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Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
Chapter 27
The Path of Empire
~ 1890 – 1899 ~
We assert that no nation can long endure half republic and half empire, and we
warn the American people that imperialism abroad will lead quickly and inevitably
to despotism at home.
Democratic National Platform, 1900
Introduction
From the end of the Civil War to the 1880s, the United States was very isolationist and Americans were
indifferent to the outside world
A momentous shift occurred in the 1890s

America’s new diplomacy reflected the far-reaching changes

American statesmen responded to the dawning “age of empire”
By the beginning of the 20th century, America had acquired its own empire---departure from its anticolonial
traditions
The world had to reckon with a new great power
I.
America Turns Outward
A. America’s ambition for overseas empire was fed by many developments
1.
Farmers and factory owners looked for new markets
2.
Closing of the frontier
3.
Country bursting with new sense of power
4.
“Yellow journalism” of Joseph Pulitzer & William Randolph Hearst ---foreign exploits, manly
adventures
5.
Reverend Josiah Strong’s book, Our Country: Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis
(1885)
a.
Superiority of Anglo-Saxon civilization
b. Said Americans should spread religion & democratic values to “backward” peoples
6.
Theodore Roosevelt & Henry Cabot Lodge: Survival of the fittest (Social Darwinism) means
earth belongs to strong
7.
Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan’s book, The Influence of Sea Power upon History (1890)
1
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
a.
Thesis: Control of the sea was the key to world dominance
b.
Americans felt U.S. should build large navy and build an isthmusian canal between
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Atlantic and Pacific
B. America’s new international interest manifested itself in several ways
1.
James G. Blaine pushed his “Big Sister” policy aimed at getting Latin American countries to
rally behind leadership of US
2.
In 1889, Blaine presided over the first Pan-American Conference, held in Washington D.C. -- modest beginning to series of important series of conferences
3. America had a lot of diplomatic crises or near wars in the late 1880s and 1890s
C. Serious crisis between the US and Britain
1. British Guiana and Venezuela had been disputing their border
2. U.S., under President Grover Cleveland, sent a note to Britain informing them that the British
actions were violating the Monroe Doctrine and that the U.S. controlled things in the
Western Hemisphere
3. The British reply: MYOB!!!
4. Uproar resulted, and the two nations almost went to war
5. British decided to cultivate a friendship with America and started an era of “patting the eagle’s
head”---sometimes called the Great Rapprochement --- between the US and England --- and
cordiality became a cornerstone of relations between the two countries for all of the 20 th
century
II.
Spurning the Hawaiian Pear
A. From the 1820s, United States had always liked the Hawaiian
Islands---treaties signed in 1875 and 1887 guaranteed
commercial trade and U.S. rights to priceless Pearl Harbor
B. Problems began when indigenous Hawaiian population was
reduced to about 1/6 its previous size due to Old World
pathogens
C. American sugar growers began importing Asian labor
D. By the end of the century, Chinese and Japanese immigrants
outnumbered both native Hawaiians and whites
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E. In 1890, the McKinley Tariff raised the prices on this sugar, raising its price
F. Americans felt that the best way to offset this was to annex Hawaii—a move opposed by its
Queen Liliuokalani, who insisted native Hawaiians should control the island
G. In 1893, desperate Americans revolted
H. Grover Cleveland became president again, investigated the coup & derailed annexation of Hawaii --had to be put off until after he left office
III. Cubans Rise in Revolt
A.
In 1895, Cuba revolted against Spain, citing years of misrule
B.
America had many reasons for getting involved in Cuba---humanitarian, commercial and
strategic
C.
1.
American sympathies went out to the Cuban underdogs
2.
American business had $50 million invested in Cuba
3.
$100,000 trade was also at stake due to upheaval
4.
America was interested in building an isthmusian canal
The situation worsened when Spanish General Weyler came to Cuba to crush the revolt &
herded many civilians into barbed wire reconcentration camps---so they could not aid the
rebels
D.
The yellow presses of Pulitzer and Hearst
competed against each other to come up
with more sensational stories in a duel
for circulation
1.
Hearst even sent artist Frederick
Remington to draw pictures of
“atrocities” with this charge: “you
furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish
the war.”
2.
Remington drew an illustration of
Spanish officials brutally stripping
and searching an American woman, when in reality, Spanish women did such acts
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
3.
4
Hearst published a private letter from the Spanish minister to Washington, Dupuy de
Lôme, which ridiculed president McKinley ---created huge uproar
E.
In early 1898, the battleship Maine was sent to Cuba for a “friendly visit”
F.
On February 15th, Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor, killing 260 officers and
men
G.
Two investigations of the Maine explosion were launched
1. Spaniards concluded that explosion was probably accidental
2. Americans argued that the blast had been caused by a submarine mine
3. In 1976, Spanish version was confirmed
H.
BUT America was war-mad and blindly embraced the less likely explanation that Spanish
government was behind it
Remember the Maine!
To hell with Spain!
I.
National war fever burned bright
J.
McKinley did not want war but did not want Spain to retain possession of Cuba ---finally gave
the people what they wanted---April 11, 1898, McKinley sent his war message to Congress
K.
Congress also adopted the Teller Amendment, which proclaimed that when the U.S. had
overthrown Spanish misrule, it would give the Cubans their freedom---imperialistic
Europeans were skeptical
IV. Dewey’s May Day Victory at Manila
1.
Even before war was declared Assistant Secretary of the navy, Theodore Roosevelt,
cabled Commodore George Dewey, commanding the American Asiatic Squadron at Hong
Kong, and told him to take over the Philippines
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
2.
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Dewey sailed 6 warships into fortified Manila Harbor and defeated the 10 ship Spanish
fleet
a. Nearly 400 Spaniards were killed
b. No Americans were killed
B. Dewey was in a perilous position ---had to wait for reinforcements
C. Finally, on August 13, 1898, American troops arrived and captured Manila, collaborating
with Filipino insurgents (led by Emilio Aguinaldo ) to overthrow the Spanish rulers
D. Events in the Philippines focused attention on Hawaii, and US annexed it to keep Japan
from grabbing it (1898)
V.
The Confused Invasion of Cuba
A. The Spanish sent a fleet of decrepit warships to Cuba, which was blockaded by the US
fleet
B. Strategy: American army should be sent in from the rear to drive out Spanish ships
C. American ground troops, led by General William R.
Shafter
D. The “Rough Riders” --- part of the invading army---now
charged onto the pages of history
1. Short on discipline, long on dash
2. Mostly western cowboys and some ex-polo players
and ex-convicts
3. Commanded by Colonel Leonard Wood
4. Organized by Theodore Roosevelt
E. Middle of June: 17,000 troops embarked
1. Fighting broke out July 1 at El Caney and Kettle Hill
2. TR and horseless Rough Riders charged with support from 2 Buffalo soldier regiments--suffered heavy casualties
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F. July 3---Spanish fleet ordered to fight the American fleet, and Spanish fleet was
destroyed---Santiago surrendered
G. Hasty preparation were made for descent on Puerto Rico
H. If the Spaniards had held out for a few more months, they might have won
1.
American army was plagued with dysentery, typhoid, and yellow fever
a. Only 400 men got killed in battle
b. 5000 lost their lives to disease
VI.
America’s Course (Curse?) of Empire
A.
In negotiations between the US and Spain in Paris in late 1898 . .
1. Cuba was freed from Spain
2. America got Guam
3. Spain ceded Puerto Rico
4. US freed Cuba
5. Philippines …..
B.
Philippines were a problem
1.
7 million people lived there---ethnically diverse
2.
McKinley was confronted with a dilemma:
a. Couldn’t give them back to Spanish misrule
b. He felt America would be shirking its responsibility if it just sailed away---Philippines
could sink into anarchy or be taken over my Germany or Japan
c. Seemed the best option was to acquire the Philippines and perhaps give them their
freedom later
3.
C.
Finally, McKinley decided to keep the Philippines
Upon the U.S. taking of the Philippines, uproar broke out
1. Until now, the United States had mostly acquired territory contiguous to America
2. Alaska, Hawaii, and the other scattered islands, were sparsely populated and eligible for
statehood
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3. But Philippines were heavily populated with Asians with different culture, language and
government institutions
D.
Opponents of annexation said doing this would dishonor and destroy America’s commitment to
self-determination and anti-colonialism
E.
Proponents . . .
1.
F.
Said acquisition would continue a glorious history of expansion to the Pacific and beyond
The Anti-Imperialist League sprang into being, firmly opposed to this new imperialism of America,
and its members included
G.
1.
Presidents of Stanford and Harvard
2.
Mark Twain
3.
William James
4.
Samuel Gompers
5.
Andrew Carnegie
Anti-Imperialists raised many objections:
1. Even the Filipinos wanted freedom
2. Denying them violates the “consent of the governed,” espoused in the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution
3. Despotism abroad might breed despotism at home
4. Imperialism costly and unlikely to turn a profit
5. Acquisition would involve US in the political and military caldron of East Asia
H.
However, expansionists cried that the Philippines could become another Hong Kong
1.
British writer Rudyard Kipling wrote about
“The White Man’s Burden,” urging America
to keep the Philippines and “civilize them”
Take up the White Man's burden-Ye dare not stoop to less-Nor call too loud on Freedom
To cloak your weariness.
2.
Argued wealthy Americans must help uplift
the underprivileged, underfed, and
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
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underclass of the world
I.
In the Senate, the treaty passed by ONE VOTE
VII. Perplexities in Puerto Rico and Cuba
A. From the outset, the status of Puerto Rico was anomalous
1.
Not a state
2.
Not a territory
3.
Little prospect of independence
B. The Foraker Act of 1900 gave Puerto Ricans a limited degree of popular government
C. In 1917, Congress granted Puerto Ricans full American citizenship but withheld self-rule
D. U.S. help also transformed Puerto Rico and worked wonders in sanitation, transportation, beauty,
and education, but many inhabitants still want self-rule
E. Annexation of Puerto Rico (and the Philippines) posed a thorny legal problem:
1. Did the Constitution follow the flag?
2. Did American laws, including tariffs and the Bill of Rights, apply with full force in Puerto Rico?
F. Beginning in 1901 with the Insular Cases, a badly divided Supreme Court said
1. The flag did outrun the constitution
2. Constitution did not extend with full force to the new acquisitions
3. Puerto Ricans (and Filipinos) might be subject to American rule but did not enjoy all American
rights
4. The Constitution did not have full authority on how to deal with the islands (Cuba and Puerto
Rico), essentially letting Congress do whatever it wanted with them
G. In Cuba, an American military government ser up under General Leonard Wood wrought miracles
in government, finance, education, agriculture, and public health
1. Wood and Colonel William Gorgas launched frontal attack on yellow fever
2. Dr. Walter Reed performed spectacular experiments upon American soldiers --- stegomyia
mosquito was proven to be the lethal carrier of the disease
3. Cleaning up breeding places for mosquitoes wiped out yellow fever in Havana
H. In 1902, the U.S. walked away from Cuba as they said they would in the Teller Amendment
1. But Washington was fearful and couldn’t turn this island loose --- too strategically important and
valuable
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
2. Cubans were to write and pass the Platt Amendment, which became their constitution
a.
Cubans had to agree not to conclude treaties that might compromise their independence
(as US saw it)
b.
Cubans could not take on debt beyond their resources to pay (as determined by US)
c.
The U.S. could intervene and restore order in case of anarchy
d.
The U.S. could trade freely with Cuba
e.
The U.S. could lease or buy needed coaling or naval stations (and still occupies 28,000
acre beachhead at Guantanamo)
VIII. New Horizons in Two Hemispheres
A. Spanish-American War lasted only 113 days and affirmed America’s presence as a world power
B. American prestige rose sharply in Europe
C. New martial spirit in America buoyed by the popular military marching band music of John Philip
Sousa
D. One of the happiest results of the war was the closing of the bloody chasm between the U.S.
North and South
E. America was not willing to pay the full bill for its new status
IX.
1.
By taking on the Philippines, US became a Far Eastern power
2.
However, it did not assume the burdensome commitments that go with imperialism
“Little Brown Brothers” in the Philippines
A. The Filipinos had assumed that they would receive freedom after the Spanish-American War
just as the Cubans had --- but the did not
B. Filipinos, under Emilio Aguinaldo, revolted against the U.S. on February 4, 1899
C. Revolution was long and sordid
1. US was forced to deploy 126,000 troops 10,000 miles away
2. Trying to subdue a people who wanted liberty
D. Poorly equipped Filipino guerrillas melted into the jungle
3.
1.
Both sides perpetrated atrocities
2.
US used "water cure"- a torture used by the Americans toward the Filipinos
US even started reconcentration camps
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Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
E. Americans broke the back of the revolution in 1901 when U.S. soldier invaded Aguinaldo’s
headquarters and captured him --- but fighting dragged on
1.
4,234 Americans killed
2.
As many as 600,000 Filipinos killed
F. President McKinley formed a Philippine Commission in 1899 to deal with the Filipinos
1.
Headed by William H. Taft
2.
Taft developed a strong attachment for the Filipinos, calling them his “little brown
brothers.”
G. The Americans tried “benevolent assimilation” of the Filipinos
1.
benevolent assimilation”--The assimilation (the absorption) of an ethnic minority into the
dominant culture on the promise that it is beneficial to the ethnic minority
2.
Millions of American dollars poured in to improve roads, sanitation and public health
3.
Important economic ties were developed---including trade in sugar
4.
Unusually good school system was set up to make English a second language
5.
All of this profited America little and was ill-received
H. The Filipinos hated compulsory Americanization efforts and resisted
I.
They finally got their independence on July 4, 1946
X.
Hinging the Open Door in China
A.
Following its defeat by Japan in 1894-94, China had been carved into spheres of influence by
the European powers (especially Russia and Germany)
B. Sphere of influence1.
A territorial area over which political or economic influence is wielded by one nation.
2.
Colonial practice, an area of foreign territory where the power and authority of one
European state was recognized. In the case of China, European countries dominated
different parts of China
C. Americans were alarmed
D. 1899-- Secretary of State John Hay dispatched his famous Open Door Note to all the great
powers
1.
He urged them to
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Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
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a. Open their sphere of influence in China to allow other countries to trade there--essentially to allow free trade and fair competition
b. Announce that in their leaseholds (spheres of influence) they would respect Chinese
rights
2.
Hay never consulted the Chinese themselves on this
3.
The phrase Open Door quickly caught on with the American people
4.
All the powers already holding spots of China were squeamish, and only Italy, which had no
sphere of influence of its own, accepted unconditionally
5.
Russia didn’t accept at all, but the others did, on certain conditions
6.
China was “saved” from being carved up
E. Boxer Rebellion: Patriotic Chinese did not like foreign presence:
1.
In 1900, a super-patriotic group known as the “Boxers” revolted---called "boxers" because
of their martial arts training
2.
Boxer philosophy: Get rid of foreigners in China---"Kill foreign devils"
3.
Boxers tried to get rid of foreign influence in China
a. Murdered over 200 foreigners and thousands of Chinese Christians
b. Took over the capital of China, Beijing (Peking)
F. Multi-national rescue force of 18,000 soldiers broke the rebellion
1. The powers made China by $333 million for damages
2. U.S. eventually received $24.5 million---much more than needed to pay damages and expenses
3. US remitted $18 million to be used for the education of a selected group of Chinese students
in the US---thus further westernizing Asia
G.
Fearing that the European powers would carve China up for good, now, John Hay officially
asked that the territorial integrity of China be respected
XI.
Imperialism or Bryanism in 1900?
A.
McKinley was the easy choice to be president in 1900
B.
Teddy Roosevelt
1.
Had been elected governor of New York
2.
Political bosses in New York found him hard to work with
3.
They cooked up a scheme to "kick him upstairs" into the vice presidency, a traditional
political graveyard
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
4.
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TR received a unanimous vote for VP, except for his own
C.
The Democrats could only decide on William Jennings Bryan
D.
McKinley’s supporters claimed that “Bryanism,” not imperialism, was the problem, and that if
Bryan became president, he would shake up the prosperity that was in America at the time
E.
McKinley won easily
XII. TR: Brandisher of the Big Stick
A.
Six months later, a deranged anarchist shot and killed William McKinley, making Theodore
Roosevelt the youngest president ever at age 42
B.
TR’s motto was “Speak softly and carry a big stick(and) you
will go far"
1. Basically, “Let your actions do the talking” ---this was called
big stick diplomacy
2. US should negotiate with other countries but should back up
its negotiations with threat of force
C. Roosevelt believed that a president should lead
1.
No respect for the checks and balances among the three
branches of government
2.
Felt the President could take any action in the general interest that is not specifically
forbidden in the Constitution
XIII. Building the Panama Canal
A. During the Spanish-American War, the battleship Oregon was stationed on the Pacific coast at
the outbreak of the war
1. It had been forced to steam all the way around the tip of South America to join the fleet
in Cuba
2.A canal would augment the strength of the navy
3. Such a waterway would also make defense of the recent island acquisitions easier
B. However, the 1850 Clayton-Bulwer Treaty with Britain had forbade the construction --nullified in 1901 by the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
1.
A Nicaraguan route was one possible place for a canal
2.
Opposed by the old French Canal Company (and their leader was Philippe Bunau-Varilla)
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
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C. The U.S. finally chose Panama & negotiated a deal that would buy a 6-mile-wide strip of land in
Panama for $10 million and a $250,000 annual payment
1. TR was obviously incensed, since he wanted construction of the canal to begin before the
1904 campaign
2. Panamanians were upset, as they had counted on the prosperity that would come with a
canal---they had rebelled numerous times and were ripe for another revolt
D. On November 3, 1903, another revolution in Panama began
1.
When Columbia tried to stop it, the U.S., citing an 1846 treaty with Columbia, wouldn’t let
the Columbian fleet through
2.
Panama was thus recognized by the U.S., and fifteen days later, Bunau-Varilla, the
Panamanian minister despite his French nationality, signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty
that give a widened (6x10 mi.) Panamanian zone to the U.S. for $15 mil.
E. TR didn’t actively plot to tear Panama away from Columbia, but it sure seemed like it to the
public, and to Latin America, and his actions in this incident suffered a political black eye
F. In 1904, construction began on the Panama Canal, but at first problems with land slides and
sanitation occurred.
1.
Colonel George Washington Goethals finally organized the workers while Colonel William C.
Gorgas exterminated yellow fever
2.
The canal was finally finished and opened in 1914, at a cost of $400 million
XIV. TR’s Perversion of the Monroe Doctrine
A.
Latin American nations were having a hard time paying their debts to their European debtors
B.
TR feared that if European powers interfered in the Americas to collect debts, they might
then stay in Latin America, a blatant violation of the Monroe Doctrine,
1. So he decided on a brazen policy of preventive intervention
2. He issued his Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
a. Stated that in future cases of debt problems, the U.S. would take over and pay off the
debts, thus keeping the Europeans on the other side of the Atlantic
b. Roosevelt said the United States had the right to intervene in the economic affairs of
small countries in the Caribbean and Central America if they were unable to pay their
international debts.
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
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c. Roosevelt was afraid that European powers, especially Britain and Germany, which
loaned money to the countries might intervene in these countries to collect debts if the
country could not repay the lean.
3. In effect, no one could bully Latin America except the U.S.
4. US took over management of tariff collections in Dominican Republic in 1905
C.
However, this corollary didn’t bear too well with Latin America---called it “Bad Neighbor”
policy
XV.
A.
Roosevelt on the World Stage
In 1904, Russo-Japanese War
1. Both Russia nd Japan approached Theodore Roosevelt to facilitate a peace treaty
2. At Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1905, both sides met, and though both were stubborn
TR negotiated a deal in which Japan got half of Sakhalin but no indemnity for its losses
B.
For this and his mediation of North African disputes in 1906 through an international
conference at Algeciras, Spain, TR received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906
C.
However, due to the Russo-Japanese incident, America lost two allies in Russia and Japan
XVI. Japanese Laborers in California
A. After the war, many Japanese immigrants poured into California, and fears of a “yellow
flood” arose again
B. The showdown came in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake when the city decreed that
due to lack of space, Japanese children should attend a special school.
1. TR settled it eventually
2. Gentlemen’s Agreement: S.F. would not displace students while Japan would stop the flow
of laborers to USA
C. To impress the Japanese, Roosevelt sent his entire 16 warships (the Great White Fleet)
around the world for a tour, and it received tremendous salutes in Latin America, New
Zealand, Hawaii, Australia, and Japan, helping relieve tensions.
D. The Root-Takahira Agreement pledged the U.S. and Japan to respect each other’s territorial
possessions in the Pacific and to uphold the Open Note in China
Words, Terms, and Concepts to Note in Recall Margin
Chapter 27 (13th Edition) Student Handout
1.
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15.
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18.
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25.
Josiah Strong
Our Country: It’s Possible Future and
Its Present Crisis
Alfred Thayer Mahan
The Influence of Sea Power Upon
History, 1660-1783
James G. Blaine
“Big Sister” policy
Pan-American Conference
Hawaiian Islands
Pearl Harbor
Queen Liliuokalani
Cuba
General Weyler
Frederick Remington
Dupuy de Lôme
Maine
Teller Amendment
Emilio Aguinaldo
“Rough Riders”
Colonel Leonard Wood
Puerto Rico
Anti-Imperialist League
Rudyard Kipling
The White Man’s Burden
Insular Cases
Dr. Walter Reed
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26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
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32.
33.
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35.
36.
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40.
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45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
Platt Amendment
Guantanamo Bay
Spanish-American War
John Philip Sousa
"Water Cure"
William H. Taft
“little brown brothers”
“benevolent assimilation”
spheres of influence
John Hay
Open Door note
“Boxers”
Teddy Roosevelt
big stick diplomacy
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty.
Philippe Bunau-Varilla
Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty
Panama Canal
George Washington Goethals
William C. Gorgas
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe
Doctrine
Russo-Japanese War
Gentlemen’s Agreement
Great White Fleet
Root-Takahira Agreement