Platt Amendment (1903)

• Followed Sp – Am War• Cuba must accept for US to withdraw• Cuba could not allow foreign powers

to control it• USA could lease land for naval base –

Guantanamo Bay

Annexation Debate – the Philippines

• Pro-Annexation• Educate Filipinos• Uplift Filipinos• Civilize Filipinos

• Anti-Annexation• Violated the

Declaration of Independence

• Denied self-government for new territories

• Introduced more racial problems

William Howard Taft,Governor of Philippines

The ‘Bolo War’

• AKA the Filipino Rebellion AKA the Philippine-American War

• Lasted 3 years• Guerilla warfare• Filipinos led by Emilio Aguinaldo

• Ports or regions where a foreign nation retained exclusive rights over trade, mines, rails, etc.

• John Hay called for open door policy and US access to ALL of China’s ports

Western influence in China

• Originally part of Colombia• Broke away with help of USA’s navy• Gave USA permission to build canal• Journey from New York to San

Francisco cut in half

Panama

The Panama Canal

• Built between 1904-1914, mainly during Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.

• 51 miles (80 km) long• Average width of 150 m• 6 locks• 27,500 workers died during its

construction, mostly from disease

• Born to wealthy family in New York october 27th 1858

• Left politics to become cattle rancher in Dakota in 1884 following death of 1st wife and mother.

• NYC Police Commissioner in 1890s• Formed famous ‘Rough Riders’ during

Spanish–American war: gained national fame.• Became Governor of New York after war.

(1899-1900)

Theodore Roosevelt

• Became Vice-President to William McKinley

• Became President after McKinley’s assassination in Sept. 1901

• Tried to move the Republican Party (GOP) towards Progressivism and increased regulation of businesses.

• Domestic policies called a ‘Square Deal’ giving a fair deal to the average American and restricting power of corporations.

Theodore Roosevelt (cont.)

Theodore Roosevelt (cont.)

• Foreign policy focused on the Caribbean and Panama.

• His slogan was ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick’.

• Can be seen in expansion of the navy, The Great White Fleet’s world tour.

• Won Nobel Peace Prize for negotiation of peace following Russo-Japanese war in 1906.

• Regarded as one of the greatest US Presidents. Honoured in the Mount Rushmore monument.

Roosevelt Corollary

• State of the Union address 1904• Addition to the Monroe Doctrine of 1823• The US will intervene in conflicts between

European nations and Latin America to enforce legitimate claims of European powers instead of European doing it directly.

• Roosevelt said US was now justified in exercising ‘international police power’ to solve issues in the Western Hemisphere.

Effects of Roosevelt Corollary

• States that the Europeans should stay out but US has the right to go in (to S. America/Caribbean) to KEEP them out.

• Used to justify interventions over next 20 years

• Critics (such as historian Noam Chomsky) argue it was not only to defend S. American states but to obtain concessions/privileges for US corporations.

The USA and World War I

• Key Question:

Why did America go to war in 1917?

Why was the USA neutral until 1917?

• USA believed it was a European war over the balance of power.

• Woodrow Wilson insisted USA stayed neutral but central to attempts to negotiate peace

• Wilson’s ideals: democracy, open-door trading and diplomacy.

• In January 1917 Wilson argued for ‘PEACE WITHOUT VICTORY’.

Why did the policy of neutrality end?

• US trading and loans to Europe far from neutral

• Trade = GB and France $2.75 billion, only $29 million with Germany

• Loans = $2.7 billion to Allies, $27m to Germany

• Initially German U-boats targeted US ships until sinking of Lusitania (May 1915).

US enters war. Incident 1:

• German unrestricted submarine warfare

• With Russians showing weakness, and Allied troops struggling, Germans pushed for a rapid victory

• From 1 February all shipping attacked around Britain and France.

Incident 2: the Zimmerman Telegram

• Turn to p. 63 and read the telegram.• Answer ‘Activity’ questions in pairs.

US declares war

• Following sinking of 5 US ships in a week.• Wilson urges Congress to declare war (see

p. 64)• By November 1918 there were 48,909

dead American soldiers and 230,000 wounded.

• US government mobilised US population to produce weapons etc.

• Food conservation introduced.

Why didn’t the USA sign the Treaty of Versailles?

• Wilson had set out his FOURTEEN POINTS in 1919 at Versailles.

• Key point to create a LEAGUE OF NATIONS.

• League would encourage US values of democracy and free trade.

• League would make World War I the ‘War to end all wars.’

• League of Nations adopted by treaty BUT…

• No PEACE WITHOUT VICTORY as Germany was punished by treaty

• US Senate did not support signing of Treaty as forming alliances was against US Constitution.

• Congress’s rejection of Treaty led to isolationist policies of 1920s and 30s

Why didn’t The USA sign the Treaty of Versailles? (cont.)