United States Imperialism at the turn of the 20th Century

1865 1920

Imperialism = the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories.

Manifest Destiny - the idea that Americans were a superior people and had the right to control the North American continent

Monroe Doctrine of 1823 - warned European powers not to meddle in the Americas because the U.S. would defend the new countries in Latin America

The idea of increasing U.S. territory seemed natural to most Americans Louisiana Purchase 1803 – gave U.S. land west of

the Mississippi to the Rocky Mts. Purchased Florida and Alaska Bargained for the Oregon Territory Fought for Texas Seized California and parts of the Southwest from

Mexico

The Civil War from 1861-1865 disrupted the nation’s expansionism but when it was over, Americans looked for new frontiers to conquer.

U.S began to look abroad for territory to control because… Advanced industrialization created surpluses

=

desire for new markets. Desire to increase military strength by

establishing overseas naval bases, fueling stations, etc.

Belief in cultural superiority.

Also, Americans believed that:Acquiring new lands would

increase American prestigeAmericans had a moral obligation

to spread democracy and Christianity to people in other lands

Led to expansion in Latin America, and the Pacific

Background: Since the 1790s Hawaii served as a stopping

point for U.S. ships traveling to China and East India

1820s missionaries established Christian schools and churches and their children became sugar planters who sold their crops to the U.S.

Push for Annexation After the McKinley Tariff Act of 1890, which

placed tariffs on Hawaiian sugar sold to the U.S., American planters in Hawaii called for annexation to avoid the tax.

The U.S. established a naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1887

End of the Hawaiian Monarchy White business men pressured Hawaii’s King

Kalakaua to change the constitution to allow voting rights only for wealthy landowners.

The King’s sister, Queen Liliuokalani, took over in 1891 after he died and tried to remove the property-owning qualifications for voting: In response, business groups, with the help of

the Ambassador John L. Stevens, organized a revolution, overthrew the Queen, and established a new government.

President Grover Cleveland recognized the Republic of Hawaii but refused to annex Hawaii unless a majority of Hawaiians favored it.

End of the Hawaiian Monarchy – cont. William McKinley took over the

presidency in 1897 and favored annexation!August 12, 1898 Congress proclaimed Hawaii an American territory

The Hawaiian people never had the chance to vote!

1868 the Cuban people started fighting for independence from Spain’s repressive rule – unsuccessful at first!

Americans sympathized with the Cubans and began to see Cuba as part of the U.S.

After the abolishment of slavery in Cuba in the late 1800s, Americans began investing millions of dollars in sugar cane plantations on the island.

1895 the Cubans led by Jose Marti launched a revolution Rebels believed that if they created enough

destruction than the Spanish would want to leave Burned sugar fields, destroyed mills and fought

against the Spanish soldiers The Spanish forced the Cubans into

“reconcentration” camps = death of 1/10 of the island’s population

Cuba’s economy fell apart Americans were divided:

Many business people wanted to support Spain to protect their investments but other Americans wanted to support the rebels in their quest for independence

On February 15, 1898 the American battleship the Maine, exploded in Havana Harbor, killing 260 men. Americans blamed Spain Journalists used sensational writing called Yellow

Journalism to enrage readers and fuel hatred for the Spanish. “Remember the Maine! To War with Spain”

Later it was determined that the explosion was the result of a faulty broiler and not a bomb!

Despite Spain’s agreement to a 6 month cease-fire, President McKinley asked Congress to declare war on Spain April 20, 1898 the U.S. officially declared war on

Spain

Fighting begins in the Philippines (also a colony of Spain) Commodore George Dewey led the

American navy and defeated Spanish ships in the harbor of Manila, the Philippine capital.

U.S. troops were then able to land in the Philippines

The U.S. with the help of rebel leader, Emilio Aguinaldo, and other Filipino rebels, defeated Spanish troops in 2 months.

After the victory in the Philippines, U.S. troops land in Cuba June 1898, 17,000 American troops, converged

on Santiago, Cuba. These troops included four African-American regiments

and a volunteer cavalry known as the Rough Riders, led by Teddy Roosevelt. July 1, 1898- two African American regiments

and the rough riders storm Kettle Hill and clear the way for a successful attack on the strategic San Juan Hill.

U.S. newspapers declare Roosevelt the hero of San Juan Hill, even though Roosevelt and the rough riders played a minor role in this 2nd victory.

After the victory in the Philippines, U.S. troops land in Cuba - continued Two days later, the Spanish fleet is crushed in

Santiago harbor and Spain is defeated! U.S. also conquers Puerto Rico (another

Spanish colony) on July 25, 1898.

Outcome: December 10, 1898 the U.S. and Spain sign

the Treaty of Paris: ris: Spain grants independence to Cuba Spain cedes Puerto Rico and Guam Spain sells the Philippines to the U.S. for $20

million U.S remained in Cuba and establishes naval

stations U.S. makes the Philippines a colony

U.S. emerges as a world power. Anti-imperialism spreads in the U.S.

Annexation of the Philippines???????? Americans now debated whether they

could/should annex the Philippines: President McKinley justified annexation by saying,

“that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all [the Philippine Islands], and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and Christianize them.”

Interestingly, most Filipinos were already Christians!

Other Americans were against annexation for a variety of political, economic and moral reasons. February 6, 1899, the Treaty of Paris is approved

and the Philippines become part of the American empire.

During the Spanish-Amer. War, U.S. forces occupied the island and took military control under General Nelson A. Miles.

Many Puerto Ricans wanted independence from the U.S. while many others wanted some form of self-government as an American territory.

In 1900, Congress passed the Foraker Act, which ended military rule and established a civil government. This act gave the president the power to appoint Puerto

Rican governors and some members of the legislature In 1901 the Supreme Court ruled that the

Constitution did not automatically apply to people in acquired territories. Congress, however, still had the right to extend

citizenship, and it granted that right to the Puerto Ricans in 1917.

After the war, the U.S recognized Cuba’s independence but still occupied Cuba. Under American occupation, the same officials

who had served Spain remained in office and those Cubans who protested this policy were imprisoned or exiled.

However, the U.S. provided food, clothing, schools, and medicine, and helped rebuild farmers’ land.

In 1900, the newly formed Cuban government wrote a new constitution that did not specify the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba.

1901 – the U.S. insisted that Cuba add to its constitution provisions known as the Platt Amendment, stating that: Cuba could not make treaties that might limit its

independence or permit a foreign power to control any part of its territory.

The U.S. reserved the right to intervene in Cuba Cuba was not to go into debt The U.S. could buy or lease land on the island for naval

stations and refueling stations U.S. refused to withdraw its army until Cuba

adopted the Amendment and despite protest, the Cuban gov. reluctantly accepted the new constitution in 1903.

The Amendment remained in effect for 31 years, and Cuba became a U.S. protectorate – a country whose affairs are partially controlled by a stronger power.

Filipinos were outraged at the Treaty of Paris that called for American annexation of the Philippines.

In 1899, the Filipinos led by Aguinaldo, revolted: The U.S. took over Spain’s role and imposed its power

on a colony fighting for independence. Aguinaldo turns to guerilla tactics, and in response,

the U.S. forced the Filipinos to live in designated zones where sanitation, starvation, and disease killed thousands.

It took the Americans 3 years to put down the rebellion, cost the lives of 20,000 Filipino rebels, 4,000 Americans and $400 million dollars.

The U.S. set up a government in the Philippines and the Filipinos gradually worked toward independence which they were granted in 1946.

The U.S. saw the Philippines as a gateway to the rest of Asia, particularly China.

European powers, Japan and Russia had already established settlements for trade along China’s coast.

Fearing the U.S. would be shut out of China, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay issued a series of policy statements in 1899 called the Open Door Notes – proposing that nations share their trading rights with the U.S., thus creating an open door for trade. Other imperialist nations reluctantly accepted

1900- thousands of Chinese led a revolt to rid China of all foreigners known as the Boxer Rebellion Britain, France, Germany, Japan and 2,500

American soldiers marched on the Chinese capital and crushed the rebellion.

Fearing that the European nations would use their victory to take more control, John Hay issued a second series of Open Door notes stating that the U.S. would “safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire”.

The U.S. and the Panama Canal U.S. control of territory in the Pacific led

to an interest in building a canal across Central America to allow warships to pass – they looked to Panama (a province of Colombia).

President Theodore Roosevelt bought the rights to the Panama route from France for $40 million (a French company had tried to build the canal but after 10 years they gave up)

The U.S. and the Panama Canal -continued TR still needed to get permission from the

Colombian government, who ruled Panama. When negotiations broke down, the owner of the

French company who sold the route to the U.S., worked with Panamanian rebels to revolt against Colombia.

On Nov. 3, 1903 Panama won its independence and 15 days later Panama and the U.S. signed a treaty to build the canal.

Construction of the Canal: The canal took ten years to complete and 43,400

workers. Workers fought diseases such as yellow fever and

malaria and very difficult working conditions Building the canal cost more than 5,600 lives and

$380 million.

The U.S. and the Panama Canal -continued

On August 15, 1914, the canal opened for business.

U.S. intervention in Colombian –Panamanian affairs marked a decline in U.S. relations with Latin America because these countries began to fear the power of the United States in the region.

1921 the U.S. signed a treaty with Colombia expressing regret on the part of the U.S. and paying Colombia $25 million in compensation.

Roosevelt’s Policy in Latin America: TR wanted to keep European powers out

of Latin America and TR based his Latin American policy on the West African proverb that said, “Speak softly and carry a Big Stick”.

TR issued the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine warning that disorder in Latin America might “force the United States… to the exercise of an international police power.”

Taft continued Roosevelt’s policy of policing Latin America:

In 1911, Taft arranged for American bankers to loan Nicaragua enough money to pay its debt, after rebellion nearly bankrupted the country.

In return, U.S. bankers could collect Nicaragua’s customs duties, gained control of Nicaragua’s railroads and its national bank.

Furious, the Nicaraguan citizens revolted against their President Adolfo Diaz.

The U.S. quickly sent marines to support the President and successfully put down the revolt.

This policy of using the government to guarantee loans made to foreign countries by American businesspeople became known as Dollar Diplomacy

When Wilson became president in 1913 he added a moral tone to the Monroe Doctrine:

Wilson’s “Missionary Diplomacy” stated that the U.S. had a moral obligation to deny recognition to any Latin American government it viewed as oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to U.S. interests.

This policy pressured nations in the Western Hemisphere to establish democratic governments.

Wilson’s policy and the Mexican Revolution:

Mexico had been ruled for 3 decades by Porfirio Diaz – a friend of the U.S. who encouraged foreign investment in his country.

As a result, foreigners, mostly Americans, grew rich and owned many of Mexico’s oil wells, mines, ranches and railroads while the Mexican people remained very poor.

1911, Mexican workers and peasants led by Francisco Madero overthrew Diaz.

Madero was unable to satisfy the people and was soon replaced by General Victoriano Huerta. Two days later, Madero was murdered and President Wilson refused to recognize the government formed under Huerta, calling it a “government of butchers.”

Wilson’s policy and the Mexican Revolution:

Wilson waited for an opportunity to intervene and finally did in April 1914 after a small group of Huerta’s officers arrested but quickly released a group of American sailors off the coast of Mexico.

Wilson ordered marines to occupy Veracruz and Mexico and the U.S. came close to war.

However, Huerta’s regime soon collapsed and was replaced by Venustiano Carranza, a nationalist leader.

Wilson withdrew his troops and recognized Carranza’s government.

Wilson’s policy and the Mexican Revolution: Carranza was not supported by all Mexicans and soon

rebels, led by Francisco “Pancho” Villa and Emiliano Zapata fought to replace him. Villa and Zapata wanted land reform in Mexico.

Villa and Zapata wanted friendship with the U.S. but when the U.S. recognized Carranza’s gov., Villa’s men attacked and killed many Americans in Mexico.

In response, Wilson sent 15,000 U.S. troops, under the command of General John J. Pershing.

Pershing’s troops searched for Villa for over a year and as more U.S. troops invaded Mexico, the Mexicans grew angry over the invasion of their land.

Wilson’s policy and the Mexican Revolution:

In February 1917 both sides back down as the U.S. faced war in Europe and wanted peace on its borders.

U.S. intervention in Mexican affairs proved that the U.S. would fight to spread free-enterprise democracy and its political and economic system even through armed intervention.

1.) It expanded its access to foreign markets in order to ensure the continued growth of the economy.2.)The U.S. built a modern navy to protect its interests abroad.3.)The U.S. exercised its international police power to ensure dominance in Latin America.