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Chapter 5 Study Guide
After the Civil War most Americans were isolationist in their views. Isolationist – No entanglement in foreign affairs.
The closing of the frontier and the build-up of European imperialism changed many people’s minds. Imperialism is the
political and economic domination by a stronger country over a weaker one. Colonies – the stronger country sets up and runs
the government of the weaker one. Protectorates – the weaker country has its own government, but is “advised” or dominated
by the stronger one
Anglo-Saxonism – the idea that English speaking nations had superior character, ideas and systems of government, and were
destined to dominate the planet. John Fiske and Josiah Strong were major advocates of Anglo Saxonism. It became
basically an extension of Manifest Destiny.
In 1852, Matthew Perry sailed to Japan and forced the Japanese to sign a trade treaty with the U. S. The U. S. had been
trading with China for years, and now the U. S. felt the need for Pacific ports. It had been eyeing Pago Pago in Samoa for
years, and opened a naval base there in 1878.
Missionaries had gone to Hawaii in 1819, and were soon followed by sugar cane planters. These planters became rich and
powerful, and in 1875, convinced the Hawaiian gov’t. to sign a trade treaty with the U. S. which abolished the tariff on
Hawaiian sugar, and gave the U. S. exclusive rights to a naval base in Pearl Harbor. In 1887 they pressured the king of
Hawaii to cede some of his political power to them. In 1891, Queen Liliuokalani assumed the throne, and began to try to
reassert the power of the monarchy. John L. Stephens, the American minister to Hawaii, called for military aid from the U. S.
on behalf of the plantars.
On Jan. 16, 1893, 162 marines arrived in Hawaii on the USS Boston. They did not fight, but their presence allowed the
planters to overthrow the government. The planters set up a provisional gov’t, deposed the queen, and requested the U.S.
annex Hawaii. Pres. Cleveland opposed imperialism, and refused. The provisional gov’t simply waited for a president that
would grant their request, which happened 5 years later.
Americans also wanted influence in Latin America. James G. Blaine (twice SecState in the 1880’s) led early efforts. He set
up the first Pan American conference in 1889. It failed in many of its objectives, but did lead to the formation of the Pan
American Union, which later became the Organization of American States.
Imperialism and Ango-Saxonism led to the need for a modern navy. Navy Captain Alfred T. Mahan wrote a book entitled
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660 – 1783. This book pointed out the need for a large, powerful navy, and also
overseas naval bases. Senators Henry Cabot Lodge and Albert J. Beveridge pushed for the building of a modern navy. By
the late 1890’s the U. S. was well on its way to becoming one of the top naval powers in the world.
Cuba was a Spanish colony, rebelled in 1895, seized eastern section of the island, declared independence, and established the
Republic of Cuba. Cleveland declared the U. S. neutral, but much of the public supported the rebels. The New York Journal
(William Randolph Hearst) and the New York World (Joseph Pulitzer) practiced yellow journalism (sensationalism,
exaggeration, and outright fabrication in order to sell more newspapers). These papers incited Americans against Spain.
Spain did oppress the Cubans harshly. General Weyler and 200,000 Spanish troops set up reconcentration camps, where tens
of thousands of civilians died of disease and starvation. Americans began once more to call for war.
In 1897 McKinley comes into office. He did not want to intervene, but actually tried to help negotiate a peace deal. There was
much civil unrest in Cuba, so McKinley sent the USS Maine to Havana harbor in case Americans needed to be evacuated.
During this time, the Spanish Ambassador wrote a very insulting letter about McKinley, and it went public. Before the stink
from this letter could die down, the Maine exploded in Havana harbor. Of 354 men aboard, 266 were killed. The press blamed
Spain for the explosion, and Congress readied for war. Jingoism (an attitude of aggressive nationalism) was strong among
many Republicans, and much of Congress was itching to go to war with Spain.
McKinley asked Congress to authorize the use of force to end the conflict, which they did, and Spain promptly declared war on
the U. S. Spain was a former naval power, and the U. S. knew it not only had to defeat Spain on Cuba, but also had to defeat
her navy. There was a large Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, the Philippines, and on May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey
sailed into the bay and destroyed it. Army sent troops to occupy Philippines, and on the way, they seized Guam, another
Spanish possession. In the fight for Cuba, over five times as many Americans died of disease during training than were
actually killed in the war.
On Cuba, Colonel Leonard Wood and Theodore Roosevelt led the Rough Riders to take Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill
(along with the all-black 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments). The commander of Santiago panicked and ordered the Spanish fleet
to flee, and when it did, it was completely destroyed by the U. S. fleet. Santiago surrendered 2 weeks later, and American
troops took Puerto Rico. Spain and the U. S. agreed to a cease-fire. Cuba had been promised its freedom, and Spain had
agreed to the U. S. annexing Puerto Rico and Guam. The U. S. wrestled with what to do with the Philippines – many wanted to
annex them, many others wanted to grant them independence. President McKinley finally decided to annex.
The Filipinos rebelled. General Arthur MacArthur, father of WWII General Douglas MacArthur, put down the rebellion,
using many of the same tactics the U. S. had condemned Spain for using in Cuba. Philippine Governor William Howard Taft
won over the Filipino people by building railroads, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc. Eventually, the rebellion ceased. The U. S.
gradually gave more rights and autonomy to the Philippines, finally granting independence in 1946. In 1900, Congress passed
the Foraker Act – made Puerto Rico an unincorporated territory. Over time, its residents were granted citizenship, and it
became a territory of the U. S. The U.S. had promised Cuba independence, but McKinley wanted Cuba to remain tied to the U.
S. Congress attached the Platt Amendment to the Cuban Constitution, which ensured Cuba remained dependent upon the
U.S. This effectively made Cuba a U.S. protectorate.
Teddy Roosevelt became famous from the Spanish-American War. He was elected Governor of New York in 1898, and in
1900, McKinley chose him to run with him for Vice President. McKinley was re-elected, and Roosevelt became VP, then
McKinley was shot on September 6, 1901 by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist. He died a few days later, and Teddy Roosevelt
(TR) became president. He believed in some of Anglo-Saxonism, and that the U.S. had a duty to shape the “less civilized”
countries in the world.
By 1899, the U.S. Navy was the third largest in the world, and played a powerful role in Asia. The U.S. was primarily
interested in trade with China because of the huge population and the large markets there. In 1894, Japan defeated China in the
Sino-Japanese War and in the peace treaty, acquired part of Manchuria. Russia, France and Germany forced Japan to give it
back to China, and then Russia forced China to lease it to her. France, Germany, and England also acquired leaseholds in
China, creating “Spheres of Influence” (areas where a foreign nation controlled economic development in China). McKinley
and U.S. Secretary of State John Hay wanted an “Open Door” policy, where all nations would have equal access to trade with
China. While this debate was going on, the Boxers, a secret Chinese society, rebelled, trying to “expel the foreign devils from
China.” In August 1900 an international force that included U.S. troops quashed the rebellion. Secretary of State Hay and the
British convinced the European powers not to carve up and colonize China.
In 1905, Roosevelt brokered a peace treaty to stop the Russo-Japanese war. He received the Nobel Peace Prize for this in
1906. He also sent the “Great White Fleet” of 16 battleships on a world tour to showcase U. S. military might. Roosevelt
believed in broad displays of American military might to dissuade nations from considering war with the U.S. His motto was
“Speak softly and carry a big stick,” and these displays became known as Big Stick foreign policy.
Roosevelt felt a canal across Central America was vital to American interests. The Hay-Pauncefort Treaty with Great Britain
gave the U.S. exclusive rights. The U.S. offered Colombia (which owned Panama) $10 million and ¼ million per year for the
right to construct the canal. Colombia refused, and Panamanian officials, fearing loss of the canal to Nicaragua, revolted and
declared independence in Nov. 1903. Roosevelt immediately recognized the independent Panama, and signed a treaty with
them allowing construction of the canal. Dr. William Gorgas was Chief Sanitary Officer on the Panama Canal Project. He
and his crew killed the mosquitoes that carried Yellow Fever – wiped out Yellow Fever in two years.
In 1904, TR defined the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that the U.S. would intervene in Latin
American affairs when necessary to maintain economic and political stability in the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt’s
successor, William Howard Taft, continued TR’s policies, but with less emphasis on military intervention and more on
economic development. Because of the money spent on economic development, Taft’s approach became known as dollar
diplomacy.