Why Imperialism?• Europe showing economic benefits of imperialism– New markets in rare resources from Africa & Asia

• Yellow journalism– Increased public interest in foreign “exotic and

adventurous” lands• Missionaries– Wanted to “save” un-Christian natives of these lands

• Reverend Josiah Strong leader of movement• Capt. Alfred Thayer Mahan’s “Influence of Sea Power

Upon History”– Stressed that key to power is through the navy– Effect of book:

• U.S. starts building up Navy• Stronger navy allows for imperialism

Why Imperialism?• Widely believed social theories:• Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” theory:– Weaker nations will wither away due to course of nature– Thus, it’s only natural for stronger nations to conquer the

weak• Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden”:

(Read the poem silently and turn to a partner to discuss it’s meaning)

– Theorized that “white” Europe and America have a responsibility to colonize to “help” the weaker nations• Thus make own nation stronger

• Both used as justification for imperialism

International Incidents & PoliciesHow does each push America towards imperialism and the need for a strong navy?

• James G. Blaine’s “Big Brother” (AKA “Big Sister”) policy– U.S. responsibility to protect Latin America

• 1882 – Blaine leads Pan-American Conference– U.S. mediates disputes between Latin American countries

Push towards imperialism/navy?• Goals for Blaine were imperialistic:– Make Latin America supportive and reliant on U.S. – Allow U.S. to have direct influence in Latin American politics

• 1888 – Standoff: USA vs. Germany over Samoa– Result: Samoa split in half

• 1891 – Standoff: USA vs. Italy – 11 Italian immigrants lynched in New Orleans– Result: USA made payments to Italian families

Push towards imperialism/navy?Navy needed strengthening in case of war

• 1889 – Standoff: USA vs. Britain after gold is discovered in Guiana (Venezuelan region)– Britain attempts to take over and mine gold – Issue?– Breaking the Monroe Doctrine– Result:

• Venezuela pleads with U.S. for help• U.S. steps in and sticks up for “little sister”

• Britain backs down, war narrowly avoidedPush towards imperialism/navy?

– Strengthens Latin American dependence on U.S.– Navy needed strengthening in case of war

Hawaii

• American “economic imperialism” present in Hawaii since early 1800s– Fruit and sugar companies had lots of power over

islands due to economic power– Hawaii regarded as a “little sister” as well

• Reasons for imperialism:– Companies feared Japan might try to take over– Resistance of native Hawaiians growing– McKinley’s high import tax was hurting American

companies in Hawaii• Solution?– Annex Hawaii

Hawaii’s Annexation?• Queen Liliuokalani refused

to give up power– 1893 – Americans in Hawaii

& dethrone Queen with some U.S. military help

• President Grover Cleveland upset by non-diplomatic methods– Refused to sign off on annexation– Temporary republic set up by business owners

• Hawaii eventually annexed in 1898 by McKinley

Cuba• 1895 – Cubans revolt against Spain• American roots for Cuba – why?–Supports the Monroe Doctrine policy–Cuba valuable for ports and location –Sentimental of American revolution

• Spanish General Weyler sent to stop revolt–Harsh tactics: concentration camps

for “insurrectos”

Effect of Yellow Journalism• Hearst & Pulitzer portray Weyler as super villain– Embellished pictures outrage Americans

• The de Lome letter– Stolen letter written by Spanish diplomat insulting McKinley

is published in Hearst’s newspapers– Americans angered

• The U.S.S. Maine explosion (1898)– Ship explodes in Havana harbor killing 258 American sailors– Cause of explosion unknown but the yellow press blamed

Spain– American public demanded war for revenge on Spain

• McKinley reluctantly gives in, Congress declares war April 1898– Teller Amendment – U.S. promises not to annex Cuba after

war

Spanish-American War

• Spanish-American War–War heavily supported by the

public–America overconfident and

underprepared–Poor planning on both sides

War in the Pacific

• Secretary of the Navy Teddy Roosevelt sees chance for imperialistic gains

• Roosevelt orders Commodore George Dewey to attack Spain in the Philippines– May 1, 1898 – Dewey attacks and first battle of war ensues– 10 aged Spanish ships vs. 6 modern American ships– Very one-sided naval battle – America wins naval battle

• Unprepared: couldn’t invade – must wait on foot soldier reinforcements• Aug 13 – U.S. captures Manila from Spain with help of Filipino insurgents

against Spain– Americans save Filipino rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo from exile to help

fight Spain• Now with U.S. controlling Philippines, a coaling station needed

between Southeast Asia & California…– Hawaii officially annexed in 1898

War in the Caribbean• U.S. led by Gen. William Shafter• Teddy Roosevelt resigns from Sec. of Navy to fight in war

– Organizes “Rough Riders” cavalry – horseless cavalry– Unprepared: couldn’t get horses from ships to shore

• Spain sends fleet to Santiago’s narrow harbor– Mistake: creates a gauntlet for Spain to get in or out

• U.S. sends ships and troops to Santiago– Unprepared: soldiers issued wool uniforms – suffer in extreme summer

heat – U.S. navy blockades harbor and soldiers surrounded the Spanish from

the other side of the harbor– Spain tries to run gauntlet out of the harbor and gets mowed down by

the U.S. navy• U.S. easily takes Spanish-owned Puerto Rico and Guam too• Spain surrenders and signs armistice by August 1898

Aftermath of Spanish American War• Effects of the “Splendid Little War”– Unprepared: poor medical planning – more soldiers (5,000)

will die of disease than in battle (4,000)– U.S. seen as a rising world power– North vs. South tension disappears a bit

• Common enemy was the Spaniards, not each other• Teddy Roosevelt rises to fame• Post-war treaty proposed:– Cuba would be free– U.S. would gain Puerto Rico, Guam, and control of

Philippines• What to do with all these countries?

Cuba• Promised freedom to Cuba, but America wanted to

ensure a stable government would take power:– Temporary military government led by Col. Leonard Wood– Sets up Cuban government, education system, agriculture– Makes medical advancements to combat rampant disease

• U.S. leaves Cuba by 1902 – creates Platt Agreement:– U.S. approves all Cuban treaties – U.S. could intervene if Cuban economy crashes– U.S. military owns one coaling station in Cuba

• Guantanamo Bay

Puerto Rico

• Retained as an unincorporated territory of the U.S.– Issue: Do American laws apply here?– Series of “Insular Cases” taken to Supreme Court– Supreme Court declares American laws don’t extend to

these new lands• Improvements made in sanitation, transportation,

education, etc• Foraker Act gives P.R. limited elected government• 1917 – Puerto Ricans granted full U.S. citizenship– Many freely move to New York City

The Philippines Dilemma

• Big issue at treaty talks: “What to do with the Philippines?”• Give back to Spain?– Spain ruled harshly and abusive of natives

• Let Filipinos rule themselves?– Could result in chaos due to rival warlords

• U.S. takes over the country?– Would make U.S. look like imperial bullies– Angry Filipinos willing to fight for freedom

• McKinley decides to take over Philippines – Swayed by yellow press’s effect on public opinion and

imperialist business owners– $20 million paid to Spain for Philippines

The Philippines Dilemma

• Senate still needs to approve treaty – debate ensues:– Anti-Imperialist League lobby against annexation:• Unlike Hawaii or Alaska, Philippines had a heavily

resistant population and out of U.S. “jurisdiction”– Imperialists lobby for annexation:• “The White Man’s Burden” used as justification

• Treaty approved by one vote in Senate

Filipino Resistance• Filipinos felt deceived by USA, wanted

independence– Feb 4, 1899 – Emilio Aguinaldo leads uprising –

ironic?• Philippine-American War– Fighting lasts for over a year– America uses cruel tactics to suppress Filipinos– American soldiers die more from disease than

battle• Diplomatic solutions taken–William H. Taft sent to serve as civil governor of

Philippines– Taft well liked by Filipinos

Filipino Resistance• Taft institutes “benevolent assimilation” policy:– Goal was to caringly help and improve the

Philippines– Millions of American dollars invested in Filipino

infrastructure:• Sanitation, roads, education, economy,

healthcare• Fighting fades away, but desire for independence still

alive• Philippines not granted freedom until 1946.

Imperialized China

• Separated into “spheres of influence” by Europe– Various European countries had exclusive trade

rights in coastal cities of China• American business wants in on China’s natural

resources• Sec. of State John Hay drafts “Open Door Policy”– Suggests that Chinese cities should be open to all

nations for trade – ban all exclusive trade rights• Europe not willing to compromise• 1899 – China’s Boxer Rebellion against foreigners

quelled by combined forces of Europe and America• Open Door Policy now accepted at treaty talks• America now has open and lucrative trade with China

Election of 1896

• Issues: – Base currency off gold, silver, or both?– Demands of working class vs. worried upper classes

• Reps nominate William McKinley– “Safe” choice: Civil War vet, good Congressional record, pro-tariff, friendly

and likeable– Very pro-business

• Dems nominate William Jennings Bryan– “Boy orator of the Platte”– Young (36), great speaker & debater from Nebraska– Anti-tariff, used Populist Party’s main platform: coin more silver

• Populists started joining the Democrats: – “Dem-Pop” Party

• McKinley exploits economic fears of country, drums up far more campaign money

• McKinley easily wins election• Results & effects of election?

– Currency will be based on gold, not silver– Victory for business owners and upper classes

President William McKinley

• Very safe and cautious with his decisions– Made decisions based off public opinion– Two issues: gold vs. silver & fix economy

• Dingley Tariff Act (1897) – significantly raised tariff to 46%– Goal was to increase revenue & fix economy after Panic of 1893 – Cleveland’s low Wilson-Gorman Tariff deemed ineffective

• Gold Standard Act (1900)– Allowed for people to trade paper money for gold– More symbolic than anything– Giving people the option brought calmness and confidence in the economy

• Gold discovered in Alaska causes inflation– Helps lower classes

Prosperity• McKinley successful in fixing economy– Country pulled out of recession– Pro-business policies, inflation from gold discovery, gold vs.

silver debate solved…• Allows for calmness and confidence in economy– Calmness and confidence → economic growth– Uncertainty in economy → hinders growth

The Rise of Imperialism

• Europe had been colonizing in Africa and Asia for most of the 1800s

• Isolationist America turning towards imperialism now

Election of 1900• Rematch between McKinley and William Jennings Bryan• Mudslinging:– Bryan: McKinley is an imperialist bully and war monger– McKinley: Bryan as president would kill American

prosperity• McKinley chose famous and beloved Teddy Roosevelt as

VP• McKinley is easily reelected…• McKinley shot and killed 6 months into second term– Assassin was a disgruntled anarchist– Secret Service reassigned to full-time duty of protecting

presidents and politicians

President Theodore Roosevelt• AKA “Teddy” or “TR”• Short, brawny New Yorker, Harvard grad• Theory of role: a president should lead,

not supervise• Motto: “Speak softly and carry a big stick”–Ironic because TR was boisterous,

stubborn, and temperamental• BELOVED by the public – why?–Press often portrayed him a spunky,

cartoonish, war-hero

Imperialist Teddy: Panama Canal

• TR wants canal in Central America built – why?–Would greatly benefit trade and power of

navy–French engineer Philippe Bunau-Varilla

hired• Obstacles:–European jurisdictions–Location of canal: Nicaragua? Panama?–Panama chosen, but is part of Columbia –

refused to give up land

The Panama Canal

• Bunau-Varilla incited Panama rebellion in 1901• U.S. Navy helps Panama in wining independence from

Columbian “tyrants”– Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty signed between Panama

and U.S.• Approves construction and lease of canal to U.S• Panama Canal completed in 1914– Obstacles of sanitation, disease, and overwhelming

engineering task overcome– Construction led by George Washington Goethals

U.S.-Latin America Relations Damaged

• Canal causes major tension because of “Big Stick Policy”– Bullying techniques used to cause war between

Panama and Columbia• Latin American countries consistently behind in repaying

debts to Europe• TR worried Europe would intervene – problem?– Violates Monroe Doctrine– Creates the “Roosevelt Corollary”– Amendment to Monroe Doctrine stating U.S. will

intervene and collect debts for Europe• U.S. significantly intervenes in Cuba in 1906, and later

Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic• TR’s “Big Stick Policy” contradicts the intended “Good

Neighbor Policy”• Latin American relations with U.S. deteriorate

Teddy the Peacemaker

• 1905 – TR asked to mediate treaty talks after Russo-Japanese War– Both Japan and Russia unhappy with results,

especially Japan– Relations between all three countries decline

• 1906 – TR successfully mediates a dispute in North Africa

• Wins Nobel Peace Prize for peace-making work

Rocky Relations with Japan

• Japan bitter after TR’s mediation• Small number of Japanese laborers begin to migrate to California– “Yellow peril” sweeps through state thanks to influence of

press• 1906 – Asian immigrants segregated from SF Schools• Japan outraged at treatment of Japanese in California – talks of

war– TR makes “Gentleman’s Agreement” to end issue– Asian segregation in schools ends, Japan halts emigration to

U.S.• TR worried agreement makes America look weak• Sends the “Great White Fleet” on “diplomatic good-will mission”…– Subtly shows power of U.S. military

• U.S. and Japan sign Root-Takahira agreement – respect for each other’s territories

Progressive Party Rises

• New reform movement gaining influence – “Progressives”– Roots from Greenback Party (1870s) and Populist

Party (1890s)• Goal: to achieve social justice by using government as an “agency of human welfare”

• Calling for more government intervention, less “laissez-faire” capitalism

• 1902 – “Muckrakers” emerge – writers and social critics exposing corruption and injustice through newspapers and magazines– “Cosmopolitan” Magazine– “The Shame of Cities” by Lincoln Steffens

Who was the Progressive Party?

• Mostly made up of middle class– Felt squashed between business tycoons

at top and working class at bottom• Political reforms wanted:– Initiative and referendum – public can

propose & vote on laws–Recall – voters can remove elected

officials– Secret ballot – ensures free and fair

voting– Female suffrage

Women’s Movement

• Lillian Ward & Jane Addams lead suffrage movement– Create “Hull House” in Chicago to help working class and

immigrants• Women’s rights gaining strength through legislation:– 1908 – Muller v. Oregon – extra laws to protect female

workers deemed constitutional– 1911 – Triangle Shirtwaist Fire – new motion for laws for

better hours, conditions, safety, and worker compensation• Prohibition Movement– Anti-Saloon League join Woman’s Christian Temperance

Movement– Well-organized, well-financed– Many states started banning alcohol• Half of Americans by 1914 live in “dry” areas

– 1919 – 18th Amendment passes “Prohibition”• Alcohol sale, consumption, and possession banned

Teddy the Progressive

• TR deeply influenced by “muckrakers” progressivism – ironic?– TR created the derogatory name

• Teddy calls platform: “The Square Deal”:– Vows to accomplish the “Three C’s”:• Control corporations• Consumer protection• Conservation of natural resources

1st C: Control the Corporations• Creates the Dept. of Commerce and Labor–Bureau of Corporations responsible for:– Investigating interstate trade– Stops railroad corruption & bullying–Breaking up monopolies (AKA “trusts”)

• Teddy the “Trust buster”– TR proudly begins to break up monopolies–Disbands over 40 “bad” trusts• Biggest was JP Morgan’s trust

– “Good” trusts were allowed to operate

2nd C: Consumer Protection

• 1906 – “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair exposes horrible conditions of meat packing industry–Has major influence on public and Congress

• 1906 – Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act both passed–Proper labeling techniques, inspection,

prevents tampering–Results in increased exports of American

meat

3rd C: Conservation of Natural Resources

• By 1900, America realizing natural resources not unlimited

• TR leads conservation movement–1902 – Newlands Act – massive irrigation

projects in West– TR lawfully protects 125 million acres of

forest• TR still a pragmatist over a conservationist– Example: Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite– Leads to a philosophical split

The “Roosevelt Panic” of 1907

• Sudden sharp economic downturn• Beloved Teddy solely blamed • Congress passes Aldrich-Vreeland Act

(1908)– Authorizes national banks to release money

into circulation– An elastic supply of currency could now help

during recessions– Would lead to the Federal Reserve Act (1913)

Election of 1908• TR still very popular announced he would not run for a

third term– Endorses a similar-minded politician

• William Taft is Rep. Nominee– Taft was BIG and very likeable

• William Jennings Bryan is Dem. Nominee for 3rd time• Taft easily wins election– Much help from TR’s popularity

• Socialist Party candidate Eugene Debs gets 3% of popular vote – significance?– Debs rose to fame in Pullman Strike in Chicago– Sign of the times: social justice movement

Teddy’s Legacy

• Brought big business under control

• Increases role of presidency• Passes wide range of reform• Showed U.S. was a world power– Therefore U.S. had “major

responsibility” TR stressed

President William H. Taft • Taft was well-liked, but less like TR than expected:– Hands-off approach to leading– Mildly progressive– Desired stability rather than reform

• Taft pushed “Dollar Diplomacy” policy:– America would strategically invest in foreign countries to gain

power– Therefore, U.S. could gain power and money simultaneously– Very different from TR’s Big Stick Policy

• Dollar Diplomacy in action:– Purchase of Chinese railroads fail – blocked by Russia & Japan– U.S. heavily invests in Latin America– U.S. now responsible for maintaining stability in Latin America

Taft the Trustbuster • Taft “out-busts” TR – 90 trusts

disbanded in his term– Biggest was Rockefeller’s Standard

Oil Company• Taft attempts to break up U.S.

Steel Company– TR had deemed it one of the “good

trusts”– Taft refuses to halt investigation, TR

furious

Republicans Split• “Old, traditional” Reps vs. “New, progressive” Reps• 2 big dividing issues: the tariff & conservation– Old Reps: high tariff, develop land for economic benefit– New Reps: low tariff, conserve lands

• Taft promised to lower tariff during campaigning– Signs Payne-Aldrich Bill which raises tariff– Further splits Rep. Party

• Taft allows for Wyoming, Montana, Alaska to be open for development– Very unpopular with public

• Who’s bound to gain power from this split?– Democrats win heavily in Congressional Elections in 1910

The Taft-Roosevelt Rupture• The Republican Party officially splits:– 1911 – National Progressive Republican League – Led by Senator Robert La Follette

• Roosevelt so upset by Taft’s presidency, he decides to run again

• Progressive Republican Party nominates TR• June 1912 – Republican Presidential Convention– Taft vs. Roosevelt, winner would run as Rep. nominee

for president– Convention votes on Taft – why?– Incumbent, fear public wouldn’t vote for a 3rd term

president• Teddy refused to step aside, vows to run as a 3rd party

candidate

Election of 1912• Republican Party nominates Taft• Progressive Party nominates Roosevelt

– “Bull Moose Party”• Democratic Party nominates Dr. Woodrow Wilson

– Governor of New Jersey– Very progressive minded

• Two Major Platforms:– Roosevelt’s “New Nationalism”

• Only disband “bad” trusts, female suffrage, social welfare programs– Wilson’s “New Freedom”

• Disband all trusts, supported small business• Mudslinging and incident:

– Major mudslinging between Taft and Roosevelt– Roosevelt shot on campaign trail, survives

Election of 1912

• Wilson wins easily– Popular vote:– Wilson: 42%– Roosevelt: 28%– Taft: 23%

• Why is this significant?– Majority wanted a Republican president, not

Wilson• Taft retires from politics, goes to law school– Becomes Chief Justice of Supreme Court in 1921

• Teddy goes on expedition of South Africa• Side note: Eugene Debs (Socialist) gets 6% of

popular vote

President Woodrow Wilson

• Born and raised in South, very intelligent, deeply religious, believed president should lead– Very different than TR:

• Stubborn idealist, not a pragmatist– Sometimes detrimental to achieving goals– Not a people’s person– A Progressive President…

• Wilson vows to tear down “triple wall of privilege”:– The tariff, the banks, the trusts

Domestic: “Triple Wall of Privilege”• Major reforms made:• Tariffs: The Underwood Tariff (1913)

– Reduced tariffs on imports– Initiated a graduated income tax

• Banking: Federal Reserve Act (1913)– Creates appointed Federal Reserve Board– Oversee 12 regional, federal banks– Issue paper money to regulate amount of currency in circulation– Made conservative appointments to Board to keep business tycoons

happy• Trusts: Federal Trade Commission Act (1914)

– Investigates activities of trust– Goal: stop crooked business practices affecting consumers– Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914) also passed

• Forbade price discrimination, interlocking directorates, helped union rights

Domestic: “Wilsonian Progressivism” • Follows up with several reforms:– Protection for farmers– Better treatment and pay for sailors

• Paved way for better worker’s rights:– Worker’s Compensation Act (1916)– Adamson Act (1916)

• 8-hour workday and overtime

• Made small steps toward ethnic equality– Appoints Louis Brandeis, first Jewish Supreme Justice– Little done for African Americans during progressivism

• W.E.B. Du Bois created National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

International: Wilson’s Foreign Policy

• Wilson a pacifist and anti-imperialist:– Blocked American involvement in mass loan to China– Got Congress to repeal Panama Canal Tolls Act (1912)

• American ships now had to pay tolls– Jones Act (1916) granting territorial status of Philippines

• Promises independence when stable government is established– Defused situation with Japan over treatment of Japanese in

California– Purchases Virgin Islands from Denmark for protective

reasons• United States Virgin Islands

International: Wilson’s Foreign Policy

• Wilson a pacifist and anti-imperialist:– Why might this have a dangerous outcome on

America internationally?– America already had many businesses and land

overseas• From Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy• Abandoning them?

• Forced to send Marines to protect American investments in Haiti and Dom. Rep. after violence erupts

• Mexican Revolution…

Mexican Revolution (1910)

• Extremely poor and oppressed population revolts– Political chaos breaks out among rival warlords– Mass immigration to Southwestern U.S. ensues

• Fearing war, Wilson declines to protect American businesses– Rebel Pancho Villa despises American business in Mexico– Raids and kills 16 American engineers– Kills 19 more in near border in New Mexico

• Wilson sends in Army to catch Pancho Villa– Meet resistance from rival Mexican armies– Troops called back to U.S. in 1914 – why?– WWI starts, never catch Pancho Villa