1. Imperialism & World War I
American History II - Unit 3
Ms. Brown

2. Review What were the 3 main causes of the Spanish-American War?
Yellow journalism, the de Lome letter, and the explosion of the USS Maine
What is yellow journalism?
Using sensational headlines to grab readers and sell papers
Used extensively by Pulitzer and Hearst to instigate the S-A War
Who were the Rough Riders?
Volunteer cavalry unit led by Theodore Roosevelt; helped win the Battle of San Juan Hill
Who were the Buffalo Soldiers?
All black volunteer regiments, had been fighting in the Indian Wars in the heartland previous to the S-A War; helped win the Battle of San Juan Hill
What were the provisions of the Treaty of Paris of 1898?
Cuba freed from Spain, US gained Guam and Puerto Rico for free, US paid $20 for the Philippines

3. 3.3 – America’s Influence Expands

4. - Luis Muñoz Rivera to US Congress
“You citizens of a free fatherland, with its own laws, its own institutions, and its own flag, can appreciate the unhappiness of the small and solitary people that must await its laws from your authority… give us our independence and you will stand before humanity as… a great creator of new nationalities and a great liberator of oppressed peoples.”
- Luis Muñoz Rivera to US Congress
US and Puerto Rico
1899 – Puerto Rico gained by US in Treaty of Paris  mixed Puerto Rican sentiments on US rule
Luis Muñoz Rivera - advocated for PR independence
Some PRs wanted self-rule as a US territory
Some PRs wanted US statehood and citizenship rights
US military rule of PR after S-A War
US troops occupied PR, no self-rule or citizenship
Claimed “protection” from outside forces

5. US and Puerto Rico PR strategically important to US for 2 reasons:
Maintained US presence in Caribbean
Protection for future canal to be built in Panama
Foraker Act (1900) – ended military rule in PR and set up a civil government
Governor and upper legislature appointed by US
PRs elected members of lower legislature
1901 – SCOTUS said US Constitution did not extend to territories
1917 – PRs gained US citizenship and could elect both legislative houses.

6. US and Cuba
Cuba FREE!
Treaty of Paris of 1898
Teller Amendment (1898) – US had no plans of taking over Cuba
However, American troops remained in Cuba after the S-A War…
Pros – US military provided food, clothing, schools, improved sanitation, and eliminated yellow fever disease
Cons – same Spanish officials in office, protesting Cubans arrested or exiled

7. US and Cuba Why not just let Cuba be free?
American businesses had invested in the island’s sugar, tobacco, and mining industries, as well as its railroads and public utilities
Many businessmen were convinced that annexation or territory-status would protect American investments.
Platt Amendment (1900) – list of US provisions that Cuba was forced to include in their Constitution
Cuba could not make treaties to limit its independence
The US could intervene at any time
Cuba not allowed to create debt
US could buy/lease land for naval stations
Cuba became a US protectorate – a country whose affairs are partially controlled by a stronger power.

8. US and the Philippines
Post S-A War, US imposed military authority on Filipinos (essentially the same role as Spain)
Filipinos felt betrayed by US and Treaty of Paris  Filipino rebellion led by Emilio Aguinaldo
Philippine-American War ( )
Rebels used guerilla tactics  US troops forced Filipinos into designated zones with poor living conditions (sound familiar… Spain and Cuba?)
20,000 Filipinos and 4,000 American died
$400 million spent (20x the price of the islands)
Philippines remained under US control (similar gov’t to PR) until independence in 1946.

9. US and China
China = “Sick man of Asia” due to war and foreign intervention by other imperialist countries
Spheres of influence- areas in which another nation has great influence thus had special rights and economic privileges
US Sec of State John Hay worried that China would be carved into colonies and the US wouldn’t get a piece  proposed the Open Door Policy (1899)
All imperialist nations interested in China would share their trading rights with the US (creating an “open door”) and preventing a monopoly of control in China
Reluctantly accepted by other nations, China had no choice

10. US and China
China free but large cities were dominated by foreign rule  Chinese formed secret societies to rid China of “foreign devils”
Boxers - most famous, named by westerners because they practiced martial arts
Boxers killed hundreds of missionaries and Christian converts
Boxer Rebellion (1900) - British, French, German, Japanese, and US forces fought and defeated Boxers in Beijing (Chinese capital) thousands of Chinese died
Open Door Policy and the Boxer Rebellion

11. US and China
After the Boxer Rebellion, US feared European powers would gain more power in China  US issued another series of Open Door policies
Announced that no foreign colonies would be set up in China
Free trade only
Open Door policies reflected 3 key beliefs about the capitalist economy and foreign policy at the turn of the 20th century:
Growth of US economy depended on exports which demanded foreign markets
US had the right to intervene abroad to keep foreign markets open
The closing of an area threatened America’s growth and influence

12. Impact of US Territorial Gains
POTUS McKinley – reelected in 1900
Pro-imperialism
POTUS during S-A War, American-Philippine War, set up gov’ts in Cuba, PR, and Philippines, approved of Open Door policies in China
POTUSs Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson will continue to exert US global influence
Anti-Imperialist League
Included prominent figures such as Former POTUS Cleveland, Carnegie, Jane Addams, Booker T. Washington, Mark Twain
Often different motives but all opposed to American imperialism  wrong to rule people without their consent

13. What about the Monroe Doctrine?
US would stay out of eastern hemisphere and European affairs
Europe would stay out of western hemisphere and the US would protect smaller countries if Europe disobeyed
In what ways was American Imperialism a violation of the Monroe Doctrine of 1823?
US was supposed to protect Latin American countries from Europe… In the name of protection, the US is exerting control over smaller countries (Cuba, Puerto Rico)
US was supposed to stay out of the western hemisphere… US presence in the Philippines is a direct violation of this.