11/8/10
What was / is America’s role in the world?
Roosevelt Corollary – The U.S. will react to anything
in the world that threatens its interests.
Big Stick Diplomacy – “Walk softly, but carry a big
stick.”
•Imperialist nations had been carving out spheres of
influence in China throughout the late 1800s
•America sent letters (Open Door Notes) to all those
nations asking for equal trading rights in China for all
nations
Our goal
China’s reaction
The reaction of other
nations.
In what ways is America involved in the
world today?
What are the obvious or potential
negatives of each of these?
•Burlingame Treaty of 1868 – led to fair play
between nations, unrestricted Chinese
immigration to America (Central Pacific R/R)
and no American interference in Chinese
domestic affairs
•Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 – suspended
immigration from China for ten years
•Chinese resented foreign influence in
China – this resentment grew after the
Open Door Policy was announced.
•Chinese patriots (called Boxers) started
a rebellion to rid China of foreign
influence in 1900 = Boxer Rebellion
•A coalition of the Open Door nations put
down the rebellion and forced China to
pay reparations (money for war
damages)
"China never wanted foreigners any more than
foreigners wanted Chinamen, and on this
question I am with the Boxers every time. The
Boxer is a patriot. He loves his country better
than he does the countries of other people. I
wish him success. The Boxer believes in driving
us out of his country. I am a Boxer too, for I
believe in driving him out of our country."
-Mark Twain November 23, 1900
•American whalers wanted to refuel in
Japan and American traders wanted tea,
silk, and other goods
•In 1852, Commodore Matthew Perry was
sent to Japan with huge black warships
(the warships terrified the Japanese)
•Japan opened trade with the west in 1854
•
Japan and Russia were fighting over
Korea and Manchuria, China
•
Both nations were too strong to lose, but
too weak to win (stalemate)
•
President T. Roosevelt negotiated a
peace treaty for two reasons:
•
1 – he wanted Russia and Japan to
uphold the Open door Policy
•
2 – he feared that Japan would grow
too strong and threaten America in
the Pacific
•President T. Roosevelt sent the U.S.
Navy on a global cruise in 1907 to
show that the USA could protect its
interests by force
•The sixteen battleships were painted
white and called the Great White Fleet
•The Great White Fleet was the
embodiment of Roosevelt’s “Big Stick
Diplomacy”