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Beginning in 1867, and continuing through the century, global competition, caused the United States to expand
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An early supporter of American expansion was William Seward, Secretary of State under presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. In 1867, Seward arranged for the U.S. to buy Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million. Some people thought it was silly to buy what they called “Seward’s Icebox” or “Seward’s folly.” Time showed how wrong many were.
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Hawaii was another question. The Hawaiian Islands had been economically important to the United States for nearly a century. Since the 1790s, American mer- chants had stopped there on their way to China and East India. In the 1820s, Yankee missionaries founded Christian schools and churches on the islands. Their children and grandchildren became sugar planters who sold most of their crop to the United States.
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Americans had always sought to expand the size of their nation, and throughout the 19th century they extended their control toward the Pacific Ocean. However, by the 1880s, many American leaders had become convinced that the United States should join the imperialist powers of Europe and establish colonies overseas. America looked toward Imperialism—the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories.
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With new machines, America was able to produce well over what Americans were able to consume. Imperialist believed the solution was trade
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With the combination of Social Darwinism and the belief that Anglo-Saxons were racially superior, it was argued that the U.S. was responsible for spreading Christianity and “civilization” to the world's “inferior peoples”
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With the encouragement Alfred T. Mahan, and others, the United States built nine steel-hulled cruisers between 1883 and 1890. The construction of modern battleships such as the Maine and the Oregon transformed the country into the world’s third largest naval power.
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King Kalakaua of Hawaii died and his sister, Queen Liliuokalani came to power, with a “Hawaii for Hawaiians” agenda.To prevent her success, business groups encouraged by Ambassador John L. Stevens organized a revolution.With the help of marines, they overthrew the queen and set up a government headed by Sanford B. Dole. President Cleveland directed that the queen be restored to her throne. President Cleveland refused to consider annexation unless a majority of Hawaiians favored it.
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During the Spanish-American War, United States forces, under General Nelson A. Miles Puerto Rico was occupied. General Miles issued a statement assuring Puerto Ricans that the Americans were there to “bring you protection not only to yourselves but to your property, to promote your prosperity, and to bestow upon you the immunities and blessings of the liberal institutions of our government.” For the time being, Puerto Rico would be controlled by the military until Congress decided otherwise.
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Between the De Lome letter (1898), the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine(February 15, 1898), and the increased use of "Yellow Journalism" introduced by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, American desire to fight back against Spain greatly increased.
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Who: United States, and Spain
What: Fought a war with famous battles including, Kettle Hill San Juan Hill.
Where: Philippines, Cuba, Guam, and Puerto Rico
When: 1898
Why: To grant territories independence from Spain's oppressive rule, and to avenge the insults to U.S. president McKinley, as well as The U.S.S. Maine's explosion. -
When the United States declared war against Spain in 1898,
it recognized Cuba’s independence from Spain. It also
passed the Teller Amendment, which stated that the United
States had no intention of taking over any part of Cuba. The Treaty of Paris, which ended the war, further guaranteed Cuba the independence that its nation- alist leaders had been demanding for years. -
The first battle of the way took place in the philippine islands. Commodore George Dewy gave the command to open fire on the Spanish fleet at Manila, the Philippine capital.
Dewy’s men destroyed every Spanish ship there. This allowed U.S. troops to land in the philippines.
Dewy had the support of filipinos who wanted freedom from spain
In August, Spanish troops in Manila surrendered to the United States. -
On August 12, 1898, the United States and Spain signed an armistice (cease-fire agreement)
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In February 1899, the Filipinos, led by Aguinaldo, rose in revolt. It took the Americans nearly three years to put down the rebellion. About 20,000 Filipino rebels died fighting for independence. The war claimed 4,000 American lives and cost $400 million—20 times the price the United States had paid to purchase the islands.Under American rule, the Philippines moved gradually toward independence and finally became an inde- pendent republic on July 4, 1946.
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U.S. Secretary of State John Hay issued, in 1899, a series of policy statements called the Open Door notes. The notes were letters addressed to the leaders of imperialist nations proposing that the nations share their trading rights with the United States, thus creating an open door. This meant that no single nation would have a monopoly on trade with any part of China. The other imperialist powers reluctantly accepted this policy.
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Chinese formed secret societies pledged to rid the country of “foreign devils.” The most famous of these secret groups were the Boxers, so named by Westerners because members practiced martial arts.The Boxers killed hundreds of missionaries and other foreigners, as well as Chinese converts to Christianity.
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In August 1900, troops from Britain, France, Germany, and Japan joined about 2,500 American soldiers and marched on the Chinese capital. Within two months, the international forces put down the Boxer Rebellion.
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In 1900, Congress passed the Foraker Act, which ended mil- itary rule and set up a civil government. The act gave the president of the United States the power to appoint Puerto Rico’s governor and members of the upper house of its leg- islature. Puerto Ricans could elect only the members of the legislature’s lower house.
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In 1901, the United States insisted that Cuba add to its constitution several provisions,(Platt Amendment), stating:
• Cuba could not make treaties that might limit its independence or permit a foreign power to control any part of its territory
• the United States reserved the right to intervene in Cuba
• Cuba was not to go into debt that its government could not repay
• the United States could buy or lease land on the island for naval stations and refueling stations. -
The United States made it clear that its army would not withdraw until Cuba adopted the Platt Amendment.(This encouraged protest) The U.S. government stood firm, though, and Cubans reluc- tantly ratified the new constitution. In 1903, the Platt Amendment became part of a treaty between the two nations, and it remained in effect for 31 years. Under the terms of the treaty, Cuba became a U.S. protectorate, a country whose affairs are partially controlled by a stronger power.
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Roosevelt reminded European powers of the Monroe Doctrine, which had been issued in 1823 by President James Monroe. The Monroe Doctrine demanded that European countries stay out of the affairs of Latin American nations. “Big stick” policy (speak softly and carry a big stick)
In his December 1904 message to Congress, Roosevelt added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. The corollary said that the United States would now use force to protect its economic interests in Latin America. -
The assassination of William McKinley in 1901 thrust Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt into the role of a world leader. Roosevelt received the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize after successfully negotiating Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese war.
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According to Wilson’s “missionary diplomacy,” the United States had a moral responsibility to deny recognition to any Latin American government it viewed as oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to U.S. interests. Prior to this policy, the United States recognized any government that controlled a nation, regardless of that nation’s policies or how it had come to power. Wilson’s policy pressured nations in the Western Hemisphere to establish democratic governments.
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Mexico had been ruled for more than three decades by a military dictator, Porfirio Díaz. A friend of the United States, Díaz had long encouraged foreign investments in his country. In 1911, Mexican peasants and workers led by Francisco Madero overthrew Díaz. After two years, General Victoriano Huerta took over the government. Within days Madero was murdered. Wilson refused to recognize the government that Huerta formed. He called it “a government of butchers.”
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President Roosevelt was supportive of providing a passageway connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. The Panama Canal was the soultion. All the work done on the Panama Canal was supported by Roosevelt, Work began in 1904 with the clearing of brush and draining of swamps. By 1913, the height of the construction, more than 43,400 workers were employed.
On August 15, 1914, the canal opened for business, and more than 1,000 merchant ships passed through during its first year. -
Wilson looked for an opportunity to act against Huerta.
April 1914, when one of Huerta’s officers arrested a small group of American sailors in Tampico. Wilson used the incident as an excuse to intervene in Mexico and ordered the U.S. Mexico rejected peaceful plans, and Wilson refused to recognize a government that had come to power as a result of violence. In 1915 Wilson withdrew the troops and formally recognized the Carranza government. -
Despite Villa’s talk of friendship, when President Wilson recognized Carranza’s government, Villa threatened reprisals against the United States. In January 1916, Carranza invited American engineers to operate mines in northern Mexico. Before they reached the mines, however, Villa’s men took the Americans off a train and shot them. Two months later, some of Villa’s followers raided Columbus, New Mexico, and killed 17 Americans. Americans held Villa responsible.
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With the American public demanding revenge
Loss of Americans by Villa’s hand.
Wilson ordered Brigadier General John J. Pershing and an expeditionary force of about 15,000 soldiers into Mexico to capture Villa dead or alive
Carranza demanded the withdrawal of U.S. troops, but Wilson refused. War seemed imminent. However, in the end, both sides backed down. The United States, facing war in Europe, needed peace on its southern border. In February 1917, Wilson ordered Pershing to return home. -
In 1959, Alaska became a state. For about two cents an acre, the United States had acquired a land rich in timber, minerals, and, as it turned out, oil.
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In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States.