Imperial America The United States in the World 1890-1914
Gilded Age: A Tale of Today 1873 Novel by Mark Twain and Charles Warner: fictional account of political and economic corruption in the USA gild gild ed or gilt, gild ing 1.To cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold. 2.To give an often deceptively attractive or improved appearance to American Heritage Dictionary Show Big Ballin in Gilded Age
Voting Blocs Democratic Bloc White Southerners *preservation of white supremacy Catholics Recent Immigrants (especially Jewish) Urban Working Poor (pro-labor) Most Farmers Republican Bloc Northern Whites (pro-business) African-Americans Northern Protestants Old WASPs (support for antiimmigrant laws) Most of the Middle Class
Political Machines: Boss Tweed Tammany Hall-NYC Most major American cities grew with such speed, that legit government had trouble keeping pace Bosses sprung up who instituted the spoils system in cities to ensure their power and strangely enough, get civic services taken care of (5 th hour)
Out of Touch Politics Electorate evenly divided Laissez-faire/change was socialistic and harmful to $ & democracy Currency Reform Sherman Silver Act 1890 (replaced in 93) Civil Service Reform Pendleton Act of 1883 Civil service exam/not connections The People s Party Granger Movement-concern farmer s plight/ railroads cause of plight Munn v. Illinois (1877) &Wabash v. Illinois (1886) established the principle of regulation of interstate transportation Farmers Alliances-successors of Granger & concern of falling and rising costs due to bankers CO-OP s People s Party /Populist (1892) Platform mostly for farmers but also for industrial workers The popular mind is agitated with problems that may disturb social order, and among them all none is more threatening than the concentration of capital into vast combinations.congress alone can deal with them and if we are unwilling or unable there will soon be a trust for every product and a master to fix the price for every necessity of life. Senator John Sherman of Ohio
Panic of 1893 Worst up to that time 20 % unemployed Coxey s Army- A protest march from Ohio to Washington, D.C., in 1894 organized by Jacob Coxey to publicize demands for the federal government to alleviate the suffering brought on by the Panic of 1893. Election of 1896 William J. Bryan runs for President on antiexpansion/free silver campaign/loses to McKinley ½ million from Rock, A.G., and J.P. Morgan
Civil Rights Cases (1883) Civil Rights Act of 1875 & 14th Amendment weakened/did not apply to private and institutions State s limit 15th Amendment Poll Tax Literacy Test Grandfather Clause Result Black vote down 62 % Poor White down 27% Lynching Ida B. Wells-Barnett Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) Establishes separate but equal 14th Amendment weakened more Blacks response Booker T. Washington-self-help as the best way to end poverty Poverty 1st, politics 2nd, and civil rights Tuskegee Institute 1881 W E. B. Dubois-education that best suits the individual 1909: NAACP was formed to demand an immediate end of discrimination
European Imperialism 1839-1842: Opium War opens spheres of influence in China to European powers 1889: US, Great Britain and Germany establish a protectorate over Samoan Islands Partition of Africa US only opportunity: Western Hemisphere & China European Imperialism or American Imperialism The Impulse for Expansion Manifest Destiny Problem: 1890 s 90% of US goods sold in US = depressions Solution: Overseas empire Navy Captain Alfred T. Mahanpowerful navy = world power The Influence of Sea Power on history: 1660-1783 Great White Fleet 1907 Social Darwinism Goal: An Empire without large scale permanent military occupation and costly colonial administration
Acquisitions and Actions 1854: Commodore Perry open s Japan for trade 1867: Seward s Folly 1889: US, Great Britain and Germany establish a protectorate over Samoan Islands 1893: Overthrow of Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani by Dole, Inc. Cleveland does not bring it into Union
YELLOW JOURNALISM CARTOON WHERE THE TERM YELLOW JOURNALISM CAME FROM IN 1898 NEWSPAPERS PROVIDED THE PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION. PEOPLE LACKED THE ABILITY TO VERIFY IF THE STORIES WERE BIASED OR INACCURATE AND THEREFORE RELIED UPON NEWSPAPERS TO TELL THE TRUTH. PULITZER AND HEARST TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PUBLIC S IGNORANCE BY TWISTING THE TRUTH TO SELL MORE NEWSPAPERS. SENSATIONALIZED STORIES WERE FEATURED HEAVILY IN THEIR NEWSPAPERS SINCE EXCITING HEADLINES INCREASED CIRCULATION.
The Growing Conflict with Spain 1895: Cubans begin fighting their war of independence against Spain 1896: Filipinos begin fighting their war of independence against Spain Re- concentration of Cubans Yellow Press The Decision to Intervene in Cuba De Lome Letter Maine Explosion Declaration of War with Spain Teller Amendment-promised to leave the island to the Cubans US investment in Cuba - $50 million Pres. McKinley proclaims Hawaii a US Terr.
Fighting the War against Spain Treaty of Paris 1898 Cuba Guam Puerto Rico Philippines $20 million Platt Amendment: reserves the right for US military to govern Cuba and cedes Guantanamo Bay base to US military Violates the spirit of the Teller amendment and allows for US domination of Cuban sugar market You, newspapers forgot I about have studied us!!!! We the were Constitution there as of well!!!! the US and I find in it no authority for colonies and I have no fear
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ARMY NURSES DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
Arguments against imperialism in the Philippines we do not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. Mark Twain, 1900 In the forcible annexation of the Philippines our Nation neither adds to its strength nor secures broader opportunities for the American people. William Jennings Bryan, 1899
The Debate over Colonies Anti-Imperialist League Politicians-WJB Progressive Reformers Writers Industrialists Labor Europe still big market $$$ to maintain Constitutional Rights??? To Colonists Distract from problems at home Pro- expansionist 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.
NO! Some Americans, like ex-president Grover Cleveland, thought owning the Philippines went against our traditions of independence. Most Americans had no idea where the islands were even located. YES! The islands were a gateway to the markets of Asia. Many Americans were excited about the prospect of a huge overseas empire. Some Americans thought it was our duty to bring Anglo-Saxon civilization to non-whites.
The Philippine-American War 1899:Guerilla war begins in Philippines in opposition to US occupation 1902: Guerilla war in Philippines ends/ 1out of 5 Filipinos & 4,500 US soldiers killed Philippine Government Act: establishes limited self government for Philippines; President appoints a governor; promises eventual self determination 1946: Philippines receive independence from US