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5. American Expansionism
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What were the causes and effects of the Spanish-American war?
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States.
The main issue was Cuban independence. Ultimately ended with the Americans defeating
the Spaniards.
Causes: Revolts against Spanish rule had been endemic for decades in Cuba and were
closely watched by Americans (they had long been interested in Cuba); there had been
war scares before.
By 1897–98, American public opinion grew angrier at reports of Spanish atrocities. After
the mysterious sinking of the American battleship Maine in Havana harbor -Americans
suspected Spain-, political pressures pushed the government of President William
McKinley into a war. An ultimatum was sent to Madrid which was not accepted. First
Madrid, then Washington, formally declared war.
Effects: The outcome was the 1898 Treaty of Paris — which was favorable to the U.S. —
followed by temporary American control of Cuba and indefinite colonial authority over
Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. The defeat and subsequent end of the Spanish
Empire was a profound shock for Spain's national psyche. The Spanish American War
established the United States as a world power for the 20th century and the Americans felt
more certain than ever that they had a special role to play on the world stage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War
2. How were the new immigrants’ freedoms limited by nativists?
In 1914, the United States stood at the end of two decades of bitter social and political
debate. Labour unrest, corporate growth and the arrival of 12 million new immigrants since
the turn of the century had opened deep fissures in American society. Wilson struggled to
correct these problems through legislation.
On April 8, 1918 the Immigration Restriction League, which was composed of nativists*,
introduced a bill into the United States Congress to increase the restriction of immigration
by means of numerical limitation. World War I had ended and the League was worried
about the invasion of a large number of immigrants of inferior quality. The goal of this bill,
called "An Act to regulate the immigration of aliens to, and the residence in, the United
States," was to reduce as much as possible the number of immigrants from Southern and
Eastern Europe while increasing the number of immigrants from Northern and Western
Europe who the League thought were people with kindred and homogeneous racial
stocks.
*Nativists: who opposed to immigration because the groups are considered hostile or alien to the natural
culture, and it is assumed that they cannot be assimilated.
3. What were the circumstances that led to America’s “new imperialism”?
The motivations for the America’s imperialism and expansionism in the 1890s by War and
Annexation were first the “frontier mentality” – the end of the frontier was announced- and
the need to secure world standing in order to remain competitive.
Additionally, Americans were producing more than they could use and foreign markets
would increase national prosperity. Also, American imperialists felt the need to protect
expanding mercantile trade through a strong two-ocean navy, coaling stations in the
Caribbean and the Pacific, and a canal. Finally, there was a religious motivation, the
providential charge to bring Christian civilization to foreign cultures.
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4. What were the main reasons for America’s expansion overseas at the end of the
19th century?
The end of the Civil War (1861-1865) had brought peace and urgent need for
reconstruction.
Great efforts were made to set up a growing industrial system, which demanded more
resources and land. Expanding westwards within the continent was a natural move, and at
first supplied the land and resources needed. But the growing production of farming and
manufactured goods required more resources and broader markets abroad, since the
national territorial frontiers had been definitely set up in the 1870’s.
Successive governments supported America’s expansionist movements to ensure new
markets and match up to leading European countries with colonial possessions. But the
United Sates also alleged humanitarian causes for taking up colonies from their metropolis
(i.e. Spanish-American war over Cuba, 1898).
Within three decades the United Sates managed to build the third best battleship navy in
the world, set strategic geopolitical bases in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea,
through annexation (i.e. Hawaii: firstly a reciprocity treaty fixing treaty privileges was
signed in 1875, but full annexation arrived in 1989 for fear of Japanese takeover of the
Pacific islands and its own intention to seize the Philippines) or cooperation with colonies
to gain independence (i.e. The Philippines: after proclaiming independence from Spain,
the US took over the islands to ensure political and economic stability. Full governmental
powers were transferred in 1946).
By 1900 the United Sates were an economic and territorial world power.
5. How did women’s movements change the meanings of American freedom?
Around 1890 middle-class women led in the organization of reform, joined to form the
General Federation of Women’s Clubs. In the next two decades, reform groups founded
and led mainly by women sprang up. Technology and domestic help lessened the burdens
of running a home for these women, but a stigma remained on paid employment.
Women’s clubs provided an outlet for the energies and abilities of many competent and
educated women.
Progressive social reform had two main aims: control and justice. Middle-class women had
long dominated humanitarian work. But women came to believe that aid to the poor was
not enough; they wanted to attack the causes of poverty. They sought to improve wages
and working conditions, especially for women, and to protect children from exploitation.
African-American women were very active reformers, black middle class educated women.
Unlike their white counterparts most were engaged in paid employment. In addition to
working, black women were engaged in reform.
Some educated women wanted more freedom than marriage and part-time volunteer work
seemed to offer. A result was a growing social feminism that cut across class lines. A very
good example was the founding of the National Women’s Trade Union League in 1905.
Through it, wealthy supporters organised women workers, trained leaders and joined their
strikes. In 1900 more than five million women worked, most were single and held service
jobs. Only a few of them held higher-paying jobs as professionals or managers. Critics
charged that women’s employment endangered the home, threatened reproductive
functions (the birth rate to drop between 1900 and 1920, and the divorce rate soared).
Closely linked to the labour reform movement was a concerted effort to regulate the hours
of work for women. Long working hours imposed on women who were wives and mothers.
In 1900 about three million children held full or almost full-time jobs. The use of child
labour decreased when the different states passed compulsory education and minimum
age laws. The National Child Labour Committee, organized in 1904, led a movement for
state laws to ban the employment of young children.
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6. What were the Basic elements of Progressive Era?
The progressive Era was a movement which appeared after the depression of 1890. It was
mainly formed by the middle class and to improve social condition and avoid political
abuses.
It was the time for a social, economic and political change. The movement believed that
the progress had to be achieved through cooperation and with laws. The members of the
movement refused individualism.
It was a period of explosive economic growth, industry expansion, increment of the
population and an increase of the consumer marketplace.
The agriculture had its “Golden Age” because the growth of the cities demanded a large
amount of farm goods.
The presidents of the Progressive Era were three:
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Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
William H. Taft (1909-1913)
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
7. Why was the city such a central element in progressive America?
Because the Progressive movement arose in response to many societal changes, the
most powerful of which were the devastating depression of the 1890's and its attendant
social unrest and the depression brought hard times to the cities.
The activists sought to improve social conditions and political abuses.
The focus of the Progressive politics and the new mass consumer society was the city.
The number of great cities multiplied. In the United States, there were fifty cities whose
population exceeded 100,000 people. New York was the largest with 4.7 million residents
in 1910. In Manhattan, the population was over 2 million people. A quarter of them
inhabited the Lower East Side, most of them immigrants. It was even more densely
populated than Bombay or Calcutta in India. Their lives were extremely hard. They had no
electricity or indoor toilets.
8. What was the role of women in progressive reform?
Between 1890 and 1900 Middle-class women led in the organisation of reform.
Most of the activist women were Christians and they protected the family or Protestant
fundamentalist whom dominated humanitarian work.
The progressive social reform had two main aims: Control and Justice.
But this was not enough and women claimed better working conditions and wages.
The African-American women were engaged in reform.
By 1900, more than 5 million women worked and most of them were single and held
service jobs.
9. Why did the United States enter the Great War, and what was its role?
Because spite Wilson attempted to mediate an end to the war, when Germany announced
that after February 1, 1917, all vessels caught in the war zone, neutral o belligerent, armed
or unarmed, would be sunk without warning; members of his Cabinet pressed Wilson to
declare war, but he only broke off diplomatic relations.
On February 25, 1917, the British gave Wilson a telegram intercepted from Arthur
Zimmerman, the German Foreign Minister, to the ambassador in Mexico. He proposed an
alliance with Mexico in case of war with the United States, offering financial support and
recovery of Mexico’s “lost territory” in the 1840’s. That telegram convinced the Americans
that Germany would stop at nothing to satisfy her ambitions. Between March 12 and
March 21, U-boats sank five Americans ships, and Wilson decided to wait no longer. On
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April 2, he asked the Congress for a declaration of war. The next day, the Senate
approved the war resolution.
Wilson outlined the United States’ war aims in a speech of his “Fourteen Points” given to
Congress. They had formed the basis for German’s surrender in November 1918.
10. What were the consequences of World War I?
The twentieth century began with optimism because of the war. Progress rose and was
born a government who provided stability, social justice and personal morals. The
legislation did not achieve people desired effect, that not everyone had benefited equally.
There were two kinds of people: winners and losers. Most of the winners were white,
urban, middle class and Protestant. Among these, were winners many corporations and
members of the group of middle-class technocrats.
The government created new job opportunities. In each city and state, some ethnic groups
won victories; despite this, African Americans became in unqualified losers. Emerged the
National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) to support black
people’s rights.
Theodore Roosevelt was the most understanding of the three presidents and he invited
Booker Washington to the White House and named a few African Americans to federal
positions, showing an acceptance of black equality.
FURTHER TASKS
1. Write about the situation of the United States in 1898.
The American president McKinley criticized the Spanish uncivilized and inhuman conduct
with Puerto Rico and Cuba.
McKinley asked Spain to declare an armistice to end the concentration policy and to move
towards Cuban independence, but, the conflicting national interests of the two countries
brought then to war.
The American Naval strategy was to destroy the Spanish fleet and the army’s objectives
were:
-To defend the United States
-Invade Cuba and Puerto Rico
-And undertake possible action in the Philippines or Spain.
The Spanish-American war was for the Americans “ten glorious weeks”, with victories to
shut about in every headline and slogan.
2. Describe the main progressive reforms.
Progressive Era was a time of fermenting idealism, moral and religious fervour, and
constructive social, economic and political change. Most believed problems could be
legislated away. They were middle-class moderates, these progressives sought to save
the capitalists from their excesses. Their goal was an orderly and harmonious society. The
different groups reflected the rise of a new professionalism that helped to create a body of
experts to be tapped by progressives wanting to impose order and efficiency on social
institutions. It was a period of explosive growths and the increase of industrial production,
a rapid rise of population and the expansion of the consumer market place.
The expansion of urban areas demanded a large amount of farm goods. Some irrigation
was introduced in the Imperial Valley of California and some parts of Arizona to transform
these areas into commercial farming. The number of great cities multiplied. They were the
focus of the Progressive politics.
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The war with Spain was over in a few months but with Philippines took more than three
years (1899-1902.)
In conclusion, the Spanish-American war established the United States as a world power
for the 20th century.
3. Explain the significance Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points.
On 1912, Woodrow Wilson was elected the twenty-eight president of United States. He
showed a different leadership style from his predecessors, and he thought that the
president should be the person who has to protect and defend the nation. Woodrow took a
turn for the presidency.
On January, 1918, Wilson gave a speech to Congress in which he outlined what was to
become known as “Fourteen Points”. It was composed by some proposal that would finish
with the war and reestablish a new world order, and represent the basis for a peace
programme. People were grateful because of the power that Wilson assumed: they felt
safe and supported him. These were the points that marked a beginning in the liberty:
1. No more secret agreements ("Open covenants openly arrived at").
2. Free navigation of all seas.
3. An end to all economic barriers between countries.
4. Countries to reduce weapon numbers.
5. All decisions regarding the colonies should be impartial
4. Compare Theodore Roosevelt’ Square Deal and Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom
Program.
Theodore Roosevelt's 'Square Deal' handled the problems with businesses and society. It
promised a fair deal to all sides of transactions. It was an effort to protect the weak from
the strong, and the strong in his time included monopolists and cold-blooded employers.
Roosevelt was a conservative but he had progressive ideas: government should be run by
competent people –internal reforms- and industrialization needed an expanded
government action. ‘The Square Deal’ was a set of domestic programmes resulting in a
tighter control over domestic issues. Main points were:
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The conservation of natural resources. As a result of this policy, he clashed with
the businesses that wanted to use the minerals, the lumber and the water power
in these reserves for their own benefits.
Direct governmental control over corporations and trusts: to stop firms that were
bad monopolies -included the railroad holding companies- while encouraging
firms that were good.
Consumer protection: meat be packed under clean conditions and with the
required standards.
Woodrow Wilson’s New Freedom Program: Wilson was responsible for the passage of
many social and economic reforms. He also pursued industrial achievements but taking
into account the human cost. His New Freedom platform was very progressive and called
for tariff reduction and reform of the banking and monetary system. His greatest
achievement was the passage of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, creating a system that
still provides the framework for regulating the nation's banks, credit, and money supply
today. Wilson sponsored legislation that supported unions to ensure fair treatment of
working Americans and the development of the Child Labor Reform Act. Wilson also was
instrumental with the passage of the 19th Amendment during his second term,
guaranteeing all women the right to vote.
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5. Give your conclusions about the election of 1912.
The election of 1912 was the most memorable election of the Progressive Era and one of
the most unique of the 20th century. With reform-minded candidates as the top
contenders, it was only a matter of time before the varied goals of the groups within the
Progressive Party, from labor issues to conservation measures, would be addressed
through legislation. In fact, several important constitutional issues were near resolution
during the campaign year. The 16th and 17th Amendments to the Constitution were
passed during Taft's administration and ratified early in Wilson's first term. Thus, Congress
gained the power to collect income taxes, and U. S. Senators would be elected by the
people. In addition, women gained voting privileges when the 19th Amendment was
ratified in 1920.
But the real winner in 1912 was democracy in the form of the presidential primaries. By
running and losing, by refusing to be counted out ... when the voters had spoken ...
Theodore Roosevelt had firmly established the new primary system.
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