Beginning of Imperialism

Expansionist Stirrings and War with Spain, 1878-1901

Roots of Expansionist Sentiment

In the late 19th century the U.S.A. showed heightened interest in overseas empire

The example of European nations and Japan, which were seizing colonies in Asia and Africa, stimulated U.S. expansionism

During the depression of 1893-1897, American businessmen and politicians argued that the U.S.A. must capture overseas markets to maintain prosperity

Roots of Expansionist Sentiment

Republican politicians claimed that to be a great power the U.S. must:

build up its navy obtain far-flung colonies

to establish fueling stations and bases

Show its influence in the world as a superior county

Inspired by:

Alfred T. Mahan’s The Influence of Sea Power upon History

Social Darwinist ideas

Roots of Expansionist Sentiment

Leading Republicans were:

Theodore Roosevelt

Henry Cabot Lodge

John Hay

Roots of Expansionist Sentiment

Our Country

1885 Josiah Strong Combined religion and Social

Darwinism racism Told Americans that, as members of the

superior Anglo-Saxon race, they were destined to spread Christianity and civilization to “inferior” people “White Man’s Burden”

Pacific Expansion

Expansionist enthusiasm led the United States to overtake some Pacific Islands:

Samoan Island U.S. established a joint protectorate with Germany and

Great Britain

Hawaii American sugar plantation owners overthrew the govt. of

Queen Liliuokalani Asked U.S. to take over the island President Cleveland, who was not an expansionist,

declined to do so President McKinley requested Congress to annex Hawaii 1898

Crisis over Cuba

The Cubans revolted against Spanish rule in 1895

The Spanish authorities brutally attempted to suppress the rebellion

Public opinion in the U.S. turned against the Spanish because of yellow-journalism

William Randolph Hearst=Journal Joseph Pulitzer=World Both featured daily accounts of Spanish atrocities

Crisis over Cuba President McKinley did not want to intervene in Cuba

He did send the battleship Maine to Havana to protect the lives and property of Americans on Cuba

On Feb. 15, 1898, an explosion the Maine killed 266 of its crewmen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abzd41k_OhQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

USS Maine

USS Maine

Crisis over Cuba

The yellow press immediately accused the Spanish of blowing up the ship

The public demanded revenge

Giving in to popular pressure, McKinley asked Congress to declare war on Spain

Congress declared war on April 1898

Yellow Journalism

Watch Yellow Journalism video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0mjkLPvrQM&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Answer the following questions: Who is Hearst?

What is yellow journalism?

How is it different than other journalism?

Crisis over Cuba

Congress also passed the Teller Amendment

Proclaimed that the U.S. had no desire to overtake Cuba and would leave the island as soon as its independence was ensured

Teller Amendment

The Spanish-American War, 1898

The fighting against Spain lasted less than 4 months

Admiral George Dewey attacked the Spanish fleet in the Philippines

American troops took Manila Bay in August

By July, the Spanish were driven from Cuba

The defeated Spanish: Recognized Cuba’s independence Ceded to the United States:

Philippines Puerto Rico Guam

The Spanish-American War, 1898

Contrary to the Teller Amendment, the U.S. occupied Cuba from 1898 to 1902

The U.S. withdrew its forces only after Cuba agreed to the conditions set forth in the 1901 Platt Amendment

Platt Amendment It limited Cuba’s sovereignty by:

Reserving to the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuba

The U.S. could maintain a naval base on Cuba

Although the Platt Amendment was abrogated in 1934, the United States still retains the base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba

Critics of Empire

Some Americans were horrified by their nation’s actions in the Spanish-American War

They founded the Anti-Imperialist League

Pointed out that imposing U.S. rule on other peoples by military force violated the principles of human equality and liberty championed in our own Declaration of Independence

Critics of Empire

Some members of the Anti-Imperialist League:

Carl Schurz (civil-service reformer) E.L. Godkin (civil-service reformer) William Jennings Bryan (ag. spokesman) Jane Addams (settlement house founder) Mark Twain (writer) William James (writer)

Critics of Empire

Despite the League’s efforts, the Senate ratified the treaty annexing the Philippines

In 1900 pro-expansionist McKinley again defeated anti-imperialist Bryan for the presidency

Guerrilla War in the Philippines, 1898-

1902 Pres. McKinley was persuaded that the

U.S. should keep the Philippines by the arguments of:

the expansionists businessmen to use the islands as a

way of penetrating nearby Chinese markets

This U.S. decision led to a war against Filipino independence fighters

Guerrilla War in the Philippines, 1898-1902

To crush the guerrilla resistance of the Filipinos, the U.S. used brutal tactics

The U.S. lost many more soldiers than it had in the Spanish-American War

In 1946, the U.S. granted the Philippines their independence