Beller Notes: Imperialism
Watch the video and look over the notes. Be prepared to answer/discuss/ask about the following questions at the start of class:
- How did the United States get into the Spanish-American War over the initial objections of President McKinley?
- What role did the press and public play in the origin, conduct, and results of the Spanish-American War?
- What were the key arguments for and against imperialism?
- What were the essential principles of Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy, and how did he apply them to specific situations?
- What were the central issues in America's relations with China and Japan? How did Roosevelt handle tense relations with Japan?
Group 4 - Hitson, Calva, Esmeralda
ReplyDelete1. The USS Maine exploded in the Cuban Harbor and as a result Americans thought it to be an act of aggression from the Spanish and decided to go to war as a result.
2. The press used the idea of Yellow Journalism to exaggerate what happened greatly. The journalists blamed the Spanish for the sinking of the USS Maine and therefore the public jumped to conclusions, advocating for a war with Spain.
3. The key arguments for imperialism were new sources for raw materials and finished goods, nationalism, strategic military bases, expansion of religion, and social and economic opportunities. Arguments against imperialism were that it violated the principle of the Constitution that calls for "consent of the governed", annexation of territories might lead to a greater US involvement in Easter Asian affairs, and the tyrannical behavior of imperialism might cause the leader to act that same way at home (home country).
4. Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy can be summarized in a West African proverb "speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far" (Big Stick diplomacy). This meant that Roosevelt supported the Monroe Doctrine but, he did not dislike to undermine the conditions when he determined the action necessary.
5. The central issue in America's relation with China was nonintervention and respecting of territorial rights. The Americans treated the Japanese in California terribly, however Americans were able to persuade the Japanese not to take money from Russia to prevent the growth of their country as a strong military and economic power. Also, the immigration of Japanese immigrants to the United States was limited; a Gentleman's Agreement was formed with Japan to limit the number of Japanese immigrants.
#4 - specific examples? #5 - Open Door Policy and China?
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ReplyDeleteNina, Maria, & Jess
ReplyDelete1) Yellow journalism played up the emotions of the American public and provoked encouragement for the impending war against Spain; McKinley had his reputation tarnished when the DeLome letter surfaced, referring to him as an "ear to the ground politician, a bidder for the admiration of the crowd." Likewise, popular support goes up during wartime, so it would make sense that McKinley would want to reaffirm his place in American society as a commendable figure. The last straw would be the Maine's explosion, and the guilt being assigned to Spain.
2) Yellow journalism thrived on sensationalism, and it initially stirred the pot in America and riled up Americans to want the war to happen; they painted Cuba in a pitiful light and assigned much of the blame to Spanish brutality. Because of the press's ability to draw out emotions in the American public, many more individuals supported the war and were prone to enlistment.
3) For imperialism: Businesses wanted the economic benefit that imperialism offered; a tremendous source of raw materials, possibility of new markets, possibility of stimulus to far eastern trade. Reformers saw it as an opportunity to expand labor. Political leaders wanted the US to seem like a formidable opponent to their European counterparts; everyone else was doing it, so if you can't beat them, join them. Ideas like Social Darwinism encouraged American cultural superiority and a savior complex on behalf of our rapidly developing nation. \
Against imperialism: America was founded on the principle of the consent of the governed, and imperialism directly disobeyed this idea. Likewise, the Monroe Doctrine encouraged a quasi-isolationist mindset for America, in that we were not going to interfere with any foreign affairs. Some people wanted to avoid military entanglements because of our obsolete navy and army forces. We had a continentalist point of view as well, in which we wanted to keep to our land and improve internally before we became involved externally.
4) Roosevelt lobbied for a stronger navy, fearing Spanish control of Cuba. He wanted to build a Central American canal that linked the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. The Roosevelt Corollary outlined that wherever in the Western Hemisphere peace was threatened, US interests were involved. Therefore, the US had a preemptive right to intervene in the internal affairs of Latin American nations to prevent serious international disturbance.
5) When Japan went to war with Russia, both parties wanted to take advantage of the weakened governmental state in China. The United States favored Japan in this conflict because commercial confrontation with Russia under the Open Door and a traditional favoring of the underdog. Roosevelt desired a balance of power in the Far East and arbitrated the conflict by secretly agreeing with Japan in annexing Korea; Japan then promised to keep away from China. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his Treaty of Portsmouth, which splits the difference between the two parties; despite this success, neither side was completely satisfied.
1. The sinking of the USS Maine served as a catalyst for American military operations against the Spanish. Despite McKinley’s reluctance to involve the United States in yet another international conflict, sensationalistic media coverage (e.g. “yellow journalism”) of the event sparked public outrage, with Americans everywhere embracing the slogan, “Remember the Maine, TO HELL WITH SPAIN!”
ReplyDelete2. The term “yellow journalism” was coined to describe the exaggerated and overtly nationalistic attitudes of popular media sources such as The New York Journal or New York World. Pro-war sentiment continued to gain momentum, eventually leading Congress to formally declare war in 1898.
3. Imperialists sought to secure new markets and resources from potential colonies like the Philippines. At the same time, much of the Western world was colonizing “uncivilized” lands as a way of following through with the white man’s burden.
Those opposed to imperialism argued that, by definition, imperialism was an infringement upon the rights of man. The consent of the governed was a fundamentally American ideal, and many scoffed at the notion that we would ever take this right away.
Warmest Regards,
Cole, Emma, and Madeline
#4 and #5?
DeleteBy: Alex, Daniel, and Letitia
ReplyDelete1.) The United States got into the Spanish-American War over the initial objections of President McKinley by being angered by Spain for putting many Cubans, who had economic ties with the U.S, into concentration camps because they burned the sugar crops and revolted against them and Yellow Journalism.
2.) The role the press and the public played in the origin of the Spanish-American War was Yellow Journalism, the role the press and public played in the conduct of the Spanish-American War was Yellow Journalism which showed false opinions and by only focusing on the negative events that occured and adding false information to the events to make them seem worse than they actually were, and their role in the results were looking at the war in a positive way and it started debates about American imperialism.
3.) The key arguments for imperialism were the "White Man's Burden" and increased economic benefits and against were people with less power did not have a voice and no consent of the governed.
4.) The essential principles of Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy were to protect the Monroe Doctrine, defend American interest, and to get involved in world affairs, such as helping Venezuela pay their debts(Roosevelt Corollary), and he wanted to build the canal in Panama which he did without any Panamanians really involved in signing the treaty.
5.) The central issues in America's relations with China and Japan were tensions with Japan because Roosevelt supported to China to end Japan's growing power in Asia. Roosevelt handled tense relations with Japan by approaching Japan mediating peace negotiations, the Treaty of Court Arthur, and later won the Nobel Prize for peace for helping to mediate the conflict between Russia and Japan.
Consider the Open Door Policy for Question #5. The Treaty of Portsmouth ended the Russo-Japanese War
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ReplyDelete1. The Battleship Maine mysteriously exploding. Yellow journalism, leaded to mass concern about situation with Spain.
ReplyDelete2. Sensationalism
3. Darwinism, for imperialism, lead to idea that a nation needed to be globally dominant economically. Yellow journalism, for imperialism, causing masses to want expansion through media. Panic of 1893 and Labor Unions, against imperialism, wanted to fix the nations internally rather then seek expansion.
4. He said if we wanted something, we get something. He seeked to improve military power, for the most part the navy, but not to provoke an issue, but to have the force to defend itself with concerning issues in the west hemisphere.
5. Roosevelt favored Japan in the war against Russia, because of commercial trade issues. His solution was to reach a treaty between both sides that would prevent Russia from achieving economic and military power over China
-Brian, Zach P., Vinnie, Ray
make sure you that you know specific examples to support these claims you have made in #4. Regarding #5 - make sure that you consider the Open Door Policy
DeleteGroup 5: Matthew Flores, Suleima Vargas, Yocelyn Calderon
ReplyDelete1. The U.S entered the war because of the explosion of the USS Maine and Yellow Journalism which led to americans wanting to go to war. Another reason for U.S involvement was the fact that the U.S did not want any European countries to have access to any resources from the western hemisphere.
2. The press used Yellow Journalism which exaggerated what happened with the USS Maine and said that it was the Spanish who caused the explosion with hidden, underwater mines which caused U.S citizens to revolt and made them want to go to war.
3. Arguments for Imperialism was brought up because of promises for new resources of raw materials and new products along with new social and economic opportunities, expansion of religion, new strategic military bases, etc. Arguments against Imperialism included that it interfered with the Constitution with the consent of the governed along with other aspects of the Constitution as well.
4. His principles on foreign policy is able to be summarized in the quote, "speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far" which means he agreed with the Monroe Doctrine but also felt that if his views were better than the ones he was provided with, then he felt that it was his duty to take action on his own for the good of the nation.
5. The relations between China and America during this time was non-intervention and respecting territorial rights. the relations between America and Japan was that the U.S limited the amount of immigration from Japan to America and of those who immigrated to the U.S, were treated terribly. However, the U.S was able to convince them not to take resources from Russia to stop the economic growth of Russia.