imperialism & progressivism. and one night late it came to me this way…(1) that we could not...
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Imperialism & Progressivism
And one night late it came to me this way…(1) That we could not give them back to Spain-that would be cowardly and dishonorable; (2) that we could not turn them over to France or Germany- our commercial rivals in the Orient- that would be bad business and discreditable; (3) that we could not leave them to themselves- they were unfit for self-government- and they would soon have anarchy and misrule over there worse than Spain’s was; and (4) that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them, and by God’s grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellowmen for whom Christ also died. And then I went to bed, and went to sleep and slept soundly.
• To what extent was American overseas imperialism of the late 19th century a departure from American tradition?
The Open Door NoteIssued by Secretary of
State John Hay to European powers in China;
Wanted them to keep an “open door of trade” between China and the West
All nations should have equal access and economic rights in China
The Open Door Note
European reaction?
American reaction?
Real meaning of the Open Door Note
The Boxer Rebellion1899 – China divided among
European Powers into “spheres of influence”; dominated Chinese politics and economy
The Boxer Rebellion1900 – Nationalist Chinese rebels
(“Boxers”) rebel against foreign control; killed many European and American missionaries
Also targeted Chinese Christians
The Boxer Rebellion
A multinational force (including 2100 Americans) sent to China to subdue Boxers
Significance?
China forced to pay millions to allied countries
American creates college fund for future Chinese leaders
1900 ElectionRepublicans choose TR as VP; reasons?
TR campaigns like Bryan; popular, big crowds
1900 Election
McKinley defeats Bryan by bigger margin than 1896; main issue: imperialism
The Assassination of McKinley, Sept. 1901
Assassinated by an anarchist at World Fair at Buffalo, NY
• To what extent was American overseas imperialism of the late nineteenth century imperialism a departure from American tradition?
• The United States, since Washington’s Neutrality Proclamation, proclaimed neutrality in foreign affairs and, espousing the Monroe Doctrine, largely avoided involvement in the eastern hemisphere before the late nineteenth century. However, Americans took land from Native Americans by force, coerced other nations into giving up territory, and always believed in a God-given right to expansion. Therefore, American tradition has always included elements of imperialism.
• United States history began with a belief in divine approval of efforts to expand westward. However, in the late nineteenth century, the United States boldly asserted her interests in the eastern hemisphere, built her navy to project her power overseas, and contended with European powers for access to lucrative overseas markets. Late nineteenth century imperialism was remarkably different than previous western expansion.
TR as President
Different from predecessors
More energetic
Reformist, progressive
More visible to the public
More aggressive in dealing with problems of the country
TR’ s Foreign PolicyEmphasized strong defense
Creator of modern steel navy
“Speak softly and carry a Big Stick”; became symbol of American imperialism
The Roosevelt Corollary
Addition to Monroe Doctrine
Statement of US strength
Protection of American interests in Latin America
Claimed right to intervene if Americans or their interests were threatened
Unpopular in L. America
The Panama Canal
Previously attempted by the French in 1870s; resulted in 20,000 deaths and bankruptcy
Bankruptcy proceedings of French Canal Company
The Panama CanalOriginal choice of TR: Nicaragua
Chose Panama after volcano eruption
The Panama CanalTR attempts to buy rights from Colombia to
build canal but is refused; reasons
French agent Philippe Bunau-Varilla creates “Panama Revolt” (1903)
Panama capitol building
The Panama Canal Colombia attempts to regain Panama, blocked by US
Navy outside Bogotá
US recognizes newly independent Panama
First act of amb. Bunau-Varilla: sells rights to US for $10m; US begins work on the Canal
US gives Colombia $25 million for its trouble
The Panama CanalTakes 10 years, $400m to build
Invented new equipment
Development of yellow vaccine
Casualties under 200
Progressivism in the Early 20th Century
Progressivism
A movement of upper and middle class reformers to change society through government action
Use of Omaha Platform as guide, but mostly not populists
Made up of:
labor and urban reformers
politicians from both parties
“muckraking” journalists
advocates of social reform
Issues in the Progressive EraUrban slums
Child labor
Political reform
Aid to immigrants
Issues in the Progressive EraWoman suffrage
Temperance/prohibition
Conservation
Regulation of trusts
The “Muckrakers”Journalists who exposed
social problems and supported reforms with their articles
Upton Sinclair and The Jungle (1906); problems of urban poor
Ida Tarbell: The History of Standard Oil (1902)
Frank Norris and The Octopus (1901); exposed the abuses of the railroad industry
The “Muckrakers”Lincoln Steffens: Shame of the Cities;
exposed the political machines
George Washington Plunkitt
of Tammany Hall
The Jungle (1906)Sinclair intended to show urban
poverty; instead, public focuses on conditions in the meat industry
Leads to Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act
TR as Progressive Era President
Background as reformer:
Reformed civil service of NYC
NYC Police Commissioner
Governor of NY
First major test: 1902 Coal Strike
1902 Coal StrikeTR tries to mediate between strikers and
owners in White House meetings
Owners refuse to compromise; TR threatens to take over the mines for the workers:
“To he** with the Constitution when the people need coal!”
1902 Coal StrikeOwners initially refuse, then compromise as
TR calls up the Army to take over the mines
TR calls this “the Square Deal”, becomes trademark of his administration
TR the Trustbuster!Regulation, not destruction, of “good” trusts;
definition of “good” and “bad” trusts
Use of Sherman Anti-Trust Act against corporations
First target: the RRs
TR Takes on the Robber Barons
Empowers the Interstate Commerce Commission to govern “uncooperative” trusts
TR vs. Morgan
TR takes on Northern Securities, controlled by Morgan; first trust broken up by Supreme Court
Trusts not “busted”: Standard Oil
US Steel
1904 ElectionTR crushes Alton Parker, promises
not to run for third term
Debs runs for 1st time
TR the ConservationistTR sets aside millions of
acres for preservation with the Newlands Act
Creates national parks (i.e. Yosemite)
1885
The Panic of 1907Bank began to fail rapidly;
Morgan creates a group to stabilize banking system
Leads to creation of flexible currency and the Federal Reserve (1913)
1908 ElectionTR anoints W. H. Taft successor
Defeats William Jennings Bryan!
regrets promise of no
3rd term; retires to hunt
big game
The Legacy of TR
Made presidency center of govt. power; expanded presidential power and authority
Involved govt. in the lives of the people; trustbuster, govt. regulator
Made US international power
William Howard TaftBackground:
governor of the Philippines
TR’s Secretary of War
later, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Continued progressive reforms
Expanded trust-busting efforts
Expanded conservation efforts
17th Amendment passed –
direct election of Senators
Taft and “Trust-busting”Taft did not recognize
“good” or “bad” trusts
Broke 77 in all, including Standard Oil and US Steel
Broke agreement on trusts; angered TR and motivated him to run for 3rd term
“Dollar Diplomacy”Expansion of Roosevelt Corollary:
protection of US investment and people, worldwide
First use in Latin America; i.e. Nicaragua,1909
Most controversial: Morgan’s Manchurian RR in 1911
Problems in the Taft AdministrationToo progressive or not
progressive enough for Republicans
Overshadowed by TR
Seen as not being own man but TR’s puppet
Conflict between TR and Taft over Taft’s breaking of “gentleman’s agreement” on US Steel
1912 ElectionCandidates:
Taft Wilson TR Debs
Main issue: progressive reforms and “dollar diplomacy”
Woodrow Wilson
Background:
PhD in Political Science
Professor at Princeton, later president
Governor of New Jersey, 1910 -1912; nominated for president to remove him from NJ
1912 ElectionTR and the Progressive PartyTR wants to run again,
denied by Republicans; forms 3rd party
Nicknamed the “Bull Moose Party”
Platform called the “New Nationalism
Called for further reforms than when president and involvement in world affairs
1912 ElectionEvents:
TR shot during campaign, continued anyway
Vote divided between four candidates, Wilson wins Electoral College
Warm Up: Write it on a clean, separate piece of paper
• Given his immense popularity among the American people, his aggressive campaigning, and his reputation as a “trust-buster”, why did TR fail to win the Republican nomination and the Presidency in 1912?
The Wilson AdministrationThe “Triple Wall of Privilege”
the tariff: pledged to lower it, eventually lowered through the Underwood Tariff; also enacted the income tax (16th Amendment)
The Wilson AdministrationThe “Triple Wall of Privilege:
the banks: after death of Morgan in 1913, the Federal Reserve was created; regulated $$ supply and interest rates
The Wilson AdministrationThe “Triple Wall of Privilege:
the trusts: similar opinion as Taft, saw trusts as bad for the economy; created the Federal Trade Commission which regulates business
Also limits on child labor
The Clayton Anti-Trust Act
Also passed Clayton Anti-Trust Act which strengthened the govt. in dealing with trustsAlso allowed for unions to be recognized and to “bargain collectively” for first time; called by Gompers as the “Magna Carta” of Labor
Think (and write), pair, share
• To what extent were progressive reformers during the Progressive Era successful in initiating reform? What were the failures of progressivism?
Limits of ProgressivismRace relations left out of reforms; black
Americans see little progress during the era
Why?
Blacks in the Gilded AgeTwo competing views: integration vs. separation
Views of Booker T. Washington:
economic independence before integration
separation from white society to build up black institutions and businesses
Founded Tuskegee Institute“Let down your bucket where you are.”
“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”
Blacks in the Gilded Age“Jim Crow” in the South, segregation in most
parts of the country; impact of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): “separate but equal”
Homer Plessy
Homer Plessy, 1896
Blacks in the Gilded AgeViews of W. E. B. DuBois:
immediate integration is the right of black Americans, as promised in the Declaration and Constitution
Founded NAACP in 1910
Influence on MLK and the
civil rights movement
“The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”
Wilson’s Foreign PolicyCampaigned against Dollar Diplomacy; called
for “moral diplomacy”; pulled troops out of Haiti and Dominican Republic
Problems With MexicoMexican Revolution: 1910 – 1919
MX controlled by dictator Porfirio Diaz, revolt led by Emilio Zapata and Francisco Madero
Revolt succeeds and Madero new pres. of MX
Problems With MexicoMadero overthrown and executed
by Valeriano Huerta in 1913
Wilson refuses to recognize new leader of MX, begins to secretly support rival Venustiano Carranza
Huerta began to threaten American assets and people
Huerta
Carranza
US in Mexico
Wilson vs. Huerta;
Sent navy to patrol Mexican coast to “protect” US citizens
April, 1914: nine sailors captured entering “restricted zone” in Tampico, MX
Wilson sends bombs Vera Cruz in May, starting anti-American riots
Huerta threatens American interests in MX
US in Mexico
US in MexicoWar with Mexico close;
both armies prepare
US navy blockades Mexican ports
Latin American countries move to intercede between US and MX
The “ABC” Powers The “ABC” Powers (Argentina, Brazil, and
Chile) mediate between US and MX in Niagara Falls, NY (July, 1914)
During conference, Huerta
overthrown by Carranza
Assisted by Pancho Villa
Francisco “Pancho” VillaCarranza’s military leader, armed and equipped
by US Army to fight Huerta
Former bandit leader
Villa with American general John “Black Jack Pershing
US vs. VillaWilson promises support,
recognition if Carranza removes Villa from command
Villa vows revenge, begins raids on American holdings in Mexico
Raids Columbus, NM;
Kills 18 Americans
(July, 1916)
US vs. Villa
Wilson sends Pershing into MX to capture Villa, despite MX protests
Villa evades US for over a year
Pershing returns to US to lead US Army in WW I
Villa never captured; rumors?