18. Foreign Policy 1865-1914

I. Purchase of Alaska – Russia realizes too hard to keep, and might lose in a battle with Britain
    A. Why America? Buffer zone.
    B. America agrees – 1) Russia helped Civil War, 2) oil, gas, gold fish
    C. William Seward – “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Icebox” – started anti-imperialism

II. New Imperialism – Secretary of State James Blaine – goal open markets to U.S. traders
    A. Minor incidents bring US to verge of conflicts
        1. Chile – 2 US Sailors killed, Canada – seal hunting, Italy – lynching of Italians
        2. Venezuela – disputed land with British Guiana
            a. President Cleveland says Britain breaking Monroe Doctrine
    
III. Spanish American War – Spanish misrule of Cuba, America supports Cuban nationalists
    A. Yellow journalism – exaggerates brutality of Butcher Wegler
    B. U.S.S. Maine sunk in Havana harbor, yellow press blames it on Spanish
    C. Cuban independence guaranteed with Teller Amendment
        1. Platt Amendment says US can still intervene
    D. Philippines – first time American taking heavily populated territory
        1. Starts our imperialism

IV. Arguments about Imperialism
    A. Against – Hypocrisy – America claims gov’t chosen by people, but…
        1. America will now be involved in Asian conflicts
    B. Reasons for Imperialism
        1. White Man’s Burden – white civilized men help out heathen brothers
        2. Missionary - Spread Protestantism to Catholics, Democracy to autocracies
        3. Capitalism – natural resources + markets
        4. Social Darwinism – Europeans strongest for a reason
        5. Manifest Destiny – god made us chosen ones – continuation of City on a Hill

V. John Jay – Open Door Note – after China defeated by Japan, Europe moves in to carve up China
    A. Jay sends Open Door Note to European powers asking/demanding equal access to             Chinese markets
    B. Boxer Rebellion – Chinese nationalists “Kill Foreign Devils”
        1. 200 whites/missionaries killed
        2. America joins in FIRST European alliance to overthrow rebels

VI. Theodore Roosevelt – traveler, adventurer, tough guy image, not afraid to use war
    A. Gained fame through the Rough Riders attack on San Juan Hill at Cuba
    B. Election of 1900 tried to pit anti-Imperialist Bryan vs. enslaver of Malayans Roosevelt
        1. Roosevelt won – economy doing well at home
    C. Big Stick Policy – military force used when necessary – “speak softly and carry a big stick”
    D. Panama Canal – 1) needed for trading, 2) needed to move military easily
        1. Panama breaks from Columbia in revolution, America looks bad
        2. Panama Canal land bought for $10 million
        3. “Cowboy Diplomacy” – America looks bad
    E. Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine – America will help Latin American countries in         debt pay off European debtors – “Bad Neighbor Policy” – look like an Empire
    F. Taft – Dollar Diplomacy – foreign investment will keep Latin America on our side
    G. Wilson – Moral Diplomacy – let nation’s citizens decide on leader – gave money to                 Mexican resistance because they had a corrupt leader