Becoming a World Power

Becoming a World Power Ch 17 Notes

17.1 The Pressure to Expand • Imperialism: stronger nations attempt to create empires by dominating weaker nations (economically, politically, culturally, and militarily)

Factors the Led to the Growth of Imperialism • Economic Factors • Industrialization needed resources • Nationalistic Factors • Competition for large empire led to nationalism • Military Factors • Advances in military technology and growing navies led to need for bases around world for fuel and supplies • Humanitarian Factors • Duty to spread Western civilization (law, medicine, Christianity)

Europe Led the Way • Great Britain, France, and Russia • “sun never sets on British Empire” • US wanted in by 1890 • Expansionists denied the US wanted to annex (join a new territory to existing country) but it happened

Monroe Doctrine • 1820s • US will not get involved with European affairs as long as Europe stays out of the Western Hemisphere

US Expansion • 1830s-1850s the size of the US more than doubled (the west) with manifest destiny • After the Civil War William H. Seward advised president to send troops toward Mexico to make sure the new leader (under France’s control) didn’t move into the US • Pushed French out of Mexico

1867: Seward bought Alaska from Russia • “Seward’s Folly” (mistake) • 2¢ an acre • Hoped to push British out of Canada

Interest in the Pacific • 1853: Commodore Matthew Perry went to Tokyo Bay in Japan to open up trade • Pacific Islands of Midway in 1867 • Hawaii: sell sugar in the US duty-free as long as don’t sell/lease territory to other nations

Caribbean and Latin America • 1870 President Grant announced that Monroe Doctrine applied to these areas • US began playing an active role in diplomatic and military conflicts in Latin America

Arguments FOR Expansion • Promote economic growth • Overproduction of food/goods led to financial panics and frequent depressions • New markets abroad would fix this • Some invested in foreign countries and even played roles in Central American governments: banana republics • Ex: Minor C. Keith’s United Fruit Co.

Protect America’s national security • Protect overseas trade • Naval Advisory Board 1881: pushed to increase navy’s budget • 1883: 3 new cruisers and 2 battleships • Naval Act 1890: construction of more battleships, gunboats, torpedo boats, and cruisers • By 1900 USA had one of most powerful navies in the world

Preserve the American Spirit • People worried that the end of the frontiers would cause the nation to lose it’s pioneer spirit • Building an empire would revive that • Social Darwinism: expansionism was not only a nation’s destiny but also a noble pursuit because it civilized “heathens” • Gradually Americans supported • More for new markets and good trade relations • Soon found entanglements

17.2 Spanish-American War • 1890’s Events that set the stage • US saying we’re powerful and you better listen • 1891: in Chile men attacked American soldiers • Killed 2, hurt 17 • US forced Chile to pay $75,000 to soldiers’ families • 1893: Brazilian dictator tried to take over • US ordered Navy to protect American shipping interests

1840’s England and Venezuela disputed over land • 1880’s dispute resurfaced with rumors of mineral wealth there • US said to listen to the Monroe Doctrine and go to arbitration • British replied that they didn’t have to follow but agreed later in order to stay friendly with the US

Cuban Rebellion • Was Spanish colony • Rebellion in 1868 and again in 1895 • Spain sent troops and Gen. Weyler • Set up “reconcentration” policy and Cubans forced into guarded camps • Many Cubans in the US wanted our gov to get involved • Some Cubans there destroyed US businesses to push the US to get involved

Yellow Journalism • Pulitzer and Hearst took advantage of stories coming from Cuba about the “Butcher” Weyler and the camps • Some Cuban journalists wrote to get American opinion to support intervention • Jose Martí • Jingoism: intense national pride and push for aggressive foreign policy that resulted in the US getting involved

Steps to War • 1898 riots in Havana, Cuba • President McKinley moved battleship USS Maine into the city’s harbor to protect US interests and people there • The de Lôme letter • Early Feb. 1898 US newspapers published a letter stolen from Spanish ambassador to DC • Ridiculed McKinley • Intensified anti-Spanish sentiment

Explosion of the USS Maine • Feb 15 explosion sank the ship, killed >250 American sailors • Enraged Americans called for war • Preparing in the Philippines • Spain’s possession • Could be a key base for US Navy • TR told naval commanders in Pacific to prepare for military action which McKinley stopped except one – Dewey’s • Dewey told to attack if war broke out

McKinley’s war message • May 1, 1898, Dewey launched surprise attack on Philippines • In Cuba US stopped Spain’s fleet in a harbor • American army gathered in Tampa, FL to prepare for invasion of Cuba • Most famous: Rough Riders under TR’s command • Charged up San Juan Hill in war • July 3 US sank all Spanish ships there • 2,500 Americans died in war, <400 in battle

Treaty of Paris • Dec 1898 US and Spain signed peace treaty • Spanish gave Cuba independence • Spain got $20 mill and US got Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam • Became “unincorporated” territories of the US meaning they were not intended for eventual statehood • Senate ratified in Feb 1899

Challenges After the War • How to create policy to run things? • McKinley wanted to annex Philippines to prevent future wars with other countries • Filipinos expected independence like Cubans received • Leaders pushed for it like Emilio Aguinaldo • Feb 1899 3 yr war began

Independence for the Philippines? • >4,000 Americans killed and almost 3,000 wounded • American forces killed 16,000 Filipino rebels and about 20,000 civilians • Philippines didn’t gain complete independence until 1946

Fate of Cuba • Teller Amendment attached to Congress’s 1898 war resolution • Promised US would not annex Cuba • McKinley put a military gov in place that lasted 3 years • Organized school system and restored economic stability • Est a commission that discovered cure for yellow fever

Cubans Felt Lied To • Many felt betrayed w/o independence • 1900 US authorized Cubans to draft a constitution • Modeled on US Constitution • Did not allow US involvement in Cuba • US agreed if Platt Amendment included • Cuban gov could not enter any foreign agreements, would allow US to est naval bases as needed there, must give US right to intervene when necessary • Cuba reluctantly agreed • US only involved twice until 1934 when ended

Puerto Rico • Maintained military gov until 1900 • Foraker Act in 1900 • US removed military control and est a civil gov, under US control • US ceded more freedom and control • Jones Act in 1917 • US granted Puerto Ricans American citizenship • Could elect own legislatures, US retained power to appoint key officials like governor

In the Pacific • Hawaii • 1887 trade treaty for duty-free goods sold in US • Leased Pearl Harbor to the US as fueling and repair station for naval vessels • Hawaiian-born planters forced king Kalakuau to accept a new constitution that gave them control of the gov • When he died, his sister Liliuokalani came to throne

Liliuokalani • Opposed US control and wanted to reduce the power of foreign merchants • 1893 US Marines helped pineapple planter Sanford B. Dole remove Queen Liliuokalani • Proclaimed Hawaii a republic and requested that it be annexed by the US • McKinley supported annexation • 1898 Congress approved annexation

Samoa • Polynesian islands were another stepping stone to growing trade with China • 1878 the US had negotiated a treaty offering protection in return for a lease on Pago Pago (harbor) • 1889 US, Britain, and Germany arranged a 3-way protectorate of Samoa • By end of the year it was left to just the US

China • Huge population and vast markets were important to US trade • Russia, Germany, Britain, France, and Japan were seeking Spheres of Influence (areas of political and economic control) in China • 1899 John Hay, Sec. of State wrote notes to European powers trying to persuade them to keep and “open door” to China

Open Door Policy • Allow the countries equal access to China’s millions of consumers • Met with cool response from other countries

China’s Reaction • Resented foreign influence of any kind • Secret society the Righteous and Harmonious Fists (“Boxers”) began rebellion in 1900 • Led to massacre of 300 foreigners & Christian Chinese • European powers ended it • Hays issued more open door notes & reminded nations of US plan to preserve it

17.3 A New Foreign Policy • Panama Canal • Americans needed shorter route between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans • French attempted in 1879 through Panama when bought a 25 yr concession from Colombia to build canal • Abandoned project after 10 yrs • France offered US rights to project for $100 million

Spooner Act in 1902: Congress authorized purchase of French assets when price got down to $40 mill • Required the US work out treaty for Colombia for lease on land • Treaty negotiations went nowhere • TR made it clear to Philippe Bunau-Varilla that US would not interfere if French co organized a Panamanian revolution

Revolt in Nov 1903 with US warships waiting offshore to provide support for rebels • US immediately recognized Panama’s independence and became its protector • Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty signed in Nov 1903 • US got 10 mile wide strip of land for canal and Panama got $10 mill • Construction began in 1904 and ended in 1914, 6 mos ahead of time and $23 mill under budget

Reaction to the Canal • People didn’t like the way TR went about getting the Canal Zone • Most Americans approved because they thought it was necessary for national security and prosperity • Some ill will left between Latin Americans and US • 1921 Congress voted to pay $25 mill to Colombia to make up for this (2 yrs after TR died)

Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy • Dec 1904 and 05 TR issued messages to Congress known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine: TR denied that US wanted any more territory • Only wanted to see neighboring countries become stable, orderly, and prosperous • US would use “international police power” if needed

Tests of the Corollary • Santo Domingo (now Dominican Republic) • Island went bankrupt and European nations threatened to intervene to collect money owed • TR est American supervision of customs money and US bankers took over the country’s finances to repay debts • Under TR intervention in Latin America become common • Angered many Latin Americans and Congress

TR as Peacemaker • TR’s chief concern in Asia was keeping open door policy with China • Russo-Japanese War in 1904 threatened this • TR was concerned about growing power of Japanese • Part of reason for Gentleman’s Agreement • Aug 1905 TR mediated a peace agreement in Russo-Japanese War • Kept trade in China open to all nations • Won him the Nobel Peace Prize

Foreign Policy After TR • William Howard Taft (Pres in 1908) • Not as aggressive at pursuing foreign policy • “Dollar Diplomacy” substituting dollars for bullets • Maintaining orderly societies through US investment in other countries • Not too successful • Results were not always profitable

Woodrow Wilson • “Moral Diplomacy” US applied moral and legalistic standards to foreign policy • Mexico: new president that promised democratic reforms and was overthrown and killed in 1913 by Gen Huerta • Wilson refused to recognize him • Wilson supported Carranza and sent in American navy (April 1914) • July 1914 Huerta resigned and Carranza took over

More involvement in Mexico • “Pancho” Villa: peasant rebel leader • March 9, 1916 led men into Columbus, NM and burned town, killing >15 • Wilson sent American troops into Mexico to find “Pancho” Villa • Carranza demanded they leave • Gen Pershing (US) failed to find him and Wilson withdrew his troops in 1917

Moral Diplomacy was not successful • Mexico adopted constitution that curbed foreign ownership of Mexico’s resources • Many American and Mexican lives were lost • American financial interests there had lost ground

17.4 Debating America’s New Role • Anti-Imperialists • 1898 formed Anti-Imperialist League • Moral and Political Arguments • Expansionist behavior was a rejection of “liberty for all” • Others said “the Constitution must follow the flag” and should apply to all US territories • Imperialism threatened the nation’s democratic foundations

Racial Arguments • Imperialism encouraged racism • Some feared the mixing that would occur in the US with these territories • Economic Arguments • Involved too many costs • Maintaining the military would require more taxation, debt, and possibly compulsory military service • Laborers coming into the US competed with Americans for jobs

Imperialists’ Views • Imperialism kept hold on American imagination • Keep us from losing our competitive edge • Celebration of American tradition and creative spirit • “Frontier mentality” with the Boy Scout movement • Some said the people of the territories were not ready for their own democracy • Practical advantages • Economic arguments about foreign markets • Strategic military reasons • The Great White Fleet: TR sent part of US Navy around the world in Dec 1907 • Showed benefits of having powerful navy

Views of US Imperialism Abroad • Often had to defend govs that were unpopular with local inhabitants • Panamanians began to complain that they suffered from discrimination • Other countries began to turn to US for help maintaining their independence • US spent rest of century trying to decide best way to reconcile its growing power and national interests with its relationships with other nations

Becoming a World Power