The New Manifest Destiny

America colonized outside of North America, to establish new colonies abroad

The fear that natural resources in the US would run out so we must search abroad
“Imperalist fever” in Europe, US is left out, fear of no land left to colonize, “US must not fall out of
line of the March”
Many writers and public gures contended that nations or "races," like biological species, struggled
constantly for existence and that only the ttest could survive. For strong nations to dominate weak
ones was, therefore, in accordance with the laws of nature.
Darwinism now applied to world a airs
Americans were “destined” to go to other parts of the world
John W. Burgess: Political Science and Comparative Law, he atly stated that the Anglo-Saxon and
Teutonic nations possessed the highest political talents. It was their duty, therefore, to uplift less
fortunate peoples, even to force superior institutions on them if necessary. “There is," he wrote, "no
human right to the status of barbarism."

Alfred Thayer Mahan

Captian & Admiral in US Navy
“Countries with sea powers were the greatest nations in history, so the U.S., bounded by 2 oceans
would rest on its naval strength”
Sea power = productive economy, foreign commerce, and defense for trade routes and colonies
Thought US should make a canal across the isthmus of Central America, and get defensive bases in
the carribean and take possession of Hawai’i

Queen Liliuokalani
First and only woman to rule as queen in Hawaii,
Remained in power only 2 years
Set out to challenge American control over Hawai’i
Her guards were willing to ght the US Marines when they staged a coup, but she said stand down,
because she wanted to preserve the people of Hawaii, because her people were going extinct (85%
of pop had been lost because of foreign illness)

Yellow Journalism
Journalism based on sensationalism and crude exaggeration
It (in the US) created the impression that the Spaniards were committing atrocities.
Yellow Journalism was one of the causes of the Spanish-American war in Cuba
Named because of a cartoon boy wearing yellow coat that was used in newspapers

Cuban Revolt
Cubans had been resisting Spain since 1868, US sympathized but didn’t intervene
1895, Cubans revolted, very brutal on both sides, Americans were horri ed
US press made it seem like only the Spanish was committing atrocities, but both sides were
This Yellow Journalism generated American support for the revolution

The Maine
McKinley didn’t support intervention, until a letter from a Spanish general was leaked where he
called McKinley a weak man
This made Americans mad (even tho they said the same about him)
The American battleship USS Maine blew up in Havana harbor with a loss of more than 260 people.
Americans accused (inaccurately) that the Spanish sunk the ship.
War hysteria, “Remember the Maine!”
McKinley didn’t want con ict, but his administration did
1898, tried to negotiate peace, failed, US declared war
The war is called a “splendid little war”
Cuba had wreaked Spain so it was easy for US to defeat them
Only 460 Americans died in battle BUT 5200 others died because of illness

Rough Riders
At the center of the ghting were the Rough Riders led by Theodore Roosevelt who resigned his
cabinet position to be involved in the war.
War Heros
They played a key role in the outcome of the Spanish–American War by assisting the American
forces in forming a constricting ring around the city of Santiago de Cuba
They also helped expand American imperialism

Sugar Economy
The Puerto Rican sugar industry ourished as it took advantage of the American market that was
now open to it without tari s.
in Hawaii, Americans from the mainland established large sugar plantations.
The growing emphasis on sugar as a cash crop, and the transformation of many Puerto Rican
farmers into paid laborers, led to a reduction in the growing of food for the island and greater
reliance on imported goods.

Foraker Act
Control of Puerto Rico shifted to the US after Spanish American war
The Foraker Act ended military rule and established a formal colonial government.
Designated Puerto Rico as an unorganized territory of the US
Led to: 1917, Congress passed the Jones- Shaforth Act- declaring Puerto Rico as US territory &
made all Puerto Ricans American citizens.

The Philippines Question

Mckinley appeared to reluctantly to support the annexation of the Philippines. But, according to his
own accounts, he believed there were no other acceptable alternatives.
Why?
Returning the Philippines to Spain would be cowardly and dishonorable.
Turning them over to other imperialist powers would be bad business.
Granting them independence would be irresponsible because the Filipinos were un t for self
government.
McKinley's supporters reasoned the islands were a valuable stepping stone to trade in China and
warned that if the U.S. gave up the Philippines, other nations would take control.
So.. The only thing left to do was to take all Filipinos, educate them, and uplift and Christianize
them.

Anti-Imperialist League
Believed imperialism was immoral & hypocritical of America's commitment to human freedom.
Others feared "polluting" the American population by introducing "inferior" Asian races into it.
Industrial workers feared being undercut by cheap labor.
Conservatives worried about the large standing army and entangling foreign alliances that they
believed imperialism would required.
Others feared unwelcome competition in the new territories.
Treaty of Paris, 1898
Signed December 1898
American negotiators startled the Spanish by demanding that they also cede The Philippines to the
US but an American o er of $20 million for the islands softened their resistance.
During debate over rati cation of the treaty, the Anti-Imperialist League, created by wealthy people
from Boston and NY openly opposed the acquisition of the Philippines.
Imperialist resistance in the US was erce.
Members: Mark Twain, Samuel Gompers, William Jennings Bryan, and Andrew Carnegie.