Expansionist Stirrings and War with Spain, 1878-1901 Roots of Expansionist Sentiment In the late 19th century the U.S.A. showed heightened interest in overseas empire The example of European nations and Japan, which were seizing colonies in Asia and Africa, stimulated U.S. expansionism During the depression of 1893-1897, American businessmen and politicians argued that the U.S.A. must capture overseas markets to maintain prosperity

Roots of Expansionist Sentiment (cont.) Republican politicians claimed that to be a great power the U.S. must: build up its navy obtain far-flung colonies to establish fueling stations and bases Show its influence in the world as a superior county Inspired by: Alfred T. Mahan’s The Influence of Sea Power upon History Social Darwinist ideas

Roots of Expansionist Sentiment (cont.) Leading Republicans were: Theodore Roosevelt Henry Cabot Lodge John Hay

Roots of Expansionist Sentiment (cont.) Our Country 1885 Josiah Strong Combined religion and Social Darwinism racism Told Americans that, as members of the superior Anglo-Saxon race, they were destined to spread Christianity and civilization to “inferior” people

Pacific Expansion Expansionist enthusiasm led the United States to overtake some Pacific Islands: Samoan Island U.S. established a joint protectorate with Germany and Great Britain Hawai’i American sugar plantation owners overthrew the govt. of Queen Liliuokalani Asked U.S. to take over the island President Cleveland, who was not an expansionist, declined to do so President McKinley requested Congress to annex Hawai’i 1898

Crisis over Cuba The Cubans revolted against Spanish rule in 1895 The Spanish authorities brutally attempted to suppress the rebellion Public opinion in the U.S. turned against the Spanish because of yellow-journalism William Randolph Hearst=Journal Joseph Pulitzer=World Both featured daily accounts of Spanish atrocities

Crisis over Cuba (cont.) President McKinley did not want to intervene in Cuba He did send the battleship Maine to Havana to protect the lives and property of Americans on Cuba On Feb. 15, 1898, an explosion the Maine killed 266 of its crewmen

Crisis over Cuba (cont.) The yellow press immediately accused the Spanish of blowing up the ship The public demanded revenge Giving in to popular pressure, McKinley asked Congress to declare war on Spain Congress declared war on April 1898

Crisis over Cuba (cont.) Congress also passed the Teller Amendment Proclaimed that the U.S. had no desire to overtake Cuba and would leave the island as soon as its independence was ensured Teller Amendment

The Spanish-American War, 1898 The fighting against Spain lasted less than 4 months Admiral George Dewey attacked the Spanish fleet in the Philippines American troops took Manila Bay in August By July, the Spanish were driven from Cuba The defeated Spanish: Recognized Cuba’s independence Ceded to the United States: Philippines Puerto Rico Guam

The Spanish-American War, 1898 (cont.) Contrary to the Teller Amendment, the U.S. occupied Cuba from 1898 to 1902 The U.S. withdrew its forces only after Cuba agreed to the conditions set forth in the 1901 Platt Amendment Platt Amendment It limited Cuba’s sovereignty by: Reserving to the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuba The U.S. could maintain a naval base on Cuba

The Spanish-American War, 1898 (cont.) Although the Platt Amendment was abrogated in 1934, the United States still retains the base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba

Critics of Empire Some Americans were horrified by their nation’s actions in the Spanish-American War They founded the Anti-Imperialist League Pointed out that imposing U.S. rule on other peoples by military force violated the principles of human equality and liberty championed in our own Declaration of Independence

Critics of Empire (cont.) Some members of the Anti-Imperialist League: Carl Schurz (civil-service reformer) E.L. Godkin (civil-service reformer) William Jennings Bryan (ag. spokesman) Jane Addams (settlement house founder) Mark Twain (writer) William James (writer)

Critics of Empire (cont.) Despite the League’s efforts, the Senate ratified the treaty annexing the Philippines In 1900 pro-expansionist McKinley again defeated anti-imperialist Bryan for the presidency

Guerrilla War in the Philippines, 1898-1902 Pres. McKinley was persuaded that the U.S. should keep the Philippines by the arguments of: the expansionists businessmen to use the islands as a way of penetrating nearby Chinese markets This U.S. decision led to a war against Filipino independence fighters

Guerrilla War in the Philippines, 1898-1902 (cont.) To crush the guerrilla resistance of the Filipinos, the U.S. used brutal tactics The U.S. lost many more soldiers than it had in the Spanish-American War In 1946, the U.S. granted the Philippines their independence