Imperialism and American Foreign Policy

McKinley's Policies

  • Named policies as 'Big Sister'.

Roosevelt's Policies

  • Policies named as 'Roosevelt Corollary'.
  • Square Deal is Teddy Roosevelt's domestic policies

Taft's Policies

  • Policies named as 'Dollar Diplomacy,' using American dollars.

Wilson's Policies

  • Didn't really have one.

Hoover's Policies

  • 'Good Neighbor' policy, later used by FDR.

Kennedy's Policies

  • 'Alliance for Progress' - questioned for its actual alliance or progress.

American Imperialism

  • Latin American governments generally did not want American imperialism, but the U.S. persisted.
  • The U.S. acted as a "big sister," offering an umbrella of protection but potentially undermining sovereignty.

Great Rapprochement

  • Marked the end of conflicts with the British, enabling the U.S. to:
    • Trade.
    • Build the Panama Canal.

Panama Canal

  • The Great Rapprochement allowed Teddy Roosevelt to proceed with building it.

Hawaii

  • American businesses were present and desired annexation to avoid tariffs.
  • Queen Liliuokalani was removed from power against her will.
  • The annexation involved the removal of the Queen, leading to lingering animosity towards American tourists, despite their economic contribution.
  • Hawaii was annexed in 1898.
  • Hawaii becomes a US state in 1959.

Republican Party

  • The party of tariffs, specifically protective tariffs aimed at:
    • Protecting American industries.
    • Encouraging the purchase of American goods.
    • Preserving American jobs.

Alaska

  • Alaska becomes a US state in 1959.

Pearl Harbor

  • Was not part of an American state but a territory at the time of the attack.

Philippines

  • Annexation was highly controversial due to:
    • Violation of American governing documents.
    • Resistance from the Filipino people.
  • The anti-imperialist league criticized American actions as bullying.
  • William Howard Taft became the territorial governor, aiming to:
    • Assimilate the population.
    • Introduce Christianity and English language.
  • This led to a devastating civil war with hundreds of thousands of casualties.
  • The Philippines gained independence after World War II.

Puerto Rico

  • Initially, their rights as Americans were unclear, addressed by the insular cases.
  • They operate as a protectorate with their own government but under the U.S. umbrella.
  • Puerto Rico is a territory that has voted for statehood, but:
    • Statehood is subject to congressional approval.

Filipinos

  • Approximately 600,000 Filipinos were affected by the U.S. occupation.

Open Door Policy in China

  • Initiated by Secretary of State John Hay.
  • Aimed to ensure equal access to Chinese resources for all nations.
  • The Chinese were never consulted on this policy.
  • The Boxer Rebellion was an attempt to resist foreign influence but was suppressed.
  • Chinese immigration was restricted through the Chinese Immigration Act, lasting until the Mao era.
  • Japan later exploited China during World War II.

McKinley Assassination

  • McKinley, a Republican, was assassinated, leading to Theodore Roosevelt becoming president.
  • The assassination occurred at a World Fair in New York by a gunman.
  • An X-ray machine was present but not used to locate the bullet.
  • Roosevelt was chosen as VP to minimize his potential impact, but the assassination propelled him to the presidency.