Copy of American Imperialism

Chapter 10- America's Empire

Woodrow Wilson's Missionary Diplomacy

Rebels of Mexico

The Mexican Revolution

Intervention in Mexico

Wilson's missionary diplomacy gave the Monroe Doctrine a moral tone. Wilson believed the United States had a moral obligation to not recognize any Latin American government that was viewed as oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to United States interests.

The Mexican Revolution would test this belief.

In 1911, Mexican peasants and workers led by Francisco Madero overthrew the Mexican military dictatorship that was friendly to American interests in Mexico.

In two years, Madero would be killed by General Victoriano Huerta, and he would take control of the government.

Franciso "Pancho" Villa and Emiliano Zapata opposed the new Mexican leadership.

Pancho Villa would kill American engineers that were on their way to operate mines in northern Mexico, as well as conduct a raid at Columbus, New Mexico, where he would kill 17 Americans.

Wilson will order General John J. Pershing and 15,000 soldiers to Mexico to capture Villa dead or alive.

War loomed between the Americans and Mexicans but would not occur when Wilson called Pershing and his troops back to the United States as the country began to be drawn into a European war.

April 1914- Huerta's officers arrested a small group of American sailors in Tampico, on Mexico's eastern shore. The Mexicans quickly released the Americans and apologized.

Wilson will send U.S. Marines to occupy the port of Veracruz, bringing Mexico and the United States close to war.

The Huerta regime would soon collapse and a nationalist leader Venustiano Carranza would become president in 1915.

The Peacemaker

Cubans Rebel Against Spain

War between Russia and Japan broke out in 1904 over control of Korea.

Roosevelt would mediate the peace negotiations between the two imperialist nations, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906.

Russia gave up half of Sakhalin Island, and allowed Japan to take over Russian interests in Korea and Manchurian China.

Mexican Hero

Pancho Villa

American Villian

Dollar Diplomacy

America would have much interest in Cuba since it lay 90 miles south of Florida.

1886- During a war for independence, the Cubans would force their Spanish rulers to abolish slavery.

Poet and journalist Jose Marti of Cuba would soon launch a second revolution while in exile in 1895.

America was split on supporting Spain or the Cuban Independence movement.

Panama!

Roosevelt and Taft used Dollar Diplomacy to help keep European powers out of Latin America.

To help pay back debts, Roosevelt would arrange deals with American banks and government officials from other countries. These deals would provide countries facing debt with enough money to pay back these debts in exchange for the banks taking over customs duties and rights to railroads.

Teddy Roosevelt & the World

Panama Canal- man made canal that runs through Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The United States as well as the French Company that the nation bought the canal's rights from, organized a Panamanian rebellion against Columbia.

15 days after Panama wins their independence, Panama signs a treaty with the United States for the United States to build the canal in exchange for $10 million plus yearly rent of $250,000.

Cuba and the United States

American soldiers remained in Cuba following the war, and many public officials who had served while under Spanish rule remained in office.

American government provided food and clothing for thousands of families, helped farmers, organized elementary schools, and helped eliminate yellow fever.

Roosevelt Corollary

"Speak softly and carry a big stick"

With many Latin American nations facing default (failure to pay) on their loans from European banks, Roosevelt issued the Roosevelt Corollary, an addition to the Monroe Doctrine.

This would warn European nations that involvement in Latin American would "force the United States... to the exercise of international police power."

Platt Amendment

1900- Cuban government finalized their constitution.

1901- the United States insisted that Cuba add the Platt Amendment to their constitution.

Platt Amendment- stated that Cuba could not make treaties that might limit its independence or permit a foreign power to control any part of its territory, the United States reserved the right to intervene in Cuba, Cuba was not to go into debt, and the United States could buy or lease land on the island for naval stations and refueling stations.

Protectorate- a country whose affairs are partially controlled by a stronger power.

United States Acquires Alaska

William Seward- Secretary of State under Lincoln and Johnson. Arranged for the purchase of Alaska from the Russians in 1867 for $7.2 million.

He would have trouble convincing the House of Representatives to approve the purchase, claiming it had no value to the United States.

It would become a state in 1959 and is now known for its timber and oil.

Ruling Puerto Rico

Some Puerto Ricans favored independence while others wished for statehood in the United States.

Until Congress decided to annex the island to the Union, General Nelson A. Miles and his forces would occupy the island and control government on a day to day function.

Foraker Act would be passed to end military rule in Puerto Rico and set up a civil government.

American Expansionism

Imperialism- policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories.

European nations had been doing this since the early 19th century.

War Fever Escalates

Spain would send General Valeriano Weyler to Cuba to restore order. He would try to crush the rebellion by herding the entire rural population of central and western Cuba into barbed wire concentration camps.

Newspapers would begin to print exaggerated accounts of Weyler's actions to draw people to buying their newspapers. This is called yellow journalism and would feed into the war fever.

War With Spain

Congress approved war with Spain on April 11, 1898.

The first battle of the war would not happen in Cuba, but occur where the Spanish least expected it, halfway across the world in their Pacific Ocean territory, the Philippines.

The Spanish troops in the Philippines would surrender 3 months later.

The End of a Monarchy

Business groups organized a revolution to overthrow the Hawaiian Monarchy.

They would succeed and set up a government headed by Sanford B. Dole.

Hawaii was annexed to the United States on August 12, 1898.

The United States Takes Hawaii

White sugar plantation owners sold their sugar to the United States, but faced competition with tariffs passed by the United States government. These farmers would urge the United States to annex Hawaii.

United States leaders understood the value of the islands and pressured the Hawaiian government to allow the building of Pearl Harbor.

The End of "A Splendid Little War"

The United States and Spain would agree to a armistice on August 12- ending the 15 week war.

Both nations would meet to agree on a treaty in Paris, France.

Spain would free Cuba, turn over the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States and agreed to sell the Philippines Islands to the United States for $20 million.

Many Americans debated if the United States should annex the Philippines because they feared the natives would compete for jobs and that racial issues should be resolved at home before being resolved away.

Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines would be annexed when Congress approved the Treaty of Paris on February 6, 1899.

Goals of American Expansionism

Global Competition

Belief in Cultural Superiority

New age of Imperialism in the world occurred as European nations began to look to colonize Africa and China.

Americans warmed to the idea of expanding America's influence overseas after expanding to the Pacific Ocean.

Factors that fueled New American Imperialism-

• desire for military strength
• thirst for new markets
• belief in cultural superiority

Many Americans combined the idea of Social Darwinism with a belief of racial superiority of the Anglo-Saxons.

These Americans felt they had a responsibility to spread Christianity and ''civilization'' to the world's ''inferior people''.

Thirst for New Markets

Desire for Military Strength

Imperialists saw foreign trade as as solution to American over-production and the related problems of unemployment and economic depression.

New farm equipment increased corn production by 264% and wheat harvest by 252%

With other nations building up their military, American officials advised leaders to build up their military.

Alfred T. Mahan- Admiral of the U.S. Navy, supported the building of a stronger navy. America would build 9 steel-hulled cruisers in 7 years, making them the 3rd largest navy.

War in the Caribbean

American forces began with a blockade of Cuba, and would seal up the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba.

Over 125,000 Americans volunteered to fight, but received poor training and outdated supplies.

Foreign Influence in China

1899- United States Secretary of State John Hay issued a series of policy statements known as the Open Door notes to prevent European colonies from being created in China without American influence.

Open Door notes- letters written to leaders of imperialist countries that these nations share their trading rights in China with the United States, creating an "open door" within their spheres of influence (city and surrounding area in China that a foreign power claimed special rights and economic privileges).

As European influence in China grew, secret societies pledged to get rid of the foreigners. The most famous of this group would be known as the Boxers.

The Boxer Rebellion would be a conflict between European powers and the United States against the Boxers. Troops from these powers would march on the Chinese capital and within two months, the rebellion would be ended.

Protecting American Rights

A second series of Open Door notes will be sent to European nations by John Hay.

This second group of notes would state that the United States would "safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire."

This reflected the American beliefs of about the United States' economic system-

• the growth of the economy depend on exports
• United States had the right to intervene abroad to keep foreign markets open
• the closing of an area to American products, citizens, or ideas threatened the nation's survival

Filipinos Rebel

Rough Riders

Emilio Aguinaldo, Filipino rebel leader, believed the United States promised the islands freedom and that the Treaty of Paris proved otherwise.

In February 1899, the Filipinos rose in revolt and American troops were sent to put down the rebellion. Most of the troops sent were African American troops and many deserted to the Filipino side and developed bonds of friendship with them.

The rebellion took 3 years to put down, cost 4,000 American lives (20,000 Filipino lives) and $400 million.

17,000 troop army landed and converged on Santiago. This army included four African American regiments and a volunteer cavalry known as the Rough Riders.

The Rough Riders were under the command of Leonard Wood and future president Theodore Roosevelt.

The most famous land battle would include their attack on San Juan Hill, which would lead many to call Roosevelt the "hero of San Juan Hill." This battle would lead to the failed escape of the Spanish fleet and the American invasion of Puerto Rico.

The De Lome Letter and the U.S.S. Maine

President McKinley tries to negotiate with Spain to resolve the crisis in Cuba. Spain begins to back off Cuba by removing General Weyler, modified its concentration camps, and offered Cuba a limited self-government.

A letter from the Cuban minister to the United States, Enrique Dupuy de Lome, was leaked to newspapers by a Cuban revolutionary. In this letter, de Lome called McKinley "weak" and "a bidder for the admiration of the crowd", angering many Americans.

The U.S.S. Maine was stationed outside of Cuba to bring American citizens back to the states when on February 15, 1898, the ship exploded killing 266 men. Nobody knew why the ship exploded but newspapers claimed that Spain had attacked the ship.

Aftermath

After suppressing the rebellion, the United States set up a government similar to the one it had established for Puerto Rico.

The President would appoint a governor of the Philippines. The governor would appoint the upper house of the legislature and the Filipinos would elect the lower house.

Under American rule, the Philippines would gradually become independent and become an independent republic on July 4, 1946.