Hawaii

• Acquisition (1898)– Supply and refueling station– Missionaries to convert to Christianity– Business: investment in sugar industry

Hawaii

• Hawaii too small and weak to maintain independence

• No protest by any other government

• "Cordial consent" of both governments

• Strategic location to secure U.S. fleet and coastline

• Commercial interests • "Outpost of Americanism

against increasing Asiatic invasion"

• Hawaiian people not consulted • American people not consulted • Unconstitutional method of

increasing domain • Too remote; too costly to

defend • Non-homogeneous population • Not commercially necessary • Not militarily necessary• Secure independence of

Hawaiian people with policy rather than takeover

55th Congress debated annexation

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/liliuokalani/hawaii/hawaii.html

– 1893• Anti-American Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown• Cleveland delayed: believed Hawaiians wanted

independence• McKinley favored annexation

• Statehood: 1959• Today

– ¼ “white”– ¼ Japanese ancestry– ½ Hawaiian, Filipino, other…

Coaling Stations

• In the South Pacific the American navy negotiated– Midway and Samoa.

• The Hawaiian Islands– Pearl Harbor

• Early 1800s missionaries from New England settled in Hawaii– Sent back news of economic possibilities in

the islands• sugar plantations

• Americans saw the Hawaiians (Kanaka) as foolish children:

• “The ease with which the Hawaiians on their own land can secure their food supply has undoubtedly interfered with their social and industrial advancement. . . . [It] relieves the native from any struggle and unfits him for sustained competition with men from other lands. The fact that food is supplied by nature takes from the native all desire for the acquisition of more land. Today's food can be had for the picking, and tomorrow's as well. Instead of grasping all he can get, he divides with his neighbor, and confidently expects his neighbor to divide with him.”

• Kanaka lived in traditional• Americans built plantations, warehouses, railroads,

drydocks, banks, hotels, stores, etc.• Americans came to dominate the island's economy

led to influence its government as well– Americans created and controlled Hawaii's legislature and

cabinet, and they limited the power of the native king• "Hawaii for Hawaiians" vs. annexation of Hawaii by US

– Annexation would eliminate the recent trade restrictions on sugar and revive the island's faltering economy

– Secret organizations, such as the Annexation Club, plotted revolution

• King Kalakaua died Queen Liliuokalani– Educated in American schools– Spoke “pure and graceful English”– Supporters of annexation hoped Queen would

support them

Queen Lil

• Liliuokalani– Wanted to eliminate American influence in the government– Created a new constitution, strengthened the traditional

monarchy– Cabinet refused to cooperate

• American residents were outraged– Organized the Committee of Safety– Members of the Annexation Club were named leaders– January 17, 1893, members of the committee took over the

government office building– Proclaimed abolishment of the monarchy and established a

provisional government• "would exist until terms of union with the United States of America

have been negotiated and agreed upon.“– Sanford B. Dole became its president

Sanford Dole

• John L. Stevens (US minister)– Sent for marines and an artillery company from the cruiser

Boston– They were ordered to protect the provisional government.

• Queen Liliuokalani surrendered her throne. – "yielded to the superior forces of the United States.”– pleaded with the U.S. government to "undo the actions of its

representatives and reinstate me in the authority I claim as the Constitutional Sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands.”

• Provisional Government sent five representatives to Washington to apply for annexation

• Treaty was quickly drawn up President Harrison signed it submitted it to Congress

USS Boston

• Before the Senate could approve the treaty, a new president took office– Grover Cleveland, had reservations about taking over an independent country– Withdrew the treaty and sent a special commissioner to Hawaii to investigate the

revolution– The commissioner reported that Minister Stevens had conspired with a small

group of revolutionaries to overthrow the government– Cleveland replaced Stevens with a new minister and tried to restore Liliuokalani

to the throne. – President Dole refused to give the government back to the Hawaiians– He told President Cleveland that the United States had no right to meddle in

Hawaii's internal affairs– Congress agreed, and it adopted a "hands off" policy toward the island– Dole's new government then created an army and held a constitutional

convention– On July 4th, 1894, the government unveiled the completed constitution and

declared an independent Republic of Hawaii.

Samoa and Midway

• Samoan islands– Coaling stations for American merchants– Annexed 1899

• Midway– Annexed 1899

• Now secure in its power, the republican government turned its attention to international relations and trade

• In 1896, however, the election of a Republican, William McKinley, as president of the United States, rekindled Hawaiian hopes for annexation

• President McKinley, like many Republicans, favored expansionism, and he welcomed the new annexation treaty

• A joint resolution of Congress annexing Hawaii passed both houses, and the islands became American possessions.

• While Congress was considering the annexation treaty, an American fleet was steaming across the Pacific to attack the Philippine Islands. The United States had gone to war.

• Other governments quickly recognized the new republic• Supporters of the queen began to collect weapons and to make

secret plans to overthrow the republic and restore the monarchy• They planned to strike on the morning of January 7, 1895, but

informers told the government about their plot. • At dawn, as the queen's supporters slipped silently ashore on

Waikiki, government soldiers opened fire. A few of the rebels fell dead or wounded; others surrendered.

• The government declared martial law• During the next few days, government troops defeated the

disorganized rebels in a series of brief but deadly skirmishes. Within two weeks, they completely suppressed the uprising and captured its followers, including Queen Liliuokalani.

• The prisoners were tried for treason. Liliuokalani was forced to sign a document in which she finally renounced all claims to the throne.

Alaska

• Secretary of State Seward– Russian and Great Britain disputed the area

• Economic burden and under constant threat of British invasion

– US offered to buy– 1867 sold to US for $7.2

• “Seward’s Folly”, “Seward’s Icebox”…

Latin America• Monroe Doctrine (1823)

• US assumed the role of the protector of Latin America from European ambitions• “The American continents, by the free and independent conditions which they

have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European power” – Monroe (1823)

• Pan-American Conference (1889)• Meeting of representatives from Western Hemisphere

– (today part of the Organization of American States, 1948)

• Venezuela Boundary Dispute (1895-1896)• Guiana (British) and Venezuela• US (under the Monroe Doctrine) argued that the British needed to arbitrate the

dispute, British eventually did• Latin American countries appreciated America protection (even though the

arbitrators ruled mostly for Britain)• British would try to remain friendly with US

Spanish-American War• Causes of the War

• Jingoism intense nationalism calling for an aggressive foreign policy• Cuban Revolt (1895) Cuban rebels began sabotaging plantations,

many owned by US businesses, led by Jose Martí• Spanish Atrocities Spain sent General Valeriano Weyler and

100,000+ troops, established reconcentration camps to control native population

• Yellow Press sensationalist newspapers; Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World and William R. Hearst’s New York Journal both printed exaggerated or false accounts of Spanish actions in Cuba (“You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war”)

• De Lôme Letter (1898) Hearst published a stolen letter from a Spanish diplomat insulting the President

• Sinking of the Maine (one week after the De Lôme Letter, Feb 15) in Havana an explosion killed 260 American sailors

Declaration of War• McKinley demanded from Spain a ceasefire in Cuba

following the sinking of the Maine• Spain agreed• US newspapers and public still pushed for action• April asked Congress to declare war

– “put an end to the barbarieties, bloodshed, starvation, and horrible miseries” in Cuba

– Protect American lives and property in Cuba– End “the very serious injury to the commerce, trade, and

business of our people”– End “the constant menace to our peace” arising from the

disorders in Cuba

Treaty of Paris

• 1898• 57-27 (only 2 votes over 2/3 needed)

• Cuba freed from of Spanish control• Puerto Rico, Guam ceded to the US

– US citizenship since 1917– 1967, 1993, 1998 plebiscites failed

• Philippines sold to US for $20 million– To be granted independence

Insular Cases

• 1901-1903• Constitutional rights are not automatically

extended to people in territories

Cuba

• Platt Amendment• Never sign a treaty with a foreign power limiting

independence• Never to build up an excessive debt• US allowed to intervene to maintain independence

and stability• US allowed to have naval bases• Essentially made Cuba a protectorate

Consequences of War

• US had an empire• Drew Americans together

• National pride, brought southerners closer to Union

• US was a world power• Willingness to take an active role in

international affairs

China• 1890s

• Russia, Japan, Great Britain, France, Germany all had “spheres of influence”

• 1899• John Hay: Open Door Notes/Policy

– All nations would have equal trading privileges in China

– (set stage for relations with Japan in 1930s)

• 1900• Boxer Rebellion

– Short lived nationalist rebellion aimed at ending foreign control of China

– US troops participated in the international coalition to suppress

TR Foreign Policy

• Big Stick• Aggressive action in world affairs

– Panama Canal• Colombia controlled the isthmus of Panama• Would not agree to US terms• TR supported revolt in Panama• Negotiated with free nation a treaty for canal

(1903)• 1904-1914 completed• $25 million was paid to Colombia in 1921

TR cont…

• Roosevelt Corollary– 1904– US would intervene when necessary in Latin

America (to pay European debts)– US would occupy major ports until debts were

paid• Haiti, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua

TR and Japan• Negotiated end to Russo-Japanese War (1904-

1905)• Japanese were somewhat unhappy with terms

• Gentlemen’s Agreement• Japanese government would limit emigration of workers, US

would end discriminatory laws in CA

• Great White Fleet• 1907-1909, fleet of battleships cruised around the world

• Root-Takahira Agreement (1908)• (Elihu Root) pledged mutual respect for Pacific possessions

and support for the Open Door Policy

Taft

• Dollar Diplomacy• Believed that private American financial investment

would lead to greater stability and promoting of US business interests

• US government would protect these interests• Led to involvement in Nicaragua from 1912-1933

(basically)

Wilson• Missionary (Moral) Diplomacy

– Opposed imperialism (TR and Taft’s plans)– Sec of State: W.J. Bryan– Philippines

• Full territorial status (1916)• Bill of rights and universal male suffrage • Promise independence when govt was stable

– Puerto Rico• Limited self-govt, US citizenship (1917)

– Panama Canal• Repealed exemption from tolls for US ships

Wilson: Latin America• Failure of Moral Diplomacy

– Mexico• 1913 Victoriano Huerta assassinated the president, Wilson

refused to recognize• Arms embargo • Blockaded Vera Cruz• American sailors were arrested (and released) in Tampico• US Navy occupied Vera Cruz• “ABC” Powers mediated dispute (first use of)• Huerta fell in 1914 to more democratic Venustiano Carranza• Threatened by Pancho Villa• Villa led raids into TX and NM• March 1916 Pershing was ordered into Mexico to pursue Villa• Removed troops in Jan 1917

Latin America• Monroe Doctrine (1823)

• US assumed the role of the protector of Latin America from European ambitions• “The American continents, by the free and independent conditions which they

have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European power” – Monroe (1823)

• Pan-American Conference (1889)• Meeting of representatives from Western Hemisphere

– (today part of the Organization of American States, 1948)

• Venezuela Boundary Dispute (1895-1896)• Guiana (British) and Venezuela• US (under the Monroe Doctrine) argued that the British needed to arbitrate the

dispute, British eventually did• Latin American countries appreciated America protection (even though the

arbitrators ruled mostly for Britain)• British would try to remain friendly with US