Empire

American Imperialism?

• “Manifest Destiny” • 1840s: Texas, California • 1867: Purchase of Alaska• 1870s-1890s: “Indian Wars”• Pacific Dreams: Trade, markets, resources

China, China, China

• Depressions of 1873-78, 1882-85, 1893-97• Labor Unrest• Populism and Farmer Unrest• Full Employment Goals

• Military/Commercial solution– “Big Navy”– Subsidize commercial trade by using public resources to

provide security– Alfred Mahan, Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1890– Rivalry with Great Britain and Germany– Naval stations on Pacific Rim: California, Alaska, Chile, Samoa,

and….

Hawaii

1875: US trade tariff agreement.

1887: US Navy took control of islands, King forced to sign new constitution, abdicated royal power.

“Democracy” established but votes based upon land ownership and race. Hawaiians and Asians, mostly Japanese, excluded from voting in future elections.

• 1890: US reintroduced tax duties on sugar imports, American planters in “independent” Hawaii suffered millions in losses.

• 1891: Queen Lili claimed throne, promised to restore Hawaiian royalty and self rule.

• 1893: “White Coup” Dole and other planters overthrow Queen Lili, press for annexation to United States.

• President Cleveland and US sentiment critical of Dole.• 1896: McKinley, pro-Business, pro-Imperial campaign.• 1894 to 1898: Dole Corporation controlled Hawaii.• 1898: McKinley supported annexation, Hawaii became

US territory.

Cuba Libre!

• 1890s: Cuban Independence war.• Spain struggled to maintain control over Cuba.• American planters and slaveholders had long

invested in Cuban plantations and slaves since Thomas Jefferson administration (1801-1809) and tried many times in 1850s to take Cuba.

• William Randolph Hearst and New York Journal sensationalized coverage of conflict.

Jingoism and Yellow Journalism

• Hearst promoted pro-war feeling in America, described Cubans as revolutionaries like George Washington

• Goal to increase newspaper circulation: Worked!– 1895 77,000– 1898 1,500,000 copies

sold!

McKinley Aided Rebels

• Business interests combined with American desire to spread democracy push administration

• McKinley hesitant until:– Feb 1898: Spanish diplomat told Spanish government

not to worry about McKinley, he is “weak”– Feb 1898: USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor.

250+ American sailors die. Attacked? Accident? 1998 National Geographic investigation concludes the Maine struck a mine.

“Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!”

War!

• US declared war on Spain.• US “liberates” Spanish Cuba, Guam, Puerto

Rico, Philippines• Secretary of State John Hay described it as a

“splendid little war”• New York Governor Teddy Roosevelt led

“Rough Riders” in Cuba, became instant war celebrity, placed on McKinley’s re-election ticket in 1900 as Vice President candidate.

Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

United States and Cuba

• 1898: Teller Amendment to McKinley’s War Declaration prohibited Cuban annexation.

• 1899: Cuba “occupied”, became US territory.• Governed by American landholders and Cuban elites.• 1901: Platt Amendment replaced Teller Amendment

– Cuba may be self-governed– US may veto Cuban laws, treaties, debts– Cuba must permit US naval and army basing on island: Guantanamo

Bay• 1902: Cuba became quasi-independent but governed by

American landholders and Cuban elites with Congressional and military oversight

Philippines

• 1890s: Civil war erupted. Pro-US and Anti-US forces fight one another after Spanish leave.

• 1899: US occupation resisted by Philippine independence movement

• Emilio Aguinaldo led Anti-Spanish and then Anti-US forces.

• 1936: Philippine independence recognized.

• 1941: Japan invaded Philippines until their defeat in 1945.

General John Smith

• “I will [want] you to kill and burn… The more you kill and burn the better it will please me. I want all persons killed who are capable of bearing arms.”

• Clarification? Any male over 10 years old.• Genocide? “Indian Warfare” in the Pacific?

“Wounded Knees” all over the Philippines? Precursor to war against Japanese in WW2? Vietnam?

“The Philippines are ours forever.... And just beyond the Philippines are China’s illimitable markets. We will not retreat from either. We will not repudiate our duty in the archipelago. We will not abandon our opportunity in the Orient. We will not renounce our part in the mission of our race, trustee under God, of the civilization of the world.”

-US Senator Alfred Beveridge, Republican of Indiana

1901-1935: Insular Government of Philippines

Included Governors William Howard Taft, Francis Harrison, Henry Stimson, Teddy Roosevelt, Jr., William Forbes

“I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.”

“The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is being attacked, and every man will be glad of these conscience-soothing falsities.”

“Be loyal to your country always, and to the government only when it deserves it.”

Mark Twain

Election of 1900• Replay of 1896

– McKinley (R): 7.22 million52%292 EC

– Bryan (D): 6.37 million46%155 EC

Significant that Teddy Roosevelt now McKinley’s VP

Also, Populism of 1892 and 1896 evaporated at national level

• McKinley and TR campaign on “open door” policy and will use military strength to promote American commerce

The Open Door

Teddy Roosevelt, President

• Finished McKinley’s term, 1901 to 1905.• Issued Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe

Doctrine in 1904:– No European meddling in Western Hemisphere,

but the US will provide direct oversight of our neighbors, particularly Latin America

– Used to justify intervention in South America to facilitate independence of Panama and US control of Canal.

Panama Canal

Begun by French 1880s

US acquired 1904

Completed 1914