Questions, to Address While Reading

US History Notes Chapter 18

Questions, to address while reading. 1. What led US leaders to the policy of imperialism? 2. Why was the US interested in Cuba? How did the US remain an influence on Cuba? 3. How did the US accomplish its goals of expansion?

Section 1. The United States was intent during the mid 1800’s on expanding the country through ‘manifest destiny’ to the reaches of the natural borders of the land. During the turn of the century, politicians believe that the US should follow the example of European powers and begin to set up colonies. Africa and Asia were being divided amongst the European powers as a race was initiated for world dominance. It was this idea that led to the US becoming an Imperial power during this time.

American Imperialism American Imperialists used 3 factors to fuel there exploits. 1. American colonies will improve the US economy through trade 2. Imperialism will lead to increase in US military strength 3. Anglo-Saxon cultural superiority

American Imperialist believed the US needed to expand to compete in the world market. Colonization would solve the problems of unemployment and economic depression. The raw materials from colonies would continue to fuel the US industry base.

Military expansion was advocated by Alfred T. Mahan and his book The Influence of Sea Power upon History 1660-1783. Mahan argued the US needed a strong Navy to patrol the international shipping lanes. Mahan wanted the US to build a large navy, build naval bases around the world and construct a canal across Panama, while acquiring other lands such as Hawaii. In his writings and speeches, Mahan stated: 1. Surplus production requires commercial colonies 2. Oceans should be highways, not barriers 3. A powerful navy is essential for commerce

Mahan wrote: "War now not only occurs more rarely, but is an occasional excess, from which recovery is easy."

Although imperialist believed that through the expansion of the country geographically the spreading of ‘dominant’ Anglo-Saxon culture would also occur, there were some who believed that the US should not undertake a policy of expansionism. These reasons included: immoral grounds – there was no justification for dominating another sovereign land, territories taken by US not given constitutional protections, and the economic cost for this policy was too high.

Hawaii Since the 1790’s Hawaii had been important to US merchants who traded with the islands. Sugar was the commodity that was a staple of the economy. American owned plantations accounted for a large portion of the islands wealth and the plantation owners brought in many immigrants from Asia to work the fields. Business leaders in Hawaii from the US in fact had law changed in Hawaii to allow white business owners the right to vote. This change in policy allowed for the US to become a more influential force in the islands, and eventually led to the US building a naval base. US planters, not wanting to pay high tariffs on there sugar, called for the US to annex Hawaii. However, the US president Grover Cleveland opposed annexation. Instead plantation owners, with the help of US Ambassador John Stevens, organized a revolution against the Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani. With the help of US naval and Marine forces a provisional government was formed with Sanford B. Dole as president. After President McKinley was elected, a pro-imperialist, Hawaii was formerly annexed by the US without native Hawaiians having their voice heard.

Section 2 As the Spanish empire became less influential in the world, the US began to pay more attention to the island off the coast of Florida. The US government actually entertained the idea of buying Cuba from Spain during President Polk’s administration and during the 1860 election period, the Democrats advocated adding Cuba as a slave state. Cuba would eventually become part of America’s growing domination through war with Spain.

Cuban Instability Towards the end of Spain control of the island, Cubans began to revolt against Spanish rule. Slavery was abolished in Cuba in 1886. This abolition led to US investors to look toward Cuba as support for the burgeoning US economy. The main crop that fueled the Cuban economy was sugar cane. The US became Cuba’s main market for sugar and in 1884 abolished a tariff on Cuban sugar. This elimination allowed the Cuban economy to grow quickly. However, in 1894, the tariff was restored and the Cuban economy was ruined.

2nd War for Independence Anti-Spanish sentiment in Cuba led to another attempt for Cuban independence. One of the leaders of the movement was Jose Marti, a Cuban journalist living in NY. He helps to launch a guerilla campaign against industries and factories, specifically US owned industry, to help bring the US to the Cuban’s aid. The public in the US was split on the Cuba issue.

Yellow Journalism In response to the Cuban revolt, Spanish General Valerian Weyler moved 30,000 Cubans into concentration camps were thousands died of disease. Hearing of these actions American newspaper owners, William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, printed exaggerated stories on the problems in Cuba.

De Lome Letter More anti-Spanish sentiment was rooted in the US after the publishing of a private letter of the Spanish minister to the US. The letter stated that the minister believed that President McKinley was weak executive. USS Maine The battleship USS Maine was sent by President McKinley to Cuba to protect American citizens and property. In February 1898 the ship exploded while in port in Cuba. There was no clear reason why the Maine exploded (mine, internal explosion), however yellow journalists took advantage of the situation and blamed the Spanish for the destruction. With this incident the US was on its way to war.

Battleship Maine

War with Spain With the cry “Remember the Maine” the US public was ready for war with Spain. However, President McKinley, a Civil War veteran, was reluctant to ask for a declaration of war immediately. The Spanish not willing to go to war, attempted to avoid war with the US by agreeing to a six month cease-fire. Congress declared war in April 1898.

The first battle of the Spanish-American War was in the Philippines, an island chain Spanish colony in the Pacific. Admiral George Dewey, sailed into Manila and destroyed the Spanish fleet. For the next two months Americans joined the Filipino rebel leader, Emilio Aguinaldo, and defeated the Spanish in the Pacific.

The US landed forces in Cuba in June 1898. The army lacked a large force but was supplemented by many ill-prepared troops. Over 100,000 Americans volunteered to fight creating a fever pitch of pro-US sentiment. One of the all volunteer groups that fought in Cuba was the Rough Riders, a cavalry unit. Commanded by Teddy Roosevelt and Leonard Wood, the Rough Riders were declared heroes by the US press. The major battle of the war was fought near Santiago in July of 1898. The war lasted only four months and was called ‘a splendid little war’ by the US Secretary of State.

The Treaty of Paris 1898 In ending the war the US and Spain came to an agreement with the following terms: 1. Cuba would be independent 2. Spain would give Puerto Rico and Guam (Pacific) to the US 3. the US would pay $20 million to Spain to annex the Philippines. Many groups argued against the annexation of the Philippines. They believed that 1. it went against the Declaration of Independence, denying self-government to others 2. the US should take care of race relations at home first 3. Filipino immigrants may take away jobs from Americans

Results of the Spanish-American War The United States easily and swiftly won the war and this outcome left a lasting legacy on both domestic and foreign policy. 1. The United States became more like European countries 2. The nation was no longer a republic equal in all of its parts 3. America's quick victory had lasting psychological effects on many people

Section 3 As a result of the Spanish-American War, the US came into possession of Puerto Rico. However, some Puerto Ricans did not want US protection and conflict rose between. After being freed from Spanish rule some Puerto Ricans wanted statehood, some complete independence.

Knowing the strategic importance of Puerto Rico to the US lawmakers went about to pass the Foraker Act. This act did the following: 1. denied US citizenship to Puerto Ricans 2. gave the president the power to appoint PR governor 3. gave the president power to appoint members of PR upper house

Puerto Ricans only had the power to elect member to the lower house of their legislature. The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution did not automatically apply to people in acquired territories. Congress eventually gave rights to the Puerto Rican people.

After the Spanish-American War the resolution that concluded the war included a provision known as the Teller Amendment. According to the amendment the US would not annex or control Cuba. However, the US governed the island for four years after the war. Cubans worried that the US would replace Spain as the ruling country, but the US continued to give aid to the Cubans by building school, farm land, and improve health conditions on the island.

When the Cubans formed their own government in 1901, there was no provision that stated the relations of the US and Cuba. Therefore the US wanted an amendment to clarify the relationship between the two nations. This became known as the Platt Amendment and provided for the following: 1. Cuba could not make any treaties that might limit its independence or allow a foreign country to control its territory 2. Cuba could not go into debt 3. The US was allowed to intervene in Cuba to maintain independence 4. the US may buy or lease land on the island for naval bases

Cuba essentially became a US protectorate, whose affairs were partially controlled by another country. In the Philippines after the US took over the island the US government appointed a Filipino government. However, natives feared that the US was acting in Spain’s place and that the Philippines were not actually independent. This led to an uprising which became the Philippine-American War and lasted three years. At the war’s end the Philippines situation was much like the Puerto Rican and the Philippines became completely independent in 1946.

As in Africa, China was becoming a burgeoning market for European powers. By 1899 England, France, Germany, Japan, and Russian had spheres of influence in China. This led to the controlling of railroads and mining expedition within the Chinese landscape. The US had no spheres of influence and wanted to be sure that the Chinese ports would be kept open for trade. Fearing that the Asian and European powers would possibly close of ports to the US, the government sent a policy statement to these nations asking to keep and Open Door Policy in China. This would, in effect, keep China’s coastal ports open to trade with the US.

This foreign influence in China led to many natives becoming upset with China becoming a harbor for foreign powers. A group of Chinese opposed to the spread of foreign influence created a secret society known as the Boxers and led an uprising against the foreign countries. Troops from the US, Britain, Germany, France and Japan joined together to put down the uprising.

Section 4 In the past couple of chapters Teddy Roosevelt’s domestic policy was discussed. Know we will turn to his foreign policy. There are two major components that make up Roosevelt’s foreign policy. They are the construction of the Panama Canal and the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.

For a long time, the United States had been interested in a canal that would make transportation between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans more efficient. This was crucial not only for trade, but for the growing United States Navy. Roosevelt was prepared to pay the New Panama Canal Company $40 million for access to the canal and $10 million to Columbia for the land, but Columbia refused, hoping for a higher price. At the same time, there was a growing independence movement in Panama. The United States promptly recognized the new Republic of Panama. With the help of the United States, Panama got its independence and a cool $10 million, the canal company got $40 million, Columbia got nothing, and the United States, after a decade of construction and the death of nearly 6,000 canal builders, got its sea passage. As the US continued to expand, TR realized the need to keep American interests around the globe safe. To this end TR presented his corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. Extending the thoughts of President Monroe that European powers stay away from colonizing the western hemisphere, TR announced that if US interests were threatened he would not hesitate to use military force to keep those interests safe. This was a bold step for the United States and helped to usher the coming military power of the US.

People, Events, Terms

Anti-Imperialist League - A group including such luminaries as William James and Mark Twain that argued against to combat American imperialism. Disliked the American annexation of Spanish territories.

Coaling Station - Coaling Stations were necessary in the late 19th century so that steamships that burned coal could refuel en route. A worldwide navy (that could protect worldwide trade interests) required worldwide coaling stations. The need for coaling stations was one of the reasons the US annexed several islands during and after the Spanish American War, especially Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines.

Wilson-Gorman Tariff - This tariff passed by Congress in 1894 restricted US sugar imports. The tariff led to an economic downturn in Cuba, and in turn helped to increase the anger of Cuban natives against colonial Spain.

Walter Reed - US Army bacteriologist and pathologist sent to Cuba. He was the first to link yellow fever to mosquito bites, helping to eliminate the disease.

Leonard Wood - Colonel and commander of the volunteer Rough Riders. Wood remained in Cuba as the governor during the brief US occupation following the war. As governor, Wood oversaw the improvement of sanitation, the building of schools and roads, and the deepening of Havana harbor.