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Download 5.2 Spanish American War
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Isolationism to Expansionism United States began to abandoned its traditional policy of isolationism in the late 1800s United States turned to an expansionist policy for three major reasons 1. Economic: needed new resources and new markets 2. Military Power: nationalism pushed us to increase our strength, acquire naval bases abroad, and challenge European global dominance 3. Racism: Americans believed that it was our duty to spread our superior culture and civilization to inferior peoples and places Interventionism The United States turned to a policy of interventionism at the onset of the Spanish-American War Interventionism- significant activity by one country to influence something that is not directly under its control Our involvement in the SpanishAmerican war marked our emergence as a true world power. Spanish-American War US declared war on Spain for several reasons 1. Humanitarian desire to support the rights of Cubans against Spanish oppression 2. Domestic economic pressures pushed us to expand capitalism to the Caribbean 3. Alfred Thayer Mahan’s push to increase our naval power helped prepare us militarily for involvement 4. Sensationalized newspaper articles (Yellow Journalism) exaggerated the truth of what was happening Humanitarianism Newspapers published accounts of the atrocities of the Spanish regime against the Cubans. Most Americans sympathized with the Cuban rebels aspirations of liberty and democracy. The American public began to call for the government to intervene on the behalf of the Cuban rebels. Results of Spanish Concentration Camps in Cuba Results of Spanish Concentration Camps in Cuba Economic Pressures Economic depressions, overproduction and low prices of agricultural goods, growing industrialism, and labor strikes created growing fears among Americans Americans desperately wanted to find new markets to expand into in order to sell our surplus of goods and our capitalist economic system The Caribbean Islands seemed to be a perfect place to begin the experiment of American interventionism Alfred Thayer Mahan Mahan was an American naval officer and military historian Wrote an influential paper on the importance of naval power in world history Said that all powerful nations throughout world history possessed a significant naval power Believed that the US had to increase its navy in order to become a global power The US followed Mahan’s advice and began expanding its naval capacity by building new Battleships and acquiring land around the world to create naval bases Had its eye on the Caribbean for a new naval base Yellow Journalism Rival newspapers in New York turned to Yellow Journalism to increase sales Yellow Journalism was a technique that sensationalized stories to make them more eye-catching and intriguing Usually sacrificed truth and integrity in order make stories more appealing Often used catchy headlines and elaborate pictures or cartoons to draw the attention of readers Yellow Press stories led to a public outcry for American intervention in Cuba’s struggle against Spain De Lome Letter Letter written by the Spanish minister in Cuba Criticized President William McKinley Called him “weak and catering to the rabble” as well as a “low politician” who only looked out for his own interests Published by a Yellow Journalism newspaper and outraged the American public Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine US sent the U.S.S. Maine, a new battleship, to Havana to protect American interests in Cuba While there, the Maine exploded, sank quickly, and killed 3/4ths of its crew Yellow Press stories blamed Spain even though there was very little evidence “Remember the Maine, To Hell with Spain” became a rallying cry for action The U.S.S. Maine Wreckage of the U.S.S. Maine Spanish-American War Results War was short-lived, lasted less than 4 months Initial result of the war was expansion of the US into the South Pacific Treaty ending the war transferred Spain’s empire into American hands Annexed Hawaii and captured the Philippines Both territories gave the US convenient fueling stops and locations for naval bases Ownership of the Philippines, Wake Island, and Guam in the Pacific and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Cuba gained independence but became an American protectorate (free but completely controlled by US) US now emerged as an imperial power American Imperialism Annexation of the Philippines Annexation of the Philippines created a major debate in America Anti-Imperialists: Argued against annexation because they believed that Filipinos were racially inferior to Americans and could never be incorporated into the nation Pro-Imperialists: Argued that it was the US’s duty to govern the Filipinos since they were unable to govern themselves Both arguments used racial prejudices and Social Darwinism and found domestic counterparts in Jim Crow laws and voter restrictions Imperial Struggles Acquisition of new land led to new problems US had no experience governing foreign territories or peoples and struggled with the task Filipinos eventually rebelled against American occupation and were brutally suppressed by the American military Insular Cases: Supreme Court ruled that the “Constitution does NOT follow the Flag” Subject peoples do not have the same rights as US citizens Lands were not offered eventual statehood Perception of US among subject peoples shifted from champion of liberty to imperial power
