Transcript the Chapter 21 PowerPoint, "Toward Empire."

Chapter 21:
Toward Empire
Can you answer these questions?
1. What were several reasons for (some)
Americans wanting to build an overseas
empire?
2. What did the Monroe Doctrine and the
Grant nontransfer principle say?
3. How did the U.S. find itself in a war with
Spain? How did it turn out in terms of our
relationship with Cuba and the Philippines?
Reasons for expanding overseas
 The end of the frontier reduced the possibilities
for internal expansion.
 Need for new markets – overproduction of goods
 Access to resources, new goods, coaling stations,
etc., and stepping-stones to trade with Asia.
 Interest in “civilizing” and “Christianizing”;
biogenetic law likened undeveloped regions’
people to children who needed supervision
 “worldwide scramble for empire”
Alaska – “Seward’s Folly”
 Alaska purchased in 1867 by William
Henry Seward. What was his vision for American expansion?
 In 1896 gold was discovered in the
Klondike region and a gold rush
reminiscent of 1849 began.
 Resources - gold, fish, lumber, coal and
copper (and later, oil)
 Seattle connection
Latin America and Grant
Nontransfer principle:
“Hereafter no territory on this
continent [South America] shall be
regarded as subject to transfer to a
European power.” (Grant and his Secy. of
State, Hamilton Fish)
The Pan-American Union
 Organized in 1889 by James G. Blaine,
Secy. of State under Benjamin Harrison (and
briefly under Garfield)
 promotion of trade and exchange of info –
political, scientific, cultural
 led to more reciprocity with individual
nations, supported by a provision in the
McKinley Tariff Act of 1890
 However, international trade nose-dived
during the Depression of the 1890s.
Remember the Monroe Doctrine?
 The United States under Monroe (1823) had
declared the western hemisphere “off limits” to
further European colonization.
 This was reasserted in a conflict between Great
Britain and Venezuela (1895), in which President
Cleveland and his SS Richard Olney were willing
to go to war over their protective role toward
Venezuela. The British decided to have the
dispute arbitrated.
Asia
 In 1844 the U.S. gained
“most favored nation”
status with China,
securing rights to trade
with the country.
 The U.S. also traded
with the Philippines,
Java, India, and
Thailand (Siam).
 With Japan, the U.S.
gained trading rights in
1854.
Hawaii
The Hawaiian Islands had been inhabited
since the eighth century. By the late
1800’s many Americans lived there and
owned large sugar plantations.
 In 1885 a reciprocity agreement with HI
eliminated tariffs on sugar going to the
US, making HI more dependent on the US.
 In 1887 King Kalakaua tried to keep
Americans from taking over his islands,
but failed. The many Americans who
lived there forced the King to sign a new
constitution that left the Hawaiian
monarchy with no power.
 By this time, white Hawaiians essentially controlled the
islands.
 What did the McKinley Tariff Act do to the Hawaiian
economy?
 In 1893 Queen Liliuokalani tried to bring back the
monarchy’s authority and give Hawaii back to the native
people, but she failed, resulting in a provisional
government controlled by the white settlers.
 HI was annexed as a territory in 1898. This was after
much wrangling, with Grover Cleveland trying but failing
to re-establish Liliuokalani to the monarchy (1894). (and
Japan trying to protest in 1898 by sending a cruiser to
HI).
 McKinley presided over annexation.
 Meanwhile, the U.S. and Germany divided
up Samoa and “gave” Britain other Pacific
territories in 1899.
The Spanish-American War
In 1895 Cuban insurgents rebelled against Spanish
rule, spurred on by economic instability.
Ultimately the Spanish put insurgents and others
into camps, where they died from lack of
sanitation, etc.
At this time Pres. Cleveland declared our
neutrality and offered to mediate a peace
settlement; meanwhile, “yellow journalism” in
the U.S. had brought public opinion to favor the
rebels.
Yellow Journalism – reporting
that seeks to evoke strong
emotions (and sales) without
relying on facts or ethical
standards
“Yellow Kid”
“Yellow Kid papers”
“Yellow papers”
• McKinley, taking office in ‘97, also supported
neutrality but opposed Spain’s inhumane
treatment of the rebels.
• The same year, a new government in Spain
offered a degree of autonomy to the Cubans, but
Spanish officers in Cuba went against the
agreement. The U.S. was now concerned about
our own citizens’ safety in Cuba.
• In 1898 President McKinley sent our battleship,
the Maine, to Cuba as a show of strength. The
ship exploded in Havana’s harbor and many
people blamed Spain. (It was most likely an
accident).
• Additionally, a Spanish ambassador had called
McKinley weak in a letter to a friend, which had
been published in the New York Journal. This was
the last straw for some Americans.
• However, McKinley delayed, hoping for a truce
that would include Cuban independence.
Recognizing the probability of war, he asked
Congress for $50 million in defense money.
• Ultimately, Spain’s concessions weren’t
substantial enough to convince McKinley, since
they didn’t mention Cuban independence or
mediation of the conflict with Cuba.
On April 25, 1898, the United States declared war
on Spain and recognizing Cuban independence.
The slogan “Remember the Maine!” was used
as a propaganda tool.
The Spanish American War
Thousands of Americans volunteered to fight in the war against
Spain. Our Army quickly grew from 30,000 soldiers to more
than 274,000.
Roosevelt’s Rough Riders
The war lasted less than 4 months; more than
5,000 Americans died, but fewer than 400 of
those were lost in battle. Under the peace treaty,
the United States gained control of Cuba, Guam,
Puerto Rico and the Philippine Islands.
Ultimately Cuba was independent, but under our
guardianship; and we had rights to Guantanamo
Bay.
Guam and Puerto Rico are still under US control
today.
The Philippines
 The Philippines consists of 7000 islands;
 Some Americans wanted to control Manila as a strategic base for
trading with Asia, but found that we “needed” all of the island of
Luzon to make this possible.
 Also, President McKinley felt that self-rule was impossible for the
Filipinos, and would result in anarchy.
 As a result, the U.S. paid $20 million to Spain to give up rights to
the Philippines. (Andrew Carnegie offered the same amount for the
independence of the Filipino people).
The U.S. then went to war against a group of
Filipino rebels led by Emilio Aguinaldo,
whose aim was independence.
• 3 years of war, 1898-1902.
• 4300 American deaths;
• 50,000-250,000 Filipino deaths;
• American tactics were brutal and
included similar behaviors to the
Spanish.
• What’s wrong with this picture?!!!
Views on imperialism
Pro-imperialists
 We need resources and
markets.
 The uncivilized people of
the world need a guide and
mentor before they can
adopt democratic ways.
 If we don’t take these
territories, someone else
will.
 Manifest Destiny/American
Exceptionalism
Anti-imperialists
 “It is not necessary to own
people to trade with them.”
 We’re going to lose our jobs
to these foreigners.
 “We’ve gone from fighting
the oppressor to shooting
the oppressed.”
 How can we call ourselves
republicans when we are
“puking up our heritage”?
Theodore Roosevelt
Because of his part in
the war, Theodore
Roosevelt was soon
elected Vice President
of the United States.
When President
McKinley was
assassinated in 1901,
Theodore Roosevelt
became the new
President.
President Roosevelt steered the United States
more actively into world politics. He liked to
quote a favorite proverb, "Speak softly and carry
a big stick, and you will go far.”
As a show of this strategy, Roosevelt
commissioned a “world tour” of 16 U.S.
battleships from 1907-1909.
The U.S.S. Louisiana – one of the 16
battleships of the “Great White Fleet”
"In any moment of decision, the best thing
you can do is the right thing. The worst thing
you can do is nothing."
Many Americans thought that Roosevelt would
bring our country to war because of his tough
rhetoric and opinions concerning peace and
readiness for war. However, under his
leadership the U.S. avoided war, and in fact the
president was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for
his role in negotiating the end to the bitter
Russo-Japanese War in 1905 – the first
American so honored.
The Panama Canal
President Roosevelt saw the need for a
shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans and began the process that would
build the Panama Canal.
For years people had talked about the
possibility of such a canal and the French
had attempted one years earlier, but were
unsuccessful. Thick jungles and disease
were major problems.
Another problem arose when Columbia
refused to sell the isthmus of Panama to the
US.
Not willing to give up on the canal, President
Roosevelt sent word to the people of Panama
that IF a revolution against Columbian rule
happened to take place, the US Navy would
be near to prevent Columbian troops from
entering Panama. A revolution soon took
place, Panama became independent and gave
the US permission to begin work on the canal.
 New machines, medicine, and knowledge
helped keep the workers healthier, but
around 22,000 people died from malaria
and work accidents during the
construction, which was finished in 1914.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_655031&feature=iv&src_vid=-vi19z4LEi0&v=fA-pnN54uPw
President Roosevelt was the first President of the
United States to leave the United States while
President. He visited the Panama Canal on
August 15, 1914.
 While the United States considered Panama a
“virtual protectorate” and controlled the canal
from 1904 to 2000, many Panamanians
demonstrated against our presence there. In
1964, 23 students were killed when U.S.
Marines opened fire on a group of
demonstrators. The U.S. and Panama then
negotiated a predetermined date for the U.S.
returning sovereignty (self-rule) to Panama,
and this happened as agreed in the year 2000.
A World Power
From a nation embroiled in its own
sectional problems and ultimately Civil
War, the U.S. shifted its focus and gained
respect as a world power. However, there
were many Americans who saw our
involvement in other countries as a
betrayal of their right to liberty and
independence. They were known as antiimperialists or anti-expansionists.