US History - Chapter 14

Age of Imperialism

Populist Party

• aka the ‘People’s Party’

• supported a long list of reforms such as:

  • government ownership and regulation of railroads and telegraphs

  • the direct election of US senators by the people

  • government loans for farmers

  • graduated income tax

Populism

the political stance that appeals to the common people

Free silver

the unlimited production of silver coins

William McKinley

• Republican candidate for the election of 1896

• supported the gold standard and high tariffs

• was backed by most business and finance leaders

• sponsored the highly protective McKinley Tariff of 1890

William Jennings Bryan

• Democratic candidate for the election of 1896

• “The Great Commoner”

• had genuine sympathy for the common man

• became known for his “Cross of Gold” speech

• received support from the Populist and Democratic Parties

The People’s or Populist Party represented the interests of laborers and ______.

farmers

_______ won the Democratic nomination with Populist support in the election of 1896.

William Jennings Bryan

Explain one reason some people wanted to decrease greenback and siler currency and one reason others wanted to increase these currencies.

People wanted to decrease greenback and silver currency to reduce inflation and keep gold rare and valuable. Others wanted to increase these currencies for the opposite reasons.

The 3 longstanding differences the US had with Great Britain

1. US sought compensation for the damages its merchnt fleet had suffered during the Civil War from commerce raiders

2. The US and Great Britain had been arguing since the 1840s over who owned a group of islands between Vancouver Island and the state of Washington

3. The US and Canada had long disagreed over fishing rights off both coasts of North America

The Treaty of Washington (1871)

• set up international tribunals to deal with the longstanding differences between the US and Great Britain

• One tribunal awarded the US more than $15 million in damages from Britai for the destruction caused by the commerce raiders.

• Another tribunal awarded possession of the islands off Vancouver to the United States

• A third required the US to pay Canada more than $5 million for special fishing privileges

• promoted greater friendship and cooperation between the US, Britain, and Canada

Imperialism

the process of larger, more powerful nations gaining economic and political control over weaker nations (which usually became colonies)

Arguments FOR imperialism

1. enhances prestige and pride; increases power

2. acquires natural resources

3. spreads Western civilization

4. spreads Christianity

Arguments AGAINST Imperialism

1. reflects Social Darwinism

2. resources could be purchased

3. leads to exploitation

4. interferes with mission work

Seward’s Folly

• aka Alaska (became the 49th state in 1959)

• Seward bought Alaska for only $7.2 million, and many Americans believed that Alaska was only an empty wasteland of snow and ice

Queen Liliuokalani

• Queen of Hawaii when the US overthrew the monarchy

• published Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen

Hawaii

became the 50th state in 1959

The United States applied the MOnroe Doctrine in Mexico by forcing the _____ troops to withdraw.

Spanish

After the overthrow of the native monarchy, the United States annexed the ______ Islands.

Hawaiian

Lottie Moon

• a leader of Chinese missions

• a Southern Baptist missionary

• bravely traveled into the dangerous interior of China to minister to the Chinese people during plagues, famines, and the Boxer Rebellion

Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions (SVMFM)

• one of the most important movements in foreign missions

• began in 1886 at a Bible conference in Massachusetts hosted by D.L. Moody

• “The evangelization of the world in this generation,”

Causes of the Spanish-American War (1898)

• Cuban revolt

• Yellow Journalism

• De Lome Letter

• the exploding and sinking of the USS Maine

Yellow journalism

sensationalized news reporting which aimed more at attracting readers than reporting the truth

De Lome letter

the Spanish ambassador to America, Enrique Dupuy de Lome, denounced McKinley as “weak and catering to the rabble, and besides, a low politician,” in a letter that he wrote to a friend that was made public

USS Maine

• a battle ship that had been sent to Cuba in January 1898 to protect American interests on the island

• suddenly exploded and sank in the Havana Harbor on February 15, killing 260 American sailors

• many people believed that the explosion was not an accident and was caused by the Spanish

Teller Amendment

stated that the US had no intention to exercise sovereignty over Cuba but only desired an end to conflict and the independence of the Cuban people

The Spanish-American War

• began on April 21, 1898

• ended in the same year with the signing of the Treaty of Paris of 1898

Battle of Manila Bay

• the first battle of the Spanish-American War

• destroyed Spanish sea power in the Pacific

• Filipino revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo led guerrilla operations and took control of much of the Philippines

• Dewey took control of Manila when the American forces arrived

San Juan Hill

where American soldiers pushed the Spanish troops back to defenses outside Santiago

Theodore Roosevelt

• led the Rough Riders, a group of volunteers which included cowboys, miners, college students, and adventurers from the west

• became the 26th president after the assassination of McKinley

Platt Amendment

• prohibited Cuba from making alliances with other countries besides the US

• allowed American oversight of Cuba’s finances

• authorized the US to send troops to Cuba to keep order if necessary

Lands that the US gained at the end of the Spanish-American War

Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam

Leon Czolgosz

assassinated President McKinley

Big-stick diplomacy

• “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”

• relied on military strength to protect American interests

• the US would be respectful of other countries and do no wrong against them, unless the other country decides to do wrong to them

Roosevelt Corollary

• placed the US in the position of “policeman” to maintain economic and political stability in Latin America

• caused a strain in the US’s relationship with Latin America and Europe because of how much they would intervene in their affairs

Open Door Policy

• all nations trading in China would refrain from interfering with one another and allow free trade in China

• proposed by Secretary of State John Hay (1899)

Boxer Rebellion

• an anti-foreigner movement in China intended to expel foreigners and foreign influence expelled from China

• Boxers would destroy anything foreign and kill missionaries, diplomats, foreign merchants, and Chinese converts to Christianity

• several European nations, Japan, and the US sent 20k soldiers to protect foreigners and Chinese Christians in Peking

Treaty of Portsmouth (1905)

• ended the Russo-Japanese War

• preserved most of Japan’s gains but allowed Russia to escape with some of its honor intact

• negotiated by President Roosevelt

Gentlemen’s Agreement

• Roosevelt negotiated with the Japanese government (after Japanese immigrants in the US received a lot of hate) to restrict emigration to the US

• Roosevelt was able to win better treatment for Asians in California, including allowing Japanese students to attend public schools

• this slowed Japanese immigration

balance of power

prevented any one nation from gaining enough power to dominate other nations

Great White Fleet

a fleet of American battleships painted white