Chapter #27​ Empire and Expansion, 1890 to 1909

America Turns Outward

1. What factors caused America to turn its attention to the world beyond her
borders?
Many developments fed the nation’s ambition for overseas expansion. People began to look
for markets beyond American shores. Many Americans believed that the United States had to
expand or explode. The yellow press of joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst were
also factors.

Spurning the Hawaiian Pear

2. Why did President Cleveland not want to annex Hawaii?
Cleveland suspected that his powerful nation gravely wronged the deposed Queen Liliuokalani
and her people and he abruptly withdrew the treaty.

Cubans Rise in Revolt

3. What was happening in Cuba that caused Americans to be concerned?
Cubans were treated very poorly by the Spanish. They revolted and sought to drive out the
Spanish. American sympathies went out to the Cuban underdogs. American business had an
investment stake of about 50 million in Cuba and an annual trade stake of about 100 million.
McKinley did not want hostilities, but did not want Spain to control Cuba. He did not want a
fully independent Cuba either.

Dewey's May Day Victory at Manila

4. Why did Commodore Dewey have such an easy victory over the Spanish fleet at
the Philippines?
The 10-ship Spanish fleet was completely taken by surprise by Dewey’s attack. Several of the
Spanish ships very old and rotting that they could barely float. Dewey's forces quickly defeated
the Spanish fleet. Around 400 Spanish sailors died.

The Confused Invasion of Cuba

5. Describe the fighting in Cuba.
The Spanish armada was easily blockaded in Santiago Harbor, Cuba, by the American fleet.
Americans swiftly defeated Spanish troops at El Caney, Kettle Hill, and San Juan Hill.
American troops easily invaded Puerto Rico, forcing Spain to sign an armistice. American
troops stationed in the Cuban jungles were exposed to diseases which incapacitated hundreds
and killed over five thousand men. The Spanish-American negotiations in Paris in late 1898
resulted in the freeing of Cuba.

Perplexities in Puerto Rico and Cuba

6. Describe American treatment of Cuba after the Spanish-American War.
The American military government in Cuba made improvements in government, finance,
education, agriculture, and public health. They supported experiments by Dr. Walter Reed
which identified the stegomyia mosquito as the carrier of yellow fever, and launched efforts to
wipe the insects and the disease out in Havana and other cities. America honored the Teller
Amendment of 1898 by withdrawing from Cuba
New Horizons in Two Hemispheres
7. What were the outcomes of the Spanish-American War?
Spain lost. Spain gave up all claim for Cuba and ceded Puerto Rico and Guam to the United
States. Spain also gave up control over the Philippines in return for a payment of $20 million.

Hinging the Open Door in China

8. Was American involvement in China beneficial to China?
America involvement was beneficial to China because it prevented China from being carved
up by other European powers. China was saved twice, after its defeat by Japan and the Boxer
Rebellion. Even afterwards the U.S. protected China.

TR: Brandisher of the Big Stick

9. Give evidence to show that Teddy Roosevelt was an unconventional president?
Teddy Roosevelt was an unconventional president for many reasons. He was boyish and
bellicose; he preached virtues and denounced pacifist “flubdubs” and “mollycoddles”. He
believed that you should always talk it out first and if that didn’t work than fight for what you
want. He believed that the president should lead boldly.

Building the Panama Canal

10. Why was the Panama route chosen for the canal?
With the pre-existing lakes, the route across Panama required the least amount of digging and
dredging to create a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Roosevelt on the World Stage

11. How did Teddy Roosevelt win the Nobel Peace Prize?
In 1906, Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Russo-Japanese
talks as well as his mediation of North African Disputes at Algeciras, Spain.

Japanese Laborers in California

12. How did a school board in California act in a way that first hurt and then helped
American-Japanese relations?
As the Japanese populated California, San Francisco was the victim of a massive earthquake
in 1906. As a result, the school board commanded a segregation of Chinese, Korea, and
Japanese students. The Gentlemen's Agreement stipulated that the school board would
repeal the segregations, but the Japanese and the Chinese would not emigrate any more
laborers to California.