American Imperialism 1898-1945

• Period 7 covers 1898-1945 and focuses on American Imperialism.

Imperialism

• Imperialism refers to a country's expansion of political, economic, and military influence over other nations.
• The US became an empire after purchasing Alaska for $7.2 million in 1867.
• The discovery of gold in Alaska in 1898 fueled imperialist sentiment.
• Imperialists sought valuable raw materials and fresh markets for American goods.
• Social Darwinism, the concept of "survival of the fittest," was used to justify expansion.
• Josiah Strong argued that the white Anglo-Saxon race was the most evolved and had a Christian responsibility to spread its influence.
• Alfred Thayer Mahan advocated a strong navy to secure foreign markets and acquire territories for refueling, which led to Congress approving a new steel fleet.

Anti-Imperialists

• Anti-imperialists supported national self-determination, giving nations the right to choose their own rulers and laws, echoing earlier American ideals against British rule.
• Isolationism, advocated by George Washington, suggested that America should stay neutral and avoid foreign entanglements.
• Some argued that expansion raised questions about the rights of non-white people in newly acquired territories.

Spanish American War

• Yellow journalism, led by Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, involved sensationalized and often untrue stories.
• Yellow journalism exaggerated Spanish atrocities in Cuba, influencing US intervention.
• After the U.S.S. Maine exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, yellow journalists blamed Spain, pushing for war despite the explosion being accidental.
• The US won the Spanish-American War.
• Cuba gained independence but was subject to the Platt Amendment, allowing US military intervention to protect American economic interests.
• The US annexed the Philippines from Spain for $20 million after Theodore Roosevelt's naval action and alliance with Filipino nationalists.
• Filipinos, led by Emilio Aguinaldo, fought against US rule, but the US maintained control until the end of World War II.
• Hawaii was annexed in 1898 to facilitate access to the Philippines after overthrowing Queen Liliuokalani in 1893.
• Secretary of State John Hay proposed the Open Door Policy with China, advocating equal trading privileges to maintain US trading rights in Asia.

Progressive Era

• The causes of the Progressive Era were the growing power of businesses together with economic uncertainties, violent labor conflicts, the power of political machines, Jim Crow segregation, women's suffrage, and the issue of alcohol.
• Protestant church leaders, feminists, labor union leaders, and African Americans became involved.
• Government intervention was believed to be required to fix what they saw were societies problems.
• Muckrakers were investigative journalists who exposed corruption and social problems.
• Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle exposed unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.
• Ida Tarbel exposed John D Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company.
• Jacob Riis’ How the Other Half Lives exposed unsanitary living conditions of the poor in New York tenements.

Expansion of Democracy

• Progressives wanted to challenge the influence of political bosses using a secret ballot.
• The 17th Amendment (1913) allowed for the direct election of senators by the people, instead of by state legislatures.
• The 18th Amendment, which resulted in the Prohibition, was largely pushed for by women.
• The 19th Amendment (1920) granted women's suffrage.

Legislative Reforms

• Initiative: Voters could require legislators to consider a bill they chose to ignore. With the power back in the hands of the people.
• Referendum: Voters could vote on the adoption of proposed laws.
• Recall: Enabled the removal of a corrupt politician before their term was complete.
• Frederick Taylor advocated for scientific management in 1909 and wanted to make factory work more efficient. He made recommendations for saving time, increasing productivity, earning more profits.