Chapter 27

• Empire and Expansion, 1890–1909

I. America Turns Outward• During this time the country was bursting with

growth in population, wealth, and productive capacity – and at the same time it was experiencing labor violence and agrarian unrest.– An overseas market might relieve some of these

pressures.

• More aggressive Americans (like Teddy Roosevelt) held to the Darwinist view of survival of the fittest… and they viewed America as fit!

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• The Big Sister policy – was aimed at rallying the Latin American nations behind America’s leadership and opened Latin American markets to U.S. traders.

• Relations between America and Britain were strained during this period, and as the British faced rising challenges in their own back yard they determined to change course and cultivate an American friendship.– The period of “twisting the lion’s tail” had become

“patting the eagle’s head.”

II. Spurning the Hawaiian Pear

• Since the early 1800s Hawaii had been a way station and provisioning point for American shippers, sailors, and whalers.

• In 1887, Americans signed a treaty with native Hawaiians guaranteeing naval-base rights at Pearl Harbor.

• American sugar lords were importing Asian laborers to work the canefields and sugar mills.– These planters eventually pushed to annex Hawaii

to the U.S.

– Standing in their way was the native Queen Liliuokalani, who insisted Hawaii natives were to rule Hawaii.

– The white minority on the island organized a successful revolt (assisted by American troops) in 1893 that deposed the Queen.

– A treaty was quickly brought to Washington, but before it got through Congress, Benjamin Harrison’s (Republican) term ended and Grover Cleveland (Democrat) withdrew the treaty believing the Hawaiian natives were wronged.• An investigation concluded that the natives opposed

annexation.

– By 1898, the pressure was too much and the United States acquired Hawaii.

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III. Cubans Rise in Revolt

• Cuba, a Spanish colony, was fighting for its independence… and losing.– America’s interest in Cuba:• Financial stake of about 150 million in Cuba. • Cuba controlled the Gulf of Mexico.• Sympathy for the underdog.

– In 1896, the Spanish General “Butcher” Weyler, threw Cuban civilians (who were accused of helping the insurrection) into barbed-wire camps, where conditions were so poor that people died by the thousands.

– Spanish minister in Washington, Dupuy de Lome, sent a letter to his government that was intercepted by Cuban revolutionaries and published by William Randolph Hearst.• Letter basically said that McKinley was a wimp and

enraged the American public.

• America sent the battleship Maine to Cuba for a “friendly visit.”– Is was really there to evacuate Americans if needed

and to show that American was concerned with Cuban stability.

– Feb. 15th, 1898, the Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana harbor, killing 260 sailors.

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• What happened??– Two investigations took place, one conducted by

Spain and the other by the U.S.• Spain said that the explosion came from within the vessel

and that it was probably an accident.• U.S. said that it was the result of a submarine mine.

– It wasn’t until 1976, that the Navy confirmed that the Spanish findings were correct.

• Thanks in large part to yellow journalism, the U.S. was thirsty for war and jumped to the conclusion that the Spanish government was guilty of killing American sailors.– The battle cry became: Remember the Maine! To

hell with Spain!

• America had received assurances from Madrid which stated they agreed to Washington’s demands: 1) An end to reconcentration camps2) An armistice (cease fire) with Cuban rebels

• McKinley was stuck, he didn’t want war but he also didn’t want Spain to remain in control of Cuba.– As he sat on the information and contemplated

what to do, he was criticized for being weak (just like Dupuy de Lome had done) and they called him “Wobbly Willie”.• receiving a great deal of pressure in favor of war he

gave in and sent a war message to congress on April 11, 1898.

• As congress enthusiastically approved the declaration, they also adopted the Teller Amendment.– This proclaimed to the world that when the U.S.

had overthrown Spanish rule, it would give the Cubans their freedom.

IV. Dewey’s May Day Victory at Manila• Even before the declaration of war, Feb. 25,

1898, While Navy Secretary John D. Long was away, his assistant secretary Theodore Roosevelt took matters into his own hands.– He messaged Commodore Dewey, commander of

the Asiatic Squadron at Hong Kong, and told him to attack Spain’s Philippines in the event of war.• May 1, 1898, Dewey did just that and quickly destroyed

Spain’s fleet without losing a man.

– With U.S. attention on the Philippines, the topic of Hawaii and its importance as a way station for supplies and reinforcements resurfaced.

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• With the fear that Japan might want to grab Hawaii, congress quickly approved annexation and granted Hawaiian natives U.S. citizenship.

V. The Confused Invasion of Cuba

• The invading force was under the command of General William R. Shafter.– His troops were severely unequipped for the

tropics; they were given heavy wool uniforms designed for subzero weather against the natives.

– The Rough Riders, made up of a bunch of cowboys, miners, ex-polo players, and ex-convicts, were led by T.R. (who resigned from the Navy Department to take part in the fighting.)

– American forces took Santiago and destroyed every vessel of the Spanish fleet.

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VI. America’s Course (Curse?) of Empire

• Late in 1898 Spanish and American negotiators met in Paris. The settlement agreement was:– Cuba was freed from Spain.– America secured Guam.– Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. as payment for

war costs.– What to do with the Philippines was the only hard

question…

– We couldn’t leave them under the Spanish overlord– We couldn’t leave them to govern themselves

because it would probably lead to anarchy, and they might have been seized by Germany or Japan anyway.

– A tormented McKinley decided to take all of the Philippines and Christianize and civilize them.• Because we captured Manila a day after the armistice,

we payed them 20 million for it.• The Anti-Imperialist League fought McKinley every step

of the way, but the Senate finally approved it on February 6, 1899… America was officially an empire.

VII. Perplexities in Puerto Rico and Cuba

• Foraker Act of 1900 granted Puerto Ricans a limited degree of popular government. – Congress granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto

Ricans in 1917 but withheld full self-rule.

• Insular Cases

VIII. New Horizons in Two Hemispheres

IX. “Little Brown Brothers” in the Philippines

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X. Hinging the Open Door in China

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XI. Imperialism or Bryanism in 1900?• McKinley had won the war, acquired new land

for America, safe guarded the gold standard, and brought the promised prosperity for the nation… He was a shoe-in for the reelection.

• Teddy Roosevelt, riding the war hero wave, was elected Governor of New York and proved to be a strong opponent of the local political bosses.– They decided to make sure T.R. was nominated vice

president to get him out of their hair.• The McKinley/Roosevelt ticket won the election

easily.– People were expecting prosperity and

protectionism.

XII. TR: Brandisher of the Big Stick

• Six months into his second term, he was murdered by a crazy anarchist from New York.– Theodore Roosevelt then takes the reins.• An ardent believer in military and naval preparedness, he

adopted the phrase, “Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far.”• He believed the President should lead boldly, and that he

may take any action (as president) that is in the best interest of the country as long as it isn’t specifically forbidden in the Constitution.– He had little interest in the delicate balance of checks and

balances… he was a bull in a China shop.

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XIII. Building the Panama Canal

• During the Spanish-American war, we tried to unite our navy from the West coast to help on the East coast and it took weeks to travel around South America.– We needed a canal!

• Now that Britain was “patting the eagles head,” they agreed to the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty in 1901.– It not only gave the U.S. a free hand to build the

canal but conceded the right to fortify it as well.

• The question was where to build the canal.– Nicaragua and Panama (which was part of

Columbia) were the two options.• The U.S. government was willing to pay as much as $40

million to purchase a route.• They offered Columbia $10 million and 250,000 annually

for their route, but the offer was rejected.• Wanting the route, T.R. decided to assist panama rebels

(who desired the canal route) to overthrow the Columbian region which later became Panama.– He then offered $40 million and obtained the land.

XIV. TR’s Perversion of Monroe’s Doctrine

• Latin American nations like Venezuela and the Dominican Republic were chronically in arrears (money that is owed and should have been paid back earlier) to European creditors.

• European nations began collecting by force and T.R. was concerned that if Britain or Germany continued, they might just want to stay on this side of the Ocean.– This would put them in direct violation to the

Monroe Doctrine.

• T.R. declares the Roosevelt Corollary (or addition) to the Monroe Doctrine.– It stated that in the event of future financial

problems by Latin American nations, the U.S. would intervene, take over the situation, payoff the debts and keep Europe on their side of the Ocean.

• The shield of the Monroe Doctrine was turned into an open door for America to intervene in the affairs of Latin American nations.– This was the beginning of the “Bad Neighbor” image

held by the U.S.

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XV. Roosevelt on the World Stage

• Roosevelt was interested in international affairs outside of Latin America.– As war broke out between Russia and Japan, T.R.

jumped at the chance to be a global statesman.– Russia looked at grabbing the port’s of China’s

Manchuria. Japan, an up and coming power, was looking to control the region and Russia’s action was a threat.

– Japan threw the first punch and knocked out Russia’s fleet. They then went on to school Russia in a series military beatings.

– As the war dragged on, Japan began to run low on men and money. Guarding their situation closely, they asked T.R. to sponsor peace negotiations.

– T.R. negotiated a settlement that didn’t please either country. Russia felt that T.R. robbed them of their victory, and Japan felt cheated out of its due compensation.

XVI. Japanese Laborers in California

• Japanese immigrants poured into California following the Russo-Japanese war.– The population never exceeded 3% of the state,

however, nativists still feared the increase.

• In 1906 the San Francisco school board, coping with a devastated city due to an earthquake and fire, ordered the segregation of Asian students in a special school to make room for whites.

• The people of Japan regarded this discrimination as an insult.

• War talk on both sides of the ocean, fueled by yellow journalism, brought the countries to the brink.– T.R. had a discussion with the school board and

convinced them to repeal the order and accept the “Gentlemen’s Agreement.”• In the agreement, Tokyo agreed to withhold passports to

stop the flow of laborers.

– Worried that Tokyo might think he intervened because he was scared, T.R. sent the entire battleship fleet on a highly visible journey around the world.

– In the end, they received a warm reception in Japan and signed the Root-Takahira agreement which pledged that both powers would respect each other’s territorial possessions in the Pacific and to uphold the Open Door in China.

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