US HISTORY II
CHAPTER 18 LECTURE NOTES OUTLINE
Section 1: Imperialism and America
1. Manifest Destiny vs. imperialism
 mid 1800s Manifest Destiny (obvious fate to expand)
 Mexican Am. War, Texas Rev., Gadsden Purchase
 Late 1800s Imperialism—(global Manifest Destiny). Stronger nations controlling weaker areas
or territories through colonization.
 American Territories--Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa
2. 3 factors that led to US imperialism—“gain and give”
a. political—America’s desire for military strength
 US military should expand (protection, competition)
b. Economic—finding new markets for trade (raw materials, untapped resources)
 Industry, buyers for goods, foreign trade
c. Cultural (social)—racial supremacy
 Anglo-Saxon superiority
 Christianity; democracy
3. Acquiring Alaska
4. Taking Hawaii
Section 2: The Spanish-American War 1898-1900
(Imperialist war—war that is about trying to control different colonies)
 2 phases. Both America and Spain try to expand to other areas.
1. Cuban independence from Spain—mid-late 1800s. Spain loses colonies
 Cuba fails in revolution against Spain. Cuba one of last Spanish colonies in western
world.
2. American interest in Cuba—1854: Imperial issues begin. America asks Spain to sell US Cuba.
3. Jose Marti and Cuba Libre—Marti—Cuban poet/journalist living in exile in NY
 Tries to start new revolution of Cuba against Spain (1895 Revolution begins)
 Guerilla style campaign. Small group attacking Spanish.
 Marti hopes to get US aid but fears US imperialism
4. yellow journalism and war fever
 yellow journalism—sensationalized media reporting (taking something real and blowing it way
out of proportion so people believe lies)
Two papers who sensationalized American involvement in other parts of world:
 NY Journal: editor/publisher—William R. Hearst.
 NY World: editor—Joseph Pulitzer
 US sympathetic to Cuban rebel cause
 War fever—president McKinley tries diplomacy to avoid the war
5. the de Lome letter—published by NY Journal. Private letter that was intercepted. De Lome wrote letter
back to Spain and NY Journal intercepts it. (***cause for US involvement in the war)
6. explosion of the USS Maine—(***cause for US involvement in the war). This ship exploded in the Port
of Havana, Cuba (1898). Cause: unknown. Finger will be pointed at Spain accusing them of blowing up
the ship.
7. 2 phases of the Spanish-American War (April, 1898 when congress declares war on Spain)
a. the Philippines—Spanish colony.
 US fleet stationed in the Pacific Ocean; attacked Spanish fleet at Manila.
 Comm. Dewey—head of Navy and fleet that’s stationed in Pacific.
 US Navy so powerful and so successful, they capture all Spanish ships. Paves way for US
to gain access to mainland.
 Emilio Aguinaldo—“Thanks America, we are now going to be our own country.”
 Aguinaldo leads rebels: Philippine natives want independence from Spain
 Spain surrenders in the fall. Philippines liberated from Spanish control.
b. the Caribbean—Cuba, Caribbean Sea
 Navy lead by Admiral Sampson
 First thing US does is establish a blockade set up around Cuba-try to cut off entry into
and out of Spain
 US military sent 125,000 troops (ground forces)
 The “rough riders”—Col. Theodore Roosevelt--TR (soldiers on horse back)
 Most well know for Santiago/San Juan Hill. Roosevelt gets “image in media”—military
hero (sensationalism)
 July 1898—Spanish trying to flee Cuba, bulk of their fleet is destroyed
 Leads to US invading Puerto Rico, another Spanish possession
 August 1898—signing “Cease Fire”—lay down weapons which leads to Peace treaty—
treaty of Paris
8. Treaty of Paris—
1. Cuba is liberated—no longer a Spanish colony. US will “supervise”
2. Guam and Puerto Rico become US possessions, these are ceded (turned over) to US by Spain
3. US buys the Philippines from Spain-- $20 million
Section 3: Acquiring New Lands
1. Puerto Rico—why did we want it? Location, power
 Never given a promise of independence
 Under American military control
 Location—Caribbean Sea, establish strong military to protect Panama Canal
 Power—keep up military presence (1900)
A. Foraker Act: establishes a civil government in PR—says US President will appoint
a governor, create a solid government
B. Insular Cases (1901)—Supreme Court rules that US Constitution does not apply to
people in territories
 1917—Congress gives citizenship and voting rights to people in PR
 1952—Commonwealth status given to PR (a self-governing unit voluntarily grouped with US)
2. Cuba—post war
A. Teller Amendment—US promises that it will not colonize Cuba, won’t try to take over.
 Cuba has freedom but US military is occupying Cuba
 US wants to maintain diplomacy b/c of economic benefit
B. Platt Amendment—1901. Cuban Constitution has been amended (Platt Amend. Is addition to
the Constitution). US is trying to assist Cuba. Am. wants Cuba to add these to their Const.:
1. NO foreign treaties
2. USA can intervene if Cuba is threatened
3. Cuba can never go into financial debt (will make US look bad)
4. ***Let the USA buy or lease some territory so that US can set up a military base (Guantanamo
Bay)

1930s—FDR—“Good Neighbor Policy”—liberates Cuba so it is no longer under US
control
3. the Philippines—annexed by Treaty of Paris
 US buys Philippines and Aguinaldo changes his anger and directs it at US. Wants
freedom for people in his country
 US wants to establish a home base in S. Pacific
 Through the annexation and anger of Phil.: Rebels Philippine-American War—to
Philippinos, USA is the “new” Spain
 70k troops and majority are African American
 25K deaths, majority are Philippine rebels
 lasts 3 years and costs $400 million (20x purchase price)
 Philippines has US military govt. until 1947
4. China—established a lot of colonies set up by many European nations
 Europeans set up “Spheres of influence”—pre-divided areas for trade and economic reasons
a. Open Door Notes—US Sect. of State issued this. John Hay wrote asking other nations to get
involved (“open door”-share trade rights).
 Sharing of trading rights and NO imperial nation dominates
 All European countries agree
5. Impact of gaining new lands
a. Open Door policy (economic/political) as the basis of US foreign policy
 Open Door Note leads to Open Door Policy—forms the basis of American foreign policy
 US foreign policu based on economic issues
 Reasons for economic issue b/c: tapping into new resources, markets for trade, military
 US foreign policy is about building economy, growing as a country
Section 4: America as a World Power
1. President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt
 Am. President, Progressive Party-populism, 3rd party
 Youngest to serve as President after assassination of McKinley
a. Russo-Japanese War
 TR serves role as mediator—negotiates a peaceful end to problem of Russians and
Japanese fighting
 Imperialist war—fighting over control of Korean entity
 America cares b/c of the Open Door Policy—preserve the open door for trade purposes
 TR wins Nobel Prize 1906
 US and Japanese have a good diplomatic relationship
b. Panama Canal (1901)
 Hay Pauncefote Treaty—US and Britain negotiating. Britain turning over control over
Central Am. canal to US
 Panama—purpose of trade, cut down time from east coast to west coast, rugged
terrain. Benefits: easier trade route, decreases travel time, cost effective
 Who will use the Panama Canal: military, trade/commerce vessels
 US pays Panama $10 mil. Down payment + annual rent of $250k/yr
 Cons of building Canal—causes problems with Latin American region
 1977—US told Panama that in 1999 the Canal would be theirs
 Nicaragua—longer distance, easier terrain
c. Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
 Pres. James Monroe—Europeans stay out of our area of the world

Roosevelt said European countries stay out of US or else we will use our “international
police power.” We are the most powerful country in this ½ of world and we will come
after you. “Police of Western Hemi”
 TR philosophy: Big Stick Diplomacy --speak softly but carry a “big stick”—our presence
will make others intimidated. Make sure the rest of the world knows that US patrols the
world.
2. President William Taft
a. Dollar Diplomacy—our economic power and strength that we use to influence other nations
 Favor done by US to lesser smaller countries. They won’t forget what America did.
 Goal: keep Europeans away. Am has to keep destiny to be the strongest around the
world.
3. President Woodrow Wilson
a. Missionary Diplomacy—America’s moral obligation: DO NOT recognize “any oppressive,
undemocratic or hostile” nations. America saying “if you are not like us, we won’t recognize
you”. Will start the butting of heads with other nations.
4. 3 US foreign policy goals in the early 1900s driven by:
1. economic growth depends on exports—goal is to maintain trade relationships over seas
2. US military willing to intervene to protect US interests (see Roosevelt Corollary, Dollar Diplomacy)
3. USA will be threatened if closed to other areas
End of Imperialism