Acquiring New Lands 18.3

US Involvement in Puerto Rico As many PR’s were hoping for some sort of self-gov’t, US military land in PR – Mil. Leaders proclaim they cant gov. themselves & that we must protect them Mil gov. of island limits PR access to Alcohol, tobacco, freedom of press Try to Americanize PR by teaching them English

Puerto Rican Attitudes Toward Independence Many welcomes US at 1 st but became disallusioned with the military gov’t Some advocated for full citizenship and self gov’t – After it sowed it could gov. itself, believed they should become a state Others thought PR’s should be able to choose between statehood & independence

Foraker Act PR strategically important to the US for the future canal they wanted to build in Isthmus of Panama Foraker Act= denies citizenship to PRs and gave pred. power to appoint PR gov. & members of upper house – PR could only elect member of lower house US SC decides Constitution does not automatically apply to acquired ter.

Cuba Becomes Protectorate US army continued to gov. Cuba after War – Marti feared US would just replace Spain

Platt Amendment Cuba creates constitution does not incluse US relationship US demands Platt Amendment – Cuba cant make treaties that limit ind. Or permit foreign nation to control part of its ter. – US reserves right to intervene in Cuba to preserve its ind. – Cuba could not go into debt – US could buy or lease land on island for naval stations Cuba becomes Protectorate – Country whose affairs are partially controlled by a stronger pwr

Protecting American Business US presence in Cuba to protect econ. Interests Some thought pol. Control was necessary to ensure large Amer profits in Cuba Others feared colonial entanglements US withdraws troops but consistently intervenes in its affairs Established naval base at Guantanamo Bay

Filipinos Rebel Filipinos reacted stronger than Cuabns to US annexation Emilio Aguinaldo= rebel leader who believed US promised freedom then betrayed them after war with Spain

Philippine-American War Aguinaldo leads revolt against US troops – US assumed role of Spain during Span-Amer war – Resorted to same tactics that they condemned Spain for using US suppresses rebellion & establishes gov’t like in PR Eventually became indpendent republic

China & Open Door Policy Phillipines= gateway to Asia China= great potential market for Amer. products Other countries established prosperous settlements and maintained exclusive rights to RR construction US began to fear that it might loose access to ports as result of war between nations w/in China

John Hay issues policy statements known as the Open Door notes – Sent to nations controlling China calling for open access to China’s ports – No special priv for any trading nation – Need to maintain Chinese independence

Rebellion in China Chinese group called the “boxers” opposed the spread of western influence in their country – Killed many christian converts and missionaries British, French, German, japan, US troops joined forced to put down the Boxer Rebllion John Hay issues more open door notes – America would “safegaurd for the world” trade with the Chinese empire – Allows US to establish greater influence in Asia

Open door reflet 3 American beliefs about capitalist econ. 1)Growht of econ depended on exports 2)US right to intervene to keep foreign markets open 3)Closing of an area to US threatened our survival

The Impact of US Territorial Gains US economy boomed Americans struggled with the idea of having to own people in order to trade with them – Some agreed while other disagreed