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U.S Becomes World Power • In March 1889, a storm prevented a battle for control of Samoa between the British, Germans, & U.S. • Countries were willing to risk war in far-off places as Samoa because they wanted to build naval bases & protect shipping routes in Pacific • This effort was part of imperialism • Imperialism = practice of building an empire by founding colonies or conquering other nations • 1870-1914 Western (Europe & U.S.) nations built colonial empires • They took control of most of Africa and much of Southeast Asia • Several forces drove this wave of imperialism. • 1st: Countries wanted raw materials—such as copper, rubber, and tin—to help their industrial growth. • 2nd: At the same time, businesspeople needed new markets to sell their goods • 3rd: Many saw colonies as a source of power and national pride America’s Manifest Destiny • Manifest Destiny- The 19th-century (1800s) belief that the U.S. had the right and duty to expand throughout the North American continent • Americans saw it as God given right to have all continent, no matter who occupied it (Indians, foreigners, etc.) • In 1867 Secretary of State William H. Seward purchased Alaska from Russia • At $7.2 million, cost was less than 2 cents/acre. • However, Alaska added some 600,000 square miles to the U.S. & had valuable resources such as furs, minerals, & timber • In the late 1800s many American imperialists took the idea of manifest & expanded it beyond North America • Previously, U.S. had followed a policy of isolationism—avoiding involvement in affairs of other countries. Hawaii • Not everyone favored isolationism • Some Americans thought the United States needed to expand to keep the country's economy strong • Pacific island—Hawaii—interested imperialists • Hawaii had tropical climate & fertile soil • British explorer Captain James Cook was the 1st European to arrive in 1778 • Later, American missionaries came to convert the Hawaiians to Christianity • These missionaries opened businesses and raised crops such as sugarcane • Some missionary families became rich sugar planters • 1840s: most of economy owned by Americans • Sugar = leading export of Hawaiian economy U.S. Gains Hawaii • 1875 treaty allowed Hawaiian sugar to be shipped duty-free to the U.S. In return, Hawaii agreed not to give territory or privileges to other country • In 1893 Queen Liliuokalani presented new constitution that returned power to the monarchy (Queen) • In response, planters revolted. John L. Stevens, U.S. minister to Hawaii, called 150 U.S. Marines ashore to support the revolt • The rebellion succeeded without a shot being fired. • Acting without authority from the U.S. Govt. Stevens recognized declared Hawaii to be under U.S. control on February 1, 1893. • President Grover Cleveland disapproved of revolt & refused to annex Hawaii • Annex = Bringing a territory into existing country, state, etc. • However, he took little action to help restore the monarchy • The islands remained an independent until July 7, 1898 • Hawaii became U.S. territory in 1900 and 50th state in 1959 U.S. Eyes Japan • By the mid-1800s some European powers had formed strong trade ties with much of East Asia • But the island nation of Japan had isolated itself from the rest of the world for hundreds of years • The United States wanted to open Japan's trade before Europeans got there • President Millard Fillmore sent Commodore Matthew Perry to secure "friendship, commerce, a supply of coal and provisions." • Perry returned to Japan in February 1854 with seven warships • He brought gifts showing technological benefits the United States could offer • This effort—and the presence of American military power—persuaded Japanese leaders to sign a treaty opening trade with the U.S. Open Door Policy in China • Economic interests drew the United States not only to Hawaii and Japan but also to China • After Japan defeated China in 1895, other countries quickly took further advantage of China's weakness • Nations seized spheres of influence—areas where foreign nations could control trade & natural resources • The United States, however, lacked the naval power to establish its own sphere of influence. • Fearing that the U.S. would be closed out of Chinese markets, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay announced the Open Door Policy. • The main argument of the Open Door Policy was that all nations should have equal access to trade in China • When European powers & Japan neither accepted or rejected the policy Hay announced it had been accepted • China forced to accept foreign influence when outside military was needed to stop Boxer Rebellion in 1900 Yellow Journalism • In 1895, Cubans revolted against Spanish colonial rule. Many Americans believed Cuba's battle with Spain resembled America's Revolutionary War • The Cuban conflict was widely reported, even exaggerated, in the American press, further increasing American support for the Cubans • New York World, published by Joseph Pulitzer, was very critical of the Spanish, as was William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal • This exaggeration of news stories in order to sell newspapers became known as yellow journalism • Both were trying to sell papers and get support for U.S. military action • Hearst illustrator Fredric Remington sent Hearst a telegram from Cuba reading, "Everything is quiet. There is no trouble. There will be no war." • Hearst is said to have answered, "You furnish [provide] the pictures and I'll furnish the war USS Maine Explodes • Despite growing public support for military action, President Grover Cleveland remained strongly opposed to U.S. involvement in Cuba • However, in 1896, William McKinley, a supporter of Cuban independence, was elected • On January 25, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine arrived in Havana Harbor to protect U.S. citizens and economic interests • On February 9 Hearst published a letter written by the Spanish minister to the United States that called President McKinley a weak leader • The letter outraged many Americans and embarrassed the Spanish government. • Six days after Hearst published the letter, 260 American sailors were killed when the Maine exploded • Although the cause of the explosion was unclear, many Americans blamed Spain Story of USS Maine Spanish-American War • Spain offered to negotiate but would not consider Cuban independence • Congress then passed a resolution on April 20, 1898 declaring the island independent and giving Spain three days to leave the island • Attached to the resolution was the Teller Amendment, which stated that the United States had no interest in taking control of Cuba • In response to the U.S. declaration that Spain had to leave Cuba, the Spanish government declared war on the United States on April 24, 1898 • The next day Congress passed and McKinley signed a declaration of war against Spain • The Spanish-American War was underway US Attacks Philippines • While attention was focused on Cuba, the U.S. Navy won a quick and spectacular victory nearly halfway around the world • When the war began, Commodore George Dewey set out to attack the Spanish Philippines • On May 1, 1898 Dewey's ships boldly sailed into Manila Bay and destroyed Spain's Pacific fleet • Dewey had defeated the Spanish, but he lacked the forces necessary to occupy the islands • They were joined by Filipino rebels led by Emilio Aguinaldo • The army was at first unprepared to train and support them. There were shortages of bullets and rifles • Once in Cuba, many soldiers were struck by yellow fever and other deadly diseases Spanish American War Ends • The most famous group of soldiers in the war was the First Volunteer Cavalry, or the Rough Riders. Organized by Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt • The U.S. Navy trapped the Spanish Caribbean fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba in June 1898 • On July 3 the Spanish fleet tried to break through the U.S. blockade • Every Spanish ship was destroyed in the battle, with 474 Spaniards killed and 1,750 others captured • U.S. forces suffered only two casualties. Santiago surrendered on July 17. U.S. troops soon captured Puerto Rico as well • Spain asked for peace and signed a cease-fire on August 12, 1898…just 4 months after the start of the war U.S. Takes Control of Spanish Territory • Peace treaty between Spain & U.S. placed Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam under U.S. control • Americans opposed to treaty formed Anti-Imperialist League • League accused the U.S. of building a colonial empire • Despite such protests, the peace treaty was approved by one vote • The Teller Amendment had stated that the United States would not annex Cuba • But McKinley wanted to create stability and increase U.S. trade and influence in the area, so he set up a military government there • McKinley had schools set up & doctors discovered the deadly yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitoes • Getting rid of standing water lowered the mosquito population and helped health officials control the disease U.S., Philippines & Cuba • General Leonard Wood was appointed governor of Cuba by McKinley • Wood also oversaw the drafting of a Cuban constitution, which included the Platt Amendment • This amendment limited Cuba's right to make treaties and allowed the United States to intervene in Cuban affairs • The amendment also required Cuba to sell or lease land to the United States for naval stations. Cuban leaders protested • However, the Cubans reluctantly accepted the Platt Amendment, and U.S. troops withdrew • The amendment remained in force until 1934 • Spain had surrendered the Philippines in return for a $20 million payment from the United States • Some believed that it would be wrong to annex the islands without the consent of the Filipinos Philippines & Puerto Rico • President McKinley argued that annexing the islands would keep Europeans from seizing them • Filipino rebels had helped U.S. forces capture Manila • Now they expected to gain their independence • When the U.S. decided to keep the islands, the rebels began a guerrilla war against U.S. forces • In 1946 the United States granted full independence to the Philippines • Like Cubans and Filipinos, Puerto Ricans had hoped for independence after the war. Instead, the U.S. government made Puerto Rico a territory • In 1916 the Jones Act granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship • In 1952 Puerto Rico became a U.S. commonwealth. This unique status means that the island has its own constitution and elected officials