Chapter 27: The Path of Empire

Imperialist Strings ► Reverend Josiah Strong- Our Country: Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis  Inspired missionaries to travel to foreign nations ► Social Darwinism- earth belongs to strong & fit ► Alfred Thayer Mahan- The Influence of Sea Power upon History  Control of the sea is key to world dominance

Monroe’s Doctrine ► Gold discovered in contested area between Venezuela & British Guiana & British Guiana ► US declared that British were violating Monroe Doctrine ► Britain rejected relevance of Monroe Doctrine ► US willing to go to war ► Britain chose not to fight war

Effects of Venezuelan Conflict ► Prestige of the Monroe Doctrine was enhanced ► Latin American countries pleased by determination of US to protect them ► “Great Rapprochement”- reconciliation between the United States & Britain  Became a cornerstone of foreign policies for both nations

Hawaii ► first missionaries in Hawaii ► Profits of sugar cultivation became less profitable under McKinley Tariff of 1890  US wanted to annex Hawaii ► Queen Liliuokalani insisted against annexation ► Overthrown in 1893 by white Revolutionists ► Cleveland withdrew treaty to annex Hawaii

Cubans Rise in Revolt ► Cuban sugar profit became less profitable w/ Tariff of 1894 ► Cubans revolted against Spanish in 1895 ► American sympathies went to Cuba  US had investment & annual trade stake in Cuba ► Cubans sent to reconcentration camps where they were treated poorly ► Congress passes resolution that recognized belligerence of revolted Cubans  Cleveland refused to budge

Maine Explosion ► “Yellow Journalism”  Presents little or no well-researched news, uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers ► Caused Americans to think conditions in Cuba were worse than they actually were ► American ship Maine blew up in Havana port (Feb. 1898)  American journalists claimed Spain had sunk it  War w/ Spain was imminent

War Begins ► Madrid had agreed to US 2 demands: end of reconcentration camps & armistice w/ Cuban rebels ► McKinley did not want war, but American people did ► April McKinley sends war message to Congress ► Teller Amendment- proclaimed that when the U.S. had overthrown Spanish misrule, it would give Cubans their freedom

Start of War ► Americans went to war enthusiastically ► Army numbered only 2100 officers and 28,000 men  200,000 Spanish troops in Cuba ► Spanish navy in wretched condition  Thousands of miles from home

Victory at Manila ► Theodore Roosevelt (assistant navy secretary) ordered Commodore George Dewey to descend upon Spain’s Philippines in event of war ► May 1, Dewey attacks & destroys 10 ship Spanish fleet at Manila ► “Battle of Manila Bay”

Unexpected Imperialistic Effects ► Foreign warships gathered in Manila harbor ► US captured Manila in August 1898 ► Focused attention on Hawaii  Needed archipelago to send supplies & reinforcements to Dewey ► Congress passed joint-resolution to annex Hawaii  Approved by McKinley, July 1898 ► Residents of Hawaii granted US citizenship

Confused Invasion of Cuba ► Spanish government sent fleet of warships to Cuba after outbreak of war  Blockaded by more powerful American fleet ► General William Shafter led American forces sent to drive out the Spanish  Ill-prepared for war in the tropics

Rough Riders ► Regiment of volunteers ► Consisted largely of western cowboys (& ex-polo players, ex-convicts) ► Commanded by Colonel Leonard Wood ► Organized principally by Theodore Roosevelt, lieutenant colonel ► Fought in El Caney & San Juan Hill

Curtains for Spain in America ► Spain’s fleet is defeated in Santiago, Santiago surrenders ► General Nelson Miles began descent upon Puerto Rico  Met w/ little resistance  Saw Americans as liberating heroes ► Several men lost lives to sickness (typhoid fever) during war

McKinley: Duty, Destiny & Dollars ► Spanish & American negotiators met in Paris to begin peace discussions ► Americans secured Guam & Puerto Rico ► Philippines presented McKinley w/ a problem  Arguments for and against annexation? ► America agrees to pay Spain $20 million for The Philippines

“Curse” of Empire ► Anti-Imperialistic League- sprang into being to fight McKinley’s imperialistic motives ► William Jennings Bryan  Ratified treaty in order to give Filipinos their independence

Perplexities in Puerto Rico & Cuba ► Foraker Act of Congress granted Puerto Ricans a limited degree of popular government  grants them US citizenship ► Insular Cases ► Platt Amendment- replaces Teller Amendment, ensured US involvement in Cuban affairs  US could intervene w/ troops

New Horizons in Two Hemispheres ► Spanish-American war lasted only 113 days ► US prestige as a world power increased ► “splendid little war” ► US became full-fledged Far Eastern power