Monday, November 16, 2009

America as a World Power

1. What role did President Roosevelt play in ending the Russo-Japanese War?
Roosevelt mediated a settlement between the Russians and Japanese after the Japanese came to him asking for help. The Japanese needed help because they were running out of money and men and did not want Russia knowing so they went to Roosevelt asked him to mediate peace negotiations.


2. What events led to the building of the Panama Canal? What happened regarding Columbia? (Be specific)
Many Americans including President Roosevelt felt that the U.S. needed a canal going through Central America. With a canal, the travel time for commercial and military ships would be greatly reduced and it would provide a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty of 1901, Britain gave the U.S. exclusive rights to build and control the canal even though earlier the to countries had agreed to share the rights to the canal. Engineers proposed two different routes that were both possible. One was through Nicaragua and the other through Panama. Even though the path through Nicaragua was easier the government chose the one through Panama because an agent of the French company, who previously tried to build a canal in the area, went to Waashington and convinced the U.S. to buy it's claim. before work could begin the U.S. had to gain permission from Columbia to make the canal. When the U.S. was rejected, Philippe Banau-Varilla, the agent who was sent to by the French company to convince the U.S. to buy the Panama route, began a Panamanian rebellion against Columbia. nearly a dozen U.S. warships were present on November 3,1903 when Panama declared its independence. Soon after Panama and the United States signed a treaty in which the U.S. agreed to pay $10 million plus $250,000 in annual rent for an area of land to Panama.


3. What did the Roosevelt Corollary state?
It stated that the United States will use force to protect its economic interests in Latin America.


4. How did Taft use Dollar Diplomacy to enforce the Roosevelt Colollary on Nicaragua? (Be specific)
The Dollar Diplomacy was the policy of using the U.S. government to guarantee loans made to foreign countries by American businesspeople which inevitably kept European powers out of the Caribbean.

5. Why did Woodrow Wilson invade Mexico?
Woodrow Wilson invaded Mexico because according to his "missionary diploma" the U.S. had moral and responsibility to deny the recognition to any Latin American government it viewed as oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to U.S. interests; he disliked general Huerta, who took over after Madero overthrew Diaz, and the opportunity came to enforce the missionary diploma when one of Huerta's officers arrested a small group of American sailors in Tampico. They were immediately released and an apology was sent to the U.S. but Wilson used the event as an excuse to intervene in Mexico.


6. What were three major foreign policy goals achieved by the United States in the early 20th century. Be sure to provide an example or two of each.
  1. It expanded its access to foreign markets in order to ensure the continued growth of the domestic economy. ex) the building of the Panama canal
  2. The U.S. built a modern navy to protect its interests abroad. ex)the presence of warships when Panama declared independence
  3. The U.S. exercised its international police power to ensure dominance in Latin America. ex) 1911 rebellion in Nicaragua that almost left the country bankrupt and the U.S. arranged for American bankers to loan the country enough money to pay off its debts

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Imperialism's Bitter Fruit

1. a. After the Spanish were forced out of the Philippines, why did fighting break out between American and Filipino forces?
The U.S. troops had been ordered to to establish control over the islands, when the Filipinos assumed that they would be granted independence after the Spanish left. Within two hours of the shooting incident, the fighting had begun. The Filipinos believed they were fighting for their independence.

b. How was this a different kind of warfare for American forces?
U.S. soldiers faced a quick- striking guerilla attack instead of confrontation by an organized army. War rules used by Western nations were ignored and both sides tortured and executed prisoners and commited other atrocities. The Filipino insurgents also blended very well into the civilian population. U.S. commanders routinely punished random civilians in reponse to attacks by Filipino guerillas.

2. Why were many African-Americans strong critics of the war against Filipino nationalists?

The military had racist views of the Filipinos. They were refered to as the n word by all white men even of different ranks. Black soldiers faced the same discrimination in the Phillipines as they did back home. Filipinos used this to their advantage by addressing the discrimination. This led to a high number of desertion by African Americans in the Phillipines.

3. Explain two reasons why the United States lost some of its enthusiasm for imperialism in the early 1900s.
a.The American public became increasingly apathetic about the issue and even Teddy Roosevelt stated that the country was not prepared to take on the burden of an empire. This could have been due to the continuous fighting.

b.American scholars warned imperialism increases war and conflict around the world. Artists like Mark Twain used their irony to to ridicule the imperialistic ideas.


4. What were the positive effects of American occupation in Puerto Rico and Cuba?

American technology and administrative expertise contibuted to rapid development on the islands. Roads and telegraph lines were built, finances reorganized, schools opened, sanitation improved, and yellow fever stamped out.

5. After the Spanish-American War, the United States insisted that Cuba only receive independence after agreeing to several limitations set forth in the Platt Amendment. Four restrictions on Cuban independence set forth in the Platt Amendment were:
a. gave the United Sates a right to oversee the Cuban economy

b. exercise veto power over Cuban foreign policy

c. intervene whenever necessary for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty

d. to build a naval base on the southeastern tip of the island at Guantanamo Bay

Was the United States justified in making these demands? Explain your reasoning.

No because they say this was the price the Cubans had to pay for ending U.S. military occupation on their islands but after the Spanish left the United States shouldn't have tried to control the island like they promised they wouldn't do and instead give them their freedom.

6. Do you believe the United States was imperialist? Why or why not?

Yes because even though some people were against it, most American citizens sought to increase their power and economic might by acquiring possessions overseas. The acquisition of Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Phillipines proved that U.S. leaders had been looking for oppurtunities to increase America's power. They claimed to be bringin freedom and civilization to the people but rarely were their needs every taken under consideration.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Spanish-American War

1. What connections did the U.S. have to Cuba in the late 1800s? List at least two.




  1. During the Cuban revolt, the United States had great interest in acquiring Cuba. Leading rebels of the country wanted to eventually join the United States. Ulysses Grant, the president at the time, was open to the idea but his secretary of state persuaded him to keep the country out of conflict.


  2. After the Cuban revolt was over the U.S. invested million into the island's sugar industry. The U.S. was the largest consumer of Cuban sugar ans in 1890 removed tariffs on the product making it cheaper to buy in the country. Cuban-American trade quickly reached $100 million annually. Although the depression of 1893 greatly hurt both their economies. The U.S. was pressured to cut back on imports and protect sugar producers within the country. In 1894 the country imposed a 40% tariff on sugar imports from Cuba. The Cuban economy began into a downward spiral.





2. What were the Spanish “reconcentration camps”?





Spanish reconcentration camps were towns filled with thousands of Cuban peasants. They were used by the Spanish to prevent non-rebels from helping the nationalist forces. These "camps" lacked food, housing, and sanitation. This caused a widespread of disease and starvation killing thousands.





3. List three reasons why the United States went to war with Spain in Cuba.





a. Publishers found out that stories on the Cuban revolt sold newspapers, whether they were real or fake. Owners of the two largest newspaper chains sent reporters to cover the revolt and generate support for U.S. intervention. Also religious magazine, mostly Protestant ones, supported intervention for humanitarian reasons. Others argued that American property was being destroyed because of the fighting. People of the business community wanted peace restored so their investments would no longer be threatened. Some merchants wanted intervention because the rebellion was causing their trade to dry up.





b. The de Lome Letter was a letter written by the Spanish minister, Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, to the United States. Previously William McKinley had just taken office in 1897 and wanted to avoid war even though there was a rise in American intervention in Cuba. His efforts seemed successful when Spain recalled General Weyler, modified the policy regarding concentration camps, and even offered Cuba a limited self-government. Although the letter was not very supportive and criticized the President calling him "weak" and "a bidder for the administration of the crowd". To make matters worse the letter was first heard about when it was stolen from a Havana post office by a Cuban rebel and leaked to the New York Journal in February 1898. Although the Spanish government apologized and the minister resigned, American people were still angry over their president being insulted.





c. U.S.S. Maine was sent to Cuba by President McKinley to bring Americans citizens, who were in danger from the fighting, home and protect American property. On February 15, 1898 the ship blew up while in the harbor; more than 260 were killed. Nobody knew who was behind the attack but newspapers blamed the Spanish causing outrage amongst Americans.








4. Which do you believe was the most important reason? Why?





I believe intervention was due to people believing the stories published in the newspapers. They went not for a specific reason but because they believed all the exaggerated news. Without the newspaper many of the stories which made major headlines, such as the de Lome letter and the U.S.S. Maine, would be minor events that wouldn't cause much concern. Also some of the events wouldn't have even happened if it wasn't for reporters writing about the events happening in Cuba.





5. What did the Teller Amendment say?





The Teller Amendment said that the United States had no interest in asserting "sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control" over Cuba and promised to "leave the government and control of the island to its people" once peace was restored.





6. Why was a portion of the Spanish-American War fought in the Philippines?





A portion of the Spanish-American War was fought in the Philippines because the Spanish had a fleet based there.





7. Dewey’s victory in the _____________Phillipines_______________ sparked an outpouring of ________pride_________ in the United States.











8. Why did Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders want to fight in Cuba?





They wanted to fight for pride in their country.





9. a. Why were many African-Americans eager to serve in the Spanish-American War?


They were eager to serve in the war because they saw the war as an opportunity to elevate the status of blacks in the U.S. They hoped that their participation would wint the African- American community new respect and chip away at the wall of discrimination. Military service had been one of the few avenues for advancement open to African Americans.





b. What forms of discrimination and prejudice did they encounter?



Even though African Americans had a lower rate of desertion and discipline problems than their white counterparts, they were denied promotion into the officer corps. They were among the first units to be mobilized. They were assumed to be better suited to the tropical climate of Cuba and more likely to withstand tropical disease. The black volunteers were never given the chance to fight in Cuba. Also their uniforms seldom shielded them from discrimination.

10. How did racism influence American perceptions of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines? Give two examples of events where racism affected U.S. policy after the war.


a.American bsinesses took over Cuban land and railroads; thus dominating the economy. This was only done because the administration and Congress felt that the rebels needed guidance in managing all their affairs.

b. Because of racial sterotypes American leaders had little hope in the African Americans and Asians who lived in Cuba , Puerto Rico, the Phillipines, and Guam. Few thought of the inhabitants of being able to form a stable democracy on their own.