
nations foundation of liberty for all - The Constitution must follow the flag
- All the territories should have the same legal
protections as the U.S. citizens - Imperialism threatened the nations democratic
foundations
482. Racial Arguments
- Many anti-imperialists saw racism in imperialism
- Racism is a belief that differences in character
or intelligence are due to ones race - Most believed that Anglo-Saxon heritage was
superior - African-Americans were especially torn by the
racism involved in imperialism - Wanted to support their country
- Recognized racism clearly was underlying
imperialism
49- Southern Democrats feared imperialist policies
would encourage people of different racial
backgrounds to move to the U.S. - Hence, most opposed imperialism
503. Economic Arguments
- Expansion involved too many costs
- Having such a large military involved raising
taxes and maybe even creating a compulsory
(required) military service - Laborers from other countries coming to the U.S.
would lower workers wages because of more
competition
51B. Imperialisms Appeal
- Some looked to a new frontier as a way to keep
Americans from losing their competitive edge - Was a celebration of American tradition and
creative spirit - Many Americans shared this frontier mentality
- Boy Scouts were created in 1910 and became
immensely popular
52- Economically- many agreed that the emphasis
needed to be on gaining access to foreign markets
to sell American goods - Others embraced military reasons for expansion
- The Great White Fleet- Roosevelt sent part of the
U.S. Navy on a cruise around the world to
demonstrate the benefits of having a powerful navy
53C. Imperialism Viewed From Abroad
- The U.S. often had to defend unpopular
governments - Yankee, Go Home! began to be a slogan in Latin
America - Many complained of discrimination, yet many
turned to the U.S. for help because of its
growing power