We assert that no nation can long endure half republic and half empire, and we warn the American people that imperialism abroad will lead quickly and inevitably to despotism at home - Democratic National Platform (1900) Becoming a World Power 1890-1917
United States Foreign Policy 1890-1917 US Imperialism: Arguments for Expansion Expand business interests US economy boomed. Companies built overseas factories. Need new markets to prevent financial panics. Military interests International competition for colonies would leave America behind. Social Darwinism US must expand to survive. Whites are superior race. Must spread superiority Spread Christianity All nations should be Christian. Bring values to backward people American Frontier Closed US pioneer spirit looks towards foreign interests. Expand or explode
Theodore Roosevelt William H. Taft Woodrow Wilson Benjamin Harrison Grover Cleveland William McKinley The Men Who Developed
Benjamin Harrison The Men Who Developed Presidential Agenda Willing to go up against Foreign Nations when American Interests were at stake Promoted U.S. Intervention to promote economic and cultural advancement Initiating America s Rise to Global Imperialism
Oct 1889: Benjamin Harrison Convened the first Pan-American Conference Oct 1891: USS Baltimore Incident Mob in Valparaiso, Chile attacked U.S. Sailors Politicians and Journalists promoted war with Chile over the incident Threat of U.S. military action resulted in a $75,000 apology from Chile
Jan 1893: Benjamin Harrison American Fruit Planters supported a Coup d etat that overthrew Hawaii s Queen Liliuokolani Company of U.S. Marines were provided to protect American interests New Provisional Republic was established with American planter Sanford B. Dole as President President Harrison s efforts to formally Annex Hawaii failed to succeed (before he left office)
Grover Cleveland The Men Who Developed Presidential Agenda Primarily Opposed to Territorial Expansion and Entangling Alliances Placed the wants and needs of Native Populations over the desires for American Expansion Reluctant Imperialist Protector of the Native Population
Jan 1895: The Men Who Developed Dec 1893: Grover Cleveland President Cleveland removed the treaty establishing the Republic of Hawaii and promised to support Queen Liliuokalani He refused to support any Annexation efforts U.S. Efforts to build a canal in Nicaragua since 1885 continued with the creation of a Canal Bill President Cleveland refused to support any bill that violated the rights of the people of Nicaragua
Since 1887: Grover Cleveland Unsuccessful diplomatic efforts between Great Britain and Venezuela to negotiate claims over territory bordering Venezuela and British Guiana occurred Feb 1895: U.S. finally answered repeated requests for assistance by Venezuela May 1895: British Royal Navy occupied Nicaraguan port of Cornito July 1895: Twenty Inch Gun U.S. sent long message to the British suggesting Arbitration in order to avoid War with the US
William McKinley The Men Who Developed Presidential Agenda Continue Policies of Manifest Destiny by expanding American Frontier Moral Responsibility to Christianize and Civilize those who were not American Expansionist In Search of New Frontiers Beyond American Shores
William McKinley 1897: Attention turned to Hawaii President McKinley re-initiated efforts to Annex Hawaii July 1898: Congress passed the Newlands Act (allowing annexation of Hawaii) Since 1895: Repressive Spanish Regime had caused a Cuban Revolution 1897: President McKinley pressured Spain to end the conflict responsibly and humanely
William McKinley Jan 1898: USS Maine Sent to Havana Harbor to protect U.S. Interests in Cuba Feb 1898: Disaster USS Maine exploded killing 266 U.S. Sailors 23 Apr 1898: Spain declared war on U.S. 1 July 1898: Battle of San Juan Hill Colonel Teddy Roosevelt led the famous Rough Riders to victory up San Juan Hill 12 Aug 1898: Spain Surrenders
William McKinley Dec 1898: Treaty of Paris U.S. gain the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines Feb 1899: Philippine Insurrection Filipino Guerillas began struggle against U.S. occupation of islands 2 June 1899: First Philippine Republic officially declared war U.S. Troops were deployed to deal with the Filipino Insurrection U.S. difficulties against guerilla fighters caused war to drag on till 1902
William McKinley Sep 1899: Open Door Policy Secretary of State John Hay sent out message proposing free trade in China by all nations 1899: Boxer Rebellion Chinese revolutionaries oppose foreign influences in China Apr 1900: International Reply U.S. joined Eight-Nation alliance against Chinese Boxers 295 Marines & 3,125 Army troops join multi-national force in China 7 Sep 1901: Boxer Protocal
Theodore Roosevelt The Men Who Developed Presidential Agenda U.S. had a Moral Responsibility to civilize oppressed and/or weaker nations International Negotiations could be backed by U.S. Military Power Big Stick Diplomacy Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
Theodore Roosevelt 1901: Hay-Pauncefote Treaty Agreement authorizing the US to build a canal in Central America Aug 1903: Hay-Herran Treaty Columbia refused U.S. offer of $10 million for Panama Canal Sep 1903: Panamanian Revolution USS Nashville sent as part of Naval force to assist Panamanian rebels with supplies Nov 1903: Panama & Canal Zone formed U.S. officially recognized new Panamanian Government and established the Canal Zone
Theodore Roosevelt 1902 1903: Venezuela Crisis European blockade to force Venezuela to pay foreign war debts 1904: Roosevelt Corollary Issued Chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power. Ultimately established the U.S. as an International Police Power
Theodore Roosevelt Aug-Sep 1905: Treaty of Portsmouth, NH Roosevelt facilitated peace agreement officially ending the Russo-Japanese War 1906: Nobel Peace Prize 1907-1909: Great White Fleet Roosevelt sent two squadrons of 16 battleships to circumnavigate the world Showcase of American Goodwill Demonstrate growing Naval Power Increase Sea & Battle preparedness
Theodore Roosevelt 1904-1910: Panama Canal Roosevelt capitalized his efforts on the building of the Panama Canal "I took the Canal Zone and let Congress debate; and while the debate goes on, the canal does too. 1907-1910: Building Supervision Roosevelt appointed Brigadier General George Washington Goethals to finish supervising the building of the canal 1914: Panama Canal Officially Opened in time for World War I
William H. Taft The Men Who Developed Presidential Agenda Supported U.S. Desire to expand American Foreign Trade Maintain orderly societies abroad by increasing investments in foreign economies Dollar Diplomacy U.S. Financial Leverage
William H. Taft Used U.S. government officials to promote the sale of heavy industrial goods and military hardware to foreign powers Convinced U.S. Banks to resolve the problems of debt-ridden Honduras 1909: Nicaraguan Crisis 2,700 U.S. Marines were sent to help stabilize the pro-u.s. Nicaraguan government from an attempted rebel overthrow Peaceful Bill
Woodrow Wilson The Men Who Developed Presidential Agenda Dedicated to helping other nations achieve self-government Believed in promoting peace and cultivating friendships with world neighbors Moral Diplomacy Democratic Self-Determination
Woodrow Wilson 1913: Issues with Mexico Wilson refused to recognize the Mexican Government under Victoriano Huerta As a Government of Butchers 1914: Tampico Incident Mexican officials arrested nine U.S. Sailors in Tampico, Mexico (for entering a restricted area) President Wilson sent the U.S. Navy to the port of Vera Cruz with a force of U.S. Marine Due to U.S. pressure and growing rebel activity General Huerta stepped down from power
Woodrow Wilson 1916: Acquiring a New Territory U.S. and Denmark signed a treaty transferring control of the Virgin Islands to the United State Agreement was made due to: Increased German naval activity in the Atlantic Concerns that Germany might annex Denmark The Virgin Islands would give Germany a naval base close to the U.S.
Woodrow Wilson 1916: Impact of the Mexican Revolution on the U.S. Mexican rebel, Poncho Villa, raided across the U.S. border for food and supplies in hopes of provoking war between the U.S. & Mexico General John J. Black Jack Pershing led the Mexican Punitive Expedition to hunt down the Mexican rebels 1917: Approaching storm of World War U.S. Troops were withdrawn from the Mexican border to prepare for deployment overseas
New Territorial Acquisitions