USA BOOK 1: Change and Continuity in U.S Foreign Policy 1890-1941

What was the proclamation of Neutrality 1793 and Act of Neutrality 1794?

remain neutral in war between Britain in France - act made it illegal to wage war with countries at peace

What was the significance of the proclamation of Neutrality 1793 and Act of Neutrality 1974?

established neutrality early - lets everyone know

What did George Washington's farewell address published 1796 warn against?

entanglements in europe

What was the significance of George Washington's farewell address published 1796?

passed the presidency on

What was the monroe doctrine 1824?

avoid european wars however intervension by external powers in the politics of americas will be viewed as a hostile act

What was the significance of the monroe doctrine 1824?

• affirmed that isolationism is not indifference

• drew a 'line in the sand'

What was manifest destiny?

the destiny of America is to conquer the Americas and improve the lives of natives in doing so

[industrial growth] What were the main features of the North?

• industrial

• dominating

• political and economic

[industrial growth] What were the main features of the New South?

new technologies and industries (rail)

[industrial growth] What were the main features of the West?

• natural resources (farming)

• rugged individualism

• migration (people advancing forward)

[industrial growth] What did westward expansion do for industry?

• migration of millions to work and develop (land acts such as Homestead Act encouraged this)

• improved communication

• created domestic industry

[industrial growth] What did railroads do for industry?

• led to the introduction of timezones (1883)

• became transcontinental (1869) - indirectly responsible for telegraph system

• however had corruption in companies (private)

[industrial growth] What did availability of land do for industry?

land grants to rail companies from federal govt. (up to 240,000 sq miles sold off to settlers once railway was complete)

[industrial growth] What did population growth do for industry?

population growth happening mainly in north - population of NY trebeled

[industrial growth] What did corporations do for industry?

• US steel became 1st billion dollar corporation

• developed big business

• so much power made it difficult for newcomers

[industrial growth] Who owned the largest steel company?

Andrew Carnegie - 70% of national output in 1890 (mostly on steel)

[industrial growth] How did govt. facilitate industry growth?

• no policing of monopolies

• General Electricity controlled 85% of nation's output

• Govt. laissez faire (this threatens govt. due to corruption)

What were the main social issues caused by rapid agricultural development and urbanisation?

• poverty

• deprivation

• health impacted

What were the main general issues caused by rapid agricultural development and urbanisation?

• corruption

• wealth gap - farmers taking out unregulated loans and landing themselves in large amounts of debt

What was the frontier?

the undeveloped area at the edge of the settled area - wherever they've got to

Why does the frontier end?

the 1890 US census Bureau declaration declared that now the west was fully settled and there was no longer a frontier

What is the 1893 turner essay?

written by F.W Turner and argued the idea of the frontier had been deeply significant in the development of the US today

what did the 1893 turner essay say?

• availability of free land acted as a safety valve against social disharmony

• the difficulty of settlement led to self-reliance and independence among americans

What was the reaction to the 1893 turner essay?

influenced political debate

What was the overall significance of the 1893 Turner essay?

america's sense of identity was threatened

[US involvement in pacific] What was the approach to trade with China?

open door (trade rather than migration) - open and encouraged

[US involvement in pacific] What was the policy towards the pacific ocean?

open seas - no restrictions or protections meaning it can be used for trade

[US involvement in pacific] Why did the US want to avoid naval rivalry?

• can stop trade - restrict open seas

• increase competition to show technological advancements - beginnings of an arms race

[US involvement in pacific] Why did Japan become a foreign policy concern?

increasingly concerned about japanese expansion and the growth of its navy

[US involvement in pacific] When did the USA annex Hawaii and why?

1898

• to become a Naval Base - refuel, house troops, military strong hold

• Halfway house between US and Japan

• import sugar duty free

[US involvement in pacific] When and why did Eastern Samoa became a US protectorate?

1899

• US aware of German and British interests in the area

• also helped trade

[US involvement in pacific] when and why was the USA purchased from Spain?

1898

• improved trade

• military purposes (proximtiy to Japan)

[US involvement in pacific] what were the general benefits of imperial policy in the Far East?

• forum to expand economic and military power

• no involvement in entanglements in europe

• balance out european power (buying philipenes from spain)

[Role of President William McKinley] When was William McKinley president?

1897-1901

[Role of President William McKinley] What did McKinley believe about corporate America?

had too much power

[Role of President William McKinley] What did McKinley believe in managing and what example can be given for this?

managing the press - new re. spain in cuba (spanish oppression)

[Role of President William McKinley] What reason did McKinley give for war (particularly with spain in cuba)?

humanitarian reasons (excuses)

[Role of President William McKinley] What humanitarian reasons were given for the war with spain? [3]

• 'yellow' press showed cuban suffering to the american people - support from the home front

• spanish colonies - oppression of cubans

• Supporting cuban independence from spain

[Role of President William McKinley] In reality, what was the reason for american involvement with spain in cuba? [4]

• fear of euro empire

• showcase navy

• economic (crops e.g. sugar)

overall common link - SELF INTEREST

[Role of President William McKinley] Who pushed america into the war with spain?

Teddy Roosevelt - Sec. of navy

[Role of President William McKinley] What event triggered the war with spain?

USS Maine exploded

[Role of President William McKinley] How many were killed on the USS Maine?

267

[Role of President William McKinley] What was the war with spain considered?

an easy victory

[Role of President William McKinley] What was the impact of the war with spain? [4]

• Grew Theodore Roosevelt's influence (becoming pres)

• Boosted economy

• Territories gained

• Improved political reputation (easy victory - humiliating to old european empires)

[Role of President William McKinley] What territory was gained from the war with spain?

• Cuba

• Guam

• Philipenes

• Puerto Rico

[Role of President William McKinley] What example of imperialism was the spanish american war?

preclusive imperialism

[Role of President William McKinley] What did the war with spain mark for foreign policy?

a change to more active foreign policy - less isolationist

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - CUBA] what debate started in the US once they had withdrawn from cuba?

what to do with cuba

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - CUBA] What was decided about cuban independence and why? What was passed as a result?

the war led to a change of opinion in the US and they started to believe the Cubans were not ready to rule themselves - Congress passed the Platt Amendment

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - CUBA] What was the platt amendment?

outlined the conditions for U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - CUBA] What did cuba's final treaty say?

imposed a new political system on the country and made it's economy heavily dependent on the USA

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - PANAMA CANAL] What was the panama canal?

a canal that connected the atlantic and pacific oceans

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - PANAMA CANAL] After the american company the New Panama Canal Company (NPCC) took over the rights to build the canal what did Colombia demand the govt. pay and the NPCC to pay to build the canal?

• govt to pay $15 million

• NPCC to pay $10 million

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - PANAMA CANAL] Roosevelt did not want to pay colombia so what did he do instead?

Panamanians staged a national revolt for independence from the rule of colombia and were supported by the US. they recieved the land for the panama canal in return

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - NICARAGUA] Why was nicaragua important to the US? [3]

• its proximity to the US

• the possible Atlantic/Pacific canal site

• US had a high level of economic investment in the country

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - NICARAGUA] What threatened american interests in Nicaragua?

Nic's anti-american pres

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - NICARAGUA] What did president Taft do?

sent in the marines to install a pro-american president

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - NICARAGUA] After the pro-american pres. was installed, what was the result?

american influence was extended by providing huge loans and in return the US controlled the Nicaraguan National Bank

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - NICARAGUA] What was the US set up as?

a protectorate

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC] What was this an example of?

the USA using it's 'police' power in Central America

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC] In what way was this part of Roosevelt's 'big stick policy'

1903 - the republic defaulted on the repayment of American loans worth $40 million and Roosevelt was reluctant to invade.

Instead he took control of the customs revenue of the Dominican republic, using it to pay off the debt.

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - CHINA] What did US secretary of State John Hay introduce in 1899 with the first what?

Open door policy with china with the first open door note - asking states to respect each other's trading rights with china, even in each other's spheres of interest

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - CHINA] Why did the US send a small number of troops to assist other countries in the rescue of foreign embassies in Peking?

in 1900 - Boxer Rebellion (directed largely at foreigners) broke out in China

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - CHINA] What did Hay announce at the same time as sending in troops to deal with the Boxer Rebellion?

a second open door note:

• asserting the principle of equal and impartial trade in all parts of China, not just the existing foreign spheres of interest.

• asserted that in the future the US govt would protect the lives and property of US citizens living in china

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - JAPAN] Where had the Japanese been emigrating to at the turn of the century?

into both Hawaii and the USA but legislation in 1900 had put a stop to this

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - JAPAN] How did Japan threaten the USA?

• growth of a large Japanese navy as well as Japan's ambitions in China

• Japanese defeat of Russia

• Japanese free hand in Korea

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912 - JAPAN] What did the Root-Takahira agreement 1908 state?

Japan and US agreed to respect each other's interests in China and maintain the current situation in pacific

[Foreign and Imperial policies 1901 - 1912] When did America's isolationist policy first start to change?

1912

When was Teddy Roosevelt president?

1901 - 1909

Why was Teddy Roosevelt known as the Trust Buster?

• crushed western railway monopolies

• goes after corporate america

How did Teddy Roosevelt avert domestic crises?

through presidential intervention:

• regulates industry, the PEOPLE have control

• strong centre to extend presence over other regions

What was Teddy Roosevelt's square deal?

Social and economic domestic reforms:

• It called for control of corporations, consumer protection, and conservation of natural resources

How did Teddy Roosevelt want to civilise the world?

believed in progressive imperialist responsibility:

• didn't think with party politics

• fought for rightness 'selfless heroism'

• won the noble peace price

Why did Teddy Roosevelt say 'I didn't steal the panama canal, I built it.'?

backs revolutionaries in exchange for right to build canal.

How did Teddy Roosevelt invoke 'police power' [Monroe doctrine] ?

Roosevelt stated that in keeping with the Monroe Doctrine, the U.S. was justified in exercising "international police power" to put an end to chronic unrest or wrongdoing in the Western Hemisphere.

What was Teddy Roosevelt's Big Stick policy?

Assertive approach to foreign policy

• Caribbean sea and Latin America controlled

What was the Roosevelt Corollary [December 1904]?

United States would intervene as a last resort to ensure that other nations in the Western Hemisphere fulfilled their obligations to international creditors, and did not violate the rights of the United States or invite "foreign aggression to the detriment of the US

What was Teddy Roosevelt's Antiques Act?

The Act was the first U.S. law to provide general legal protection of cultural and natural resources of historic or scientific interest on federal lands