Becoming a World Power

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Becoming a World Power

• (1890-1915)

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I. 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?

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A. 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

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1. 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

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2. 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)

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B. 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)

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C. Arguments for U.S. Expansion

• There were many different opinions as to the
  appropriate foreign policy for the U.S. to use

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1. 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?)

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2. 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

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3. 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!

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4. 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

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II. 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)

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A. 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

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1. 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

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2. 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 )

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3. 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

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B. The Spanish-American War

• Newspaper stories from the Journal and NY World
  strengthened American sympathy for the Cuban
  rebels
• Demand for intervention slowly developed

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1. 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.

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• 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

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• 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

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2. 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

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• 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

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• 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.

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3. 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)

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C. 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)?

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1. 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

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2. 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

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3. 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

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D. 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

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1. 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

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2. 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

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3. 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!)

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III. 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

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A. 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

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1. 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

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• 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

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2. 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)

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B. 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.

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1. 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

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• 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

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2. 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

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C. 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

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1. 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

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2. 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

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IV. Debating Americas New Role

• There were a lot of Americans against
  imperialism, especially after the annexation of
  the Philippines in 1898.

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A. 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.

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1. 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

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2. 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

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• Southern Democrats feared imperialist policies
  would encourage people of different racial
  backgrounds to move to the U.S.
• Hence, most opposed imperialism

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3. 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

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B. 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

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• 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

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C. 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