Toward an American Empire
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U.S. expansion shifts after 1890 & the defeat
of the Plains Indians
Strategically placed islands taken, initially
intended as colonies
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Domestic concerns dominated the post-Civil
War years
But the1870s brought new interest in areas
beyond U.S. boundaries
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Expansion abroad sought to gain markets
Evolutionary ideas encouraged expansion to
give “guidance” to native peoples elsewhere
Missionary spirit (see Josiah Strong's popular
Our Country, published in 1885)
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Expansionist foreign policy
Acquisitions: Alaska, Midway Islands
Efforts to erode European influence in Latin
America
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Diversion of Latin American trade from Europe
through a series of reciprocity treaties
U.S. support of Venezuela against Great Britain
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1875--U.S. allows free importation of
Hawaiian sugar
Queen Liliuokalani retaliates for McKinley
Tariff, attempts to reduce U.S. influence
1893--American settlers pull off coup
1898--Hawaii made U.S. possession
1872--U.S. granted port facilities in Samoa
1899--U.S. shares control with Germany
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Alfred Mahan argues that overseas markets
are essential for industrial surpluses
Large merchant marine, strong navy
needed
1889--Secretary of Navy Benjamin Tracy
supervises a program of naval construction
 CARNEGIE’S INVOLVEMENT
U.S. gains offensive capability at sea
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The war increased overseas possessions
It also gained the U.S. recognition as a “world
power”
Many more Americans became convinced
they had a special destiny
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February, 1895--rebellion in Cuba
"Yellow press" whips up U.S. sentiment to
favor Cuban independence
McKinley gains Spanish concessions
February, 1898--explosion of the Maine
April 19--Congress declares Cuba
independent
April 25--U.S. declares war on Spain
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U.S. regular army small, ill-prepared
Problems of equipment and supply
Most soldiers fight in National Guard units
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African Americans serve in army Guard units
Black troops resist segregation
African American soldiers win 26 Certificates
of Merit, 5 Congressional Medals of Honor
Overt racism in Philippines
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May 1--Commodore George Dewey captures
Manila Bay
June--Cuba invaded
July--Puerto Rico occupied
August 13--Philippines surrender
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Fate of the Philippines was the thorniest issue
at the peace negotiations
December 1898--Treaty of Paris
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Cuba independent
U.S. takes Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines
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Debate over annexation of the Philippines
Opponents formed the Anti-Imperialist
League
February, 1899--ratification of peace treaty
makes U.S. a colonizing nation
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1898-1901--Emilio Aguinaldo leads
Philippine independence movement
“Water Treatment”
1901--U.S. replaces military with civil rule
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local self-government permitted
schedule established for independence
July 4, 1946--Philippine independence
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Supreme Court permits selective application
of Constitution to new territories
Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico organized as
territories, inhabitants made U.S. citizens
Navy controls Guam
Cuban constitution ends U.S. occupation,
but:
Platt Amendment gives U.S. the right to
intervene in Cuban affairs
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March, 1900--"Open Door" policy in China
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no European nation should carve out a sphere of
influence in China and exclude others from trading
in the area
Policy opens the potential for later conflict
with expansion-minded powers in Pacific
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Teddy Roosevelt a war hero
Re-establishes Republicans as majority
party
U.S. soldiers stationed outside the country