CHAPTER THEME Theme: In the 1890s a number of economic and political forces sparked a spectacular burst of imperialistic expansionism for the United States that culminated in the Spanish-American War—a war that began over freeing Cuba and ended with the highly controversial acquisition of the Philippines and other territories.

Theme: In the wake of the Spanish- American War, President Theodore Roosevelt pursued a bold and sometimes controversial new policy of asserting America’s influence abroad, particularly in East Asia and Latin America.

1.From the end of the Civil War to the 1880s, the United States was very isolationist, but in the 1890s, due to rising exports, manufacturing capability, power, and wealth, it began to expand onto the world stage, using overseas markets to sell its goods. 2.In order to do so, the U.S. needed to become a world power on par with the industrialized nations of Europe, and U.S. naval captain Alfred Thayer Mahan argued that control of the sea through a superior navy was the key to world domination. 3.James G. Blaine pushed his “Big Sister” policy, which sought better relations with Latin America, and in 1889, he presided over the first Pan-American Conference, held in Washington D.C.

  However, in other diplomatic affairs, America and Germany almost went to war over the Samoan Islands (over whom could build a naval base there), THEN Italy and America almost fought due to the lynching of 11 Italians in New Orleans! THEN, the U.S. and Chile almost went to war after the deaths of two American sailors at Valparaiso in 1892!   A dispute between Venezuela and Britain wound up strengthening the Monroe Doctrine when the U.S. acted as an arbitrator between the two. Britain did this primarily to remain on good terms with the U.S., as tensions were also growing between them and Germany, and they thought they could make better use of the U.S. as an ally, as it HAS been ever since.   Clearly, the numerous near-wars and diplomatic crises of the U.S. in the late 1880s and 1890s demonstrated the aggressive new national mood.

1.From the 1820s, when the first U.S. missionaries came, the United States had always coveted the Hawaiian Islands. 2.Treaties signed in 1875 and 1887 guaranteed commercial trade and U.S. rights to priceless Pearl Harbor, while Hawaiian sugar was very profitable. But in 1890, the McKinley Tariff raised the prices on this sugar, raising its price. 3.Americans felt that the best way to offset this was to annex Hawaii—a move opposed by its Queen Liliuokalani who was removed from power for opposing annexation—and in 1893, desperate Americans in Hawaii revolted. They succeeded in taking over the island and Hawaii seemed ready for annexation. 4.However, Grover Cleveland became president again, investigated the coup, and rejected the effort to annex Hawaii because he believed that the native Hawaiians had been wronged and that a majority opposed annexation. This delayed annexation until he basically left office. Cleveland was bombarded with criticism for “stopping manifest destiny,” but his actions proved to be honorable for him and America.

1.In 1895, Cuba revolted against Spain, citing years of misrule, and the Cubans torched their sugar cane fields in hopes that such destruction would either make Spain leave or America interfere (the American tariff of 1894 had raised prices on it anyway). 2.Sure enough, America supported Cuba, and the situation worsened when Spanish General Valeriano “Butcher” Weyler came to Cuba to crush the revolt and ended up putting many civilians into brutal reconcentration camps which killed many. 3.Americans favored providing aid to the Cuban revolutionaries for the following reasons 1.Popular outrage at the Spanish use of these re- concentration camps. 2.Fear that Spanish misrule in Cuba menaced the Gulf of Mexico and the route to a proposed Panama Canal. 3.The atrocity stories reported in the “yellow press.” 4.Sympathy for Cuban patriots fighting for their freedom.

 The final straw came when the U.S. battleship Maine was sunk by an explosion on the ship.  However, William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers claimed that the Spanish were behind the sinking of the Maine, and President McKinley asked Congress to declare war on Spain mainly because the American people demanded it.   Congress accepted his proposal and also adopted the Teller Amendment, which proclaimed a guarantee that when the U.S. had overthrown Spanish misrule, it would uphold the independence of Cuba and not rule over it as a conquered territory.

1.On paper, at least, the Spanish had the advantage over the U.S., since it had more troops and a supposedly better army, as well as younger (and seemingly more daring) generals. 2.However, America’s main military strength was its new steel navy, as opposed to Spain’s antiquated wooden one. Navy Secretary John D. Long and his assistant secretary, Theodore Roosevelt had modernized the U.S. navy, making it sleek and sharp.

Navy Secretary John D. Long and his assistant Secretary, Theodore Roosevelt had modernized the U.S. navy, making it sleek and sharp. Navy Secretary John D. Long and his assistant Secretary, Theodore Roosevelt had modernized the U.S. navy, making it sleek and sharp. Teddy Roosevelt John D. Long

The U.S. Navy perfected by TR and John D. Long

Spanish Armada back in the glory days....

Commodore George Dewey   On May 1,1898, Commodore George Dewey sailed boldly with his six warships at night into the fortified harbor of Manila in the Philippines, he trained his guns the next morning on the moldy ten-ship Spanish fleet. The entire collection of antiquated and overmatched vessels was quickly destroyed, with a loss of nearly 400 Spaniards killed and wounded, and without the loss of a single American life.   Dewey had naval control of the harbor, but he could not storm the islands and its fortresses, so he had to wait for reinforcements.   Finally, on August 13, 1898, American troops arrived and captured Manila and the rest of the Philippines, overthrowing Spanish rule, while collaborating with Filipino insurgents, led by Emilio Aguinaldo.   On July 7, 1898, the U.S. annexed Hawaii (supposedly so that it could use the islands to support Dewey). Hawaii received full territorial status in 1900.

Admiral of the Navy: George Dewey Dewey at the Battle of Manila

Emilio Aguinaldo & Dewey Victory Paraphanalia