McKinley
Foreign Policy
1877-1899
Samoa
A. The United States competed
with Great Britain and Germany
in the Pacific over territories and
markets
B. 1878, a treaty gave the US rights
to the main harbor in Pago Pago,
Samoa
C. In 1889, the Germans sent
marines to protect their interests
in Pago Pago, Samoa – the British
and Americans sent gunboats.
D. Ten years later (1899) the US
retained the rights to Pago Pago
after the three powers carved up
the islands
Hawaii
A. US wanted to expand trade across
the Pacific to China – Hawaii was a
vital link
Remember “Manifest Destiny”- Americans
believed God wanted them to spread out
and help take over the world, missionary…
B. 1780s an American Merchant ship had
stopped in Hawaii and by the 1840s
merchant and missionaries dominated
the port of Honolulu
C. Missionaries began cultivating sugar
and producing it for export to the US
D. 1875 treaty between the US and Hawaii
allowed Hawaiian sugar to enter the
states duty-free
E. By 1898 the value of sugar estates in
Hawaii was $40 million
F. By the 1880s, the US had asserted
control over the island – including naval
rights at Pearl Harbor
G. 1890 McKinley Tariff – allowed
all countries to ship sugar to the
US duty free and also gave US
producers of sugar a 2 cent
subsidy
H. The McKinley Tariff crushed the
Hawaiian economy
I.
Queen
Liliuokalani –
very strong
nationalist – tried
to limit foreign
influence in
Hawaii and
restore the
power of the
monarchy
Queen Liliuokalani
J. As a nationalist, she believed that
Hawaii should remain in the hands of
the native people. As a monarchist, she
believed that she – not the sugar
planters – should control the
constitutional legislature.
K. 1893, the planters overthrew Queen
Lil – the US Marines were sent ashore
to protect American lives and
property
L. Revolutionary government was
headed by Sanford Dole – Queen Lil
surrendered her throne
M. President Cleveland supported the
investigation that condemned the US
involvement in the Hawaiian revolt
and requested that Queen Lil be
restored to the throne
N. Dole refused to
step down – Hawaii
remained a
republic from 1894
-1898
Sanford B. Dole, on the left, continued as
President of the new Territory of Hawaii
until the Hawaiian Organic Act of 1900
established a permanent territorial
government led by a governor.
"The Hawaiian pear is
Now fully ripe and this
Is the golden hour for
the United States to
pluck it." - Minister to the
Secretary of State
February 1, 1893
O. (8) Hawaii will be annexed under
President McKinley on July 7, 1898
Fun fact for the day!
Hawaii becomes
A state on
August 21, 1959
Notice McKinley has
Cuba, Puerto Rico,
The Philippines and
Sandwich Islands
(Roosevelt will add Panama)
China
A. China provided an additional market for
the US to sell to during the age of New
Imperialism
B. Japan defeated China in 1895 – Japan
encouraged European tries to take
advantage
of China’s
weakened
position.
C. Each nation
sought to
establish a
“sphere of
influence” – an
area in which
that country’s
commercial and
military interests
dominate
(10) 1899, Secretary of Secretary of State John
State John Hay
Hay
circulated the first of
two “open door”
notes to imperial
powers asked them to
open free trade in
China
E. Three part process: (1) requested
that all ports in their spheres be
open to trade (2) requested that
China be allowed to collect tariffs
and duties (3) requested equal
harbor, railroad and tariff rates be
equal in their spheres
(10 cont.) Boxer Rebellion in China
A. Group
of Chinese nationalists
(known as the Boxers) blamed the
US (Westerners and foreigners) for
China’s troubles
B. Spring of 1900, the Boxers killed
over 200 foreign missionaries and
traders in China
C. Foreign countries
responded by
sending in troops
to Beijing – along
the way, these
troops plundered
the countryside
and killed civilians
E. Sec. of State John Hay issued a 2nd
Open Door Note requesting foreign
powers to respect China’s
territorial/administrative rights and
continue open trade
F. China remained sovereign but had to
pay European powers $333 million for
damages
(5) Spanish American War- 1898
An armed military conflict between Spain
and the United States that took place from
April to August 1898.
The war began due to American demands that Spain
peacefully resolve the Cuban fight for
independence. However, strong expansionist
sentiment in the United States may have also made
the US target Spain's other remaining overseas
territories: Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam and
the Caroline Islands.
Spanish American War - 1898
Some causes of American involvement…
1. Cuban Revolution- Cuba’s fight for freedom from
Spanish oppression
2. Mistreatment of Women- the reported atrocities
committed against Cuban women from Spanish
“overseers” in Cuba
3. DeLome letter- The Spanish diplomat's controversial
letter was critical of U.S. President McKinley and the
prospects for peace . It was leaked to the U.S. press,
forcing the recall of the highly capable minister.
(4) DeLome letter- The
Spanish diplomat's
controversial letter was critical
of U.S. President McKinley and
the prospects for peace . It was
leaked to the U.S. press,
forcing the recall of the highly
capable minister
• Newspaper publishers William
Randolph Hearst (New York Journal)
and Joseph Pulitzer (New York
World) exaggerated Spanish
atrocities and brutality in “Headline
Wars”
WAR FEVER
ESCALATES
Political cartoon: Pulitzer (left) and Hearst
escalating and instigating war between the
U.S. and Spain
4.
Yellow Journalism-
Newspapers like the New
York Journal and the New York World relied on
sensationalist headlines to sell newspapers- the Cuban
Revolution was an excellent chance to sell papers…
remember: "Everything is quiet. There is no trouble.
There will be no war. I wish to return." The publisher's
reply is alleged to have been: "Please remain. You
furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war."
5. Explosion of the USS Maine - The American
battleship that mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor
(while protecting US interests’ in Cuba) causing outrage
and the eventual entrance of America into Cuba’s
revolution against Spain
(3) February 15, 1898 U.S.S. Maine explodes
In Havana Harbor, Cuba
(a) The explosion demolished the ship, killing 266 crewmen. An inquest
ruled that the explosion was caused by sabotage. Later investigations suggested
that an accidental fire in the coal storage bunker ignited the gunpowder
magazines.
(b) The explosion was a cause of the Spanish-American War
and reason for the rallying cry, "Remember the
Maine!, To hell with Spain!"
The episode focused national
attention on the crisis in Cuba
but was not cited by President
McKinley as a cause.
(c) Some who were already inclined
to go to war with Spain over their
perceived atrocities and loss of control
in Cuba may have seen this as the last
straw.
Cuba - 90 miles from FL
II. March 29, 1898
The United States Government issued an ultimatum to
the Spanish Government to terminate its presence
in Cuba. Spain did not accept the ultimatum.
III. April 4, 1898
The New York Journal
issued a million copy press run dedicated to the
war in Cuba. The newspaper called for the
immediate U.S. entry into war with Spain.
IV. April 19, 1898
The U.S. Congress by vote of 311 to 6 in the House and 42 to 35 in
the Senate voted for war with Spain.(9) The Teller
Amendment, passed at this time disclaimed any intention by
the U.S. to control Cuba except in a pacification
role and promised to leave the island as soon as
the war was over.
V. April 25, 1898
War was formally declared between Spain and the United
States and McKinley ordered a blockade of Cuba.
The U.S. fleet left Florida for Havana to begin the Cuban
blockade at the principal ports . McKinley called for
125,000 volunteers.
(14) April 30 /May 1, 1898
U.S. Commodore George
Dewey was told to attack the
Spanish in Manila Bay,
Philippines.
(a) He sailed from China late the night of April 30,
and the following morning he gave the order to attack at first light, by saying
the now famous words "You may fire when you are ready." Within 6 hours, on
May 1, he had sunk or captured the entire Spanish Pacific fleet, with the loss of only
one life on the American side.
(b) News of the victory in the Battle
of Manila Bay made Dewey a
great hero in the U.S. Dewey's swift easy victory encouraged McKinley
to place the Philippines under U.S. control.
Spain also
owns territory
in Pacific… a
good place for
our “land
birds” to land
on!!
VII. Guam, one of the Mariana Islands in the western
Pacific, surrendered to Captain Henry Glass on the U.S.S.
Charleston. The Spanish commander on the island
obviously had not heard of the outbreak of the war, and
there was no ammunition on the island.
VIII. (6) Teddy
Roosevelt and his Rough
Riders … El Caney and the battle of San Juan
Hill, Spanish outposts to Santiago de Cuba, were stormed
and taken over by U.S. troops. There were heavy
casualties on both sides. This is the famous battle won by
Roosevelt and the turning point to the fighting in
Cuba- the US is winning
July 3, 1898 - (15) THE NAVAL BATTLE OF
SANTIAGO
The U.S. Navy's defeat of the Spanish
Navy marked the end of centuries-long
Spanish power in the western
hemisphere. 1,800 Spaniards died in the battle,
in contrast to one American death and one
American wounded sailor. All of the Spanish ships
were beached, either burning or sinking. Two weeks
later the Spanish forces defending Santiago
surrendered and the Spanish-American war ended.
U.S. WINS; SIGNS TREATY OF PARIS
• The U.S. and Spain signed
an armistice on August 12,
1898, ending what
Secretary of State John
Hay called “a splendid
little war”
• The war lasted only 16 weeks
• Cuba was now independent
• U.S. receives Guam, Puerto
Rico, and “bought” the
Philippines for $20 million
Treaty of Paris, 1898
(7) Treaty of Peace in Paris
December 10, 1898
Representatives of Spain and the United
States signed the Treaty of Peace in Paris.
(1)Spain freed Cuba,
(2)Spain gave up Puerto Rico and Guam
to the US,
(3)and Spain sold the Philippine Islands,
for $20,000,000 to the US.