1865-1890 Foreign Policy

Why was the USA deemed isolationist 1865-1890?

• They were focused on internally expanding due to being an unfinished nation

• They wanted to avoid entanglements with Europe

• Had sufficient raw materials so didn’t need to trade

What was the Monroe Doctrine? (isolationist)

• Announced by president James Monroe in 1823

• USA would oppose any European intervention within the Americas

• They would only become involved with Europe if it impacts US national interests

What happened with the Dominican Republic? (isolationist)

• They offered themselves up to colonisation of which American declined

What is an example of the USA upholding the Monroe Doctrine?

• France tried to create a puppet state with Mexico

• The USA put a large army on the Mexican border, France ended up backing down

Why was William Seward a key individual?

• He was secretary of state form 1861-1869 and he took an interventionist foreign policy stance

• He wanted naval bases and to build a canal across Panama

Why was Hamilton Fish a key individual?

• He was Seward’s successor as secretary of state and had the same approach as him

• He arranged a treaty with Hawaii

When and why was Alaska purchased? (expansionist)

• 1867 for $7.2 million

• Gold was later found there

• It was nicknamed ‘Seward’s icebox’ as people couldn’t understand why he purchased it

What was the Burlingame Treaty? (expansionist)

• A treaty signed with China in 1867 to promote free trade and movement between the two countries

What was USA ultimatum with Britain?

• Britain had to pay the USA compensation or give them Canada (which was now a dominion) due to Britain supplying the confederacy with ships in the Civil War

• Britain payed them $15.5 million for the damage they caused

How did Manifest Destiny encourage Westward Expansion?

It argued that God had chosen them to populate the West as they had the ‘Divine Right’

Who was Alfred.T.Mahan?

He argued that building a modern navy and having naval bases is the key success. He also wanted a canal across Latin America

What was the 1887 treaty with Hawaii?

• The USA bought Hawaii’s sugar duty free

• This made Hawaii economically dependent on the USA and eventually resulting in them building a naval base in Pearl Harbour

Who was Frederick Jackson Turner?

A young historian who published ‘The Significance of the Frontier in American History’

What did Turner’s these argue about the frontier?

• It distinguished the USA from Europe (made them superior)

• Produced practicality and individualism of the US character

• US democracy had been shaped by the attitudes and values associated with the frontier

What were criticisms of Turner’s thesis?

• Ignored the victims of Westward Expansion

• Didn’t recognise gender, race or class- extremely masculine and white

• Made generalisations

• Too much emphasis on the frontier