The Spanish-American War and the Growth of US Imperialism

TRADITIONAL UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY WAS ISOLATIONIST

“It is our true policy to steer clear of

permanent alliances with any

portion of the foreign world”

PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON, 1796

FOREIGN ENTANGLEMENTS: GEORGE WASHINGTON IN 1796 CAUTIONED THE NATION TO STAY OUT OF WORLD (EUROPEAN) AFFAIRS AND NOT GET INVOLVED IN THEIR WARS. IT WAS US FOREIGN POLICY TO AVOID THESE ENTANGLEMENTS AFTER WW I. US POLICY.

Most of the 19th century was spent exploring and settling the western frontier of the United States,

this changed the perception of American boundaries

Manifest Destiny Idea Manifest Destiny was the

idea that White Americans were a superior people and had a right/destiny to control the North American continent

By 1890, the dream of the Manifest Destiny was complete. US Census Bureau announced the frontier was gone and US was now settled.

Many Americans believed growth and expansion (Manifest Destiny) should now go beyond the continent into the rest of the world.

“Manifest destiny” extended beyond the borders of the united

states

The foreign policy of extending a nation's

authority by territorial acquisition or by the

establishment of economic and political power and

control over other nations.

DEFINITION OF IMPERIALISM

Why Expand the American Empire into other countries (imperialism?

To sell American manufactured goods overseas

Increase American glory and prestige in the world-gain respect

To spread democracy and Christianity to foreign lands- “The White Man’s Burden”

To stay in competition with the Imperialistic European countries

The Spanish-American War

““I should I should welcome almost welcome almost any war for I any war for I think this think this country needs country needs one.”one.”

Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt

““It has been a It has been a splendid little war; splendid little war; begun with the begun with the highest motives, highest motives, carried on with carried on with magnificent magnificent intelligence and intelligence and spirit, favored by spirit, favored by that fortune which that fortune which loves the brave.”loves the brave.”

John Hay, US Secretary of StateJohn Hay, US Secretary of State

Going to war with Going to war with Spain was “like Spain was “like robbing an old gypsy robbing an old gypsy woman in a vacant woman in a vacant lot at night after a lot at night after a fair.”fair.”

Sherwood Anderson, American Sherwood Anderson, American authorauthor

“The truth is, I didn't want the Philippines and when they came to us as a gift from the gods, I did not know what to do with them . . . sought counsel from all sides-- Democrats as well as Republicans—but got little help. I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for light and guidance . . . And one night late it came to me this way: (1) that we could not give them back to Spain—that would be cowardly and dishonorable; (2) that we could not turn them over to France or Germany—our commercial rivals in the Orient-- that would be bad business and discreditable; (3) that we could not leave them to themselves—they were unfit for self-government—and they would soon have anarchy and misrule over there worse than Spain's was; and (4) that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them, and by God's grace do the very best we could by them . . . And then I went to bed,

and went to sleep and slept soundly.” President William McKinleyPresident William McKinley

PROBLEMS BETWEEN CUBA AND THEIR SPANISH RULERS DOMINATE AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY AT

THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY

CUBA

Cuban Revolution 1895

Jose Marti Maximo Gomez Antonio Maceo

The Cuban Revolution and the Maine Incident

1894-Cubans revolted against repressive Spanish rule

Spaniards had placed Cubans in “reconcentration” camps

America had much invested in Cuban sugar plantations

The USS Maine Explosion- (Feb 1898) US battleship rocked by an explosion killing 250 American Naval officers and crew

Most Americans believed the Spanish had blown up the Maine, but there was no evidence to prove responsibility.

Most Americans blamed Spain- “Remember the Maine! To War with Spain!”

Yellow Journalism-journalists provoke war with Spain

Yellow Journalist promoters: William Randolph Hurst- publisher of the New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer- publisher of The World

Yellow Journalism is the use of sensational, half-true headlines in order to steer public opinion in favor of war against Spain

YELLOW JOURNALISM

CARTOON WHERE THE

TERM “YELLOW JOURNALISM” CAME FROM

IN 1898 NEWSPAPERS PROVIDED THE PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION. PEOPLE

LACKED THE ABILITY TO VERIFY IF THE STORIES WERE BIASED OR

INACCURATE AND THEREFORE RELIED UPON NEWSPAPERS TO TELL THE

TRUTH. PULITZER AND HEARST TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PUBLIC’S

IGNORANCE BY TWISTING THE TRUTH TO SELL MORE NEWSPAPERS.

SENSATIONALIZED STORIES WERE FEATURED HEAVILY IN THEIR

NEWSPAPERS SINCE EXCITING HEADLINES INCREASED CIRCULATION.

Yellow journalists were quick to blame the Spanish

The Early weeks of the war The US demanded Spain

grant independence to the Cubans and explain the Maine incident

Negotiations failed and the US declared war on Spain on April 25, 1898

By August, The US Navy defeated Spain in the Philippines

June 1898- 17,000 US troops arrived in Cuba

US GATLING GUNS: AN EARLY TYPE OF MACHINE GUN

The Defeat of Spain and American Casualties

The Rough Riders- cowboys led by Vice President Theodore Roosevelt took strategic San Juan Hill in Santiago, Cuba (July 1st)

By July 3rd, the Spanish were defeated in all of Cuba

BATTLE SCENE WITH TEDDY ROOSEVELT ON THE HORSE

The Defeat of Spain and American Casualties (con’td)

July 4th- US took Puerto Rico from Spain

August 12th- Spain surrendered

385 Americans killed in action, another 5,000 soldiers died of malaria, yellow fever and food poisoning from tainted meat

Aftermath of the War and the Emergence of the US Imperialism in the Early 1900s

“A Splendid Little War” Treaty of Paris of 1898- Cuba gets

independence (but US controlled). The US gets Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam for $20 million dollars (10 million people, 100,000 sq. miles) paid to Spain

Anti-Imperialist League-some Americans felt it was wrong for the US to control other people and their lands for financial gain

US FORCES CONQUER THE PHILIPPINES

US OCCUPIES TWO MORE SPANISH COLONIAL POSSESSIONS

THE US BECOMES AN IMPERIAL THE US BECOMES AN IMPERIAL POWERPOWER

HAWAII: 1898

MIDWAY ISLAND: 1867

WAKE ISLAND: 1898

GUAM: 1898

JOHNSTON ISLAND: 1898

PALMYRA ISLAND: 1898

SAMOA ISLAND: 1899

PHILIPPINES: 1898

PUERTO RICO: 1898

What is happening in this cartoon?

Early 1900’s Presidents’ Imperialistic Policies

Theodore Roosevelt- “The Big Stick Policy”

“Speak softly and carry a big stick”- make peace with other nations, but build a strong international presence that would ensure American economic prosperity

Roosevelt Corollary- gave the US the right to act as a police power in Latin America to “protect American interests”

WHAT INTERNATIONAL ROLE DID ROOSEVELT ENVISION FOR THE UNITED STATES?

US INTERESTS TURNED TOWARD CENTRAL AMERICA AND A QUICKER WAY OF MOVING SHIPS BETWEEN THE EAST AND

WEST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA

15,000 MILES

ADVANTAGE OF AN ISTHMIAN CANAL

00 miles

PANAMA, A PROVINCE OF COLOMBIA, WAS CHOSEN PANAMA, A PROVINCE OF COLOMBIA, WAS CHOSEN FOR THE SITE OF THE PROPOSED CANALFOR THE SITE OF THE PROPOSED CANAL

TWO POLITICAL CARTOONS ON COLOMBIA’S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT TR’S PURCHASE OFFER

PRICE OF $40 MILLION

IN 2002 $40 MILLION WOULD BE $830 MILLION

Construction of the canal

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT VISITS

THE CANAL CONSTRUCTION

SITE IN 1906

1914 Opening of the Panama Canal

Panama canal today

Theodore Roosevelt- “The Open Door Policy”

To keep the “door open” for all nations to trade with China- especially America

OPEN DOOR POLICY

William Howard Taft- “Dollar Diplomacy”

Taft ordered US troops to Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Mexico in order to force, e-hem “encourage” foreign countries to do business with the USA

Some people saw this as us bullying other countries President William

Howard Taft

Woodrow Wilson- “Moral Diplomacy”

The US should champion Democracy (freedom) and self-determination for all nations even by interfering in other nations’ affairs President

Woodrow Wilson