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Walter LeFeber saw the new nature of US expansion of the 1890s and beyond as
a culmination of the early patterns. Expansionist goals change from gaining
territories for settlement to gaining points around the globe that could serve as
trading posts or military outposts.
Most Americans and presidents listened to Washington's advice to avoid foreign entanglements.
With increasing foreign trade and expanding military power, these attitudes begin to change in the 1870s.
Secretary of State James G. Blaine and others caught the urge for
expansion.
The theories of Darwin, Haeckel and Fiske led many to conclude that the
Anglo-Saxon race was superior and its influence should be spread to
enhance civilization throughout the world.
Josiah Strongs Our Country became popular and increased the call for
imperialism
The “Turner Thesis also spurred concern about the future greatness of the
US
Secretaries of State Seward, Fish, Blaine and Olney worked to foster
expansion of US empire and influence
William Henry Seward (1861-69; Lincoln, Johnson)
Pushed expansion had designs on all of North America
Secured Alaska and the Midway Islands
Hamilton Fish (1869-1877; Grant)
The non-transfer rule
Promoted the idea of independence for Cuba
James G. Blaine (1881, 1889-92; Garfield, Harrison)
Planned on improved trade with Latin America
Plans adapted by successor Frelinghuysen
Wanted to annex Hawaii under Harrison
Organized the Pan American Conference of 1889
Richard Olney (1895-97; Cleveland part II)
Arbitrated the Venezuelan Boundary Dispute in 1895
Reasserted the Monroe Doctrine
Hawaii
McKinley Tariff of 1890 causes economic hardship in Hawaii
Queen Liliuokalani decrees a new nationalistic constitution
Harrison's administration annexes Hawaii in 1893, but Cleveland's
withdraws the treaty and restores Queen Lil
The provisional Hawaiian govt refuses restoration
McKinley signs embattled legislation to annex Hawaii in 1898
Samoa
US Navy gains access to harbor at Pago Pago in 1872
This agreement at first rejected by Senate
Approved by Senate in 1878
Germany and Great Britain also secured treaty rights in
Samoa
The three foreign powers met in Berlin to negotiate
After a typhoon in 1889 damaged warships
Britain and Germany wanted to divide the islands
Eventually Germany and US divided islands
Britain agreed to land elsewhere in the Pacific
Germany claimed the two larger islands
US kept the harbor at Pago Pago
The US Navy deteriorated badly after the Civil War
Naval Advisory Board suggested sweeping changes in 1881
New philosophy suggested that naval power was key to defense
Important theorists included Alfred Thayer Mahan and Benjamin
Tracy
Mahan
Career Navy Officer
Head of Newport Naval War College
Wrote The Influence of Sea Power Upon History and The
Interest of America in Sea Power
Urged American policy makers to won the race for naval
Power
Tracy
Secretary of the Navy under Harrison
Organized the Bureau of Construction and the Naval
Reserve
Pushed for steel clad battle ships with rapid fire guns and
modern torpedoes
Brought the Navy from 12th to 7th in world ranking during
his 4 year tenure
If you've got a new navy, don't you need to try it out and make sure it works?
Establishes the US as a dominant military power for the coming century.
Sugar duties were raised by 40% by the Wilson-Gorman Tariff (1894)
Cubans in NYC raised $ and support for Cuban independence
Spain sent 200,000 troops to Spain to pin revolutionaries in the E
This failing, Spain sent in Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau
Gave a 10 day ultimatum for surrender
Enforced reconcentrados
US journalists wrote sensational and often exaggerated stories
US sympathies grew for the Cubans
Weyler recalled in 1897, some autonomy established
USS Maine sent to protect US assets in Cuba
Feb 15, 1890 Maine blows up
266 US lives lost
McKinley futilely tries to resist war
McKinley issues final terms to avoid war in March
War declared on Spain on April 25
War declared in April, troops arrive in June, war ends in August
McKinley asks for 120,000 volunteers 1 mile sign up
WJ Bryan, T Roosevelt, Cordell Hull, and Carl Sandburg volunteer
US has problems with transportation, supplies, cohesion of troops and
disease
Black troops played a major role in the conflict
They experienced discrimination in training and combat
Commodore Dewey wins a battle in Manila Bay (May 1)
Marines seize Guantanamo Bay (June)
Major battles at El Caney and San Juan Hill involving TR and Rough
Riders
War lasts 113 days
5,500 casualties 379 in battle
Navy lost only 2 men one to heatstroke
A profitable few months in battle leads to gains of Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and perhaps Cuba. Spain will
be compensated $20 million for the loss of their empire in the Treaty of Paris (Dec 1898). The US would maintain the care
of these lands in spite of promises to the contrary. Many folks rise in opposition to the new imperialism of the US.
The war to control the Philippines is more costly than the Sp-Am War
William Howard Taft brings a measure of peace to the region in 1900
The Philippines gains independence in 1946
What rights do those in territories have?
Supreme Court says the Constitution does not apply right away
Cuba gets special attention
Teller Amendment and Platt Amendment
Secretary of State John Hay negotiates with China to open trade
US gains an Open Door after the Boxer Rebellion
The Republicans gain more popularity in the US. The US does not gain popularity throughout the world.
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