Building An Empire 1898 - 1918

Spanish-American War Causes Humanitarian Concerns Yellow Journalism Joseph Pulitzer William Randolph Hearst Protect U.S. economic interest in Cuba De Lôme Letter called McKinley “weak” Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine Results U.S. get Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam Cuba became a virtual U.S. protectorate Why the War is Considered a Turning Point Ended Spanish colonial empire in America Saw emergence of US as a world Power

U.S. Colonial Empire Reasons for Colonial Expansion Need for raw materials and markets Colonies would help U.S. naval strength Nationalism – show other nations how strong U.S. had become Missionaries sought to spread Christianity Alfred Thayer Mahan Wrote The Influences of Sea Power upon History Argued for making U.S. into a world power U.S. needed a strong navy to protect its colonial interests.

U.S. Involvement: Pacific Philippines – Filipinos rebel and resist U.S. rule Hawaii – Queen Liliuokalani tried to take political power back from the American landowners. Sandford Dole led to provisional government while it worked out U.S. annexation. Pacific Islands – Guam, Samoa, Midway serve as refueling stations

U.S Involvement: East Asia China European powers establish “spheres of influence” in China John Hay’s Open Door Policy Boxer Rebellion (1900) – uprising by Boxers against Western influence in China; foreign interventions suppresses the uprising Japan – Commodore Perry opens Japan to trade and ends Japan’s traditional isolation Treaty of Portsmouth 1905 – T. Roosevelt negotiated between Russia and Japan after Japan wins the Russo-Japanese War.

U.S Involvement: The Caribbean Reasons for U.S. Interest in Caribbean Hemispheric security America acquires Puerto Rico and establishes indirect control of Cuba Protect its economic investments Panama Canal Construction of Panama Canal President T. Roosevelt helps Panamanians rebel against Colombia for a Canal Zone U.S takes 10 years to construct canal, ends the need for a two-ocean navy. Dr Walter Reed discovered that yellow fever was spread by mosquitoes and Dr William Gorgas ordered all swamps drained, vegetation cut down, and all standing water sprayed with oil to prevent breeding of mosquitoes Caribbean as an “American Lake”

U.S. Involvement: Latin America Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine The US would act as international police power Big Stick Policy Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy American investment to promote American foreign policy Wilson’s “Watchful Waiting” Policy Refused to recognize Mexico’s new government Pancho Villa killed people in Columbus NM, Wilson sent the American Expeditionary Force led by General John Pershing to apprehend him

World War I European Causes: nationalism, imperialism, militarism, and alliance system Spark starting WWI was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Reason for US intervention in the War. Closer ties with Britain and France German actions and propaganda Zimmerman telegram/note Violation of Freedom of the Seas Sinking of the Lusitania/Sussex Pledge Use of unrestricted submarine warfare

World War I Highlights New weapons and tactics: submarines * early tanks machine guns * poison gas air planes * trench warfare Selective Service Act allowed national government to draft men to serve in the war American Expeditionary Force US troops sent to Europe to defeat Germany Battle of Argonne Forest major battle of WWI. Germany was defeated Alvin York was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor

World War I Results Wilson’s Fourteen Points proposed by Wilson as a basis for the peace treaty Create new nation-states: Poland Break up Austria-Hungary Freedom of the Seas No secret treaties, open diplomacy League of Nations Versailles and other treaties ended the war and dealt harshly with Germany Germany lost its colonies and had to pay reparations Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Turkey were broken up into separate nation-states League of Nations created

Important Individuals Archduke Franz Ferdinand – his assassination sparked the start of WWI John Pershing – Commanded the American Expeditionary Force during WWI Woodrow Wilson – US President during WWI, issued Fourteen Points, and strongly supported US participation in the League of Nations Henry Cabot Lodge – US Senator who led the fight against joining the League of Nations