us expansion in the 1800s - miss caspers'...
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US Expansion in the 1800s
In the early 1800s, US territorial expansion (Manifest Destiny) seemed natural
By 1890, the US had closed the frontier ◦ We had taken all the
land ◦ We had used all the
land we took
US Expansion in the 1800s
With the frontier tamed, the US turned to economic expansion
Industries began selling goods to foreign markets
Foreign trade became vital to America’s economic health and prosperity
US Expansion in the 1800s Captain Alfred T
Mahan Wrote The Influence of
Sea Power on History Argued that to be
strong, the US needed to have a large, powerful Navy
To have a powerful Navy, the US would need to have colonies and naval bases to resupply
US Expansion in the 1800s
Reverend Josiah Strong
Wrote Our Country Claimed the
American people were chosen by God to colonize and “lift up the backward peoples of other lands”
US Expansion in the 1800s
Reasons most Americans were resistant to Expansion: ◦ Dominating territory
abroad not very democratic ◦ Might weaken the US
at home ◦ Might lead to war ◦ All the good colonies
were already taken
Revolutions in Cuba Cuba wanted independence from Spain ◦ Spain refused to give Cubans their
independence Americans sympathized with Cubans Americans saw Cuba as a natural
extension of the US ◦ Only 90 miles from Florida! ◦ Many Americans worked/vacationed in Cuba ◦ Many US sugar companies owned plantations
in Cuba
Revolutions in Cuba Jose Marti, Cuban expatriate, launched a
revolution in 1895 Revolutionaries burned sugar fields,
destroyed mills, and fought Spanish soldiers throughout the island
Spanish troops under the command of Valeriano Weyler put Cubans into “reeducation camps”
Starvation and disease in Weyler’s camps led to the deaths of thousands of Cubans
Revolutions in Cuba Americans kept a close eye on the
revolution ◦ US businesses were concerned about their
holdings in Cuba ◦ Many Americans followed the war in the
newspapers President McKinley sought to avoid war
with Spain ◦ Wanted Cubans to have freedom, but didn’t
want the US to get involved in the fight
The Maine Incident
To protect American citizens and property in Cuba, President McKinley sent the USS Maine to Havana Harbor
On February 15th, the USS Maine EXPLODED! IN HAVAN HARBOR! GASP! ◦ Killed 260 American sailors
Americans blamed Spain
Yellow Journalism
Yellow Journalism: sensational headlines and stories, with little attention to facts, designed to grab attention and stir up emotions
William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer were newspaper publishers that used Yellow Journalism to attract readers
Yellow Journalism Hearst sent photographers to Cuba to cover
the revolution When photographers reported back that
things really weren’t that bad, Hearst replied “You provide the pictures, I’ll provide the war”
Newspapers began exaggerating the conditions in Cuba while making the Spanish look guilty
President McKinley finally bowed to public and political pressure, and asked for a declaration of war against Spain
Outbreak of War Fighting between the US and Spain begins,
but not in Cuba The US Navy invaded the Spanish colony on
the Philippine Islands The Philippine colony was also asking Spain
for its independence, so immediately, both the US military and the Philippine rebels fought against the Spanish together
The Philippines were conquered in 3 months
The War Moves to Cuba
Finally the US invades Cuba Teddy Roosevelt (not President yet) leads
a group of volunteer soldiers called the “Rough Riders” ◦ This group could symbolize the American
enthusiasm for war against Spain propped up by the newspapers at the time
The Rough Riders helped capture San Juan Hill, an important battle in the war
The War Moves to Cuba
The Rough Riders grabbed headlines, but many of the US soldiers in Cuba were African-American
Many African-American soldiers were eager to help liberate the Cubans, many of which were of African descent
On two different occasions, African-American units actually saved the Rough Riders from capture or defeat
The US Defeats Spain
After capturing San Juan Hill, the US Navy defeated the Spanish fleet in Santiago Harbor
The US also captured Puerto Rico with little resistance
Spain signed a cease-fire in August Spanish-American War called the
“splendid little war”
The US Defeats Spain
War’s Toll: ◦ 385 American soldiers killed in action ◦ About 5,000 American soldiers died from
disease and bad food (and bad uniforms)
The US Emerges as an Imperialist Power The peace treaty between the US and Spain said: ◦ Cuba gained its independence ◦ Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines go to the US
While Cuba was now independent, the US set up a military government to help rebuild
Cuba wrote a new Constitution, which included the Platt Amendment: ◦ Cuba could not make treaties with other countries ◦ The US had the right to intervene in Cuba if
necessary ◦ The US gets to keep a military base in Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba
The US Emerges as an Imperialist Power President McKinley decided the Filipinos
were “unfit for self-government”, so he ordered the Philippines become a US colony
Philippine resistance began immediately ◦ Philippine-American war lasts three years ◦ Between 200,000-1,500,000 Filipinos are
killed in the fighting
The US Emerges as an Imperialist Power By 1899, the US was a world power with
an empire that stretched from the Caribbean Sea to the South China Sea
The US held territory in Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, Hawaii, Samoa, and other Pacific islands
While not a significant territorial boost, these holdings did allow the US to establish its role and influence over other parts of the world
The US Emerges as an Imperialist Power Some Americans disapproved of US
imperialism ◦ Some worried about getting pulled into wars
with foreign countries ◦ Some believed imperialism went against the
ideals of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution ◦ Some worried the new dark-skinned
Americans might take away from American “purity”
US Imperialism in the 1900s The Spanish-American War opened the door
for more and more US intervention in world affairs
Teddy Roosevelt developed the “Big Stick” policy and the Roosevelt Corollary ◦ From an African proverb: Speak softly and carry a
big stick Big Stick policy: a strong American presence
in the world would guarantee American prosperity
Roosevelt Corollary: the US had a right to act as a police power in Latin America
US Imperialism in the 1900s Roosevelt also developed an “Open Door
Policy” in Asia ◦ Called for equal commercial opportunity for all
nations in China President Taft developed “Dollar Diplomacy” ◦ A strong economic role in foreign countries
(dollars instead of bullets) would advance US authority worldwide
President Wilson developed “Moral Diplomacy” ◦ The US should champion democracy around the
world and help maintain world peace