US HISTORY UNIT 3 Lesson 19 - 20

Lesson 19: FOREIGN POLICY - SETTING A COURSE OF EXPANSIONISM

Idealism: The belief that moral values should influence international relations

  • It should be implemented to promote America’s founding ideals, particularly democracy, liberty, and rights.

Realism: Belief that international relations should be guided by pragmatic self interest goals such as national defense, access to resources, and increased trade with other nations

Monroe Doctrine: Monroe's speech in 1823, American continents were closed to future colonization by any European powers.

  • The US would consider European influence as dangerous to peace and safety.

  • It was used once during the dispute between Venezuela and Britain

Causes of the Mexican American war:

  • Annexation of Texas

  • The two nations disagreed on where to draw the Texas-Mexico border, and Mexico refused to negotiate.

Result of the Mexican American war:

  • US and Mexico signed treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in which Mexico formally recognized the annexation of Texas and Rio Grande as its border.

  • The US increased its territory by one third

Unilateralism: Not seeking military or political alliances with foreign powers

Territorial expansion:

  • Motivated by both idealism and realism

  • Idealists considered spreading ideals

  • Realists considered preventing threats

War of 1812: 1812 - 1814; resulted in a draw

Two motivations for US involvement in war of 1812:

  • France and Britain seized US ships to prevent goods from reaching the others’ ports

  • British strategy of kidnapping American sailors from US ships and claiming they were deserters from US navy

Mexican war: 1846-1847

Role of state department: headed by secretary of state, it advises the president and carries out details of US policy

Three main tools for US foreign policy:

  • Diplomacy: the art of conducting negotiations with other nations

  • financial aid: used to support friendly nations and influence their policies

  • Threat or use of armed force

The 4 people and their POVs on expansionism:

  • Henry Cabot Lodge: The US must expand to compete

  • Carl Schurz (anti-imperialist): The US should become a power for peace

  • Josiah Strong: The US should spread civilization

  • Alfred Mahan: The US must become a great sea power

Lesson 20: THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

Yellow Journalism: Exaggerated style of newspaper in 1890s

  • Sparked by rivalry between two newspapers and helped support the war with spain

Publisher of NY world: Joseph Pulitzer

Publisher of NY journal: William Randolph Hearst