Chapter 10 Section 1 The Pressure

Chapter 10, Section 1: The Pressure to Expand

Growth of Imperialism
Under imperialism, stronger nations attempt to create empires by dominating weaker nations. The late 1800s marked the peak of European imperialism, with much of Africa and Asia under foreign domination.
Several factors account for the growth of imperialism.
Economic factors: The growth of industry increased the need for natural resources.
Nationalistic factors: Competition among European nations for large empires was the result of a rise in nationalism—or devotion to one’s own nation.
Military factors: Europe had better armies than Africa and Asia, and it needed bases around the world to refuel and supply navy ships.
Humanitarian factors: Europeans believed that they had a duty to spread the blessings of western civilizations to other countries.
By 1890, the United States was eager to join the competition for new territory. Supporters of expansion denied that the United States sought to annex foreign lands. (To annex is to join a new territory to an existing country.) Yet annexation did take place.

Expanding U.S. Interests
The Monroe Doctrine
-Originally meant that the United States declared itself neutral in European wars and warned other nations to stay out of the Western Hemisphere.
-Later, the doctrine was interpreted to mean a more active role to protect the interests of the United States.
Seward’s Folly
-In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia. (many criticized)
Midway Islands
-Seward bought the uninhabited Midway Islands for use as repairing and refueling stations for navy vessels in the Pacific.
Latin America and Hawaii
-The United States signed a treaty with Hawaii and took a more active role in protecting Latin America.

Arguments for U.S. Expansion
Promoting Economic Growth
-The United States needed to secure new markets in other countries.
-The United Fruit Company invested and gained political influence in some Central American nations. These nations were called banana republics.
Protecting American Security
-An expanded navy with bases around the world would protect U.S. Interests. By 1900, the United States had one of the most powerful navies in the world.
Preserving American Spirit
-Some leaders of the day believed that introducing Christianity and modern civilization to less developed nations around the world was a noble pursuit.

Chapter 10, Section 2: The Spanish-American War

Setting the Stage for War
By demanding that a dispute between Venezuela and Great Britain be sent to arbitration, the United States defended the validity of the Monroe Doctrine. (Arbitration is the settlement of a dispute by a person or panel chosen to listen to both sides and come to a decision.) The British government backed down because it needed to stay on friendly terms with the United States. Thousands of Cubans forced into guarded camps. Cubans urged to U.S. to intervene. When U.S. refused, Cubans destroyed American sugar plantations in Cuba.
The United States became involved in the Cuban rebellion against Spain, to protect American business interests.
In competition for readership, two New York newspapers wrote exaggerated stories about the Cuban rebellion. This yellow journalism sold a lot of papers but had other effects as well:
It whipped up American public opinion in favor of the Cuban rebels.
It led to a burst of national pride and the desire for an aggressive foreign policy, which became known as jingoism.

The Spanish-American War
Steps to War
The de Lome letter: Spanish ambassador ridiculed McKinley (“weak and a bidder for the admiration of the crowd.”)
The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine: 250 American soldiers killed. Probably an accidental fire, but the Spanish were blamed.
McKinley’s war message: McKinley sent a list of demands to Spain (compensation for the U.S.S. Maine, end to guarded camps, truce in Cuba, and Cuban independence). Spain accepted all but the last. Congress recognized Cuban independence.
A Splendid Little War
May 1, 1898: The United States launched a surprise attack in Manila Bay and destroyed Spain’s entire Pacific fleet in seven hours.
July 1: Roosevelt led the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill. July 3: The United States Navy sank the remaining Spanish ships.
The Treaty of Paris
The Spanish government recognized Cuba’s independence.
Spain gave up the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico in return for $20 million. The island nations then became unincorporated territories of the United States.

New Challenges After the War
The Philippines
President McKinley’s arguments for annexation: Filipinos were unfit for self-government. Independence would bring anarchy. European powers would try to seize the islands.
The Filipinos fought a three-year war for independence.
The Philippines did not gain complete independence until 1946.

Cuba
President McKinley installed a military government to protect American business interests.
Cuba drafted a constitution in 1900 that did not allow for U.S. involvement.
The U.S. government only agreed to remove its troops if Cuba included the Platt Amendment.
The Platt Amendment remained in place until 1934. It allowed for U.S. naval bases on the island and intervention whenever necessary.

United States Acquisitions and Annexations
1857-1904
Other Gains in the Pacific
The United States government intervened in other parts of the Pacific at the same time that events played out in the Spanish-American War. This intervention eventually brought about changes in the relationships of the United States with Hawaii, Samoa, and China.
Hawaii became increasingly important to United States business interests. Hawaii also leased Pearl Harbor to the United States as a fueling and repair station for naval vessels. In 1898, Congress approved the annexation of Hawaii.
The Polynesian islands of Samoa and their harbor at Pago Pago were also important to the United States. A year after the annexation of Hawaii, the United States acquired the harbor at Pago Pago as well.
China’s huge population and its vast markets became very important to American trade. President McKinley’s Secretary of State, John Hay, wrote notes to the major European powers trying to persuade them to keep an “open door” to China. He wanted to ensure through his Open Door Policy that the United States would have equal access to China’s millions of consumers.

Chapter 10, Section 3: A New Foreign Policy

The Panama Canal
Americans needed a shorter route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. A French company had bought a 25-year concession from Colombia to build a canal across Panama. (A concession is a grant for a piece of land in exchange for a promise to use the land for a specific purpose.) Defeated by yellow fever and mismanagement, the company abandoned the project and offered its remaining rights to the United States for $100 million. (made global shipping faster and cheaper, began in 1904 and ended in 1914)

Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy
“Speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far.”
Roosevelt used this old African proverb to guide his foreign policy.
The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine — The United States will act as “an international police power” in the Western Hemisphere and intervene to prevent intervention by other powers.
Roosevelt in Latin America — Under Roosevelt, the United States often intervened in Latin America.
Roosevelt in Asia — Roosevelt wanted to preserve an open door to trade with China. He won a Nobel peace prize for negotiating a peace settlement between Russia and Japan.

Foreign Policy After Roosevelt
William Howard Taft
Elected President in 1908
Taft believed in maintaining orderly societies abroad through increased American investment in foreign economies.
This policy was called dollar diplomacy.
The United States reached new heights of international power under Roosevelt and Taft.
However, the policies of both Presidents also created enemies in Latin America and a growing international resentment of U.S. intervention.
Woodrow Wilson
Under Wilson, the United States applied more moral and legalistic standards to foreign policy decisions.
Wilson’s policy drew the United States into the complex and bloody Mexican Revolution.
Wilson’s “moral diplomacy” did not work well in Mexico. Many lives were lost, and U.S. financial interests lost ground.
U.S.–Mexico relations were strained for many years.

Chapter 10, Section 4: Debating America’s New Role

Debating Imperialism
Anti-Imperialists
A moral and political argument: Expansionism was a rejection of our nation’s founding principle of “liberty for all.”
A racial argument: Imperialism was just another form of racism.
An economic argument: Expansion involved too many costs. Maintaining the armed forces required more taxation, debt, and possibly even compulsory, or required, military service. In addition, laborers from other countries would compete for jobs with U.S. workers.
Pro-Imperialists
Imperialism offered a new kind of frontier for American expansion.
A new international frontier would keep Americans from losing their competitive edge.
Access to foreign markets made the economy stronger.
In 1907, President Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet, part of the United States Navy, on a cruise around the world to demonstrate U.S. naval power to other nations. American citizens clearly saw the advantages of having a powerful navy.

Imperialism Viewed From Abroad
In the Caribbean and Central America, the United States often had to defend governments that were unpopular with local inhabitants.
Many U.S. citizens in Latin America heard the cry “Yankee, Go Home!”
Even before the completion of the Panama Canal, the Panamanians began to complain that they suffered from discrimination.
However, many countries also began to turn to the United States for help.
The United States was both welcomed and rejected in other countries.
The American government still struggles to reconcile its great power and national interests with its relationships with other nations.

*Fascinating Facts p. 137-148
*Political Cartoon #38, 39, 40

Chapter 10, Section 1: The Pressure to Expand

In the late 1800s, the U.S. needed new markets for its goods. How did that need lead to political entanglements abroad?
Why did stronger nations wanted to dominate weaker ones? What role did economics play in American expansion? Why did business leaders put so much pressure on the American government to find new markets for their goods?
Section Reading Support Transparency System 17.1

I. Growth of Imperialism
a. Natural resources
b. Nationalism
c. Bases to refuel and supply navy ships
d. The spread of western civilization

II. Expanding U.S. Interests
a. Monroe Doctrine
i. originally meant that the United States declared itself neutral in European wars and warned other nations to stay out of the Western Hemisphere. ii. Later, the doctrine was interpreted to mean a more active role to protect the interests of the United States.
b. Seward’s Folly
i. Alaska
c. Midway Islands

III. Arguments for U.S. Expansion
a. Promoting economic growth
b. Protecting American Security
c. Preserving American Spirit

Visual Learning, p. 29 - Expansionism

Chapter 10, Section 2: The Spanish-American War

I. Setting the Stage for War
a. American involvement in Cuban rebellion against Spain
b. The de Lôme letter
c. Explosion of the USS Maine
d. McKinley’s war message

(Wartime Propaganda)

II. Results of the Spanish American War = A Splendid Little War
a. Treaty of Paris
i. Cuban independence recognized by Spain ii. Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico become unincorporated territories of the U.S. III. New Challenges after the War
a. The Philippines
i. Gained independence in 1946
b. Cuba

IV. Other U.S. Gains in the Pacific
a. Hawaii
i. Pearl Harbor ii. 1898 – annexed Hawaii iii. became increasingly important to United States business interests. Hawaii also leased Pearl Harbor to the United States as a fueling and repair station for naval vessels. In 1898, Congress approved the annexation of Hawaii.
b. Open Door Policy

Chapter 10, Section 3: A New Foreign Policy

I. The Panama Canal (1904-1914)
a. Provided a shorter route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans

Color Transparencies A29
What is the status of the Panama Canal today?

II. Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy
a. “Speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far.”
b. The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine — The United States will act as “an international police power” in the Western Hemisphere and intervene to prevent intervention by other powers.

III. Foreign Policy after Roosevelt – William Howard Taft
a. Dollar Diplomacy
i. maintaining orderly societies abroad through increased American investment in foreign economies.

Chapter 10, Section 4: Debating America’s New Role

Section Reading Support Transparency System 17.4
Color Transparencies B10

I. Debating Imperialism
a. Anti-Imperialists
i. Moral and political argument ii. Racial argument iii. Economic argument
b. Pro-Imperialists
i. New frontier ii. Encourages competitive edge iii. Access to foreign markets iv. Great White Fleet

II. Imperialism Viewed from Abroad
a. Mixed views

Describe some situations that demonstrate the ways in which the debate concerning U.S. involvement in international affairs continues to this day.