Chapter 20
The United States Looks Overseas

Key Terms for the Chapter
• Isolationism
– Avoiding involvement in other countries’ affairs
• Imperialism
– Building empires by imposing political and economic control over peoples around the world

The Turner Thesis
• Frederick Jackson Turner
– Created idea that western frontier defined
American History
• expansionists believed that overseas was the new frontier and would bring new riches and power

Economic Growth
• Expansionists argued that future prosperity depended on building up trade
• U.S. had a powerful industrial economy and produced more than Americans would buy

Economic Growth
• There was a fear that if U.S. did not expand it would be shut out of global markets and denied raw materials
• Alfred T. Mahan stated that the key to strong trade was a powerful navy

United States Looks Overseas
• Purchasing Alaska
– 1867 The United States purchased Alaska from
Russia for $7.2 million (about 2 cents an acre)
– Alaska was full of resources (gold and oil)
• Alaska Gold Rush of 1897-1898

Spreading American Values
• In the late 1800s many Americans believed that Americans of the “Anglo-Saxon race” were superior to “lesser races” in other nations
• Argument was Americans had a divine duty to spread Christian values and western civilization around the world.

Gaining Foothold in the Pacific
• Expansionists had interest in various Pacific islands, and saw them essential for expanding influence and trade

• Samoa

Gaining Foothold in the Pacific
• Samoa
– U.S. had interest in Samoa to use as coaling stations for ships
• Other European countries also wanted Samoa and
Britain, Germany, and the U.S. almost went to war
– In 1899 the U.S. and Germany divided the islands
• People in Samoa had no say in the matter.

Gaining Foothold in the Pacific
• Hawaii
– U.S. saw Hawaii as a military outpost in Pacific
– 1893 American planters and 50 U.S. Marines overthrew Queen Liliuokalani.
• President Grover Cleveland refused to annex Hawaii because the revolt had been illegal
– on July 7, 1898 Hawaii became a territory of U.S. when it was annexed by President William
McKinley

• Hawaii

Carving Up China
• Late 1800s China lost a war and European powers wanted to take advantage of China’s weakness
– European power and Japan started dividing China into spheres of influence (areas where another nation has economic and political control)

Carving Up China
• At first, U.S. were not part of the activity, but
U.S. officials feared they would be excluded from trading with China
– Secretary of State John Hay called on nations to keep an “open door” policy in China.

Carving Up China
• Boxer Rebellion
– A secret Society called Righteous and Harmonious
Fist was formed to try and combat foreigners in
China
• Became known as Boxers because of their ceremonial exercises that resembled shadowboxing
– In spring of 1900 the Boxers began a rebellion to expel foreigners

Carving Up China
• The boxers attacked and killed westerners and
Chinese Christians.
• European powers and the U.S. sent in 18,000 troops with modern weapons and crushed the rebellion

The Spanish-American War
• Cuba had been under Spanish control since
1492
• After Centuries of being under Spain’s harsh control Cuban’s started to rebel
– First rebellion started in 1868 and lasted 10 years, but was unsuccessful

The Spanish-American War
• Cubans started another rebellion in 1895
• To stop the revolt the Spanish began a policy of reconcentration ( movement of large numbers of people into detention camps for military or political reasons )
– 200,000 Cubans would die in these camps due to poor sanitation and starvation

The Spanish-American War
• Cubans, led by Jose Marti, asked for help from the U.S.
– Marti was a leader of the rebels, but was killed in
Cuba before he was able to see Cuba free from
Spanish rule

The Spanish-American War
• Many Americans wanted to help the Cuban rebels, but U.S. government was resistant to send troops
• Americans wanted to help Cuba to protect their investments
– Americans had over $50 million in sugar plantations, railroads, and iron mines

Yellow Journalism
• yellow journalismA sensational style of reporting that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news

The Spanish-American War
• Newspapers swayed public opinion towards war by using Yellow Journalism
– Led by Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World and
William Randolph Hearst of the New York Journal

The Spanish-American War
• U.S. declares war
-February 15, 1898 the Maine sinks and the United
States declares war on Spain

Spanish-American War
• The U.S. Goes to War
– April 20, 1898 the U.S. declares war on Spain
– The first main battle of the war took place in the
Philippines
• May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey led a small fleet of ships to Manila Bay and sank the entire Spanish squadron
• The U.S. did not lose a single ship or life

Spanish-American War
• The Filipinos were also fighting for independence from Spain
– Emilio Aguinaldo was the leader of the Filipino rebels
– Instead of giving independence to the Filipinos the
U.S. took control of the islands

Spanish-American War
• War in the Caribbean
– Most of the fighting took place around Santiago and at sea

Spanish-American War
• War in the Caribbean
– U.S. troops were poorly trained, but eager to fight
• One of the best known units was the Rough Riders, which was led by Theodore Roosevelt
• Roosevelt led a successful charge up San Juan hill, which became the most celebrated event of the war

Spanish-American War
• Once Spain surrendered Cuba, American troops invaded and quickly took control of
Puerto Rico

Spanish-American War
• December 1898, a treaty was signed
– Cuba received its independence
– Puerto Rico, Philippines, islands of Guam, and
Wake islands became territories of the U.S.

The United States and Latin America
• Panama Canal
– The Isthmus of Panama was chosen because it was only 50 miles wide
– perfect location to shorten trips from the West
Coast to the East Coast

The United States and Latin America
• U.S. offered Columbia $10 million and
$250,000 yearly rent to build the canal
– Columbia did not accept the deal

The United States and Latin America
• Panamanians started a revolution against
Columbia
– U.S. sent gunboats and Marines to support
Panama
– Panama gains its freedom and the U.S. received the land to build the canal

“Gun Boat Diplomacy”

The United States and Latin America
• Fighting Disease
– First obstacle to building the canal was overcoming diseases
• Malaria and Yellow Fever (carried by mosquitoes)
• William C. Gorgas

The United States and Latin America
• Constructing the Canal
– Construction involved three main tasks
• Cut through a mountain
• Dam a river
• Build locks

The United States and Latin America
• Canal Was finished August 15, 1914 (six months ahead of schedule)

The United States and Latin America
• Wielding a “Big Stick” in Latin America
– Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
• It was the job of the U.S. to protect the Western
Hemisphere from European nations
• When neighbors of the U.S. got into disputes with foreign nations, the U.S. had the right to intervene and restore order

The United States and Latin America
• William Howard Taft believed in dollar diplomacy
– Taft wanted bankers and businesses to invest in
Latin America
– Dollar Diplomacy led to many military interventions because the U.S. had to protect its investments

The United States and Latin America
• Relations With Mexico
– 1911 Mexico entered into a violent revolution
– President Woodrow Wilson believed U.S. foreign policy should support democracy throughout the world, and hoped Mexico would develop its own democratic government

The United States and Latin America
• The United States had trouble staying out of the conflict
– 1914 an incident in Tampico, Mexico led to U.S. sailors being arrested
– Francisco Villa (Pancho Villa) kept entering New
Mexico and raiding towns. (Killed 18 Americans in one raid)