Download American Imperialism Timeline 1867-1914

American Imperialism Timeline 1867-1914
1867
Purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million
1878
Treaty with Samoa marks beginning of U.S. expansion in
Pacific
1890
Mayan publishes The Influence of Sea Power upon History,
1660-1783
February 1898
USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana harbor
April 1898
Spain and the U.S. declare war on each other over Cuba
April 1898
Dewey occupies Manila
Summer 1898
Hawaii annexed to U.S.
December 1898
Treaty of Paris adds Puerto Rico, Guam and Phillipines to
U.S., and guarantees Cuban independence
1899
Anti-Imperialist League founded
1899
U.S. declares Open Door Policy toward China
1900
Boxer Rebellion suppressed in China
1901
Theodore Roosevelt becomes president
1902
Filipino military resistance to U.S. occupation ends
1903
With U.S. help, Panama declares independence from
Columbia, U.S. purchases Canal Zone
1905
Roosevelt mediates settlement to Russo-Japanese War
1907
“Gentleman’s Agreement” between Japan and U.S.
1912
Wilson elected president
1912-1914
U.S. troops in various Caribbean countries
1914
Archduke Ferdinand assassination, WWI erupts
1914
Panama Canal Opens
Imperialism Reading Quiz
1.
Which of the following best explains the role of the battleship Maine in American history?
A.
The Maine was the first naval ship to use oil as its source of energy
B.
It exploded and sank in Miami harbor as it was leaving for Cuba
C.
It disappeared at sea with no trace, but newspaper reporters claimed that Spain had
ordered it sunk.
D.
It exploded in Havana harbor and became a battle cry in the Spanish-American war
E.
The Maine transported arms to Cuban rebels.
2.
As a result of the Spanish-American war, the U.S. gained possession of Puerto Rico, Guam and
A.
The Phillipines
B.
The Panama Canal Zone
C.
Cuba
D.
Hawaii
E.
Western Samoa
3.
The “yellow journalism” of the late 19th century might best be described as
A.
focusing on the influx of Chinese immigrants to the West Coast and calling for
restrictions on such immigration
B.
attempting to alarm the public about the supposed “Yellow Peril” of Japan’s growing
naval and industrial might
C.
focusing exclusively on corruptions and abuses in government and big business
D.
reporting the news in an exaggerated, distorted, and sensationalized manner
E.
dominated by the funding of large corporations so as to take a stance consistently
favorable to big business
4.
The term “Seward’s Folly” referred to Secretary of State William Seward’s
A.
advocacy of a lenient policy toward the defeated Southern states
B.
break with the majority radical faction of the Republican party in order to back President
Andrew Johnson
C.
belief that the Civil War could be avoided and the Union restored by provoking a war
with Britain and France
D.
negotiation of the purchase of Alaska from Russia
E.
ill-fated attempt to gain the presidency in 1860
5.
Emilio Aguinaldo was
A.
the commander of the Spanish fleet defeated at Manila Bay
B.
the Spanish general whose tactics against Cuban rebels helped bring on the SpanishAmerican War
C.
the leader of the Philippine insurrection against first Spanish then U.S. occupation
D.
the commander of the Spanish fleet destroyed at Santiago
E.
the Spanish foreign minister who negotiated the treaty ending the Spanish-American War
6.
The Spanish-American War spurred building of the Panama Canal by
A.
demonstrating the need to shift naval forces quickly from the Atlantic to the Pacific
B.
demonstrating the ease with which Latin American countries could be overcome by U.S.
military forces
C.
discrediting congressional opponents of the project
D.
removing the threat that any possible canal could be blockaded by Spanish forces in Cuba
and Puerto Rico
E.
demonstrating that such tropical diseases as malaria and yellow fever could be controlled
1.
_____ 2. _____
3. _____ 4. _____ 5. _____ 6. _____
Chapter Theme
Theme: In the 1890s a number of economic and political forces sparked a spectacular burst of
imperialistic expansionism for the United States that culminated in the Spanish-American War—
a war that began over freeing Cuba and ended with the highly controversial acquisition of the
Philippines and other territories.
Chart on Appendix page 57 for economic forces for expansion
Imperialism: the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political,
or military control over weaker territories
Chapter Summary
Various developments provoked the previously isolated United States to turn its attention
overseas in the 1890s. Among the stimuli for the new imperialism were the desire for new
economic markets, the sensationalistic appeals of the “yellow press,” missionary fervor,
Darwinist ideology, great-power rivalry, and naval competition.
Strong American intervention in the Venezuelan boundary dispute of 1895–1896
demonstrated an aggressive new assertion of the Monroe Doctrine and led to a new British
willingness to accept American domination in the Western Hemisphere. Longtime American
involvement in Hawaii climaxed in 1893 in a revolution against native rule by white American
planters. President Cleveland temporarily refused to annex the islands, but the question of
incorporating Hawaii into the United States triggered the first full-fledged imperialistic debate in
American history.
The “splendid little” Spanish-American War began in 1898 over American outrage about
Spanish oppression of Cuba. American support for the Cuban rebellion had been whipped up into
intense popular fervor by the “yellow press.” After the mysterious Maine explosion in February
1898, this public passion pushed a reluctant President McKinley into war, even though Spain was
ready to concede on the major issues.
An astounding first development of the war was Admiral Dewey’s naval victory in May
1898 in the rich Spanish islands of the Philippines in East Asia. Then in August, American
troops, assisted by Filipino rebels, captured the Philippine city of Manila in another dramatic
victory. Despite mass confusion, American forces also easily and quickly overwhelmed the
Spanish in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
After a long and bitter national debate over the wisdom and justice of American
imperialism, which ended in a narrow proimperialist victory in the Senate, the United States took
over the Philippines and Puerto Rico as colonial possessions. Regardless of serious doubts about
imperialism, the United States had strongly asserted itself as a proud new international power.
Discussion Questions
How was American expansionism overseas similar to previous continental expansion
westward, and how was it different?
Was the taking of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines really a violation of
fundamental American ideals of self-government and democracy?
Factors influencing Imperialism:
Industrialization had caused American production to grow rapidly= need markets
Centennial celebration of 1876= nationalism
New application of the Monroe Doctrine= Alaska, France out of Mexico, businesses in
Latin America, Hawaii
France forced out of Mexico (1862-1867) was the completion of the Pastry War (1838)
The Allied Intervention
Since the proclamation of the Monroe Doctrine, US policy had been to oppose the extension of European
power over the newly independent nations of Latin America. Latin America's continuing independence in
this period was in fact more due to British influence, but the US could not be blithely ignored. That was
until November of 1860, with the election of Abraham Lincoln. With the resulting secession of the South
and the proclamation of the Confederate States of America, the US government was paralyzed. In April of
1861 open civil war began at Fort Sumter, and now Mexico had no effective support from Washington.
In October of 1861, Britain, France and Spain signed the Convention of London, agreeing to occupy the
port of Veracruz to force the Mexican government to honor its international obligations. The majority of
the debts, 69 million pesos, was owed to Great Britain. The French had only some 3 million pesos in
claims, but the Jecker claims gave the French another 15 million pesos. All three powers agreed not to
pursue territorial claims, but in fact Napoleon III already had a plan in mind.
Maximilian, Archduke of Austria and popular younger brother of Franz Josef, the Hapsburg emperor of
Austria, was unemployed and ambitious. If Napoleon could line up Maximilian to become emperor of
Mexico it would heal the breach with Catholic Austria lingering from French support of Italian unification in
1859, and provide France with a prop against the rising might of Prussia. It would give the French a
pliable ally in Mexico. But Napoleon III could not move too openly at first.
On December 14, 1861, 6,000 Spanish troops landed in Veracruz, followed on January 2 by 800 British
marines. Six days later 2000 French marines and 600 zouaves from the French Armeé d'Afrique came
ashore. Very soon the allies found themselves in trouble. While control of Veracruz gave them a grip on
the economic windpipe of Mexico, it was not a healthy place to be. The Tierra Caliente was low lying
coastal jungle and swamp, teeming with malaria, mosquitoes and scourged by the dreaded vomito negro,
better known as yellow fever. Veracruz itself swarmed with black zopilotes, vultures, which formed the
only sanitation service in the city. Within weeks General Prim, the Spanish commander, alone sent home
some 800 sick men to hospitals in Cuba. Juárez wisely played a waiting game, offering to negotiate and
letting the vomito take its toll.
In mid February the allies consented to a compromise with the Juaristas, agreeing to negotiate the debt
issue in exchange for being allowed to march to Orizaba, some 200 miles inland, and 2,800 feet above sea
level, out of yellow fever country. This should have been the end of the matter. But now the French
showed their true colors. They landed 3000 reinforcements in Veracruz under Brigadier General Ferdinand
Latrille, Count de Lorencez. On April 11 the British and Spanish jointly began to leave to re-embark,
realizing French intentions and not wanting to be part of a French scheme to take over the whole country.
That same day the French declared a state of hostilities to exist with Mexico. Five days later, at Córdoba,
Lorencez issued a proclamation announcing France's intention to 'pacify' Mexico, and began rallying
Conservative support for a counter-revolution.
Cinco de Mayo
On April 27, 1862 Lorencez began advancing on Mexico City, some 200 miles from Orizaba, along the
same route taken by Hernán Cortéz in 1519 and by the Americans in the Mexican War. Mexico City is
situated in the Valley of Mexico, which at 7,300 feet above sea level, is centered in the midst of a high
plateau that forms the rugged heart of Mexico. The key to access to the central plateau from Veracruz is
the city of Puebla, standing astride the road to Mexico City at some 5,000 feet above sea level. On May
5th, 1862 Brigadier General Lorencez began deploying some 7,000 French troops for what he thought
would be an easy assault on the city. But Puebla was held by some 4,000 Mexican troops under the able
leadership of Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza. Overconfident, the French launched a frontal attack across a muddy
field, straight into the waiting Mexican guns. The attack failed, with Zaragoza's subordinate, Porfirio Díaz,
counter punching the French left. At the end of the day some 500 French troops lay dead or wounded, and
Lorencez sullenly retreated back to Orizaba.
If Puebla was not a brilliant tactical triumph, it was a timely victory for the Juaristas. The Cinco de Mayo
gave the Mexican people a much needed shot of national pride, and delayed the French march on Mexico
City by a full year. The ensuing breathing space gave the Liberals time to consolidate their control of the
country. In the same time period as well, the Union began to gain the upper hand in the American Civil
War. Napoleon III's scheme could only succeed if the US was distracted by the continued rebellion of the
South. If and when the Union won, the French position in Mexico would quickly become untenable.
Immediately the fall of the Confederacy changed the strategic situation in Mexico. If the Rebels had been
benevolent neutrals, the Union was decidedly unfriendly to the Mexican Empire. As the last rebels
surrendered, Grant rushed three Union corps, some fifty thousand men, under a tough cavalry
commander, Gen. Philip Sheridan, to Texas. This Army of Observation was more than enough to trounce
any French army Bazaine was likely to bring within striking distance of the Rio Grande. Sheridan was also
quick to 'condemn' US arms and supplies, and left them out in the desert for the Juaristas to 'find'. Juárez
soon had 40,000 American rifles to re-equip his army. Perhaps as many as 3,000 discharged Union army
veterans, including many African Americans, found their way into Juárez's growing host. However, Juárez
was careful to resist a number of schemes that involved bringing an American led force into Mexico.
Mexicans, whatever their political stripe, were always wary of American intentions in this period.