American empire and the Philippines

1. American empire and the Philippines The aftermath of the Spanish-American War

2. the Spanish-American war The Rough Riders Mort Kunstler, 1984

3. The “splendid little war” • Congress declares war on Spain – April 25, 1898 • Commodore George Dewey immediately moves on the Philippines

4. Wait! What are the Philippines? • Island nation in Southeast Asia • Spanish colony since 1521 • Filipino nationalists had been fighting the Spanish since 1896 Here they are!

5. The “splendid little war” • Congress declares war on Spain – April 25, 1898 • Commodore George Dewey immediately moves on the Philippines • Dewey defeats Spain’s navy at Manila Bay on May 1 • US wins land and naval victories in Cuba in summer 1898 • Armistice signed on August 12, leading to peace negotiations • War officially ends with the Treaty of Paris – signed December 10

6. The treaty of paris • Signed December 10, 1898 • Ends the Spanish-American War • Guarantees Cuba’s independence • Spain gives Guam and Puerto Rico to the US • Spain sells the Philippines to the US for $20 million • But the Senate still must ratify

7. What to do with the Philippines? President William McKinley

8. The American dilemma • The Philippines had been a Spanish colony for nearly 400 years • America had just fought a war in the name of “liberating” Cuba from imperial occupation • The US had relied on the help of Filipino rebels in defeating Spain • But the US also wanted to expand its holdings around the world • What should America do with its new possession in the Philippines?

9. Three options • Annex the Philippines; create an empire • Give independence to the Philippines; turn away from empire • Take control of Manila only; focus on economic interests

10. The imperialists: take over the philippines • Major goal: make the Philippines a colony of the United States • Major arguments • Economics: Colonizing the Philippines will allow America to sell its goods to Asia • Manifest destiny: America is divinely ordained to take over more territory and spread its system of government • Democracy: America should liberate the Philippines from Spanish rule, protect it from European powers, and introduce democracy to the people • Racism: Americans have a duty to bring their superior form of government and way of life to less civilized, “backwards” peoples

11. The anti-imperialists:turn away from empire • Major goal: reject overseas acquisitions and focus on issues at home • Major arguments • Democratic principles: The US can’t be a democratic nation if it controls other countries – especially if it builds a large standing army • Labor: Colonizing the Philippines will introduce competition for jobs with white, native-born, American workers • Foreign policy: Protecting an empire will draw the US into foreign conflicts • Racism: Annexing the Philippines will introduce an uncivilized, barbarian people into a “pure,” Anglo-Saxon country

12. The businessmen:take control of manila • Major goals • Establish a protectorate (the US protects the Philippines against foreign powers) and a safe harbor at Manila • “Open door” trade policy in Asia – no special trade privileges for Western powers • Major arguments • Making the Philippines a colony would be expensive and dangerous • European domination of Asia threatens American economic interests • Controlling Manila would allow us to more easily export American goods to China • A protectorate would allow America to move the Philippines toward democracy