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The Spanish- American War & The Consequences
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The Spanish-American War &
The Consequences
Turning Point• The Spanish-American War marked the
end of Spain’s colonial empire.• The United States had awakened to its
potential as and then emerged a true world power.
• The war let the U.S. demonstrate its naval strength to the world.
• Raised critical issues for Americans:• What should the United States do with the
former Spanish Colonies it was now occupying?
Imperialist Vs. Anti-Imperialist
Imperialism• Saw occupation of former
Spanish colonies as a unique opportunity
• Need for raw materials & markets
• Strategic Reasons• Nationalism• Attitudes towards other
People• Admiral Alfred Thayer Mayan
was the leading advocate for imperial expansion. Buddies with T.R.
• Argued that to achieve world power we would need a strong navy.
• Mahan believed it was essential for Americans to seize control of Pacific trade routes, to construct a canal through Central America, and dominate the Caribbean Region.
Anti-Imperialism• On the other hand…• The United States had once
consisted of 13 colonies, because of this many Americans still felt uneasy about forcing colonial rule on others
• Opponents: Mark Twain & Andrew Carnegie
• Felt imperialism violated the basic democratic principles of self-government (which the U.S. was founded)
• Formed American Anti-Imperialist League in 1898 to oppose the acquisition of colonies
Imperialist Vs. Anti-Imperialist
Imperialism• Imperialist won
the argument• Acquired
colonial empire
Anti-Imperialism
• Failed • One U.S. Senator (and
Anti-Imperialist League member) mourned “the danger that we are to be transformed from a Republic, founded on the Declaration of Independence, into a vulgar, common empire, founded on force!”
A Two Front War : Caribbean & Pacific• Caribbean:
• Cuba• Puerto Rico• Panama Canal
Reasons for Interest In the Caribbean • Hemispheric Security : U.S. Sought to keep
foreign powers out of the Caribbean because they might pose a threat to the U.S. Security (to close to home).
• Economic Interests : Caribbean Region was an important supplier of agricultural products (sugar) and provided a valuable market for American goods and investment.
• Need for a Canal : Spanish-American War demonstrated that the U.S. needed easier access by water between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. We needed to be able to send ships back and forth quickly between the two oceans instead of having 2 separate Naval Fleets.
Cuba • Largest island in the Caribbean.• T.R. raised a volunteer force (Rough Riders).• Acting with other army regiments, they finally
defeated the Spanish forces at San Juan Hill• http://youtu.be/pyuRSPbcC3A • U.S. takes Guantanamo Bay, Cuba• Even though we said we would not annex Cuba
became a “protectorate” under American control.
• U.S. troops stay on the island and American businesses invest more heavily in Cuba.
• Some troops are forced to leave due to Yellow Fever
• Platt Amendment: Cubans forced to agree. Gave U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs at anytime (repealed in the late 1930s)
Puerto Rico • Small Caribbean island (100 miles long
by 35 miles wide)• May 1900:
• U.S. government establishes a civil government• Governor• Upper House of Delegates - Picked by the U.S. President and approved by Congress
• Lower House of Delegates – Elected by Popular Vote
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Panama Canal• The Isthmus of Panama, the narrowest point in
Central America, was the best place to build the canal
• Panama was part of Columbia. U.S. & Columbia enter negotiations but could not agree on terms
• President T.R. struck a deal with the Panamanian rebels who were trying to gain their independence from Columbia.
• T.R. sent warships to Panama to protect the rebels when they took action.
• Immediately afterwards, TR recognized Panama as a new country. In return, the new government gave the U.S. complete control of a 10-mile strip of rainforest through the center of Panama (known as the Panama Canal Zone)
Challenges of Building the Canal• Construction of its 51-mile length took 10 years (1903 –
1914) to complete• Cost $400 Million • Thousands died• Engineers had to design a series of 6 giant locks• Tropical Climate posed a different kind of special
challenge: Intense heat, Dense Rainforests, Heavy Rains caused mudslides
• Dr. Walter Reed just discovered Yellow Fever was spread by mosquitos
• Dr. William Gorgas, of the U.S. Army, ordered all swamps drained, vegetation cut down and all standing water sprayed with oil to prevent further breeding of mosquito larvae.
• http://youtu.be/Pv0upmpPw3c
A Two Front War : Caribbean & Pacific• Pacific:
• Philippines• Hawaii• Guam• Midway• Samoa
Philippines• Shortly after the start of the Spanish-
American War, the U.S. Pacific Fleet sailed to the Philippines to aid Filipino rebels already in revolt against Spain.
• Filipinos greatly disappointed () when the U.S. Congress decided to annex the Philippines instead of granting them their independence
• Filipino rebels fought against the NEW colonial rulers until 1902 when they were finally defeated.
Hawaii• Provided a refueling station for American ships• American settlers built Sugar & Pineapple plantations• Missionaries sent to convert natives to Christianity• 1890s: Queen Liliuokalani (the native ruler) tried to
take political power back from American landowners. In response, American landowners overthrew the Queen in 1893.
• Sanford B. Dole, a lawyer, led the provisional government while it worked out plans for the U.S. to annex the islands.
• President Cleveland refused to annex Hawaii because of the planters’ actions in seizing power.
• Dole then served as Hawaii’s President. • After the outbreak of the Spanish-American War,
Congress then voted to annex Hawaii in 1898. • Dole served as Governor of Hawaii (1900 – 1903)
Guam• Important port-of-call for Spanish
ships crossing the Pacific from Mexico to the Philippines
• Taken from Spain in 1898 by the U.S.
• Today it is an unincorporated territory of the United States
Midway & Samoa• Midway: Become an American
possession in 1867, before the Spanish-American War.
• Samoa: In 1899 it was divided between Germany and the United States.
• These Pacific islands provided valuable naval bases and refueling stations for American Ships traveling to Asia.
America & East Asia
China And Japan
China : Policy• European powers established an exclusive
“sphere of influence” (areas where they enjoyed special privileges) in the 1850s
• U.S. did NOT have this, but carried on active trade with China
• U.S. Secretary of State John Hay was worried (as were other Americans) that the U.S. would eventually be blocked from trading with China.
• He established the “Open Door” Policy which gave equal trading rights to ALL foreign nations with China.
• Hay sent notes to other major powers and declared his policy to be in effect
China : Boxers• Boxers : a Chinese group opposing Western
influence in China
• Months after John Hay decided China was open to all, the Boxer Rebellion erupted in China.
• International army sent to China to crush rebellion
• John Hay announced that the U.S. would oppose any attempt by other nations to use the Boxer Rebellion as an excuse to dismember China.
Japan• Japan opens up to Western
trade and influence after Commodore Matthew Perry landed ships in 1853.
• By 1890, Japan has adopted Western ways.
• First Asian industrial power
• Adopted imperialist policies
• 1905: Japan shock the world and defeats Russia in the Russo-Japanese War.
• President Roosevelt brings Russian and Japanese delegates together and negotiated a peace settlement.
• Treaty of Portsmouth is signed and earns T.R. a nice Nobel Peace Prize.
