Becoming a World Power
Chapter 10
U.S. History: 1877 to present
Coach Armstrong
Becoming a World Power
 Section 1: The Pressure to Expand
 Section 2: The Spanish American War
 Section 3: A New Foreign Policy
 Section 4: Debating America’s New Role
10.1 The Pressure to Expand
 Growth of Imperialism
 Expanding U.S. Interests
 Arguments for U.S. Expansion
Growth of Imperialism
 The 1800’s marked the peak of European imperialism.
 Much of Africa and Asia under foreign domination.
 Under imperialism, stronger nation attempt to create empires by
dominating weaker nations economically, politically, culturally, or
militarily.
 Why Imperialism Grew
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Economic Factors- growth of industry increased need for natural
resources, and new markets.
Nationalistic Factors- devotion to one’s nation.
Military Factors- tech. made armies and navies better, and need for
refueling stations across the globe.
Humanitarian Factors- duty to spread the blessings of western civ.
Growth of Imperialism
 Europe Leads the Way
 Improved transportation and communications made it easier for
traditional imperial powers to acquire new territory
 Great Britain, France, and Russia.
 Germany entered the fray in 1871 when they became a unified nation.
 By 1890 the U.S. was ready to join the action.
 Supporters denied that the U.S. sought to annex foreign lands (happened
anyway).
Expanding U.S. Interests
 George Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796.
 “steer clear of permanent alliances” with other countries.
 Monroe Doctrine
 The U.S. declared itself neutral in European wars and warned
other nations not to interfere in the Western Hemisphere.
 Manifest Destiny
 The annexation of Texas and the acquisition of California and
other southwestern lands were early steps towards an American
Empire.
 “Seward’s Folly”
 The purchase of Alaska from Russia.
Expanding U.S. Interests
 Japan
 Commodore Matthew C. Perry sailed a fleet of U.S. Navy ships into
Tokyo Bay and forced the Japanese to trade with the U.S.
 By the 1860’s the U.S. and several European nations signed
treaties to trade with China.
 Midway Island’s
 Annexed in 1867 to use as a refueling station for the U.S. Navy.
 Hawaii
 The U.S. signed a treaty with the Hawaiians to sell them sugar duty-
free as long as they did not lease territory to other foreign powers.
 Latin America and the Caribbean
 U.S. Grant stated that these areas would be protected from falling to
a foreign power.
Arguments for U.S. Expansion
 Promoting Economic Growth
 Overproduction from farmers and industry led to a need for more
consumers.
 Farmers, laborers, and industrialists called for expansion of American
markets.
 Banana Republics
 Protecting American Security
 Captain Alfred T. Mahan
 Argued that the nation’s economic future hinged on gaining new markets
abroad, and that a powerful navy was necessary to protect these markets.
 Expanding the Navy
 Naval Advisory Board
 Naval Act of 1890
Arguments for U.S. Expansion
 Preserving American Spirit
 Quest for an empire might restore the country’s pioneer spirit.
 Frederick Jackson Turner, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, and TR.
 Social Darwinism
 Senator Albert J. Beveridge and others had the opinion that civilizations
produced by Anglo-Saxon and Germanic people were superiors to the
societies that they conquered.
 Americans Lean Toward Expansion
 Gradually public opinion warmed to the idea of expansion.
 Soon realized that political and military entanglements followed
expansion.
10.2: The Spanish-American War
 Setting the Stage for War
 The Spanish-American War
 New Challenges After the War
 Other Gains in the Pacific
Setting the Stage for War
 Displays of United States Power
 In 1891 an angry Chilean mob attacked a group of American
sailors on shore leave in Valparaiso.
 2 killed, 17 injured.
 The U.S. forced Chile to pay $75,000 to the families.
 Rebellion threatened the friendly govt. of Brazil.
 President Cleveland ordered navy units to Rio de Janeiro to protect U.S.
shipping interests.
 Border dispute between Britain and Venezuela.
 Cleveland’s Sec. of State Richard Olney demanded that Great Britian
submit to arbitration, and adhere to the Monroe Doctrine.
 GB backed down when they realized it may be a good idea to keep the
U.S. as an ally.
Setting the Stage for War
 The Cuban Rebellion
 By the 1890’s, not only had the Monroe Doctrine been reaffirmed,
but the world’s most powerful country bent to it.
 Cuba first rebelled against Spain in 1868.
 In 1895 the economy collapsed and the Cubans rebelled again.
 Spain sent its best general, General Valeriano Weyler.
 In an attempt to keep civilians from aiding the rebels, Weyler put men,
women and children in “reconcentration camps” with little food or water.
 Over 2 years disease and starvation killed 200,000 cubans.
 Cuban exiles in the U.S. urged the U.S. to intervene.
 President’s Cleveland and McKinley said no.
 Rebels destroyed American owned sugar plantations in order to force
their hands.
Setting the Stage for War
 Yellow Journalism
 NewYorkWorld
 Published by Joseph Pulitzer
 NewYork Morning Journal
 Published by William Randolph Hearst
 The newspapers were in a circulation battle, and they used
sensationalized stories of the crisis in Cuba to sell newspapers.
 The intense burst of national pride and the desire for an
aggressive foreign policy that followed cane to be know as
jingoism.
The Spanish-American War
 Steps to War
 In early 1898 riots erupted in Havana.
 McKinley moved the battleship the U.S.S. Maine into the city’s
harbor to protect American citizens and property
 The events that followed pushed the U.S. into war.
The Spanish-American War
 The de Lome Letter
 Called McKinley “weak and a bidder for the admiration of the
crowd.”
 The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine
 February 15th, 1898
 Probably caused by fire that exploded ammo, but American
people blamed Spain.
 Preparing in the Phillipines
 TR was Asst. Sec. of the Navy, wired naval commanders to
prepare for military action against Spain.
 McKinley ordered all but the wire to Admiral George Dewey
withdrawn.
The Spanish-American War
 McKinley’s War Message
 List of Demands
 Compensation for the Maine
 End to reconcentration camps
 Truce in Cuba
 Cuban Independence
 Spain agreed to all but the last, and McKinley was forced to send a
message to Congress on April 11th.
 “A Splendid Little War”
 First action of the war took place in the Phillippines.
 Admiral Dewey launched a surprise attack on the Spanish Pacific
Fleet in Manila Bay.
 Lasted 7 hours
The Spanish-American War
 “Splendid Little War” (cont.)
 In Cuba the Navy bottled up the Spanish fleet in Santiago
Harbor.
 1st Volunteer Calvary
 Led by TR who resigned his post as Asst. Sec. of the Navy.
 Recruited cowboys, miners, policemen, and college athletes.
 “Rough Riders”
 July 1, 1898, the charge up San Juan Hill.
 Spanish fleet made an attempt to flee the harbor, and every ship
was sunk on July 3rd.
 2,500 Americans died, only 400 in battle, mostly from disease
and food poisoning.
The Spanish American War
 The Treaty of Paris
 Signed with Spain in December of 1898.
 Spain recognized Cuban independence.
 The U.S. gave Spain $20 million for the Philippines, Puerto
Rico, and the island of Guam.
 Unincorporated territories- not meant for statehood.
 Treaty was ratified by the Senate in Feb. of 1899 after a tough
debate.
New Challenges After the War
 How could the U.S. be a colonial power without violating the
nation’s most basic principle– that all people have the right to
liberty?
 Dilemma in the Philippines
 Read the quote from President McKinley on page 361
 Most Filipinos were already Christian.
 Also argued that if the U.S. didn’t act first other nations might
try to seize the islands and new conflicts would result.
 Filipinos fought alongside the U.S. in the Spanish-American War
under the assumption that they would receive independence
after the war.
New Challenges After the War
 Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence for the Philippines
in January 1899 and the U.S. ignored it.
 In February Filipino rebels and the U.S. went to war.
 Filipino War
 3 years
 4,000 Americans killed and 3,000 wounded.
 16,000 rebels and as many as 200,000 Filipino civilians died.
 Philippines did not gain full independence until 1946.
New Challenges After the War
 The Fate of Cuba
 Teller Amendment
 Promised that the U.S. would not annex Cuba.
 McKinley installed a military govt. led by General Leonard Wood.
 3 years
 Major Walter Reed
 Discovered the cure for yellow fever.
 Allowed the Cuban people to draft a constitution in 1900
 Platt Amendment
 Cuba could not enter into any foreign agreements.
 Must allow U.S. to establish naval bases as needed on the island.
 Must give the U.S. the right to intervene when necessary.
 Only done twice while amendment was in force until 1934.
New Challenges After the War
 The U.S. and Puerto Rico
 Foraker Act of 1900
 U.S. removed military control and established a civil govt., still under
U.S. control.
 Jones Act of 1917
 Granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship.
 Based only on an act of Congress not the Constitution.
 Although Puerto Ricans could elect their own local legislatures, the U.S.
retained the power to appoint key officials, such as the governor.
Other Gains in the Pacific
 Annexation of Hawaii
 In 1887, Hawaii and the U.S. renewed a treaty that allowed Hawaiian
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sugar to be sold duty free in the U.S.
Hawaii leased Pearl Harbor to the U.S.
White Hawaiian born planters forced King Kalakaua to accept a new
constitution that gave control of the govt. to them.
His successor Queen Liliuokalani attempted to reduce the influence
of the planters.
In 1893, pineapple planter Sanford B. Dole removed Queen
Liliuokalani from power with the help of the U.S. Marines.
He proclaimed Hawaii a republic and requested it be annexed by the
U.S.
In 1898 Congress approved the annexation of Hawaii.
Other Gains in the Pacific
 Samoa
 Represented another possible stepping stone to the growing
trade in Asia.
 1878 the U.S. negotiated a treaty that offered our protection for
use of the harbor Pago Pago.
 Germany and GB also had their eyes on Samoa and nearly led to
war.
 Three-way Protectorate in 1889
 GB withdrew in 1899
Other Gains in the Pacific
 An Open Door to China
 China’s huge population and vast markets became increasingly
important to American trade by the late 1800’s.
 Russia, Germany, GB, France, and Japan were all seeking
spheres of influence in China.
 Areas of economic and political control.
 Open Door Policy
 Sec. of State John Hay
 Boxer Rebellion
 Massacre of 300 foreigners and Christian Chinese.
 Open Door Notes by Sec. of State John Hay.
10.3 A New Foreign Policy
 The Panama Canal
 Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy
 Foreign Policy After Roosevelt
The Panama Canal
 After the Spanish-American War it became evident that the
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U.S. needed a quicker route between the Atlantic and Pacific
Ocean.
The Isthmus of Panama was a province of Columbia.
In 1879 a French company received a 25-year concession to
build a canal across Panama.
Yellow fever and mismanagement left the company ready to
abandon the project after 10 years.
They offered to sell the concession to the U.S. for $100
million.
The Panama Canal
 When the price fell to $40 million, Congress passed the
Spooner Act of 1902 authorizing the purchase of the French
assets.
 Also required that the U.S. work out a treaty with Columbia for
a lease of the land.
 Columbia tried to wait for the concession to expire so they
could offer the area at a higher price.
 Read quote by John Hay on page 367.
 Roosevelt made it clear to a member of the French company
that the U.S. would not interfere if they organized a
Panamanian revolution against Columbia.
The Panama Canal
 The revolution started in November of 1903.
 U.S. warships waited just off the coast to support the rebels.
 The U.S. immediately recognized the new country, and
signed a treaty that gave the U.S. control over a 10-mile wide
strip of land for a canal.
 Permanent grant
 Construction began in 1904, and finished in 1914 six months
ahead of schedule and $23 million under budget.
 Reaction to Canal
 Paid $25 million to the Columbian govt. in 1921.
Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy
 “Speak softly and carry a big stick: you will go far”
 Big Stick=U.S. Navy
 Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
 Read excerpt on page 368
 Wanted to see other nations “stable, orderly, and prosperous.”
 The U.S. govt. would intervene to prevent intervention from
other powers.
 Central point.
 Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
 Under TR U.S. intervention in Latin America became common.
Roosevelt’s Big Stick Diplomacy
 Roosevelt as Peacemaker
 Chief concern in Asia was to preserve an open door to trade
with China.
 Russo-Japanese War 1904
 Japan was considerably stronger than Russia.
 TR concerned that Japan’s strength posed a threat to trade in the area.
 Portsmouth Treaty.
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Persuaded Japan to be happy with small grants of land, and control
over Korea instead of a huge payment of cash.
Also got Russia to leave Manchuria.
Maintained open door to China.
TR receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in 1907.
Foreign Policy After Roosevelt
 Taft and Dollar Diplomacy
 Main foreign policy goals were to maintain the open door to
Asia, and preserve stability in Latin America.
 Preferred to substitute dollars for bullets.
 Meant to maintain orderly societies through increased American
investment in foreign economies.
 Dollar Diplomacy
 Not always very profitable.
 Sec. of State Philander Knox urged Americans to invest in a Chinese
railroad.
 Russia and Japan blocked the influence of the U.S. in China, and all
money was lost when the Chinese govt. collapsed in 1911.
 Dollar Diplomacy created enemies in Latin America.
Foreign Policy After Roosevelt
 Wilson an the Mexican Revolution
 American intervention in Mexico led to even more anti-
American feelings in Latin America.
 In 1911, revolution forced a longtime dictator Porfino Diaz to
resign.
 The new president, Francisco Madero, promised democratic
reform but he could not unite the country.
 In 1913 he was overthrown and killed by General Victoriano
Huerta.
 Huerta promised to protect foreign investments, and most
European countries recognized him.
 Wilson was urged by American investors to do the same.
Foreign Policy After Roosevelt
 Wilson and the Mexican Revolution (cont.)
 Wilson refused to do so because he saw Huerta as a “butcher.”
 End of Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy, and the beginning of Moral
Diplomacy.
 Wilson’s policy led him into complex and bloody
confrontations with Mexico.
 Carranza
 Pancho Villa and General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing.
 Moral Diplomacy failed
10.4 Debating America’s New Role
 The Anti-Imperialists
 Imperialism’s Appeal
 Imperialism Viewed From Abroad
The Anti-Imperialists
 Moral and Political Arguments
 Expansionist behavior was a rejection of the nation’s foundation of
“liberty for all”
 “the Constitution must follow the flag,” by which they meant that the
American flag and laws went together.
 Anti-imperialist did not believe that any group of people should be
forced to wait to enjoy liberty.
 Imperialism threatened the nation’s democratic foundations
 Racial Arguments
 African Americans were at first torn about imperialistic issues, but
they recognized that racism was part of imperialism.
 Southern politicians feared the effects of adding more people of
different races to the U.S.
The Anti-Imperialists
 They also feared that imperialist policies would encourage
people of different races to move to the U.S.
 Economic Arguments
 Expansion involved many costs
 Ex. Larger Army, possible need for more taxes, draft, etc.
 Laborers coming to the U.S. from annexed territories would
compete with Americans for jobs.
 Industrialists argued that cheap goods produced in annexed
countries could be traded here duty free which would hurt
American business.
Imperialism’s Appeal
 Some people looked to a new frontier abroad to keep
Americans from losing their competitive edge.
 They agreed with the economic arguments that emphasized
the need to gain access to foreign markets.
 Others embraced the strategic military reasons for
expansion.
 Roosevelt sent part of the Navy on a cruise around the
world.
 The Great White Fleet showed the benefits of having a powerful
Navy.
Imperialism Viewed From Abroad
 Latin Americans began to cry “Yankee, Go Home!”
 Panamanians began to complain that they suffered from
discrimination.
 Other countries began to ask the U.S. for help.
 The U.S. spent the rest of the 1900’s trying to decide the
best way to reconcile its growing power and national
interests with its relationships with other countries.