Chapter 20 - Seizing an American Empire PDF

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Chapter 20 - Seizing an American Empire Modern America 1890 - 1910 ● ●

Domestic to foreign Becoming a global presence

Imperial (empire) America wants territory: (looking overseas/outside borders) 1. Good for business - resources / markets (ex: rubber) 2. Youthful National Pride 3. Competition with Europe (We want what Europe has… US can’t be left behind) 4. Manifest Destiny and Social Darwinism - belief in 1830s to spread American culture all over - Divinely inspired… or an excuse? - We should bring American culture to the rest of the world - Prevailing American attitudes of the time - 3rd world nations are nations that weren’t as advanced as America 5. “We need Hawaii” (sugar growers and pineapple saw from Hawaii) as well as the “stepping stone to the Pacific” - President McKinley Debate in America: ● Imperialists vs. Anti-imperialists (wanting to grow America or not) ● Annex or not?? (annex - add as extra or subordinate)*** -

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White Man’s Burden (we don’t want to do this but we have to) Obligation to “Civilize” the World Others (we don’t want to be involved) See race dilution Imperialists dominate Impetus for America to become a world power ** Spanish-American War 1898 “We need this war” - Asst. Sec. of Navy (Teddy Rosevelt) (opportunity to get rid of Spain, show others how powerful, and to get more territory)

US Battleship Maine into Havana Harbor (told to just come into Spanish to see business interest) ● Blows up - 261 Fatalities ● Captain urges caution and sends message to President saying he doesn’t know why it blew up and to not jump to conclusions, but -

The Press and Yellow Journalism (a newspaper came out saying that the

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Spanish enemy was the one who blew it up) This leads to a war frenzy More likely spontaneous combustion… Spain is a Catholic nation (one of the reasons why we don’t like them)

“A Splendid Little War” ● America defeats Spain - Minimal losses / short war of 4 months - America gains international respect Spanish Concessions: - Cuba gains independence - US annexes Puerto Rico - Phillipines occupied (they want Spanish down too but America takes them too) - Philippines switching master? - Guerilla war ensues, 1899 - 1902 Western designs on Asia (China - mainly poor people) - Europeans invite themselves in ● West divides into zones of influence ● Welcome them in, but as China watches... - Much of Asia under colonial rule - America joins the party… - An “Open Door” Policy in China emerges: ● Equal trade for all nations ● Spheres of influence : encroachment Chinese Nationalists rebel.. - “Fists of Righteous Harmony” (China has pitchforks, etc. while others more advanced) - The Boxer Rebellion - 1899 - 1901 (humiliating, crushing defeat for Chinese) - And a prophecy… - “The Real Trouble Will Come With The ‘Wake’” 1900 - 1901 - McKinley wins re-election - McKinely assassinated, 1901 3rd president in 36 years - “That damned cowboy is Pres. of the US” (Teddy Rosevelt) - Overseeing America’s Imperial Ambition…

Teddy Rosevelt

“Big Stick” Diplomacy - Talk softly and carry a big stick - His way or the highway - We were going to dominate the Western hemisphere And “The Great White Fleet” - Extremely powerful - Send it across the world to show how powerful the navy is - 14 months across world tour - Promote American power/expansion aims - Atlantic AND Pacific “home waters” - Build Panama Canal (wanted so don’t have to make trip around South America yet Panama was a prophet of Colombia - Roosevelt didn’t pay Colombia amount of money they asked but built canal anyways - Panama happy bc it equals jobs) Intervenes in Japan/Russia (1904) - Japan goes to war with Russia and wins (wow an Asian nation defeating European) - Yellow Peril emerges (fear of Japan's growing power - is Japan a threat?) -

Introduces the Roosevelt Corollary (1904) - called to set peace between two nations, gave Roosevelt the right of intervention of Central and South America (going to keep Euopeans out to expand Monroe Doctrine and do not want to be taken by Europeans)

Teddy Rosevelt: A determined aggressive imperialist ● “Militantly racist view of the world” ● “Civilized vs. barbarous” ● “Righteous of all wars is a war with savages” ****Of these attitudes and ideology:**** “Such a belligerent, self-righteous bigotry defied America’s egalitarian (equal) ideals and would come back to haunt the US in world affairs - and at home.” - Everyone is free yet everyone is barbarians and savages...