The Emergence Of The Americas In Global Affairs 1880-1929

Front 1

Reasons for expansion: political

Back 1

Insular Cases (1901-04) used as justification-- after Spanish American War, concluded that US Executive Branch can do whatever it wants with conquered territory, and full constitutional rights do not automatically extend to all places under American control.

e.g. Puerto Rico

In competition w/ Great EU powers; GR spurs

Front 2

Reasons for expansion: economic

Back 2

Foreign trade increasingly important to US economy in late 19th century;

Overproduction/under-consumption;

Open Door Policy in Asia (Hays Open Door Notes)

Roosevelt Corollary: US will intervene in conflicts between European countries and Latin American countries to enforce legitimate claims of the European powers, rather than having the Europeans press their claims directly.

Front 3

Reasons for expansion: social

Back 3

America needed a "new frontier": Turner's Frontier Thesis (we need to expand because we have lost the US frontier).

Front 4

Reasons for expansion: ideological

Back 4

Manifest destiny: a notion held by 19th century Americans that the US was destined by God to rule the continent (Atlantic to Pacific).

Josiah Strong: expansion of Anglo-Saxon Christian civilization.

Social Darwinism: Earth belonged to strong/fit, stronger nations dominating weak ones as a part of "natural law".

Front 5

Causes of Spanish American War

Back 5

US looking to expand, heavy investments in sugar/tobacco

Desire to control Cuba (1895 Cuban rebellion-- Jose Marti leads Cuban revolution; Spanish General Weyler: reconcentration camps, villified in US papers.)

Yellow journalism/Hearst papers: media used to convey Cuba as helpless against vicious Spaniards (to gain support from US public)

Evangelina Cisneros: Hearst hires mercenaries to rescue from Cuban camp, sensationalized in NY media.

DeLome letter: Spanish ambassador writes to friend in Cuba about McKinley's weaknesses, how won't engage in war w/ Spain.. intercepted & published in Hearst's papers.

Immediate cause: USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana Harbor, Spain blamed in Hearst papers. Spain denies involvement, helps stranded sailors. Probably actually an accident, but ignites SpAm war.

Front 6

Major events of Spanish American War

Back 6

April 25: declaration of war b/n US & Spain

May 1: first battle b/n forces at Manila Bay

June 22: US troops land in Cuba

July 1: US forces win at Battle of San Juan Heights

Dec. 10: Treaty of Paris signed, ending war

Front 7

Treaty of Paris (1898)

Back 7

Agreement made Dec. 10, 1898 between the US and Spain that resulted in the Spanish Empire's surrendering control of Cuba and ceding Puerto Rico, parts of the Spanish West Indies, the island of Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.

Signaled the end of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and the Pacific Islands (see also the German–Spanish Treaty of 1899), and marked the beginning of the age of the United States as a world power.

Front 8

Effects of Spanish American War

Back 8

US annexes Puerto Rico, West Indies, Guam, Philippines.

American business tightened control of sugar plantations.

US becomes global/imperial empire (Philippines, Cuba).

Teller/Platt Amendments passed.

Front 9

Teller Amendment (1898)

Back 9

Placed a condition on the United States military's presence in Cuba. According to the clause, the U.S. could not annex Cuba but only leave "control of the island to its people." In short, the U.S. would help Cuba gain independence and then withdraw all its troops from the country.

Front 10

Platt Amendment (1901)

Back 10

Stipulated seven conditions for the withdrawal of United States troops remaining in Cuba at the end of the Spanish–American War, and an eighth condition that Cuba sign a treaty accepting these seven conditions. It defined the terms of Cuban–U.S. relations to essentially be an unequal one of U.S. dominance over Cuba.

Front 11

Big Stick Diplomacy (Roosevelt)

Back 11

TR felt that being prepared for conflict was the best option for the US in preventing war-- if the US made a show of force to the rest of the world, other nations might be hesitant to threaten the military.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Ex: Panama Canal-- Battleships to Cartagena, threaten until revolution would force Colombia to concede Panama; allowed canal to be built.

Also used in Cuba, Nicaragua.

Front 12

Dollar Diplomacy (Taft)

Back 12

Taft believed he could convince smaller, developing nations to support US by investing American money into their economies;

made allies & money for US investors.

Kept foreign influence out of Americas by buying Latin American debt, increasing US investments.

Guatemala: United Fruit Company pays off debts to GB, invests other resources to make country owe to US.

Front 13

Moral Diplomacy (Wilson)

Back 13

The US would only support democratic Latin American governments, as US is a spreader of democracy, we do things because they are right (WWI).

Front 14

Reasons for US neutrality in WWI

Back 14

Most Americans thought EU fighting was petty; still had strong economic relationship w/ GB/Allies; isolationism.

Public opinion: women/others picketed.

Schenck case: Defendants who distributed leaflets to draft-age men, urging resistance to induction, could be convicted of an attempt to obstruct the draft, a criminal offense. The First Amendment did not alter the well-established law in cases where the attempt was made through expressions that would be protected in other circumstances.

Front 15

Causes of US collapse of neutrality (WWI)

Back 15

Sinking of HMS Lusitania (Jan. 17, 1917) increased tensions, forced GR to take Sussex pledge (evacuate crew before sinking ships).

Zimmerman Telegraph: GR caught trying to influence MX into war.

Freedom of seas/moral diplomacy.

Front 16

Why was there a struggle to ratify Versailles in the US?

Back 16

Wilson didn't agree to treaty being signed in Versailles;

had bad ties to US Senate;

excluded Republicans from ToV (Henry Cabot Lodge);

Wilson's 14 Points biased towards benefit of only Allies.

Didn't want to be held down in a great deal of it.

Front 17

Major events of WWI (1914-1918)

Back 17

June 23: Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

July 28: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia

May 7, 1915: Lusitania sunk

Feb. 21/May 31, 1916: Verdun/Jutland

April 7, 1917: US declares war

Nov. 11, 1918: WWI ends

Front 18

Results of WWI (US): economic

Back 18

Increases in federal spending;

we owe more debts, more debts owed to us.

Front 19

Results of WWI (US): social

Back 19

Human cost high;

improved position of trade unions & workers: given gov't dependence upon industry for military production during war;

improved social status/position of women;

crackdown on free speech;

First Red Scare.

Front 20

Results of WWI (US): political

Back 20

Reach of gov't increased: Schenck cases/Office of War Information

Creation of large bureaucracy.