AMERICAN EMPIRE AND THE PHILIPPINESThe aftermath of the Spanish-American War

THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

The Rough RidersMort Kunstler, 1984

THE “SPLENDID LITTLE WAR”• Congress declares war on Spain – April 25, 1898• Commodore George Dewey immediately moves on the

Philippines

WAIT! WHAT ARE THE PHILIPPINES?• Island nation in

Southeast Asia• Spanish colony since

1521• Filipino nationalists

had been fighting the Spanish since 1896

Here they are!

THE “SPLENDID LITTLE WAR”• Congress declares war on Spain – April 25, 1898• Commodore George Dewey immediately moves on the

Philippines• Dewey defeats Spain’s navy at Manila Bay on May 1• US wins land and naval victories in Cuba in summer 1898• Armistice signed on August 12, leading to peace

negotiations• War officially ends with the Treaty of Paris – signed

December 10

THE TREATY OF PARIS• Signed December 10, 1898• Ends the Spanish-American War• Guarantees Cuba’s independence• Spain gives Guam and Puerto Rico to

the US• Spain sells the Philippines to the US for

$20 million• But the Senate still must ratify

WHAT TO DO WITH THE PHILIPPINES?

President William McKinley

THE AMERICAN DILEMMA• The Philippines had been a Spanish colony for

nearly 400 years• America had just fought a war in the name of

“liberating” Cuba from imperial occupation• The US had relied on the help of Filipino

rebels in defeating Spain• But the US also wanted to expand its holdings

around the world• What should America do with its new

possession in the Philippines?

THREE OPTIONS1. Annex the Philippines; create an empire2. Give independence to the Philippines; turn away from

empire3. Take control of Manila only; focus on economic interests

THE IMPERIALISTS: TAKE OVER THE PHILIPPINES• Major goal: make the Philippines a colony of

the United States• Major arguments• Economics: Colonizing the Philippines will allow

America to sell its goods to Asia• Manifest destiny: America is divinely ordained to

take over more territory and spread its system of government

• Democracy: America should liberate the Philippines from Spanish rule, protect it from European powers, and introduce democracy to the people

• Racism: Americans have a duty to bring their superior form of government and way of life to less civilized, “backwards” peoples

THE ANTI-IMPERIALISTS:TURN AWAY FROM EMPIRE

• Major goal: reject overseas acquisitions and focus on issues at home

• Major arguments• Democratic principles: The US can’t be a

democratic nation if it controls other countries – especially if it builds a large standing army

• Labor: Colonizing the Philippines will introduce competition for jobs with white, native-born, American workers

• Foreign policy: Protecting an empire will draw the US into foreign conflicts

• Racism: Annexing the Philippines will introduce an uncivilized, barbarian people into a “pure,” Anglo-Saxon country

THE BUSINESSMEN:TAKE CONTROL OF MANILA• Major goals• Establish a protectorate (the US protects the

Philippines against foreign powers) and a safe harbor at Manila

• “Open door” trade policy in Asia – no special trade privileges for Western powers

• Major arguments• Making the Philippines a colony would be

expensive and dangerous• European domination of Asia threatens

American economic interests• Controlling Manila would allow us to more

easily export American goods to China• A protectorate would allow America to move

the Philippines toward democracy