American Imperialism 1890 1914 American Imperialism Prior to

American Imperialism 1890 -1914

American Imperialism • Prior to the Civil War the United States was more interested in the development of industry, settlement of the West, and a general sense of isolationism • After the war many people, especially with business interest, turned to acquiring new territory for resources and markets • Foreign involvement necessitated a strong navy to protect American investment • European nations had already started the imperial expansion

Alfred T. Mahan • In 1890 Captain Mahan published a book, The Influence of Sea Power upon History 1660 -1783 • He argued that national greatness came from maritime strength • His ideas became very popular in America, Roosevelt ordered a copy for every ship • By the end of the century the United States would be developing one of the strongest navies in the world • Another notion to justify imperial success was that of Social Darwinism

The Pacific • The United States benefited from the fact it had two major oceans on either side to separate it from potential enemies • In 1867 President Johnson’s secretary of state William Seward purchased Alaska from the Russians for $7. 2 million • In 1878 the Samoans granted the United States the rights to the naval base at Pago • The next territory was Hawaii

Hawaii • Hawaii had American planters and missionaries and was strategically more significant than Samoa • In 1875 the Hawaiians entered into an agreement with America in which sugar would be shipped to America duty free and the Hawaiians promised not to lease any land to a third-party • In 1887 Americans forced the king to accept a new Hawaiian constitution and a constitutional government dominated by Americans • The Mc. Kinley Tariff (1890) hurt the Hawaiians by removing the duty-free status from sugar

• In 1891 Liliukalani ascended to the throne and tried to regain power from the Americans • The whites on the islands revolted and in 1893 they seized power • Americans marines were sent to the islands to support the coup • A new government was formed in Washington and so did a treaty of annexation • Democratic senators blocked ratification • President Cleveland sent a special team to the islands to investigate the events • They found that the coup had been organized by American planters

• Cleveland suggested returning power to the queen • The new government refused to give up power and declared the islands the Republic of Hawaii with a constitution which allowed for annexation by America • In 1897 Mc. Kinley sent American warships to the island to prevent Japanese interest and asked the Senate to approve annexation • The Senate failed to get the necessary votes so Mc. Kinley used a joint resolution of the House and Senate • Hawaii was annexed in 1898

Spanish-American War • Cuba had revolted against Spanish control for most of the nineteenth century • In 1895 an revolt broke out and in the process sugar production collapsed • America supported the rebels and their hit-andrun tactics • In 1896 the Spanish general Valeriano Weyler started to detain suspects in detention centers • Conditions in the centers were terrible and many died – Americans called Weyler, the “butcher”

• William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World battled each other to produce sensational journalism – “yellow journalism” - to attract readers • Most Americans were sympathetic towards the rebels, but President Cleveland refused to interfere • Mc. Kinley had no reservations • In 1898 the American battleship Maine docked at Havana • On February 15, 1898 the Maine exploded with the loss of 266 men • Secretary of the navy Theodore Roosevelt blamed the explosion on the Spanish

Teller Amendment • Mc. Kinley tried to maintain the peace but the public outcry, “Remember the Maine” was too loud • Spain ordered a cease-fire, but Mc. Kinley asked Congress force to protect American interests • Congress issued a joint resolution which endorsed the use of force and declared Cuba independent. • The Teller Amendment claimed that the United States had no design on taking Cuba • America blockaded Cuba – which was an act of war forcing Spain to declare war on April 24

• Congress then declared war on Spain and made it retroactive to April 21, 1898 • The war lasted 114 days and was called by John Hay “a splendid little war” – it was the start of America becoming a global power • Roosevelt had Commodore George Dewey attack Manila Bay in the Philippines • The attack was a resounding victory and destroyed the Spanish fleet • When reinforcements arrived, with the help of Emilio Aguinaldo, American troops entered Manila – with the British and Germans watching for the chance to intervene and gain the islands

Rough Riders • 17, 000 troops prepared to invade Cuba – one unit was known as the “Rough Riders” • Roosevelt was second in command, having quit the Navy Department to get “in on the fun” • Rough Riders and other units quickly won a series of battles including San Juan Hill and then laid siege to Santiago • Santiago surrendered and then the Americans took Puerto Rico • Spain sued for peace • In four months nearly 6, 000 Americans died, but only 379 in battle – the rest from disease

Treaty of Paris (1898) • The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1898: a) Americans offered Spain $20 million in compensation for the Philippines b) America gained Puerto Rico and Guam • Democrats and Populists opposed ratification in the Senate – arguing for isolationism and maintenance of the Monroe Doctrine • William Jennings Bryan influenced approval by saying both Cuba and the Philippines could be independent • Eventually a vote to make the Philippines independent was defeated by one vote

Platt Amendment • The United States pulled out of Cuba in 1902 • However Washington was not willing to leave the strategically important island alone • The Cubans were forced to write their own Constitution • The Platt Amendment to the Army Appropriations Bill was passed by Congress in 1901, severely limited the Cubans • The Cubans could not sign a treaty with a thirdparty and acknowledged the right of the United States to intervene, and to lease a naval station at Guantanamo Bay

China • Japan defeated China in the Sino-Japanese War (1894 -95) • Other countries looked at China as a possible possession • The British suggested that the United States join an agreement to guarantee the integrity of China – the Senate refused any alliance • In 1899 Secretary of States John Hay suggested an “Open Door Policy” • China would be open to trade with all countries on an equal basis

Boxer Rebellion (1900) • In 1900 Chinese nationalists known as Boxers rebelled against foreign influence • They placed foreign embassies under siege • An international force, including American troops, suppressed the rebels • China was forced to pay an indemnity of $333 million ($25 million to America)

The Election of 1900 • The Republicans renominated Mc. Kinley with the young and aggressive Theodore Roosevelt as his running mate • The Democrats nominated William Jennings Bryan who attacked the new imperialism of the Republicans • Mc. Kinley won the popular vote and the electoral count (292 -155) • In 1901 Mc. Kinley was assassinated by a anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo • At 42 Roosevelt became the youngest President

Theodore Roosevelt • Teddy Roosevelt had grown up in a wealthy family in New York. He had attended Harvard and graduated Phi Beta Kappa • As a small child he was often sick, but gradually through physical exercise he built himself up • In 1897 he had been appointed assistant secretary of the navy by Mc. Kinley • He quit the position to join the Rough Riders and gained fame in the Cuba • Following Cuba he was easily elected governor of New York

Big Stick Diplomacy • Roosevelt’s policies were summed up in the phrase, “Speak softly, and carry a big stick” • He saw every problem as an issue of patriotism and morality • One of his first big foreign endeavors was the Panama Canal • After the Spanish-American War it became obvious to Roosevelt as a matter of national security that there needed to be a route to connect the oceans

Panama Canal • In the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850) the British promised not to take any more Central American possessions and they agreed to build a canal with the Americans • After the Spanish-American War the Americans were eager for the construction to start • In the Hays-Paunceforte Treaty (1900) both countries agreed to start negotiations prior to work – but the Senate rejected the treaty because it promised the canal would always remain neutral

• In 1901 the British, stuck in the Boer War, conceded control of the canal to the Americans • The Hays-Paunceforte Treaty now read the United States would build the canal – and was passed • The big question - where should the canal be dug? • Many favored Nicaragua, others looked at Panama • The French had already tried and failed (lack of technology) to build a Panama Canal • The French canal Company led by Philippe Bunau-Varilla, eager to make money sold the company to the United States for $40 million

• In 1902 Congress agreed on a Panama Canal • The new problem was what to do with Colombia? – Panama was part of Colombia • The United States and Colombia negotiated a deal that would lease a six-mile strip of land in perpetuity for $10 million and $250, 000 a year • The Colombians rejected the deal and demanded more money • Roosevelt was furious • Bunau-Varilla worked in Panama to create a revolution against the Colombians • When the Colombian troops tried to suppress the revolution they were stopped by American warships

• The first ambassador from Panama was Bunau. Varilla and he signed the treaty for the canal – The canal zone would be 10 -miles wide and would cost $10 million plus $250, 000 a year • In 1904 Congress created the Isthmian Canal Commission to oversee construction • Roosevelt told the Commission to make the “dirt fly” • The canal opened in 1914, two weeks after the start of World War One

Roosevelt Corollary • In the early 1900 s the United States was worried about the possible interference by European nations into the affairs of Caribbean nations • Venezuela and the Dominican republic were deeply in debt to European nations • In his annual address in 1904 Roosevelt issued his Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine • He stated that problems, especially financial problems in the Western Hemisphere may require the United States to use police powers to correct those problems

• In 1905 the United States intervened for the Dominican Republic • Politicians on the island did not approve of the tactics, but with some persuasion from Washington the matter was resolved • The message was clear for all European countries – you will not be allowed to interfere in the affairs of Latin America • Many saw Roosevelt’s tactics as the height of a “Bad Neighbor” policy, but he did manage to turn the Caribbean into a “Yankee lake”