1.1.Commercial/Business Commercial/Business InterestsInterests - - thirst for new markets to thirst for new markets to sell American goodssell American goods

1.1.Commercial/Business Commercial/Business InterestsInterests - - thirst for new markets to thirst for new markets to sell American goodssell American goods

U. S. Foreign Investments: 1869-1908

U. S. Foreign Investments: 1869-1908

2. 2. Military/Strategic Military/Strategic InterestsInterests – – Captain Captain Alfred Mahan’sAlfred Mahan’s book, book, The Influence of Sea Power on HistoryThe Influence of Sea Power on History; ; argued for U.S. to build a argued for U.S. to build a strong navystrong navy & future & future prosperity depended on prosperity depended on access to world access to world marketsmarkets

2. 2. Military/Strategic Military/Strategic InterestsInterests – – Captain Captain Alfred Mahan’sAlfred Mahan’s book, book, The Influence of Sea Power on HistoryThe Influence of Sea Power on History; ; argued for U.S. to build a argued for U.S. to build a strong navystrong navy & future & future prosperity depended on prosperity depended on access to world access to world marketsmarkets

3.3. Social Darwinist Thinking Social Darwinist Thinking - reflected American thinking in racial - reflected American thinking in racial superiority of whitessuperiority of whites

3.3. Social Darwinist Thinking Social Darwinist Thinking - reflected American thinking in racial - reflected American thinking in racial superiority of whitessuperiority of whites

The White Man’sBurden

The White Man’sBurdenThe Hierarchy of

RaceThe Hierarchy of

Race

4.4.Religious/Missionary Religious/Missionary InterestsInterests - - spread Christianity & spread Christianity & civilization to “inferior” peoplescivilization to “inferior” peoples

4.4.Religious/Missionary Religious/Missionary InterestsInterests - - spread Christianity & spread Christianity & civilization to “inferior” peoplescivilization to “inferior” peoples

American Missionaries

in China, 1905

American Missionaries

in China, 1905

5.5.Closing of the American Closing of the American FrontierFrontier –Frederick Jackson Turner’s –Frederick Jackson Turner’s 1893 thesis, 1893 thesis, The Significance of the The Significance of the Frontier in American HistoryFrontier in American History; argued U.S. ; argued U.S. needed more land for poor and restless to needed more land for poor and restless to prosperprosper

5.5.Closing of the American Closing of the American FrontierFrontier –Frederick Jackson Turner’s –Frederick Jackson Turner’s 1893 thesis, 1893 thesis, The Significance of the The Significance of the Frontier in American HistoryFrontier in American History; argued U.S. ; argued U.S. needed more land for poor and restless to needed more land for poor and restless to prosperprosper

Acquisition of Alaska & Hawaii• Alaska (1867)

– Secretary of State William Seward purchased Alaska from Russians for $7.2 million.

– “Seward’s Folly” actually rich in timber, gold, minerals, oil.

Acquisition of Alaska & Hawaii• Hawaii (1898)

– American sugar planters, with help from U.S. marines, overthrew the Hawaiian monarch.

– American Sanford Dole was named President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Hawaii (after Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown) - he later became Hawaii’s first territorial governor. .

Queen Liliuokalani

SanfordDole

Acquisition of Alaska & Hawaii

• Hawaii (1898)• Hawaii valuable economically & became important

naval base in Pacific. Congress annexed islands in 1898.

The Imperialist TailorThe Imperialist TailorThe Imperialist TailorThe Imperialist Tailor

Spanish-American War • Spanish-American War (1898)

– Spain was a crumbling empire by late 1800s. A revolt in Spanish-held Cuba brutally put down by Spain.

– U.S. newspapers - such as Joseph Pulitzer’s New York Journal & William Randolph Hearst’s New York World - fed growing anti-Spanish feelings.• Practiced Yellow journalism (paid little

attention to facts, but sold newspapers with sensational stories & exaggerated headlines of Spanish brutality) and Jingoism (an attitude of wildly enthusiastic, often excessive nationalism. Often, jingoists or jingoes push for war with other countries….)

““Yellow Journalism” & Yellow Journalism” & JingoismJingoism

““Yellow Journalism” & Yellow Journalism” & JingoismJingoism

Joseph PulitzerJoseph Pulitzer

William Randolph Hearst

William Randolph Hearst

Hearst to Frederick Hearst to Frederick Remington:Remington: You furnish the You furnish the pictures,pictures, and I’ll furnish the war! and I’ll furnish the war!

Spanish-American War

• Sinking of the USS Maine (1898)– Rioting in Cuba broke out near Havana, the

island’s capital. Many rich Americans had property or lived there. Battleship Maine sent to Havana harbor for protection.

– Feb. 15, 1898, a huge explosion killed all 260 sailors on board. Americans inflamed as newspapers quickly blamed Spain for the disaster.

Remember the MaineRemember the Maineand to Hell with Spain!and to Hell with Spain!Remember the MaineRemember the Maineand to Hell with Spain!and to Hell with Spain!

Funeral for Maine victims in Havana

Funeral for Maine victims in Havana

Spanish-American War• Spanish-American War Begins (April 1898)

– After USS Maine disaster, general public favored war. Expansionists saw victory over Spain as first step toward building an empire.

• The Rough Riders– Theodore Roosevelt lead volunteer group of soldiers.

• TR - Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley administration, also an Imperialist and American nationalist.administration, also an Imperialist and American nationalist.

– Rough Riders were college students, cowboys, adventures, etc. Became symbol of national enthusiasm of war against Spain.

– Famously made a heroic charge up San Juan Hill that cost them heavy casualties during war.

The The “Rough “Rough Riders”Riders”

The The “Rough “Rough Riders”Riders”

Spanish-American War• Victory in the Philippines

– First fighting of the war took place in Philippines (not in Cuba)!

– Commodore George Dewey of U.S. Navy surprised Spanish & sunk their fleet at Manila.

– U.S. joined forces w/ Filipino rebels led by Emilio Aguinaldo fighting for independence from Spain. Defeated Spanish Aug. 1898

– Philippines seen as a stepping stone to China. (Later, Emilio Aguinaldo led revolt against U.S. occupation [1898 – 1901]. Philippines not granted independence until 1946.)

Spanish-American War

• Caribbean Victories– U.S. sank Spanish fleet trying to escape from

Santiago harbor in Cuba. Ended Spanish resistance in Cuba by July 1898.

– After victory in Cuba, U.S. troops landed in Puerto Rico. Had little opposition & soon conquered island.

– August 12, 1898 Spain accepted a truce. Nicknamed “the splendid little war”, it had lasted less than 4 months.

The Spanish-American War The Spanish-American War (1898):(1898):

“That Splendid Little War”“That Splendid Little War”

The Spanish-American War The Spanish-American War (1898):(1898):

“That Splendid Little War”“That Splendid Little War”

Spanish-American War• War Gains

– Treaty of Paris (1898) ended war.

– U.S. acquired Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam. Cuba became an independent nation.

– America enjoyed its newly won status as a great superpower…

Our “Sphere of Influence”Our “Sphere of Influence”Our “Sphere of Influence”Our “Sphere of Influence”

China

• Open Door Policy in China – After Spanish-American War, U.S. wanted to

open China to all nations on an equal basis.– 1899, U.S. sent note to all nations involved in

China (Japan, Russia, Great Britain, France, Germany). U.S. asked all nations to respect right of other countries to do business in China.

– All nations coolly accepted Open Door Policy out of fear of disregarding China’s independence. Open Door Note greatly helped U.S. trade & prosperity.

The Open Door PolicyThe Open Door PolicyThe Open Door PolicyThe Open Door Policy

U.S. Secretary U.S. Secretary John HayJohn Hay..

Give all nations equalGive all nations equalaccess to trade in China.access to trade in China.

Guaranteed that China would NOT be Guaranteed that China would NOT be taken taken over by any one foreign power.over by any one foreign power.

Life as a Colonial Power

• Benefits: – Access to new markets & raw materials, job &

investment opportunities. – U.S. influence on annexed lands meant better

education, health care, and stable government.

• Drawbacks:– U.S. had been founded on principle of self

government. Expansion often meant ruling w/ out consent of governed.

– Territories meant involvement in complicated world affairs…

Why Build the Panama Canal?• Canal through

Panama would:– Help ships avoid

long trip around South America

– Reduce the cost of merchant shipping

– Allow U.S. to eliminate need to keep two navies in Atlantic & Pacific

Panama Canal• TR takes the Canal Zone

– Panama controlled by Colombia. Theodore Roosevelt met w/ rebels from Panama fighting for independence from Colombia.

– U.S. warship sailed to Panama & blocked the landing of Colombian army. Panamanian rebels quickly revolted and won independence one day later.

– U.S. immediately recognized new nation. Within two weeks, new Panama govnt granted U.S. right to a canal zone. TR’s proudest achievement!TR’s proudest achievement!

Panama Canal• Conquering the

Mosquito Problem– Work could not begin until

swamps drained, brush cut, insecticide sprayed.

– Work began on canal in 1904, when yellow fever & malaria were under control.

• Panama Canal completed by 1914. Cost U.S. $350 million to build.– Used 3 pairs of locks to lift

and lower ship across canal.

TR in Panama(Construction begins in 1904)

The The Roosevelt Corollary to Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine: 1904the Monroe Doctrine: 1904The The Roosevelt Corollary to Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine: 1904the Monroe Doctrine: 1904

Chronic wrongdoing… Chronic wrongdoing… may in America, as may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately elsewhere, ultimately require intervention require intervention by some civilized by some civilized nation, and in the nation, and in the Western Hemisphere Western Hemisphere the adherence of the the adherence of the United States to the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may Monroe Doctrine may force the United force the United States, however States, however reluctantly, in flagrant reluctantly, in flagrant cases of suchcases of such wrongdoing or wrongdoing or impotence, to the impotence, to the exercise of an exercise of an international police international police powerpower (over Latin America).

““Speak Softly,Speak Softly,But Carry a Big Stick!” - But Carry a Big Stick!” -

TRTR

““Speak Softly,Speak Softly,But Carry a Big Stick!” - But Carry a Big Stick!” -

TRTR

Taft’s “Dollar Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”Diplomacy”

Taft’s “Dollar Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”Diplomacy”

– William Taft succeeded Roosevelt as President. Decided to modify TR’s “big stick” policy by “substituting dollars for bullets”.

– Taft felt economic investment would bring stability to troubled regions.

– Dollar Diplomacy had greater effect – American bankers soon replaced European bankers as major lenders to Latin American countries.

Wilson’s “Moral Wilson’s “Moral Diplomacy”Diplomacy”

Wilson’s “Moral Wilson’s “Moral Diplomacy”Diplomacy”

President Wilson President Wilson disliked aggressive disliked aggressive policies of Taft & policies of Taft & Roosevelt. Roosevelt. Wanted less Wanted less intervention in Latin intervention in Latin America.America.

The U.S. shouldThe U.S. shouldbe the be the “conscience“conscienceof the world”.of the world”.

Spread democracySpread democracy..

Promote peace.Promote peace.

Condemn colonialism.Condemn colonialism.

Constable of the Constable of the WorldWorld

Constable of the Constable of the WorldWorld