Chapter 22 – Rise to World Power (1865 – 1917)
Section One – Expanding Horizons
American Foreign Policy
 Many Americans wanted an empire abroad like Britain
and France had
 Isolationism - George Washington stated in his
farewell address the US should stay out of foreign
alliances. We had stuck to that policy for 100 years.
 US had expand west and south within North America
 Frontier – unexplored, unsettled land. Frontier was
now gone in US.
 Expansionism – Idea US can gain power by talking more
land
 US traded with China, but not with Japan
 Commodore Matthew Perry – in 1853, Commodore Perry
went to Tokyo Bay with four warships and asked to
trade. Japan told him to come back later. He did and
got a treaty of trade with Japan
 Treaty of Kanagawa – open two ports to US trade in
Japan, who had been isolationist until then
An Age of Imperialism
 Imperialism – creation of large, powerful empires by
gaining economic and/or political control over weaker
nations
 Countries used imperialism to gain trade markets or
resources
 Asia and Africa – targets of most imperialism by
European nations
 William Seward – Sec of State under Lincoln, Seward
purchases Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.
 Seward’s Folly - Most thought purchase of Alaska was a
waste of money as everyone thought Alaska was a frozen
wasteland. However, gold and oil were discovered
there in the late 1890s
 Manifest Destiny – many still believe US has a calling
to help weaker nations “rise up” with our help.
Racist idea that we are better than others. Many
thought we should export our religion and culture to
Africa, Latin America, and Asia
 Monroe Doctrine (1823) – James Monroe stated Latin and
South America were closed to European colonization and
the US would supervise this.
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US Naval Power – during the 1880s, US converts from
sails to steam and wooden to steel hulls. US Navy is
now one of great power.
Section Two – Imperialism in the Pacific
Hawaii
 Has 8 large islands and 100 smaller ones 2000 miles
west of California
 Traded with US and European nations
 US missionaries arrive in 1820 and translate Bible
into Hawaiian language, create schools
 Sugarcane – introduced to Hawaii by US in 1830 and
American growers there make huge profits. US
businesses begin to buy up all the land they can.
 US business begin to serve as advisors to Hawaiian
ruling family
 US Tariff on sugar hurts Hawaiian-based American
companies. They look to get around the tariff
 Queen Liliuokalani – Takes control of Hawaii in 1891
and resents American influence there. Takes away
powers of US planters in hopes of putting Hawaiians
back in control of Hawaii
 Provisional Government – US Planters overthrow
Liliuokalani in 1893 and set up a provisional
(temporary) government
 Annexation – US decides to annex (add) Hawaii as a
territory in 1900 over the wishes of Hawaiians
Samoa
 US, Great Britain and Germany meet in Berlin in 1899
to decide to split up Samoa without first asking
Samoans about this
 Germany and US each get a portion (GB decides instead
to take other Pacific islands)
 US annexes its portion of Samoa in 1899
China and the Open Door
 China was weak as a result of war and lack of industry
in late 1890s
 Spheres of Influence – ports in which only one foreign
power is alloed to trade. Germany, Japan, Great
Britain, France and Russia all had spheres of
influence in China, but the US did not.
 Open Door Policy – US wants to trade in China so Sec
State John Hay creates the Open Door policy. This
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states that any country is allowed to trade anywhere
in China. China has no control over who trades in its
own country
Boxer Rebellion – A secret group called the “Boxers”
in China resent foreign control. The Boxers attack
and kill many foreigners. Foreign nations join with
US to defeat the Boxers and enforce the Open Door
policy
Japan
 As a result of US industrial help, Japan gains power
quickly
 Russo-Japanese War (1904 – 1906) – bloody war creating
weakness in both Russia and Japan. US negotiates and
end to war
 Japan quickly learns it must have a more powerful navy
 Many Japanese citizens decide to move to California
 US discriminates against these immigrants (San
Francisco orders Asians to attend separate schools.
Japanese govt protests – looks like trouble
 “Great White Fleet” - TR sends 16 new battleships on a
world tour that stops in Japan. This mild threat
solved the issues between the US and Japan (“Speak
softly and carry a big stick”).
Section Three – Spanish American War
A Splendid Little War
 Cuba lived under Spanish rule for centuries
 Some Cubans, under Jose Marti, come to US to get
money, arms, and troops for a revolution
 Marti’s revolution fails with thousands of Cubans
dying of starvation and disease in the conflict
 US businesses worried about Spain shutting off US
interests
 Joseph Pulitzer (NY World) and William Randolph Hearst
(NY Journal) pushing the public opinion about Spain in
yellow journalism articles
 Hearst said to one of his artists, “You provide the
pictures and I’ll provide the war.”
 Yellow Journalism – exaggeration of an issue in order
to draw more attention and/or sell more newspapers
“Remember the Maine”
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US citizens demanded government support the Cubans in
their conflict with Spain
US sends the battleship Maine to Havana to keep an eye
on things.
After three weeks, the Maine has an explosion, killing
260 sailors.
US newspapers blame the explosion on Spain without
proof
US citizens want revenge and Congress declares the
Spanish-American war on April 25, 1898
Philippines - Commodore George Dewey attacks
Philippines (Spanish controlled islands in the
Pacific). This shows a US motivation for war is
imperialism
Cuba – US blockades the Spanish in Cuba, cutting off
supplies.
Rough Riders – led by TR, this volunteer group was
followed by US journalists who told heroic stories
that led to TR becoming a war hero.
Battle of San Juan Hill – Outnumbering the Spanish
7000 to 600, TR’s Rough Riders overwhelm the Spanish
Armistice – Spain concedes the war on August 12, 1898
Losses in the War
 US Ambassador John Hay calls the conflict, “A splendid
little war.”
 War was only four months long and about 400 Americans
died in fighting
 2000 Americans die from disease such as malaria and
yellow fever (tropical climate)
 25% of US troops were African American but were forced
to be in segregated units.
Acquisitions
 US and Spain sign the Treaty of Paris (1898)
o Cuba becomes and American protectorate
(independent but technically under the control of
another country)
o Puerto Rico and Guam become US territories (an
area completely controlled by another country)
o Spain gives US the Philippines for $20 million
 Platt Amendment – Cuba was permitted its independence,
but the US is permitted to intervene in Cuban affairs
as it deems necessary
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US gets control of the Guantanamo Bay naval base in
Cuba
Puerto Rico – Puerto Ricans given full US citizenship
in 1917, but some are bitter about not being
independent
Philippines – Filipinos fight US for independence.
4000 US troops die while over 200,000 Filipinos were
killed. US lays out a plan for Philippines to become
independent, which they do in 1946.
Section Four – Latin American Policies
Panama
 US and Europeans want to construct a canal across
Central America to save time (Route around South
America is long and dangerous in winter)
 Isthmus of Panama – the country of Panama is a narrow
strip of land about 50 miles wide between the Atlantic
and Pacific
 French attempt and fail – in 1879, the French tried to
build a canal but ran out money and many men died due
to disease. Sell rights to US for Panama region in
1901 for $40 million
 Columbia, who owned Panama, refused to lease land to
US
 TR supports a revolution in Panama to overthrow the
Columbians by sending ships, men, and support. The
one day revolt takes place on 11/2/1903
The Panama Canal
 US recognizes Panama as a country on 11/6/1903 and two
weeks later signs a 99 year lease of land for $10
million and $250,000 annually
 TR get criticized by some in Congress, but replies, “I
took the canal zone and let Congress debate, and while
the debate goes on, the canal does also.” Shows TR to
be a man of action.
 Panama Canal opens August 15, 1914 when a cargo ship
called the Ancon makes the first voyage.
 Benefits of the Panama Canal –
o Shorter Distance - Former route – 12,600 miles.
The Panama Canal route was only 4,900 miles
o Security - US Navy can now get places quicker, so
it helps with imperialism and protection of US
o US Presence in Latin America
Policing the Western Hemisphere
 TR often used an African proverb, “Speak softly and
carry a big stick.”
 TR believed the US must be an international police
power to protect against anarchy (lawlessness)
 Monroe Doctrine – US says Latin America is closed to
new European colonies (1823)
 Roosevelt Corollary – US would serve as police for
Latin America and intervene as necessary.
o 1905 - US takes control of Dominican Republic’s
finances after a revolution
o 1906 – US troops set to Cuba to halt a revolution
 Dollar Diplomacy – As President, Taft looked to move
away from TR’s military ideas and instead “substitute
dollars for bullets.” This meant the US would invest
in other countries that could help American interests
rather than send troops.
 Some nations resent the US tampering in other
countries
Relations with Mexico
 Mexico was a very poor country in which a small group
of landowners controlled the nation
 Mexico has several quick revolutions in the early
1900s and US is not sure whom to back
 Francisco “Poncho” Villa - attacks Columbus, New
Mexico, killing 18 because of US support for a rival
 US sends troops under General John J. Pershing to
capture Villa, takes over a year because Mexicans help
Villa hide
 Relations with Mexico are not good