The Empire and The People

1. By: Howard Zinn Reviewed by: Nicolas Garcia The Empire and The People

2. What We Will Go Over • The history of America and Imperialism • Where they started • Where they ended up • Learn about the chapter “The Empire and The People” • Discuss the imperialistic actions after the Great “Philippine war” • Review

3. American Imperialism Timeline • 1823 Monroe Doctrine: US will not interfere in Europe (Washington); Europe will • not colonize or interfere in Americas • 1857-8 US control of various Pacific islands • 1869 US attempts to buy Dominican Republic from Spain • 1875 Economic and military control of Hawaii through a series of treaties

4. Timeline • 1893 Hawaii seeks independence with new constitution. Put down by US, Hawaii annexed • 1894 Hawaii repeals US annexation • 1898 Spanish-American War: • “yellow journalism:” Hearst and Pulitzer • “Remember the Maine and to hell with Spain:” McKinley sends troops • TR and San Juan Hill: “A splendid little war” (10 weeks) • Dewey defeats Spanish fleet at Manila: “You may fire when ready, Gridley”

5. Timeline • Dewey puts down Emilio Aguinaldo’s independence movement. Aguinaldo imprisoned (1902) • Treaty of Paris: Annexation of Philippines; $20 million to Spain • US control of Guam • US control of American Samoa and Wake Island • 1900 Platt Amendment to Cuban constitution: intervention to “protect” Cuban democracy • Hawaiians gain citizenship (becomes a territory in 1912) • Puerto Rico becomes a territory (citizenship, but not statehood, in 1917)

6. Timeline • 1903 Hay-Herran Treaty: Columbia to give 99 year lease of Panama area to US in exchange for $10 mill. and $250,000/year. Not accepted by Columbian government. • TR supports (encourages?) Panamanian revolt by sending gunboats to aid Panamanians • US acquires canal zone from Panamanians (completed 1914) • US establishes Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba • 1909-33 US troops in Nicaragua • 1914 Panama Canal opens. Wilson pays Colombia according to Hay-Herran, declaring “Moral Diplomacy

7. Summary of this Chapter • The chapter discusses the young country America and it’s involvement in the matters of the other countries around the world between the 1850's and early 1900‘s • America and its government pushed for more foreign trade to reduce the size of the surplus of goods as a result of overproduction in America, along with protesting, and to stabilize the country by uniting the government along with its people.

8. Summary Cont. • America started to follow the open door policy. America somewhat struggled when it came to making an empire as grand as the Europeans did, since after all they are more experienced • Americans got involved with other countries to keep the “door open” for trade and eventually be able to open new markets • Various number of groups wanted this kind of expansion especially military figures to politicians like William Appleman Williams one of the leaders of the Populist party. 

9. The Imperialism Continues •  By 1890, the U.S. turned its eyes toward international expansion since the Indian Wars were coming to an end • The Hawaiian islands were annexed in 1898 • Also in 1898 U.S. went to war with Spain over Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines • Desire for expansion and new economic opportunities in markets were partial cause • But many believed that these territories were ripe for the picking and fighting • Future president Theodore Roosevelt, honestly believed these conquests was an essential part of the American character.

10. Under What Circumstances • In February, 1898, the U.S. warship Maine was attacked and sunk in Havana harbor • No evidence was found to blame the sinking of the Maine • President Mckinley convinced the country to go to war with Spain on the basis of revenge and Cuban independence • The war was able to take much of Spain’s remaining colonies • U.S. got free reign in the Caribbean • Lead to a bloody war to take the Philippines • First with the Spanish second with the Filipinos who wanted independence.

11. If We Can’t Win Then We Buy • Since the U.S. could not annex Cuba we were able to get access into Cuba and parts of Cuba • We got such as rights to mining, fruit harvesting and military bases, such as Guantanamo Bay • Other former Spanish colonies were bought as simple territories • By 1900, America is a worldwide colonial power

12. Other Things We Should Know • Howard Zinn is the author as well as was an activist who made it his duty to reveal the hidden truths in America’s history amongst his fellow Americans.

13. Cited Work • Zinn, Howard. A People's History of the United States: 1492-present. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. Print. • "ImperialismOfSevenRegions - 7. U.S. Economic Imperialism in Latin America."ImperialismOfSevenRegions - home. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. • "Historical Political Cartoons About Hawaii Hawai'i Digital Newspaper Project." N.p., Web. 5 Nov. 2013. • "My American History Class Imperialism Notes." My American History Class Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. • "TWO FRIENDS REMEMBER HOWARD ZINN."Desertpeace. N.p., n.d. Web.5 Nov. 2013. • "Dying Empire: US Imperialism and Global Resistance."Iran Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2013. • Andrew Meyers. Imperialism Timeline (Part I) . November 5 2013. < http://projects.ecfs.org/fieldston57/survey/timeli nes/ImperialismTimeline.pdf >