HIST 2112 Lecture 9 Outline of Last Lecture I Beginnings of Progressivism II Progressive Characteristics III Four Major Agendas IV Three Progressive Stories Outline of Current Lecture I America during the age of Imperialism From Colony to Colonizer II Europe s Imperial Heyday 19th Century III America Traditionally anti imperialist but IV Why American Imperialism A Profit B Power and Prestige C Cultural Ideas a Social Darwinism b Race and Christianity c Spreading Democracy d Masculinity V The Spanish American War 1898 A Two key events a De Lome Letter b The Maine explosion VI Anti imperialist Feelings A Teller amendment B Anti imperial league C Anti imperials angered by Platt Amendment D Philippines VII Philippines America as the new Spain VIII American Imperialism continues Current Lecture Catching the Spirit of Empire American Imperialism at the Turn of the Century I America during the age of Imperialism From Colony to Colonizer Imperialism an unequal human and territorial relationship usually in the form of an empire based on ideas of superiority and practices of dominance and involving the extension of authority and control of one state or people over another Point of American colonies was to make Britain rich II Europe s Imperial Heyday 19th Century The entire continent of Africa was controlled by Europe except for Ethiopia and Liberia until 1950s Europe has colonies all over the world By this time Spanish empire has shrunk a little III America Traditionally anti imperialist but Most Americans were anti imperialists because we were a colony we believe in popular sovereignty We became isolationists We do not get involved in other people s problems we re only an example IV Why American Imperialism A Profit Internationalists we need colonies like Britain so we can make a lot of money resources and sell to markets B Power and Prestige Imperialists emerge who believe in our economic power We are a good if not better than countries like Britain Industrialism makes America the most powerful country on the planet C Cultural Ideas a Social Darwinism Only the fittest survive and prosper AMERICA the people at the bottom are only there because they deserve it William Graham Sumner s argument b Race and Christianity You can justify imperialism with Race White supremacy Reformers America taking over colonies assimilation V VI Missionary work c Spreading Democracy we want to see people adopt our views can it be forced on people d Masculinity Hoganson s fighting for American Manhood one of the consequences of industrialism was the crisis of manhood the problem with industrialism with all of its wealth and abundance has made us weak We have lost something along the way What we need is a good war to toughen these men up The Spanish American War 1898 makes us an Imperial power Spanish don t really have much left only Cuba and Philippines We need to help these people because Spain is cruel maybe we can gain colonies A Two key events a De Lome Letter sent from Cuba to Spain but it is intercepted by Cuban Spy and it s sent to US Spanish officials are talking about America and say that America and their president is a coward The American reaction was over the top They ve insulted our honor we can t stand for this and some people call for war A week later this America ship The Maine blows up b The Maine explosion Sent to show off for a purpose It blows up boiler explosion accident only One week after that letter makes it look like Spanish is attacking us Teddy Roosevelt goes to kick some ass but our military sucks Anti imperialist Feelings A Teller amendment VII VIII Says that in the event that we go to war with Spain the first thing we will do when we win is give Cuba Philippines their independence It s law Doesn t happen Decide that they re not ready for independence yet America gives them guidance but schooling you ll get indep eventually B Anti imperial league Mark Twain Andrew Carnegie are examples of members Some are racists C Anti imperials angered by Platt Amendment Cuba is free but foreign policy is conducted by US you re our junior partner so to speak If we feel like you aren t making superior progress we reserve the right to swap your govn t out and replace it with someone more reliable This is BS D Philippines bought for 20 million from Spanish purifies the war we created Philippines America as the new Spain Philippine war because we won t give them their independence American Imperialism continues through the 20th century Nicaragua Guatemala Vietnam El Salvador etc