Unit 11 -
Gilded Age
South - Reconstruction
North - Economic political social
West - Natives/mining/Ranching/Farming
End of Century Politics
Foreign Policy (Imperialism)
Ch. 25 - The Conquest of the West (1865-196)
The “Wild” West
Settlers ravished the land + transformed it quickly (“New West”)...unlike the S
Reasons: Land, Railroads, Natural resources, farming, and ranching, god, gold
Just where is the “West”- between mississippi river and rocky mountains
“The great American Desert” (The great plains)
Plains region, midwest
The societies of the Far West
Many people: English speaking migrants to the West did not find empty but w/ many ppl
American Indians
Mexicans
Very diverse
Many new states + territories - Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Came at the expensive of Native Americans
Crushing the Native Americans
Hundreds of tribes stretched from Mississippi to the Pacific Coast
Before the Civil War, the West was “one big reservation
The Indian Intercourse Act (1834) forbade whites from entering “Indian country” w/o a license
Rapid Western expansion in the 1502 brought a new Indian “concentration policy” w/ distinct boundaries
Treaty of Fort Laramie - 1851
The Native American groups agreed to live in certain territories. In return the US gov promised that these territories would always belong to the Native Americans
Indians guaranteed safe passage for settlers on the Oregon Trail
Broken treaties/promises
Est.2 Great “Colonies” (open land for RRs, Mining, Farming, Ranching)
After civil War, numbers decline as whites expand west
Disease
Intertribal conflict
Destruction of buffalo-further fighting over hunting grounds
Most tribes W of MS River (stood in the way of Manifest Destiny)
Plains Indians
Various tribes divided into bands
Some sedentary, most nomadic hunters
Movement often based on migration of buffalo
Finest light cavalry in the world
Horse (spanish), Guns (British)
Nomadic
War like
Buffalo hunting
Tribes had previously warred vs. each other (New Common Enemy - US govt/troops)
The Clash of cultures on the plain
For centuries the Great plains were home to many groups of Natives many were nomads who roamed vast distances
As settlers moved into the Great Plains the US govt sent agents to negotiate treaties w/ the Plains Indians to try to avoid conflict
Each tribe spoke different languages so they spoke w/ sign language
White soldiers and settlers on the plains
They spread cholera, typhoid, and smallpox among the native peoples of the plains
Ultimately undermined the foundations of Native culture
Indian PEace Commision
Removed all Indian tribes onto reservations away from US west expansion
Tried to est peace, but ended Native nomadic culture (“civilize+assimilate on RESERVATIONS)
Concentration Policy
Desire of whites to get Indian land
Each tribe assigned a reservation
Weakness
Never able to unite against white aggression- groups too independent
Conflict between tribes distract from fighting whites one group help whites against other group
The “Race” for Survival
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Arguably the MOST CORRUPT govt agency in US history (and that's saying a lot)
Some sold supplies for personal gain (black market)
Many treaties were corrupt - written in way to deceive Indians - violently forced them into signing
Many agreements between Natives/fed gov fell apart b/c they had dif concepts of land ownership
Well meaning officials didn’t understand tribal ways
BIA chief LUKE LEA supported the reservation system. Believed that Indians should “be placed in positions where they can be controlled”
The Indians surrendered their ancestral lands:
Only when they had received solemn promises from Washington
They would be left alone
Provided food clothing etc
Regretfully the fed indian agents were often corrupt
Call in the Cavalry
Buffalo Soldiers
Segregated African American Troops (White commanders)
A name given to members of black regiments by Native Americans
Plains Indian Wars
Plains Indians: Posed a serious threat to western settlers because, unlike the Eastern Indians from early colonial days, the Plains Indians possessed rifles and horses
Colt 45 revolver and Winchester repeating rifle gave the west an advantage
The Dakota Sioux Uprising
In Minnesota in exchange for annuities
The government paid the annuity late
Sioux lived in poverty+Faced possible starvation(slaughtered 100s of settlers)
Chief Little Crow asked traders to provide his people food on credit
Little crow reluctantly agreed to lead an uprising - 1st Major Uprising (MN-1862)
Gen Henry Sibley, John Pop, and Alexander Ramsey - to stop uprising
Sioux were eventually captured and sentenced 300 to death - hang 38- survivors fled
Largest mass execution in US history
Plains Indian Wars cont.
SAND CREEK MASSACRE CO-1864
The trails to CO gold fields ran straight thru KS and the lands belonging to the cheyenne and Arapaho living here
They hunted along the ARkansas River, that stretched from central KS into CO
Some tribal leaders wanted peace
Natives raided wagons, burned homes, etc
Evans ordered Natives to surrender at Ft Lyon(some did/others didn't)
Black Kettle
“Peace chief” and Cheyenne camp at Sand Creek to negotiate
Instead of negotiating peace w/ Cheyenne, the US army attacked them in what has become known as the Sand Creek Massacre
Col John Chivington attacked w/ 700 CO Volunteers
Torture, R-pe, Scalping, etc. - DEADLY AND DISGUSTING
Aftermath of Sand Creek
Many Indains took this as proof that US gov couldn’t be trusted
Red Cloud's War
Red Cloud's War
LEd by Red Cloud CRAZY HORSE AND SITTING BULL
Built through Native land (settlers went to MT in search of GOLD)
FETTERMAN MASSACRE
Crazy horse lured the troops into deadly trap- tricked the forts commander into sending Captain William Fetterman and soldiers in
10 Natives lured Fetterman's men into AN AMBUSH
Fetterman and his men were all KILLED
One soldier had 105 arrows shot into his face (send message)
Events leading up to the Battle of Little Bighorn
Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull refused to accept the peace of 1868
Gold was discovered in the Black Hills in 1874
The Sioux refused to sell their land in the Black Hills
THE BATTLE OF LITTLE BIGHORN - Montana 1876 AP TEST!
George Armstrong Custer - Seventh Cavalry Regiment in 1866
Sitting Bull - Spiritual Leader of the Sioux Resistance Movement
Sitting Bull performed the Sun Dance + was too weak to fight
Crazy Horse - Led the Attack
W/out ordres, Custer recklessly attacked the Sioux - He was outnumbered = arrogance/racism
Custer Last Stand - another name for this battle b/c Custer and his entire army were killed
Significance/Aftermath
GREATEST NATIVE VICTORY/LAST MAJOR VICTORY ON GREAT PLAINS
US government was determined to fight back
The press portrayed Custer as a MARTYR + said he was a victim brutally massacred by savages
US army increased efforts to eliminate or move natives on reservations
Crazy horse was killed
2/3
A Century of Dishonor
Receding Native Population
Nez Perce
Live in the Pacific Northwest near Oregon, Washington, and Idaho
Chief Joseph - Leader of the Nez Perce Tribe
US Army tried to put Nez Perce on a reservation in ID - they fled
Hoped to link up w/ sitting Bull in Canada (Combine Forces)
Gen Oliver O Howard - former head of the Freedmen's Bureau pursued the Nez Perce
Fought 4 major battle during their “escape”
Chief Joseph - “I will fight no more forever!” - surrendered 40 mi away from Canada
Survivors promised land in ID, however US gov sent them to reservation in KS (40% died from disease)
Fierce Apache
Tribes of Arizona and New Mexico were the most difficult to subdue
Led by Geronimo they were pursued into Mexico by fed troops
Geronimo was pursued by Gen Nelson Miles
The MOST VIOLENT of the Indian Wars
Geronimo is captured and surrenders in 1886
This was the LAST of the “Indian Removals”
Why did the US win?
The fed govs willingness to back its land claims w/ military force
The Railroads as they could bring out unlimited numbers of troops farmers cattlemen's sheepherders, and settlers
They were ravaged by the white people's disease, to which they showed little resistance
The virtual extermination of the buffalo doomed the Plains Indians nomadic way of life
Bellowing Herds of Bison
Buffalo
Tens of millions described as “hunchback cows” blackened the wester prairies, when white Americans first arrived
These shaggy lumbering animals were the staff of life for Native Americans
Their flesh provided food
Their hides provided clothes, lariats, and harnesses
When the Civil War ended there were 15 mil of these meaty beasts still grazing on the western plains
15 mil buffalo to less than 1000 by 1885
RRs Hired Professional Sharpshooters
William Cody : Hired by the KS-Pacific RR (killed >4000 bison in 18 months)
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show
The whole story is a shocking example of greed and waste that accompanied the conquest of the continent
The End of the Trail
By the 1880s the national conscience began to stir uneasily over the plight of the IndiansL
HELEN HUNT JACKSON
Activist for native American rights
Pricked the moral sense of Americans in 1881 in A Century of Dishonor and Ramona
Tried to expose the shameful way the US GOV mistreated indians
People like Jackson were still in the vast minority of Americans
Debate seesaw red
Humanitarians : wanted to treat Indians kindly + persuade them to “walk the white man's road”
Hard-liners: insisted on the current policy of forced containment and brutal punishment
Neither side showed much respect for Native American culture
Christian Reformers : Often Administered educational facilities on reservations
Some missionaries actually withheld food until natives converted/assimilated
Ghost Dance Movement
The Sioux believed that this dance would bring back the buffalo, return the Native tribes to their land and banish the white man from the earth
WOVOKA : Had a vision calling for a religious movement
US viewed this as a religious cult that rejected the white man's ways
Federal authorities banned the ceremony (feared violence)
Wovoka spread idea that white man's bullets would repel off “Ghost Shirts”
US govt feared Sitting Bull would join/legitimize the movement
Sitting Bull + 13 followers were killed on Standing rock reservation (Dec 15 , 1890)
The Wounded Knee Massacre Dec 29 - 1890
350 ghost dancers + Bigfoot fled the reservation (US Army followed)
A deaf indian named Black Coyote could not hear the order to give up his rifle
The US cavalry opened fire
More than 200 unarmed Sioux including women and children were killed
Col James Forsyth was the 7th Cavalry leader was exonerated of his guilt in the aftermath
Also known as the “Indians Last Stand
THE END OF ALL INDIAN WARS AND LAST OF BATTLES ON GREAT PLAINS
DAWES SEVERALTY ACT (1887) !!! AAP TEST
The Misbegotten offspring of the movement to reform Indian policy
Reflect the forced civilization reformers view
Dissolved many tribes as legal entities
Wiped out tribal ownership of the land
Set up individual Indian family heads with 160 free acres
If the Indians behaved themselves like “good white settlers” they would get full title to their holding as well as citizenship in 25 years
An attempt to assimilate or absorb natives by providing them with an allotment of land
Also known as the General Allotment Act
Designed to Americanize : FORCED ASSIMILATION (Turn natives into farmers)
BIA LED THE PROCESS
Former reservation land not allotted to the Indians under Dawes Act
Was to be sold to railroads and white settlers
With the proceeds used by fed govs to educate and “civilize” the native peoples:
In 1879 the gov funded the Carlisle Indian school in Pennsylvania where Native children
Were separated from their tribes, taught English, inculcated w/ white customs and values
The Dawes Act
Struck directly at tribal organization
By 1900 Indians had lost 50% of the 156 mil acres they held
It ignored the inherent reliance of traditional indian culture on tribally held land
Tried to make rugged individualists
Most Natives hated farming/ranching
Privatization of reservation land
Results
Allotment was a dismal failure
Huge loss of NA land holdings
Created huge Indian bureaucracy
Furthered issues of poverty
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
Calvin Coolidge “Reward” for fighting/contributing during World War I
The Indian Reorganization Act (The New Deal) of 1934
Partially reversed the individualistic approach
And belatedly tried to restore the tribal basis of Indian life
Reversed the Dawes Act
Summary
Railroad, white man's disease, extermination of buffalo, wars, and loss of land ruined Natives
2/4
Mining and Ranching
Mining Industry
1st economic boom of West
Gold and Silver Strikes: Colorado, Nevada, Blackhills
Increased massively due to RRs + Conquest (Indian Wars)
California Gold Rush initiated the Mining industry
Railroads linked the nation and increased the size of markets - allowed farmers, ranchers, and other settlers access to eastern markets
Helped to move MINERALS from W to E
The Discovery - Colorado Gold Rush
The prospectors in CA were “fifty-niners” or “Pike's Peakers” rushed west to get gold/minerals
“PIKES PEAK OR BUST”
“Pikes Peaks Hoax” much of the gold was hidden beneath the surface
Placer miners did not find anything
CO eventually yielded over 1 bil in gold/silver
Mining led to the growth of BoomTowns
Leadville, 1879 - deposits of lead found in Colorado Mountains
Deposits had a lot of silver in them
SAN FRANCISCO and DENVER #2 became large cities in the W
NEVADA is known as the SILVER STATE
The Comstock Lode - Virginia City , NV
Biggest find of silver in US located
Henry Comstock mistakenly discovered pure silver while looking for gold
Smaller “Lucky Strikes” led to “Boomtowns” all over W
Mining Industry cont.
Boomtowns
Often rough places w/ saloons, prostitution, crime- The “Wild West”
Vigilance committees : Self appointed volunteers who would track down + punish criminals
Most towns went from “Boom to Bust”
Eventually became Ghost Towns when gold/silver is gone
Big Businesses and corporations joined the mining industry - brought in ore breaking machinery + employed miners
Drift mining, Tunnel Mining, and pocket mining
Hydraulic mining : miners spreayed high pressure water against the mountain side exposing minerals beneath the surface
Devastated the environment by depositing tons of silt, sand, and gravel into local rivesr
Quartz Mining: Mine Shafts still in use today
The Changing Roles of Women in the West
Were laundresses,cooks,prostitutes,property owners,even community leaders(Greater EQUALITY)
Suffrage - 1869 women got the right to vote in Wyoming
FREDRIC REMINGTON AP TEST
Leading ARTIST of the West
Ranching Industry
Texas - Longhorn
Traveled long distances on little water, lived on grasses, immune to TX fever
Great Plains allowed land where ranchers could graze their hers free of charge and unrestricted by priv prop
Vast area of free grazing land owned by the fed govt (communal = no priv property)
Texas was a bad market to sell
BEfore Civil war there was little incentive to round up longhorns
Rise of cities (immigration) increased the demand for cattle (prices soared)
>”Beef Barons” like the swifts and armours
Phillip Swift and Gustavo Armor
Highly industrialized meatpacking businesses sprang into existence as a main pillar of the economy
Goal was to move cattle to Kansas and Missouri etc.
THIS IS WHERE COWBOYS BECOME FAMOUS
COWBOYS
Confederate army veterans, blacks, and Mexicans
Black Cowboys usually treated equally (same pay)
Vaqueros - Mexican Cowboys that taught white settlers cattle ranching techniques in texas
Encountered racism + discrimination
The Round Up (Spring + Fall)
A spectacular feed of the new slaughterhouse “The Long Drive”
Many Trails began to emerge
RAILHEADS - TOWN ALONG A RR WHERE BROKERS BOUGHT CATTLE
Hardships Endured on the Open Range
Being trampled, drowning, weather, staying awake all night on guard duty, “ride” drag on long drive(dust from the herd) attacks from indians and cattle rustlers, stampede
Country music started on long drives to calm the animals
RAILHEADS are also known as CATTLE TOWNS
Branding was used to identify cattle ($)
Reformers tried to “civilize” the cowboys (very limited success = local economies need their $)
Ranching Industry cont.
Once paid many cowboys spent their money drinking, gambling, or with prostitutes in “Cow Towns” These were settlements to which ranchers would drive their cattle so that they could be herded onto trains
Cow Towns were mostly in Kansas
WILD BILL HICKOCK - Marshall James Hicock
Famous lawman that only killed in self-defense or in the line of duty
“Dead mans hand” (shot in the back while playing poker in Deadwood,SD)
The Range Wars - Ranchers+Cowboys vs Shepherd's/Farmers
As more farmers moved onto plains they wanted to defined + protect their fields
As sheep ranchers moved in they needed access to water and pastures
Farmers used barbed wire + sheep blocked the trails + ate the roots of the grasses
The End of the Open Range
JOSEPH GLIDDEN AP
Made it possible farmers to cheaply and efficiently fence in their land and livestock
BARBED WIRE - 1874
OVERSUPPLY (Prices dropped Rapidly = Bankruptcy)
Thousands of cattle froze or starved to death - b/c of winter of 1886
Corporations took control over the ranching industry
2/5
Farming
Farming on the frontier
Great plains also known as the “Great American Desert” - Stephen Long
HOMESTEAD ACT OF 1862 AP TEST!
Law stated that a 21 yr old person (male) could get 160 acres of land as a homestead
10-30$ registration fee
Person had to improve land by farming it or building on it and had to live on land 5 years
Some land sales were fraudulent (speculation)
Railroads were being made across the Plains
Railroads promote settlement: PR campaigns to come west - hired 100 agents in Europe
“Exoduster” Black Homesteaders
Most moved to Kansas (land of John Brown = more tolerant)
Only about ⅓ of settlers/homesteaders succeeded
Soddies : Prairies lacked wood and other traditional materials so they lived in sod houses
Lack of Water was a huge problem
Windmills proved crucial because it allowed farmers to harness the winds power to pump water
Extreme Weather - Winters: Terrible Blizzards, Summer: Extreme Heat + Drought, Tornado Alley
Plague of Insects - Huge swarm of Locusts (Size of CO)
INNOVATION! -
SODBUSTERS THE STEEL PLOW
John Deere patented a steel bladed plow in 1837
Dry farming seeds would be planted deeper in the ground (more moisture)
Sodbusting led to dust storms
MO River Dam
The Wheat Belt : Where was imported from Russia (resist cold/droughts)
By the 1880s, US became #1 exporter of wheat in the world
McCormick Reaper: Allowed wheat grains to be harvested much more efficiently
Agriculture grows due to Technology
Farming on the frontier cont.
The great West experienced a fantastic sure of migration
New western states joined the union
Colorado, 1876 “centennial state
OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH (1889)
“Sooners” (illegal settlers came in too soon)
“Boomers” or 89ers were legal settlers
2/6
The closing of the Frontier:1890
The frontier was now “Closed” according to the Census Bureau
FREDRICK JACKSON TURNER AP !!!!
“The Significance of the Frontier in American History” or the Frontier Thesis
Says that the frontier formed the American character
Americans are socially mobile adventurous, self motivated, and committed to democracy
The frontier was the chief influence in shaping a distinctively “American Culture/Way of Life”
Social Equality: (No “Classes” = survival); )
Growth of Political Democracy (No Machines, pop sov, voting rights)
Nationalism (Need Fed Govt assistance/protection)
Faith in Future (Posterity/Manifest Destiny)
Economic Indep (Dont Need Europe)
Safety Valve for Factory Workers (vs. Unemployment + Crowded Cities)
Invention (New Machinery/Farming Techniques)
Wasteful Agriculture (No Concern for Environment/Resources)
Problems with thesis
Saw settlers as whites only, No difference in experiences of women/men, didnt take into consideration other races
Ch. 26 - Rumbles of Discontent (1865-1900)
The Farm Becomes A Factory
New inventions in farming such as steam engine that could pull a plow, seeder, or harrow, the new twine binder and the combined reaper thresher sped up harvesting +lowered number of ppl needed to farm
Farming Changing
Now growing single “cash crops such as wheat or corn
Used profits to buy foodstuffs at the general store
And manufactured goods in town or by mail order
The Chicago firm of Aaron Montgomery War in 1872 sent out first catalog
Farmers were becoming consumers and producers
Sears Roebuck & Co. was also famous for its catalog
Large scale farmers were now both specialists and business people
Tied to banking railroading and manufacturing
Had to buy expensive machinery to plant + harvest their crops
Mechanization of agriculture
Drove many farmers off the land
Competition promoted specialization + modernization (Survival of the Fittest)
“Combines” took care of all phases of harvesting wheat (Reep + Bag Grain)
BONANZA FARMS
Huge wheat farms that often covered up to 59k acres (many owned by big businesses)
Forshadowed the gigantic agribusiness of the next century
The Farm Becomes A Factory cont.
Agriculture was big business in California
Phenomenally productive central valley
California's farms were three times larger than the national average
With the advent of the railroad refrigerator car in the 1880s
Cali fruit and vegetable crops, raised on sprawling tracts by ill paid migrant mexican and chinese farmhands, sold at a handsome profit in rich urban market
Haciendas : Huge CA estates that grew fruits and veggies(used MX/Chinese labor)
Deflation Dooms the Debtor
Relying on a single cash crop was risky
No protectionism for Farmers(High world competition)
Farmers financial situations
As long as prices stayed high all went well
The grain farmers were no longer masters of their own destinies
The price of their product was determined in a world market by world output
Low prices and a deflated currency were chief worries
Deflation hurt all of them - FARMERS STRUGGLED!
By 1880, ¼ of all farmers were renters
The forgotten farmers were caught on a treadmill
Ruinous rates of interest running from 8-40% were charged on mortgages
Their farm machinery increased their output of grain, lowered the price, but gave them debt
Unhappy Farmers
Problems
OVerproduction, Tariff policy, Monetary policy, Tax and bank policies, Differential Freight Rates, Tenant farming sharecropping, and Loss of status and power
Mother nature as well (bugs and weather)
Time for a “Revolution”?
The Farmers Strike Back + the Rise of the Populists
Farmers Fight Back
Farmers lashed out at banks, merchants, railroads, & the US monetary system
Farmers needed to politicize
The National Grange - 1867
The first national farm organization - basically a union for farmers
Oliver H Kelly was the founder
First objective was to enhance life of isolated farmers w/ social,educational,and fraternal activities
The granges picnics concerts and lectures were a god send to the isolated farmers
800,000 members joined mainly in midwest but some south
Grangers raised their goals
From individual self improvement to collective
Established cooperatively owned stores for consumers
Embittered Grangers went into politics
Chiefly in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa
Co-Ops: Organization where farmers pooled resources to buy + sell goods (increase price +lower cost risk)
Granger Laws + Cooperatives eventually FAILED (farmers left the Grange)
Farmers grievances found a vent in the Greenback Labor Party:
They combined the inflationary appeal w/ a program for improving the lot of labor
High water mark of the movement in 1878
Never really took off and fell apart
Farmers Fight BAck
Farmers alliance:
Founded in late 1870s in Texas
Believed industrialists + Bankers controlled both political parties
Exchanges:
A cooperative that is is giant
Southern Farmers Alliance= White Farmers + Colored Farmers Alliance=Black Farmers
Racism + Segregation hurt their unity/power
They too eventually failed
Prelude to Populism
Peoples Party (known as “populists”)
Leaders of the farmers organization realized they needed to build base of pol power
Attacked Wall St + the “Money Trust” (end the business/govt alliance)
Mary Elizabeth Lease - Referred to as the “Patrick Henry in Petticoats” very outspoken
Led Kansas revolt over high mortgage interest & railroad rates
Coalition-Alliance members,farmers,industrial workers,labour leader's,reforms(rural+urban/former dem/rep)
OMAHA PLATFORM OF 1892 AP TEST
Increase in money supply
Graduated income tax higher incomes taxed more heavily
Abolition of the National Bank
Direct election of Senators
Govt ownership of RRs, telephone, and telegraph companies
Govt-operated postal savings banks
Restriction of undesirable immigration
80 hour work day for gov employees
Federal loan program
Secret ballot
Demonetization of silver
Built their platform of 4 issues
Increased circulation of money
Unlimited minting of silver
Progressive income tax
Government ownership of communication + transportation systems
Delegates met in Omaha, NE to prepare a platform for 1892 election vs Laissez faire capitalism
Platform of Lunacy Cartoon people in an air balloon!
Nominated for James B Weaver president - hoped to form a coalition of farmers and wage laborers
Prelude to populism cont
Wave of Strikes 1892
HOMESTEAD STRIKE AP TEST!
Workers were angry over pay cuts + a plan to end their union
Amalgamated Association of Iron + Steel /workers Union
Fought against Carnegie Steel Company
Henry Clay Frick is now put in charge and wants to destroy the union
Workers are locked out and strike begins
Frick surrounded the factory w/ barbed wire (called Fort Frick) + hired 300 armed Pinkertons detective to crush the triers (clash w/ guns + dynamite)
Strikebreakers(“Scabs”)were brought in+were attacked by strikers(10 dead/60 wounded)
Benjamin Harrison supports big business sent 7k militia men to protect strike breakers
Labor was defeated after 4 months (strike/union broken = no $ to live)
Idaho Coeur d'Alene district
Silver miners got fed troops called in on them
The Election of 1892
(Democrat) Grover Cleveland vs (Republican) Benjamin Harrison vs (Populist) James Weaver
Cleveland won both popular + electoral vote (unpopularity of McKinley Tariff Act)
Cleveland was first and only president to return to office after leaving
Populists were one of few third parties to win electoral votes + votes came from only 6 midwest and west states
James Weaver won more than 1 mil votes and 22 electoral votes
Why did populists lose?
Populist ticket didn’t appeal to northern industrial workers and lost bad in south
Southern racism/segregation/voting restrictions hurt the Populists (lower numbers)
Coalition of farmers + urban workers never materialized
Urban workers didn’t like free silver argument or anti immigrant stance
Union of black and white farmers never materialized
Southern conservatives feared union would undermine white supremacy
Cleveland and Depression
Cleveland in office again (1893)
Same pres but not same country HORRIBLE TIME TO BECOME PRES
Debtors in arms + Workers restless
Devastating depression of 1893 burst:
Lasted for four years + Most punishing economic downturn of 19th century
Panic of 1893
Causes:
Spring + summer of 1893 = Stock market crashed
OVER SPECULATION and overbuilding caused dozens of RRs to go into bankruptcy
Labor unrest
Agricultural depression
Reduction fo US credit abroad b/c silver purchase act
Problems w/ oversea banks
Depression continued for 4 years
Farm foreclosures reached new highs and unemployment reached 2-%
Cleveland responded by championing gold standard+adopting a hands off policy toward economy
LAISSEZ FAIRE
MOST ECONOMICALLY PUNISHING PANIC of 19th Century
Cleveland and Depression (cont.)
Billion Dollar congress turned gov surplus into deficit
People now rushed to turn in silver notes(price dropped) for gold (redemption)
Owners of paper currency would present it for gold by law notes had to be reissued
Drained gold in endless chain operation
Gold reserve in treasury dropped below 100 mil
Cleveland developed malignant growth in his mouth
Us treasury gold supply dwindled
In Congress debate over repeal of silver act ran its heated course:
William Jenings Bryan championed free silver
Friends of silver announced “hell would freeze over” before Congress would pass repeal
Cleveland broke filibuster
Alienated Democratic silverites like Bryan
Disrupted his apart at start of his term
Although a Democrat, Cleveland championed Gold Stander = SPLIT PARTY
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
Dem. Congressman (NE) - Championed Free Silver (3 - hour speech)
Cleveland “won” debate (sherman Silver purchase act repealed)
Repeal of Sherman Silver Purchase Act
Only partially stopped drain of gold from Treasury
On Feb 1894, gold reserve sank to 41 mil
US in danger of going off gold standard
Cleveland floated two treasury bond issues in 1894 totaling over 100 mil
“Endless chain operations continued
Early 1895 Cleveland turned in desperation to JP Morgan, “bankers banker” and head of wall street syndicate
Currency volatility/unreliability threatened US international trade (bankruptcy?)
After tense negotiation the bankers agreed to lend gov 65 mil in gold
Did make significant concession when bankers agreed to obtain one half of gold abroad
Irony- business had to bail out govt usually opposite is true
3/7
Forgettable Presidents, Strike(OUTS), + the Election of 1896
Cleveland Breeds a Backpack
Gold deal stirred up nation:
Symbolized all that was wicked in politics
Clevelands secretive dealings w/ morgan savagely condemned as“sellout” of national gov
Cleveland certain he had done no wrong
Cleveland suffered further embarrassment w/ Wilson Gorman tariff in 1894
Wilson-Gorman tariff:
Democrats pledged to lower tariff
But bill that made it through Congress loaded w/ special interest protection
Outraged, Cleveland allowed bill to become law w/o his signature:
Contained 2% tax on incomes over 4k
When sup crt struck down income tax prov in 1894, populist and disaffected saw proof courts were tools of plutocrats
Dems made it appear they were lowering the tariff (bill didn’t lower rates much)
Cleveland Breeds a Backpack cont.
High tariff rates levied on foreign sugar (protected US sugar interests)
Grover Cleveland
Cleveland repeals Sherman Silver Purchase Act
Borrows money from JP Morgan to save economy
Big business now rules Washington DC
Wilson-Gorman Tariff
Reduction in tariff rate
2% income tax on wealthy
Supreme court declared unconstitutional
Populist victories in 1894
Mid term election andPopulist vote increased by 40%
Democratic losses in west were catastrophic + republicans won control of the house
Cleveland failed to deal w/ economic panic
Era of forgettable presidents: Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, and Harrison (weaker than congress, machines, and big business)
COXEYS ARMY
A group of unemployed marched to DC in depression year 1894
Populists argued that farmers + workers were victims of oppressive economic + political system
Protested against gov- business alliance- march was led by JACOB S COXEY(general)
Wanted national road building program (jobs) + 500 mil issued by treasury (inflation)
Coxey + lieutenant arrested for walking on capitol grass ANOTHER FAILED ATTEMPT at reform
THE PULLMAN STRIKE
Panic of 1893 started to take its toll so Pullman palace car co (RR) cut workers pay 25%
Company didn’t lower rent for workers (company town) so workers made nothing after paying rent
Workers went on strike and pullman refused to discuss workers grievances
May 10, 1894 workers walk out
AMERICAN RAILWAY UNION - 1893
Founded by railway workers run by EUGENE DEBS in Chicago, Illinois
Workers refused to handle Pullman cars (boycott)
EUGENE DEBS ARU leader decides to support Pullman strikers
Across nation railway workers refused to run trains that had pullman cars and RR traffic from Chicago to pacific stopped
RR managers attached US MAIL CARS to pullman cars- violation of fed law if mail stopped
Grov cleveland sends in troops > sets off riots were rioters burn buildings
Fed Court issued an INJUNCTION (formal court order) directing union to halt boycott
SIGNIFICANCE:
first time fed govt used an injunction to break strike
The govt made striking a crime, strikers would thus be held in contempt of court + be presented w/o jury trial
ATTORNEY GEN RICHARD OLNEY
Urged the dispatch of federal troops
His legal grounds were that strikers were interfering w/ transit of US mail
Pres cleveland supported Olney
To delight of conservatives, fed troops, bayonets fixed, crushed pullman strike
Debs was sentenced to 6 months for contempt of court bc he defied fed court injunction
RESULTS: Strike was crushed and ARU destroyed + Debs sentenced to jail and read radical lit which influenced his later leadership of the socialist movement in US
Election of 1896
The Debate
Free Silver = more money + pay off debts (inflation)
Gold standard = money back by gold+made it more valuable+less money in circulation (deflation)
Leading Republican candidate was William Mckinley
Sponsor of ill starred tariff bill of 1890
Established civil war record + was from Ohio + congress
As a presidential candidate Mcckinley was friend of fellow Ohian MARCUS ALONZA HANNA
Coveted role of president maker
Wholehearted hamiltonian, believed that a prime func of gov was to aid business
Became personification of big industry and believed property trickled down to laborer
Republican convention
Organized preconvention campaign for mckinley w/ consummate skill and liberal outporting of his own money
McKinleyy was nominated on first ballot in St louis 1896
Declared for gold standard
Condemned hard time + democratic incapacity
Poured praise on protective tariff
Democratic camp in dissension:
Cleveland no longer led his party:
Depression had driven the last nail into political coffin
The “stuffed prophet” was most unpopular man in country
Democratic convention met in Chicago
They had the enthusiasm and numbers but lacked a leader
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN was nominated from Nebraska at 36 years old known as the “the boy Orator of the Platte”
“CROSS OF GOLD SPEECH
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN GAVE THIS SPEECH
Wanted the unlimited coinage of silver at the 16 OZ silver: 1 OZ Gold Ratio
Radiated honesty sincerity and energy SPEECH WAS A SENSATION
DEMS + POPULISTS combined (same belief/ strength in #s) - This made Bryan think it’d be easy win
Bryan’s “Whistle-Stop Campaign” - 600 speeches in 14 weeks (36 in 1 day)
Traveled to 27 states - McKinley stayed home + ran “Front Porch Campaign” greeted voters
Campaign issues:
Mark Hanna assumed it’d be tariff
Bryan campaigned on behalf of free silverL
He created panic among eastern conservatives
“Gold Bugs” responded w/ their own free unlimited coinage of verbiage
Republicans:
McKinleyites amassed the most formidable political campaign chest thus far in American history
At all levels-national, state, local-it amounted to about 16 mil
In contrasted to 1 mil for democrats
Strat was to blame dems for panic of 1893
McKinley promised workers “full dinner pail” ease pain from panic - helped gain immigrant + urban votes
McKin campaign headquarters, Chi 1896- few AA who could vote remained faithful to “party of lincoln”
Election of 1896 cont.
Election returns:
Mckinley triumphed decisively
Driven by fear + excitement, unprecedented outpouring of voters
Mckinley ran strong in the East, carrying every county of NE and in upper Mississippi valley
Bryan’s states concentrated in the debt burdened South and the trans- Mississippi West
The free silver election of 1896 was perhaps MOST SIGNIFICANT political turning since Lincoln
Despite Bryans strength in S + W results demonstrated lack of appeal to farmer + laborer
Many wage earners in east voted for their jobs and full dinner pauls
Threatened by free silver, free trade, fireless factores
Living on a fixed wage, factory workers had no reason to favor inflation Bryanites program
Populism declined
Economy experienced rapid change
Era of small producers and farmers was fading away
Race divided the populist party, especially in the South
Populists were not able to break existing party loyalties
Most of their agenda was co-opted by Democratic party
Underprivileged many against privileged few
Outcome was win for big business, big city, middle class values, and financial conservatism
Last time to capture White house w/ agrarian vote as the majority
McKinley's election brought new character to American political system
Diminishing voter participation in elections
Party Organizations weakening
Issues like money+civil service reform fading to be replaced by industry regulation +labor welfare
4th Party system: end of high voter turnouts + close contests- rep rule(control pres for 16 years)
William McKinley's presidency (1897-1901)
Took inaugural oath in 1897
Cautious + conservative nature caused him to shy away from reform
Business given free rein + trusts developed w/o serious restraints
Tariff issue quickly forced itself to forefront
Wilson-Gorman Law was not raising enough revenue to cover annual treasury deficit
Republican trusts thought they had right to additional tariff protection
Big business wanted “Spoils/Kickbacks”
The DINGLEY TARIFF BILL was jammed through House under “CZAR” REED
Proposed rates were high but not enough to satisfy lobbyists who descended upon senate
Over 850 amendments were tacked onto overburdened bill
Resulting piece of patchwork finally est. the avg rate at 46.5% higher than Wilson Gorman
Dingley Tariff promoted “PROTECTIONISM (favored big business)
Prosperity began to return w/ rush in 1897, first year of McKinley's termL
Depression had run course, farm prices rose + industry resumed
Republican politicians took credit for attraction sunlight of prosperity
GOLD STANDARD ACT 1900 passed over last ditch silverite opposition
Confirmed nations commitment to gold + victory for forced of conservatism
Provided paper currency be redeemed in gold + New gold discov around world flooded market > moderate inflation
3/12
Empire and Expansion
US had practiced Isolationism since GW’s neutrality Proclamation + Farewell Address (No foreign Alliance/Entanglements)
Remember how valuable Atlantic + Pacific oceans were
During Gilded Age US were isolationists
Domestic concerns prevented US from being in foreign affairs
Sec of state were concerned w/ domestic affairs + American ambass were wealthy through patronage rather than expertise
Following CW Americans were indifferent to outside world and worried about reconstruction
Near end of 19th C, Americans began to change their tune (US was ready to compete for EMPIRE)
New Imperialism was colonial expansion adopted by European power during the 19th early 20th centuries.
Protectorate = stronger nation protects weaker nation from others
Sphere of influence = An area over where powerful nation claims vital interest actually claims dominance
Since frontier closed time to look outward
Thirst for New markets
Advances in tech. Allows US to produce more than it can consume - ned raw material to keep up w/ production and new markets to sell goods
Imperialists saw foreign trade as solution to overproduction
Oversea markets would serve as safety valve to labor violence + agrarian unrest
Three factors of Imperialism
Economic competition among industry nations,
Political Military competition
Racial superiority
YELLOW JOURNALISM - Presents a little or no legit new instead has eye catching headlines
Expansion + war could sell more papers
Circulation Wars - Joseph Pulitzer (NY world) vs William randolph Hearst (NY journal)
Social Darwinists believed nations compete against each other (survival of fittest) + resp to civilize lesser developed nations
White Mans Burden
Many developments fed imperialism
Farmers + factory owners look beyond America as production increased
Many believed America had to expand + country population going up
“Yellow Press” described foreign exploits as adventures
Missionaries looked overseas
IMPERIALISM - America Turns Outward
Promoted by “keep up” group
Alfred T Mahan
Theodore Roosevelet
John Hay
Henry Cabot Lodge
Felt the US should be actively competing w/ imperial powers (Darwinism = world should belong to the US)
Believed the US needed to join the competition to maintain economic + military strength (expansionism)
Henry Cabot Lodge
Republican senator who represented imperialist faction in US gov
Argued strongly for US intervention in Cuba + Philippines
Alfred T Mahan
Promoted “BIG NAVYISM”
Writes a book titled The Influence of Sea Power Upon History
Suggested that a nation needed large navy to protect merchant ships and defend
Believed controlling the sea was key to HEGEMONY
New Markets to sell goods to people = more jobs = more money
Latin America
Big Sister Policy - Pan Americanism
James G Blaine Sec of state
Attempt to rally LA nations behind US leadership to open LA markets to US traders
Diplomatic crisis marked path of American diplomacy in 1880s + early 1890s
German, Italians, Chiles + Canada(SealWar,Samoan Crisis,NO Lynchings, Chilean Crisis)
Venezuela, Hawaii, & Cuba
Monroe's Doctrine and Venezuelan Squall
Anti-British Feelings (1895-1896)
British Guiana+Venezuela disputing their border for many years but Gold discovered and Brits move on in
Pres Grover Cleveland sent note written by Richard Olney to britain informing them their actions trespassing the Monroe Doctrine - British replied 4 months later saying Monroe Doctrine didn’t exist
Olney wanted GB to submit to arbitration + said US ruled W Hem(GB refused + denied Monroe Doctrine)
Brits unimpressed by first real attempt to enforce the doctrine
Cleveland threatens war if Britain doesn’t accept rightful border
GB didn’t want war(Canada vulnerable; merchant marine to commerce raiders;threat from Russia,France, German)
A deal struck + result was Monroe Doctrine was strengthened, Latin American nations appreciated US effort of protection
Results
South americans please w/ US help, Monroe Doctrine upheld, Brits w/ problems in Europe adopt policy of “patting the eagle's head
GREAT RAPPROCHEMENT 1898
ANGLO AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP
Reconciliation between GB + US, shared interest GB worried abt Germany+Russia
American Imperialism and Hawaii - Spurning The Hawaiian Pear
In 1820s New England missionaries had come to Hawaii - descendents become economic leaders
Important trade cross-roads = stepping stone to Asia
American settlers and businessmen had established many plantation for SUGAR CANE
US warned foreign nations to stay out
1887 - King Kalakaua of Hawaii was forced to sign constitution limiting his power and Hawaiian peoples right to vote
The Bayonet Constitution(Jul 6,1887) = gave up his power and giving it to the “people”
In 1887 US gained right to establish naval port of PEARL HARBOR in return they get free US trade
McKinley Tariff
Stopped the free trade between Hawaii and the US
plantation owner faced stuff competition + losing business
Sugar planters wanted the US to ANNEX HAWAII (wouldn’t have to pay tariff dues)
The Hawaiian League
Made of 13 American + Hawaiian citizens main goal was to Annex Hawaii
Queen Liliuokalani
Leader/1st queen of Hawaii in 1891
Strong leader + feared that sugar planters were gaining to much power
Insisted native Hawaiins should control the islands (Hawaii for Hawaiins)
Cleveland was anti imperialist and abruptly withdrew the treaty
In 1893 a group of planters supported by US Marines forced the queen to give up her power and she abdicated, Hawaii became an American territory until 1959
Sanford B Dole president of the new republic of Hawaii
Cleveland conducted investigation>found overthrow was illegal but crit for stopping manifest destiny
Hawaii ANNEXED BY MCKINLEY (1898)
Organic Act : Limits the power of Hawaiins and led by the US congress
3/13
Spanish American War
Spanish American War “Newspaper War”
Yellow Journalism-over the top news led by Joseph Pulitxer (The World) and William Hearts (NY Journal)
They print exaggerated stories of Spanish attacks on humans
Propaganda pictures
FREDRIC REMINGTON was employed by Hearst to draw fake sketches of Spanish cruelty
“YOU FURNISH THE PICTURES AND ILL FURNISH THE WAR” - Hearst
McKinley at first did not want to get involved in Cuba + hurt economy/live- offered to negotiate w/ US
New Spanish government attempted to change
Removed Weyler
gave cubans some self gov if they remained part of their empire
Spaniards in Cuba - No Cuban rule - cubans want independence >riots
The De Lome Letter
De Lome a spanish ambassador sends private letter to friend in Cuba > illegally intercepted by Hearst from post office
McKinley is “a low politician” and weak and bidder for admiration - basically hated on Mck
Americans are outraged by them hating on president
USS Maine: Navy's first armored battleships and vessel w/ electrical lighting
Tragedy struck Feb 15, 1898 when Maine blew up in Havana harbor
Americans argued that the blast had been caused by a submarine mine (Yellow Press!)
REMEMBER THE MAINE TO HELL WITH SPAIN!
Main Causes
The desire for Spanish Naval bases in pacific
Yellow Journalism
Anger caused by concentration camps of Cubans
De Lome letter
Explosion of the Maine
McKinley in a jam
Did not want war and neither did spain
“Wobbly Willie” recognized inevitable and eventually gave people waht they wanted
War message sent to Congress (free oppressed Cubans)
War would help McKinley during his reelection campaign in 1900
Causes of the Spanish American War
Spain: Colonial Rulers of Cuba - Spain's last 2 colonies in W hemisphere (Cuba + Puerto Rico)
Cubas close proximity to US made it very intriguing to expansionists
US HAD 50 MIL IN CUBAN INVESTMENTS + 100 MIL IN TRADE!
Cuba was famous for its sugar cane plantations
Wilson Gorman Tariff (contributed to Cuban Depression) - put high tariff on cuban sugar
Cubans adopted a scorched earth policy
The INSURRECTOS torched canefields and sugar mills + dynamited passenger trains
Destructive tactic menaced American interests on island
The US sympathized/sided w/ the Cuban people (vs. Spain)
JOSE MARTI !
“Father of Cuban Independence” - Died in Battle (1895)
GENERAL VALERIANO WEYLRE WAS SENT INTO CUBA (the butcher)
RECONCENTRACION - throws people into unsanitary reconcentration camps
Yellow press refers to him as the butcher - ill, malnourished, and beaten
US citizens were outraged at the atrocities + demanded action
Jingoism over the top patriotism
Congress passed resolution that called PRes cleve (anti imperial) to recognize cuban rebels but wouldn’t mobilize troops even if congress declared war
William McKinley Inaugurated (March 4, 1897)
Cubans Rise in Revolt
THE TELLER AMENDMENT AP!!
Proclaimed once we free Cuba from spanish rule it would grant their freedom
Wanted to prove that the US was NOT imperialistic
Spanish American War cont.
The US was NOT PREPARED for tropical war(old gens., small army/navy, Spain has Euro power)
The war started in THE PHILIPPINES
Before war was declared, Theo Roosevelt ordered an attack of the Phils. In event of a declaration
Battle of Manila BAy
War began on May 1, 1898
George Dewey sinks entire Spanish fleet (steel vs wood)
US troops seized island of Guam while crossing the Pacific
Emilio Aguinaldo Leader of Filipino Indep Movement- US captured Manila after armistice
Spanish American happened during Annex of Hawaii
Admiral Pascual Cervera Spanish navy and American Attack Force William Shafter
Spanish ships under Cervera ordered to Cuba - felt it was “suicidal”
Cervera was blocked in
Rough Riders were a volunteer cavalry unit led by Colonel Leonard Wood
Teddy roosevelt famous guy assisting attacks
The Charge of San Juan Hill is regarded as most famous battle
ROOSEVELT BECAME A NATIONAL HERO
Cervera ordered to fight for honor, + his fleet was destroyed on Jul 3, 18998 (500 Sp. dead1/US)
Naval Battle of Santiago
Gen Nelson Miles and easily took control Puerto Rico
War is now over Spain on Aug 12, 1898
Good thing war ended because disease was rampant - more died from disease than in battle
Treaty of Paris = 3rd time
1898 Spanish and American negotiators met in Paris
Cuba was freed from Spanish overlords
Americans secured remote pacific island of Guam
Spain ceded Puerto Rico to US as payment for war costs
Knottiest of all was problem of the Philippines
US does ending up getting the Philippines but promised to give Spain 20 mil for it
US BECAME IMPERIAL POWER and had more ambitions
End of spanish empire
3/14
We’re not Imperialists… Are we?
Imperialists vs. Anti Imperialists - Americas course of empire
Debates over annexation of the Philippines (jingoism vs continentalism)
What to do w/ Philippines continue to be largest issues between imperialists + anti imperialists
The American Anti-Imperialist League- Founded in 1899
Minority of the American People
Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, William James, William Jennings Bryan among the leaders
Spoke out against treaty of Paris and McKinley administration
Anti-imperialists raised many objections
Imperialism defies Declaration and constitution
Despotism abroad could lead to despotism at home
Annexation would lead the US into the political + milt cauldron of east asia
Both played up possible trade possibilities
Both argued philippines had abundance of natural resources
Both argued that the US would help uplift (and exploit) world's poor “white man's burden”
McKinley agonized over whether to buy
Arguments for buying
Did not want spain or other power to reassert control
Having freed Cuba would be morally cowardly
Many Americans wanted to protestanize the catholic
Feb 6 .1899 - Treaty looked doomed in Senate BUT WJB PROMOTED IT (would officially end the war + give Filipinos independence sooner)
Outcomes of the Spanish American War
JOHN HAY “SPLENDID LITTLE WAR”
Captain. Mahan's “Big-Navyism” Proved True
Low in casualties + theatrically successful
Other Imperial powers have respect for the US
Nationalism was rampant
One of the most beneficial results was further closing gap between N + S “bloody chasm”
USA annexed PUERTO RICO, GUAM, and the PHILIPPINES
Governing Puerto Rico
LUIS MUNOZ RIVER advocated for Puerto Rican independence
THE FORAKER ACT: US gave PR Limited self govt
Allowed US to appoint PR’s governor and upper house of legislation only lower elected by PR
US helped w/ education, sanitation, transportation, etc but they still wanted independence
Jones Act of 1917 :Made Puerto Ricans American citizens
Gave them the right to elect members of both houses of their legislature
Many PRS lived in New York
INSULAR CASES
Does the US constitution apply to these outside territories>
Supreme court decides they did not get constitutional rights- let congress do whatever they want
US withdrew honoring Teller amendment, but Cuba was chaotic (milt govt under Gen Wood) excellent in govt, finance, education, health, and agriculture
In 1902 US withdrew from CUBA
PLATT AMENDMENT
US hoped to stabilize the island (protect trade/investments)
They were forced to agree not to conduct treaties that might compromise their independence
Not to take on debt beyond their resources
Further that the US might intervene w/ troops to restore order when it saw fit
Guantanamo bay we can send Marines there
FDR replace amendment with his “Good Neighbor Policy” (1934)
Cuba became a US protectorate (protects but can also intervene)
The Philippine American War (Philippine Insurrection) - 1899-1902
Disappointed Filipinos assumed they would be granted freedom after war
Aguinaldo now fought AGAINST the US
US sent troops to philippines
Guerrilla War Phase used by Phillipinos
US REVENGE - violent killing, torture, waterboarding, etc
In 1901 Aguinaldo is captured by US forces
Swears an oath of loyalty to the US
Asked his followers to surrender
Scattered fighting will continue for another 10 years
This was a “race war” 4,234 Americans and 600k Fillipinos
Taking over Philippines
The First Philippine Commission
Headed by William H Taft wanted to assimilate the Fillipinos
Called the Filipinos his “little brown brothers
He censored the press, Established a healthy care system, He staffed schools, Built roads and bridges, He extended limited self rule
Called this “Benevolent assimilation”
The Philippine Government Act same as Foraker Act
US chooses governor and upper house they choose lower house
Jones Law - approved Aug 1916
July 4th 1946 they were finally granted their freedom
US anxiously waited to open up the vast CHINA Asian Market
Hinging Open Door in China
Sino- Japanese War (1894-1895
Japan V China Over Korea (“buffer zone”)
Japan starts taking control over China defeated them easily
SPHERES OF INFLUENCE : Area where country controls economic development
These spheres of influence like GB, France, BElgium, Germ, and Japan in the way
US DOESN'T WANT TO TRADE W/ Them
JOHN HAY : OPEN DOOR NOTE (1899)
Keep the CHINA MARKET OPEN (Only Russia declined)
He took the no response as a yes from other countries
Open Door Policy :
3/17
Boxing, a Rematch, & a Big Stick
The Boxer Rebellion - 1899
A secret organization was formed known as Society of righteous and Harmonious fists or “BOXERS”
“Death to the foreign devils”
Aimed to stop foreign control - anti imperial, foreign and christian uprising
Very violent >200 Christian missionaries killed (Torture/Beheadings)
Started storming foreign embassies
Coalition of European/other Nations Created a Large International Force
US contributed 2500-3500 troops (breaking washington's neutrality)
Boxers lost to foreign troops and rebellion was CRUSHED
Results of Rebellion
Chinese had to pay 333 million - America remitted 18 million
Secretary Hay released another set of paper in 1900 - second open door notes
Focus on maintain China's territorial integrity(respect sovereignty)
Safeguard “equal and impartial” trade w/ all parts of Chinese empire
Great powers did more than hay to offset each other (competition/capitalism)
Presidential Election of 1900 - Imperialism or Bryanism in 1900
William Mckinley vs William Jennings Bryan
Vice President Garret Hobart had died
Theodore Roosevelt - Former governor of NY and hero of Spanish American war
McKinley renominated by Republicans because
Had won a war and acquired rich though Burdensome real estate
Had safeguarded gold standard and promised “dinner pails” (prosperity
Theodore Roosevelt - Former governor of NY and hero of Spanish American war
While Mckinley campaigned from front porch, TR campaigned energetically
Willian Jennings Bryan renominated by Democrats
Campaigned for free silver, anti imperialism + anti trusts
Results: McKinley win by larger margin and “Free Silver” crushed Bryans chances
Political Machines in NYC were happy to see TR go
Assassination of William McKinley -
Sept. 6th 1901 McKinley shot by Leon Czolgosz shot him at the Pan-American Exposition- Buffalo, NY
Leon Czolgosz was an anarchist
Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909
Very well rounded + knowledgeable about a variety of topics- went to harvard- good at everything
Youngest president in American history
Tennis Cabinet (Yes men) like AJS Kitchen cabinet
Was highly popular, extremely self confident (egoist), hero of the common man + reformer
He set the agenda (president leads/self righteous): Courts too slow, no real respect for checks+balances, ignored the constitution coerced + compromise with Congress (appealed to the American people)
BIG STICK OR GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY
Preached the virile virtues and denounced pacifistic “flubdubs” and “mollycoddles”
Was an ardent champion of military and naval preparedness “speak soft carry big stick”
Building the Panama Canal
Roosevelt soon applied bullish energy to foreign affairs
He proposes a canal through central america was important
The terms of the Clayton Bulwer Treaty, concluded w/ Britain in 1850
Britain was willing to consent to the HAY PAUNCEFOTE TREATY
Gave the US exclusive control of any canal through central america
MUST BE OPEN TO ALL NATIONS
Options were Nicaragua or Panama but Panama was the final choice
COLOMBIA controlled Panama- US negotiates with them but they reject deal
TR encouraged Panama revolt against Colombia (US helped them) - sent warship USS nashville to Panama
Colombian troops gathered to crush uprising - US paid French Co to construct the canal
1903- Hay Bunau Varilla TReaty
Agreement between Hay, and Philippe Bunau- Varilla
US was to receive rights to canal zones and was to receive payment of 10 mil
Was supposed to cost 40 mill but ended up 400 mil and over 5600 lost their lives due to disease
Jim crow segregation of workers during construction
US fortified canal zone by establishing military bases in the Caribbean (cost 25 mil)
SECRETARY STATE JOHN HAY was important during this time
TRs Perversion of Monroe's Doctrine
THE ROOSEVELT COROLLARY IS ADDED TO THE MONROE DOCTRINE AP TEST!!
The United states would intervene in Latin American affairs when necessary to maintain economic and political stability in the Western Hemisphere- POLICE THE W HEMISPHERE!
Marks our sphere of influence as the western hemisphere and believes US is dominant power
TRS rewriting of monroe did more to promote “good neighbor” policy
Used to justify wholesale interventions - repeated landings of the marines
To Latin America seemed like a cloak behind which he hides
Russo- Japanese War 1904-1905
Fought over Manchuria and Korea
JAPAN WAS WINNING but were also running short of MEN + Money
TR was asked to mediate between Japan/Russia
At Portsmouth, NH they negotiate THE TREATY OF PORTSMOUTH
Japan got some key lands but no $ (angry)
TR Was the first president to earn Nobel Peace Prize
Japanese Laborers in California
Japanese were only 3% of Calis population ranted about a new “yellow peril” and being drowned in Asia
In 1906 a big earthquake hits San Francisco and destroys white school and keeps asian school, therefore they kick out asians and white students take their place
Japan was offended - agreement worked out GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT
Japanese had to stop immigration to the US
US would allow Japanese to go to school with white students(integrate)
THE GREAT WHITE FLEET - Steel brand new battleships
Sails these battleships around the world to show strength of US fleet
TR sails them right into Tokyo Bay
RESULT: ROOT TAKAHIRA AGREEMENT
US respects all Japanese possessions in Pacific and they respect US possessions
US BECOMES IMPERIAL POWER BY THIS TIME!!!!!!!!!- but so does everyone else.
Gilded Age
South - Reconstruction
North - Economic political social
West - Natives/mining/Ranching/Farming
End of Century Politics
Foreign Policy (Imperialism)
Ch. 25 - The Conquest of the West (1865-196)
The “Wild” West
Settlers ravished the land + transformed it quickly (“New West”)...unlike the S
Reasons: Land, Railroads, Natural resources, farming, and ranching, god, gold
Just where is the “West”- between mississippi river and rocky mountains
“The great American Desert” (The great plains)
Plains region, midwest
The societies of the Far West
Many people: English speaking migrants to the West did not find empty but w/ many ppl
American Indians
Mexicans
Very diverse
Many new states + territories - Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Came at the expensive of Native Americans
Crushing the Native Americans
Hundreds of tribes stretched from Mississippi to the Pacific Coast
Before the Civil War, the West was “one big reservation
The Indian Intercourse Act (1834) forbade whites from entering “Indian country” w/o a license
Rapid Western expansion in the 1502 brought a new Indian “concentration policy” w/ distinct boundaries
Treaty of Fort Laramie - 1851
The Native American groups agreed to live in certain territories. In return the US gov promised that these territories would always belong to the Native Americans
Indians guaranteed safe passage for settlers on the Oregon Trail
Broken treaties/promises
Est.2 Great “Colonies” (open land for RRs, Mining, Farming, Ranching)
After civil War, numbers decline as whites expand west
Disease
Intertribal conflict
Destruction of buffalo-further fighting over hunting grounds
Most tribes W of MS River (stood in the way of Manifest Destiny)
Plains Indians
Various tribes divided into bands
Some sedentary, most nomadic hunters
Movement often based on migration of buffalo
Finest light cavalry in the world
Horse (spanish), Guns (British)
Nomadic
War like
Buffalo hunting
Tribes had previously warred vs. each other (New Common Enemy - US govt/troops)
The Clash of cultures on the plain
For centuries the Great plains were home to many groups of Natives many were nomads who roamed vast distances
As settlers moved into the Great Plains the US govt sent agents to negotiate treaties w/ the Plains Indians to try to avoid conflict
Each tribe spoke different languages so they spoke w/ sign language
White soldiers and settlers on the plains
They spread cholera, typhoid, and smallpox among the native peoples of the plains
Ultimately undermined the foundations of Native culture
Indian PEace Commision
Removed all Indian tribes onto reservations away from US west expansion
Tried to est peace, but ended Native nomadic culture (“civilize+assimilate on RESERVATIONS)
Concentration Policy
Desire of whites to get Indian land
Each tribe assigned a reservation
Weakness
Never able to unite against white aggression- groups too independent
Conflict between tribes distract from fighting whites one group help whites against other group
The “Race” for Survival
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Arguably the MOST CORRUPT govt agency in US history (and that's saying a lot)
Some sold supplies for personal gain (black market)
Many treaties were corrupt - written in way to deceive Indians - violently forced them into signing
Many agreements between Natives/fed gov fell apart b/c they had dif concepts of land ownership
Well meaning officials didn’t understand tribal ways
BIA chief LUKE LEA supported the reservation system. Believed that Indians should “be placed in positions where they can be controlled”
The Indians surrendered their ancestral lands:
Only when they had received solemn promises from Washington
They would be left alone
Provided food clothing etc
Regretfully the fed indian agents were often corrupt
Call in the Cavalry
Buffalo Soldiers
Segregated African American Troops (White commanders)
A name given to members of black regiments by Native Americans
Plains Indian Wars
Plains Indians: Posed a serious threat to western settlers because, unlike the Eastern Indians from early colonial days, the Plains Indians possessed rifles and horses
Colt 45 revolver and Winchester repeating rifle gave the west an advantage
The Dakota Sioux Uprising
In Minnesota in exchange for annuities
The government paid the annuity late
Sioux lived in poverty+Faced possible starvation(slaughtered 100s of settlers)
Chief Little Crow asked traders to provide his people food on credit
Little crow reluctantly agreed to lead an uprising - 1st Major Uprising (MN-1862)
Gen Henry Sibley, John Pop, and Alexander Ramsey - to stop uprising
Sioux were eventually captured and sentenced 300 to death - hang 38- survivors fled
Largest mass execution in US history
Plains Indian Wars cont.
SAND CREEK MASSACRE CO-1864
The trails to CO gold fields ran straight thru KS and the lands belonging to the cheyenne and Arapaho living here
They hunted along the ARkansas River, that stretched from central KS into CO
Some tribal leaders wanted peace
Natives raided wagons, burned homes, etc
Evans ordered Natives to surrender at Ft Lyon(some did/others didn't)
Black Kettle
“Peace chief” and Cheyenne camp at Sand Creek to negotiate
Instead of negotiating peace w/ Cheyenne, the US army attacked them in what has become known as the Sand Creek Massacre
Col John Chivington attacked w/ 700 CO Volunteers
Torture, R-pe, Scalping, etc. - DEADLY AND DISGUSTING
Aftermath of Sand Creek
Many Indains took this as proof that US gov couldn’t be trusted
Red Cloud's War
Red Cloud's War
LEd by Red Cloud CRAZY HORSE AND SITTING BULL
Built through Native land (settlers went to MT in search of GOLD)
FETTERMAN MASSACRE
Crazy horse lured the troops into deadly trap- tricked the forts commander into sending Captain William Fetterman and soldiers in
10 Natives lured Fetterman's men into AN AMBUSH
Fetterman and his men were all KILLED
One soldier had 105 arrows shot into his face (send message)
Events leading up to the Battle of Little Bighorn
Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull refused to accept the peace of 1868
Gold was discovered in the Black Hills in 1874
The Sioux refused to sell their land in the Black Hills
THE BATTLE OF LITTLE BIGHORN - Montana 1876 AP TEST!
George Armstrong Custer - Seventh Cavalry Regiment in 1866
Sitting Bull - Spiritual Leader of the Sioux Resistance Movement
Sitting Bull performed the Sun Dance + was too weak to fight
Crazy Horse - Led the Attack
W/out ordres, Custer recklessly attacked the Sioux - He was outnumbered = arrogance/racism
Custer Last Stand - another name for this battle b/c Custer and his entire army were killed
Significance/Aftermath
GREATEST NATIVE VICTORY/LAST MAJOR VICTORY ON GREAT PLAINS
US government was determined to fight back
The press portrayed Custer as a MARTYR + said he was a victim brutally massacred by savages
US army increased efforts to eliminate or move natives on reservations
Crazy horse was killed
2/3
A Century of Dishonor
Receding Native Population
Nez Perce
Live in the Pacific Northwest near Oregon, Washington, and Idaho
Chief Joseph - Leader of the Nez Perce Tribe
US Army tried to put Nez Perce on a reservation in ID - they fled
Hoped to link up w/ sitting Bull in Canada (Combine Forces)
Gen Oliver O Howard - former head of the Freedmen's Bureau pursued the Nez Perce
Fought 4 major battle during their “escape”
Chief Joseph - “I will fight no more forever!” - surrendered 40 mi away from Canada
Survivors promised land in ID, however US gov sent them to reservation in KS (40% died from disease)
Fierce Apache
Tribes of Arizona and New Mexico were the most difficult to subdue
Led by Geronimo they were pursued into Mexico by fed troops
Geronimo was pursued by Gen Nelson Miles
The MOST VIOLENT of the Indian Wars
Geronimo is captured and surrenders in 1886
This was the LAST of the “Indian Removals”
Why did the US win?
The fed govs willingness to back its land claims w/ military force
The Railroads as they could bring out unlimited numbers of troops farmers cattlemen's sheepherders, and settlers
They were ravaged by the white people's disease, to which they showed little resistance
The virtual extermination of the buffalo doomed the Plains Indians nomadic way of life
Bellowing Herds of Bison
Buffalo
Tens of millions described as “hunchback cows” blackened the wester prairies, when white Americans first arrived
These shaggy lumbering animals were the staff of life for Native Americans
Their flesh provided food
Their hides provided clothes, lariats, and harnesses
When the Civil War ended there were 15 mil of these meaty beasts still grazing on the western plains
15 mil buffalo to less than 1000 by 1885
RRs Hired Professional Sharpshooters
William Cody : Hired by the KS-Pacific RR (killed >4000 bison in 18 months)
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show
The whole story is a shocking example of greed and waste that accompanied the conquest of the continent
The End of the Trail
By the 1880s the national conscience began to stir uneasily over the plight of the IndiansL
HELEN HUNT JACKSON
Activist for native American rights
Pricked the moral sense of Americans in 1881 in A Century of Dishonor and Ramona
Tried to expose the shameful way the US GOV mistreated indians
People like Jackson were still in the vast minority of Americans
Debate seesaw red
Humanitarians : wanted to treat Indians kindly + persuade them to “walk the white man's road”
Hard-liners: insisted on the current policy of forced containment and brutal punishment
Neither side showed much respect for Native American culture
Christian Reformers : Often Administered educational facilities on reservations
Some missionaries actually withheld food until natives converted/assimilated
Ghost Dance Movement
The Sioux believed that this dance would bring back the buffalo, return the Native tribes to their land and banish the white man from the earth
WOVOKA : Had a vision calling for a religious movement
US viewed this as a religious cult that rejected the white man's ways
Federal authorities banned the ceremony (feared violence)
Wovoka spread idea that white man's bullets would repel off “Ghost Shirts”
US govt feared Sitting Bull would join/legitimize the movement
Sitting Bull + 13 followers were killed on Standing rock reservation (Dec 15 , 1890)
The Wounded Knee Massacre Dec 29 - 1890
350 ghost dancers + Bigfoot fled the reservation (US Army followed)
A deaf indian named Black Coyote could not hear the order to give up his rifle
The US cavalry opened fire
More than 200 unarmed Sioux including women and children were killed
Col James Forsyth was the 7th Cavalry leader was exonerated of his guilt in the aftermath
Also known as the “Indians Last Stand
THE END OF ALL INDIAN WARS AND LAST OF BATTLES ON GREAT PLAINS
DAWES SEVERALTY ACT (1887) !!! AAP TEST
The Misbegotten offspring of the movement to reform Indian policy
Reflect the forced civilization reformers view
Dissolved many tribes as legal entities
Wiped out tribal ownership of the land
Set up individual Indian family heads with 160 free acres
If the Indians behaved themselves like “good white settlers” they would get full title to their holding as well as citizenship in 25 years
An attempt to assimilate or absorb natives by providing them with an allotment of land
Also known as the General Allotment Act
Designed to Americanize : FORCED ASSIMILATION (Turn natives into farmers)
BIA LED THE PROCESS
Former reservation land not allotted to the Indians under Dawes Act
Was to be sold to railroads and white settlers
With the proceeds used by fed govs to educate and “civilize” the native peoples:
In 1879 the gov funded the Carlisle Indian school in Pennsylvania where Native children
Were separated from their tribes, taught English, inculcated w/ white customs and values
The Dawes Act
Struck directly at tribal organization
By 1900 Indians had lost 50% of the 156 mil acres they held
It ignored the inherent reliance of traditional indian culture on tribally held land
Tried to make rugged individualists
Most Natives hated farming/ranching
Privatization of reservation land
Results
Allotment was a dismal failure
Huge loss of NA land holdings
Created huge Indian bureaucracy
Furthered issues of poverty
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
Calvin Coolidge “Reward” for fighting/contributing during World War I
The Indian Reorganization Act (The New Deal) of 1934
Partially reversed the individualistic approach
And belatedly tried to restore the tribal basis of Indian life
Reversed the Dawes Act
Summary
Railroad, white man's disease, extermination of buffalo, wars, and loss of land ruined Natives
2/4
Mining and Ranching
Mining Industry
1st economic boom of West
Gold and Silver Strikes: Colorado, Nevada, Blackhills
Increased massively due to RRs + Conquest (Indian Wars)
California Gold Rush initiated the Mining industry
Railroads linked the nation and increased the size of markets - allowed farmers, ranchers, and other settlers access to eastern markets
Helped to move MINERALS from W to E
The Discovery - Colorado Gold Rush
The prospectors in CA were “fifty-niners” or “Pike's Peakers” rushed west to get gold/minerals
“PIKES PEAK OR BUST”
“Pikes Peaks Hoax” much of the gold was hidden beneath the surface
Placer miners did not find anything
CO eventually yielded over 1 bil in gold/silver
Mining led to the growth of BoomTowns
Leadville, 1879 - deposits of lead found in Colorado Mountains
Deposits had a lot of silver in them
SAN FRANCISCO and DENVER #2 became large cities in the W
NEVADA is known as the SILVER STATE
The Comstock Lode - Virginia City , NV
Biggest find of silver in US located
Henry Comstock mistakenly discovered pure silver while looking for gold
Smaller “Lucky Strikes” led to “Boomtowns” all over W
Mining Industry cont.
Boomtowns
Often rough places w/ saloons, prostitution, crime- The “Wild West”
Vigilance committees : Self appointed volunteers who would track down + punish criminals
Most towns went from “Boom to Bust”
Eventually became Ghost Towns when gold/silver is gone
Big Businesses and corporations joined the mining industry - brought in ore breaking machinery + employed miners
Drift mining, Tunnel Mining, and pocket mining
Hydraulic mining : miners spreayed high pressure water against the mountain side exposing minerals beneath the surface
Devastated the environment by depositing tons of silt, sand, and gravel into local rivesr
Quartz Mining: Mine Shafts still in use today
The Changing Roles of Women in the West
Were laundresses,cooks,prostitutes,property owners,even community leaders(Greater EQUALITY)
Suffrage - 1869 women got the right to vote in Wyoming
FREDRIC REMINGTON AP TEST
Leading ARTIST of the West
Ranching Industry
Texas - Longhorn
Traveled long distances on little water, lived on grasses, immune to TX fever
Great Plains allowed land where ranchers could graze their hers free of charge and unrestricted by priv prop
Vast area of free grazing land owned by the fed govt (communal = no priv property)
Texas was a bad market to sell
BEfore Civil war there was little incentive to round up longhorns
Rise of cities (immigration) increased the demand for cattle (prices soared)
>”Beef Barons” like the swifts and armours
Phillip Swift and Gustavo Armor
Highly industrialized meatpacking businesses sprang into existence as a main pillar of the economy
Goal was to move cattle to Kansas and Missouri etc.
THIS IS WHERE COWBOYS BECOME FAMOUS
COWBOYS
Confederate army veterans, blacks, and Mexicans
Black Cowboys usually treated equally (same pay)
Vaqueros - Mexican Cowboys that taught white settlers cattle ranching techniques in texas
Encountered racism + discrimination
The Round Up (Spring + Fall)
A spectacular feed of the new slaughterhouse “The Long Drive”
Many Trails began to emerge
RAILHEADS - TOWN ALONG A RR WHERE BROKERS BOUGHT CATTLE
Hardships Endured on the Open Range
Being trampled, drowning, weather, staying awake all night on guard duty, “ride” drag on long drive(dust from the herd) attacks from indians and cattle rustlers, stampede
Country music started on long drives to calm the animals
RAILHEADS are also known as CATTLE TOWNS
Branding was used to identify cattle ($)
Reformers tried to “civilize” the cowboys (very limited success = local economies need their $)
Ranching Industry cont.
Once paid many cowboys spent their money drinking, gambling, or with prostitutes in “Cow Towns” These were settlements to which ranchers would drive their cattle so that they could be herded onto trains
Cow Towns were mostly in Kansas
WILD BILL HICKOCK - Marshall James Hicock
Famous lawman that only killed in self-defense or in the line of duty
“Dead mans hand” (shot in the back while playing poker in Deadwood,SD)
The Range Wars - Ranchers+Cowboys vs Shepherd's/Farmers
As more farmers moved onto plains they wanted to defined + protect their fields
As sheep ranchers moved in they needed access to water and pastures
Farmers used barbed wire + sheep blocked the trails + ate the roots of the grasses
The End of the Open Range
JOSEPH GLIDDEN AP
Made it possible farmers to cheaply and efficiently fence in their land and livestock
BARBED WIRE - 1874
OVERSUPPLY (Prices dropped Rapidly = Bankruptcy)
Thousands of cattle froze or starved to death - b/c of winter of 1886
Corporations took control over the ranching industry
2/5
Farming
Farming on the frontier
Great plains also known as the “Great American Desert” - Stephen Long
HOMESTEAD ACT OF 1862 AP TEST!
Law stated that a 21 yr old person (male) could get 160 acres of land as a homestead
10-30$ registration fee
Person had to improve land by farming it or building on it and had to live on land 5 years
Some land sales were fraudulent (speculation)
Railroads were being made across the Plains
Railroads promote settlement: PR campaigns to come west - hired 100 agents in Europe
“Exoduster” Black Homesteaders
Most moved to Kansas (land of John Brown = more tolerant)
Only about ⅓ of settlers/homesteaders succeeded
Soddies : Prairies lacked wood and other traditional materials so they lived in sod houses
Lack of Water was a huge problem
Windmills proved crucial because it allowed farmers to harness the winds power to pump water
Extreme Weather - Winters: Terrible Blizzards, Summer: Extreme Heat + Drought, Tornado Alley
Plague of Insects - Huge swarm of Locusts (Size of CO)
INNOVATION! -
SODBUSTERS THE STEEL PLOW
John Deere patented a steel bladed plow in 1837
Dry farming seeds would be planted deeper in the ground (more moisture)
Sodbusting led to dust storms
MO River Dam
The Wheat Belt : Where was imported from Russia (resist cold/droughts)
By the 1880s, US became #1 exporter of wheat in the world
McCormick Reaper: Allowed wheat grains to be harvested much more efficiently
Agriculture grows due to Technology
Farming on the frontier cont.
The great West experienced a fantastic sure of migration
New western states joined the union
Colorado, 1876 “centennial state
OKLAHOMA LAND RUSH (1889)
“Sooners” (illegal settlers came in too soon)
“Boomers” or 89ers were legal settlers
2/6
The closing of the Frontier:1890
The frontier was now “Closed” according to the Census Bureau
FREDRICK JACKSON TURNER AP !!!!
“The Significance of the Frontier in American History” or the Frontier Thesis
Says that the frontier formed the American character
Americans are socially mobile adventurous, self motivated, and committed to democracy
The frontier was the chief influence in shaping a distinctively “American Culture/Way of Life”
Social Equality: (No “Classes” = survival); )
Growth of Political Democracy (No Machines, pop sov, voting rights)
Nationalism (Need Fed Govt assistance/protection)
Faith in Future (Posterity/Manifest Destiny)
Economic Indep (Dont Need Europe)
Safety Valve for Factory Workers (vs. Unemployment + Crowded Cities)
Invention (New Machinery/Farming Techniques)
Wasteful Agriculture (No Concern for Environment/Resources)
Problems with thesis
Saw settlers as whites only, No difference in experiences of women/men, didnt take into consideration other races
Ch. 26 - Rumbles of Discontent (1865-1900)
The Farm Becomes A Factory
New inventions in farming such as steam engine that could pull a plow, seeder, or harrow, the new twine binder and the combined reaper thresher sped up harvesting +lowered number of ppl needed to farm
Farming Changing
Now growing single “cash crops such as wheat or corn
Used profits to buy foodstuffs at the general store
And manufactured goods in town or by mail order
The Chicago firm of Aaron Montgomery War in 1872 sent out first catalog
Farmers were becoming consumers and producers
Sears Roebuck & Co. was also famous for its catalog
Large scale farmers were now both specialists and business people
Tied to banking railroading and manufacturing
Had to buy expensive machinery to plant + harvest their crops
Mechanization of agriculture
Drove many farmers off the land
Competition promoted specialization + modernization (Survival of the Fittest)
“Combines” took care of all phases of harvesting wheat (Reep + Bag Grain)
BONANZA FARMS
Huge wheat farms that often covered up to 59k acres (many owned by big businesses)
Forshadowed the gigantic agribusiness of the next century
The Farm Becomes A Factory cont.
Agriculture was big business in California
Phenomenally productive central valley
California's farms were three times larger than the national average
With the advent of the railroad refrigerator car in the 1880s
Cali fruit and vegetable crops, raised on sprawling tracts by ill paid migrant mexican and chinese farmhands, sold at a handsome profit in rich urban market
Haciendas : Huge CA estates that grew fruits and veggies(used MX/Chinese labor)
Deflation Dooms the Debtor
Relying on a single cash crop was risky
No protectionism for Farmers(High world competition)
Farmers financial situations
As long as prices stayed high all went well
The grain farmers were no longer masters of their own destinies
The price of their product was determined in a world market by world output
Low prices and a deflated currency were chief worries
Deflation hurt all of them - FARMERS STRUGGLED!
By 1880, ¼ of all farmers were renters
The forgotten farmers were caught on a treadmill
Ruinous rates of interest running from 8-40% were charged on mortgages
Their farm machinery increased their output of grain, lowered the price, but gave them debt
Unhappy Farmers
Problems
OVerproduction, Tariff policy, Monetary policy, Tax and bank policies, Differential Freight Rates, Tenant farming sharecropping, and Loss of status and power
Mother nature as well (bugs and weather)
Time for a “Revolution”?
The Farmers Strike Back + the Rise of the Populists
Farmers Fight Back
Farmers lashed out at banks, merchants, railroads, & the US monetary system
Farmers needed to politicize
The National Grange - 1867
The first national farm organization - basically a union for farmers
Oliver H Kelly was the founder
First objective was to enhance life of isolated farmers w/ social,educational,and fraternal activities
The granges picnics concerts and lectures were a god send to the isolated farmers
800,000 members joined mainly in midwest but some south
Grangers raised their goals
From individual self improvement to collective
Established cooperatively owned stores for consumers
Embittered Grangers went into politics
Chiefly in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa
Co-Ops: Organization where farmers pooled resources to buy + sell goods (increase price +lower cost risk)
Granger Laws + Cooperatives eventually FAILED (farmers left the Grange)
Farmers grievances found a vent in the Greenback Labor Party:
They combined the inflationary appeal w/ a program for improving the lot of labor
High water mark of the movement in 1878
Never really took off and fell apart
Farmers Fight BAck
Farmers alliance:
Founded in late 1870s in Texas
Believed industrialists + Bankers controlled both political parties
Exchanges:
A cooperative that is is giant
Southern Farmers Alliance= White Farmers + Colored Farmers Alliance=Black Farmers
Racism + Segregation hurt their unity/power
They too eventually failed
Prelude to Populism
Peoples Party (known as “populists”)
Leaders of the farmers organization realized they needed to build base of pol power
Attacked Wall St + the “Money Trust” (end the business/govt alliance)
Mary Elizabeth Lease - Referred to as the “Patrick Henry in Petticoats” very outspoken
Led Kansas revolt over high mortgage interest & railroad rates
Coalition-Alliance members,farmers,industrial workers,labour leader's,reforms(rural+urban/former dem/rep)
OMAHA PLATFORM OF 1892 AP TEST
Increase in money supply
Graduated income tax higher incomes taxed more heavily
Abolition of the National Bank
Direct election of Senators
Govt ownership of RRs, telephone, and telegraph companies
Govt-operated postal savings banks
Restriction of undesirable immigration
80 hour work day for gov employees
Federal loan program
Secret ballot
Demonetization of silver
Built their platform of 4 issues
Increased circulation of money
Unlimited minting of silver
Progressive income tax
Government ownership of communication + transportation systems
Delegates met in Omaha, NE to prepare a platform for 1892 election vs Laissez faire capitalism
Platform of Lunacy Cartoon people in an air balloon!
Nominated for James B Weaver president - hoped to form a coalition of farmers and wage laborers
Prelude to populism cont
Wave of Strikes 1892
HOMESTEAD STRIKE AP TEST!
Workers were angry over pay cuts + a plan to end their union
Amalgamated Association of Iron + Steel /workers Union
Fought against Carnegie Steel Company
Henry Clay Frick is now put in charge and wants to destroy the union
Workers are locked out and strike begins
Frick surrounded the factory w/ barbed wire (called Fort Frick) + hired 300 armed Pinkertons detective to crush the triers (clash w/ guns + dynamite)
Strikebreakers(“Scabs”)were brought in+were attacked by strikers(10 dead/60 wounded)
Benjamin Harrison supports big business sent 7k militia men to protect strike breakers
Labor was defeated after 4 months (strike/union broken = no $ to live)
Idaho Coeur d'Alene district
Silver miners got fed troops called in on them
The Election of 1892
(Democrat) Grover Cleveland vs (Republican) Benjamin Harrison vs (Populist) James Weaver
Cleveland won both popular + electoral vote (unpopularity of McKinley Tariff Act)
Cleveland was first and only president to return to office after leaving
Populists were one of few third parties to win electoral votes + votes came from only 6 midwest and west states
James Weaver won more than 1 mil votes and 22 electoral votes
Why did populists lose?
Populist ticket didn’t appeal to northern industrial workers and lost bad in south
Southern racism/segregation/voting restrictions hurt the Populists (lower numbers)
Coalition of farmers + urban workers never materialized
Urban workers didn’t like free silver argument or anti immigrant stance
Union of black and white farmers never materialized
Southern conservatives feared union would undermine white supremacy
Cleveland and Depression
Cleveland in office again (1893)
Same pres but not same country HORRIBLE TIME TO BECOME PRES
Debtors in arms + Workers restless
Devastating depression of 1893 burst:
Lasted for four years + Most punishing economic downturn of 19th century
Panic of 1893
Causes:
Spring + summer of 1893 = Stock market crashed
OVER SPECULATION and overbuilding caused dozens of RRs to go into bankruptcy
Labor unrest
Agricultural depression
Reduction fo US credit abroad b/c silver purchase act
Problems w/ oversea banks
Depression continued for 4 years
Farm foreclosures reached new highs and unemployment reached 2-%
Cleveland responded by championing gold standard+adopting a hands off policy toward economy
LAISSEZ FAIRE
MOST ECONOMICALLY PUNISHING PANIC of 19th Century
Cleveland and Depression (cont.)
Billion Dollar congress turned gov surplus into deficit
People now rushed to turn in silver notes(price dropped) for gold (redemption)
Owners of paper currency would present it for gold by law notes had to be reissued
Drained gold in endless chain operation
Gold reserve in treasury dropped below 100 mil
Cleveland developed malignant growth in his mouth
Us treasury gold supply dwindled
In Congress debate over repeal of silver act ran its heated course:
William Jenings Bryan championed free silver
Friends of silver announced “hell would freeze over” before Congress would pass repeal
Cleveland broke filibuster
Alienated Democratic silverites like Bryan
Disrupted his apart at start of his term
Although a Democrat, Cleveland championed Gold Stander = SPLIT PARTY
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
Dem. Congressman (NE) - Championed Free Silver (3 - hour speech)
Cleveland “won” debate (sherman Silver purchase act repealed)
Repeal of Sherman Silver Purchase Act
Only partially stopped drain of gold from Treasury
On Feb 1894, gold reserve sank to 41 mil
US in danger of going off gold standard
Cleveland floated two treasury bond issues in 1894 totaling over 100 mil
“Endless chain operations continued
Early 1895 Cleveland turned in desperation to JP Morgan, “bankers banker” and head of wall street syndicate
Currency volatility/unreliability threatened US international trade (bankruptcy?)
After tense negotiation the bankers agreed to lend gov 65 mil in gold
Did make significant concession when bankers agreed to obtain one half of gold abroad
Irony- business had to bail out govt usually opposite is true
3/7
Forgettable Presidents, Strike(OUTS), + the Election of 1896
Cleveland Breeds a Backpack
Gold deal stirred up nation:
Symbolized all that was wicked in politics
Clevelands secretive dealings w/ morgan savagely condemned as“sellout” of national gov
Cleveland certain he had done no wrong
Cleveland suffered further embarrassment w/ Wilson Gorman tariff in 1894
Wilson-Gorman tariff:
Democrats pledged to lower tariff
But bill that made it through Congress loaded w/ special interest protection
Outraged, Cleveland allowed bill to become law w/o his signature:
Contained 2% tax on incomes over 4k
When sup crt struck down income tax prov in 1894, populist and disaffected saw proof courts were tools of plutocrats
Dems made it appear they were lowering the tariff (bill didn’t lower rates much)
Cleveland Breeds a Backpack cont.
High tariff rates levied on foreign sugar (protected US sugar interests)
Grover Cleveland
Cleveland repeals Sherman Silver Purchase Act
Borrows money from JP Morgan to save economy
Big business now rules Washington DC
Wilson-Gorman Tariff
Reduction in tariff rate
2% income tax on wealthy
Supreme court declared unconstitutional
Populist victories in 1894
Mid term election andPopulist vote increased by 40%
Democratic losses in west were catastrophic + republicans won control of the house
Cleveland failed to deal w/ economic panic
Era of forgettable presidents: Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, and Harrison (weaker than congress, machines, and big business)
COXEYS ARMY
A group of unemployed marched to DC in depression year 1894
Populists argued that farmers + workers were victims of oppressive economic + political system
Protested against gov- business alliance- march was led by JACOB S COXEY(general)
Wanted national road building program (jobs) + 500 mil issued by treasury (inflation)
Coxey + lieutenant arrested for walking on capitol grass ANOTHER FAILED ATTEMPT at reform
THE PULLMAN STRIKE
Panic of 1893 started to take its toll so Pullman palace car co (RR) cut workers pay 25%
Company didn’t lower rent for workers (company town) so workers made nothing after paying rent
Workers went on strike and pullman refused to discuss workers grievances
May 10, 1894 workers walk out
AMERICAN RAILWAY UNION - 1893
Founded by railway workers run by EUGENE DEBS in Chicago, Illinois
Workers refused to handle Pullman cars (boycott)
EUGENE DEBS ARU leader decides to support Pullman strikers
Across nation railway workers refused to run trains that had pullman cars and RR traffic from Chicago to pacific stopped
RR managers attached US MAIL CARS to pullman cars- violation of fed law if mail stopped
Grov cleveland sends in troops > sets off riots were rioters burn buildings
Fed Court issued an INJUNCTION (formal court order) directing union to halt boycott
SIGNIFICANCE:
first time fed govt used an injunction to break strike
The govt made striking a crime, strikers would thus be held in contempt of court + be presented w/o jury trial
ATTORNEY GEN RICHARD OLNEY
Urged the dispatch of federal troops
His legal grounds were that strikers were interfering w/ transit of US mail
Pres cleveland supported Olney
To delight of conservatives, fed troops, bayonets fixed, crushed pullman strike
Debs was sentenced to 6 months for contempt of court bc he defied fed court injunction
RESULTS: Strike was crushed and ARU destroyed + Debs sentenced to jail and read radical lit which influenced his later leadership of the socialist movement in US
Election of 1896
The Debate
Free Silver = more money + pay off debts (inflation)
Gold standard = money back by gold+made it more valuable+less money in circulation (deflation)
Leading Republican candidate was William Mckinley
Sponsor of ill starred tariff bill of 1890
Established civil war record + was from Ohio + congress
As a presidential candidate Mcckinley was friend of fellow Ohian MARCUS ALONZA HANNA
Coveted role of president maker
Wholehearted hamiltonian, believed that a prime func of gov was to aid business
Became personification of big industry and believed property trickled down to laborer
Republican convention
Organized preconvention campaign for mckinley w/ consummate skill and liberal outporting of his own money
McKinleyy was nominated on first ballot in St louis 1896
Declared for gold standard
Condemned hard time + democratic incapacity
Poured praise on protective tariff
Democratic camp in dissension:
Cleveland no longer led his party:
Depression had driven the last nail into political coffin
The “stuffed prophet” was most unpopular man in country
Democratic convention met in Chicago
They had the enthusiasm and numbers but lacked a leader
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN was nominated from Nebraska at 36 years old known as the “the boy Orator of the Platte”
“CROSS OF GOLD SPEECH
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN GAVE THIS SPEECH
Wanted the unlimited coinage of silver at the 16 OZ silver: 1 OZ Gold Ratio
Radiated honesty sincerity and energy SPEECH WAS A SENSATION
DEMS + POPULISTS combined (same belief/ strength in #s) - This made Bryan think it’d be easy win
Bryan’s “Whistle-Stop Campaign” - 600 speeches in 14 weeks (36 in 1 day)
Traveled to 27 states - McKinley stayed home + ran “Front Porch Campaign” greeted voters
Campaign issues:
Mark Hanna assumed it’d be tariff
Bryan campaigned on behalf of free silverL
He created panic among eastern conservatives
“Gold Bugs” responded w/ their own free unlimited coinage of verbiage
Republicans:
McKinleyites amassed the most formidable political campaign chest thus far in American history
At all levels-national, state, local-it amounted to about 16 mil
In contrasted to 1 mil for democrats
Strat was to blame dems for panic of 1893
McKinley promised workers “full dinner pail” ease pain from panic - helped gain immigrant + urban votes
McKin campaign headquarters, Chi 1896- few AA who could vote remained faithful to “party of lincoln”
Election of 1896 cont.
Election returns:
Mckinley triumphed decisively
Driven by fear + excitement, unprecedented outpouring of voters
Mckinley ran strong in the East, carrying every county of NE and in upper Mississippi valley
Bryan’s states concentrated in the debt burdened South and the trans- Mississippi West
The free silver election of 1896 was perhaps MOST SIGNIFICANT political turning since Lincoln
Despite Bryans strength in S + W results demonstrated lack of appeal to farmer + laborer
Many wage earners in east voted for their jobs and full dinner pauls
Threatened by free silver, free trade, fireless factores
Living on a fixed wage, factory workers had no reason to favor inflation Bryanites program
Populism declined
Economy experienced rapid change
Era of small producers and farmers was fading away
Race divided the populist party, especially in the South
Populists were not able to break existing party loyalties
Most of their agenda was co-opted by Democratic party
Underprivileged many against privileged few
Outcome was win for big business, big city, middle class values, and financial conservatism
Last time to capture White house w/ agrarian vote as the majority
McKinley's election brought new character to American political system
Diminishing voter participation in elections
Party Organizations weakening
Issues like money+civil service reform fading to be replaced by industry regulation +labor welfare
4th Party system: end of high voter turnouts + close contests- rep rule(control pres for 16 years)
William McKinley's presidency (1897-1901)
Took inaugural oath in 1897
Cautious + conservative nature caused him to shy away from reform
Business given free rein + trusts developed w/o serious restraints
Tariff issue quickly forced itself to forefront
Wilson-Gorman Law was not raising enough revenue to cover annual treasury deficit
Republican trusts thought they had right to additional tariff protection
Big business wanted “Spoils/Kickbacks”
The DINGLEY TARIFF BILL was jammed through House under “CZAR” REED
Proposed rates were high but not enough to satisfy lobbyists who descended upon senate
Over 850 amendments were tacked onto overburdened bill
Resulting piece of patchwork finally est. the avg rate at 46.5% higher than Wilson Gorman
Dingley Tariff promoted “PROTECTIONISM (favored big business)
Prosperity began to return w/ rush in 1897, first year of McKinley's termL
Depression had run course, farm prices rose + industry resumed
Republican politicians took credit for attraction sunlight of prosperity
GOLD STANDARD ACT 1900 passed over last ditch silverite opposition
Confirmed nations commitment to gold + victory for forced of conservatism
Provided paper currency be redeemed in gold + New gold discov around world flooded market > moderate inflation
3/12
Empire and Expansion
US had practiced Isolationism since GW’s neutrality Proclamation + Farewell Address (No foreign Alliance/Entanglements)
Remember how valuable Atlantic + Pacific oceans were
During Gilded Age US were isolationists
Domestic concerns prevented US from being in foreign affairs
Sec of state were concerned w/ domestic affairs + American ambass were wealthy through patronage rather than expertise
Following CW Americans were indifferent to outside world and worried about reconstruction
Near end of 19th C, Americans began to change their tune (US was ready to compete for EMPIRE)
New Imperialism was colonial expansion adopted by European power during the 19th early 20th centuries.
Protectorate = stronger nation protects weaker nation from others
Sphere of influence = An area over where powerful nation claims vital interest actually claims dominance
Since frontier closed time to look outward
Thirst for New markets
Advances in tech. Allows US to produce more than it can consume - ned raw material to keep up w/ production and new markets to sell goods
Imperialists saw foreign trade as solution to overproduction
Oversea markets would serve as safety valve to labor violence + agrarian unrest
Three factors of Imperialism
Economic competition among industry nations,
Political Military competition
Racial superiority
YELLOW JOURNALISM - Presents a little or no legit new instead has eye catching headlines
Expansion + war could sell more papers
Circulation Wars - Joseph Pulitzer (NY world) vs William randolph Hearst (NY journal)
Social Darwinists believed nations compete against each other (survival of fittest) + resp to civilize lesser developed nations
White Mans Burden
Many developments fed imperialism
Farmers + factory owners look beyond America as production increased
Many believed America had to expand + country population going up
“Yellow Press” described foreign exploits as adventures
Missionaries looked overseas
IMPERIALISM - America Turns Outward
Promoted by “keep up” group
Alfred T Mahan
Theodore Roosevelet
John Hay
Henry Cabot Lodge
Felt the US should be actively competing w/ imperial powers (Darwinism = world should belong to the US)
Believed the US needed to join the competition to maintain economic + military strength (expansionism)
Henry Cabot Lodge
Republican senator who represented imperialist faction in US gov
Argued strongly for US intervention in Cuba + Philippines
Alfred T Mahan
Promoted “BIG NAVYISM”
Writes a book titled The Influence of Sea Power Upon History
Suggested that a nation needed large navy to protect merchant ships and defend
Believed controlling the sea was key to HEGEMONY
New Markets to sell goods to people = more jobs = more money
Latin America
Big Sister Policy - Pan Americanism
James G Blaine Sec of state
Attempt to rally LA nations behind US leadership to open LA markets to US traders
Diplomatic crisis marked path of American diplomacy in 1880s + early 1890s
German, Italians, Chiles + Canada(SealWar,Samoan Crisis,NO Lynchings, Chilean Crisis)
Venezuela, Hawaii, & Cuba
Monroe's Doctrine and Venezuelan Squall
Anti-British Feelings (1895-1896)
British Guiana+Venezuela disputing their border for many years but Gold discovered and Brits move on in
Pres Grover Cleveland sent note written by Richard Olney to britain informing them their actions trespassing the Monroe Doctrine - British replied 4 months later saying Monroe Doctrine didn’t exist
Olney wanted GB to submit to arbitration + said US ruled W Hem(GB refused + denied Monroe Doctrine)
Brits unimpressed by first real attempt to enforce the doctrine
Cleveland threatens war if Britain doesn’t accept rightful border
GB didn’t want war(Canada vulnerable; merchant marine to commerce raiders;threat from Russia,France, German)
A deal struck + result was Monroe Doctrine was strengthened, Latin American nations appreciated US effort of protection
Results
South americans please w/ US help, Monroe Doctrine upheld, Brits w/ problems in Europe adopt policy of “patting the eagle's head
GREAT RAPPROCHEMENT 1898
ANGLO AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP
Reconciliation between GB + US, shared interest GB worried abt Germany+Russia
American Imperialism and Hawaii - Spurning The Hawaiian Pear
In 1820s New England missionaries had come to Hawaii - descendents become economic leaders
Important trade cross-roads = stepping stone to Asia
American settlers and businessmen had established many plantation for SUGAR CANE
US warned foreign nations to stay out
1887 - King Kalakaua of Hawaii was forced to sign constitution limiting his power and Hawaiian peoples right to vote
The Bayonet Constitution(Jul 6,1887) = gave up his power and giving it to the “people”
In 1887 US gained right to establish naval port of PEARL HARBOR in return they get free US trade
McKinley Tariff
Stopped the free trade between Hawaii and the US
plantation owner faced stuff competition + losing business
Sugar planters wanted the US to ANNEX HAWAII (wouldn’t have to pay tariff dues)
The Hawaiian League
Made of 13 American + Hawaiian citizens main goal was to Annex Hawaii
Queen Liliuokalani
Leader/1st queen of Hawaii in 1891
Strong leader + feared that sugar planters were gaining to much power
Insisted native Hawaiins should control the islands (Hawaii for Hawaiins)
Cleveland was anti imperialist and abruptly withdrew the treaty
In 1893 a group of planters supported by US Marines forced the queen to give up her power and she abdicated, Hawaii became an American territory until 1959
Sanford B Dole president of the new republic of Hawaii
Cleveland conducted investigation>found overthrow was illegal but crit for stopping manifest destiny
Hawaii ANNEXED BY MCKINLEY (1898)
Organic Act : Limits the power of Hawaiins and led by the US congress
3/13
Spanish American War
Spanish American War “Newspaper War”
Yellow Journalism-over the top news led by Joseph Pulitxer (The World) and William Hearts (NY Journal)
They print exaggerated stories of Spanish attacks on humans
Propaganda pictures
FREDRIC REMINGTON was employed by Hearst to draw fake sketches of Spanish cruelty
“YOU FURNISH THE PICTURES AND ILL FURNISH THE WAR” - Hearst
McKinley at first did not want to get involved in Cuba + hurt economy/live- offered to negotiate w/ US
New Spanish government attempted to change
Removed Weyler
gave cubans some self gov if they remained part of their empire
Spaniards in Cuba - No Cuban rule - cubans want independence >riots
The De Lome Letter
De Lome a spanish ambassador sends private letter to friend in Cuba > illegally intercepted by Hearst from post office
McKinley is “a low politician” and weak and bidder for admiration - basically hated on Mck
Americans are outraged by them hating on president
USS Maine: Navy's first armored battleships and vessel w/ electrical lighting
Tragedy struck Feb 15, 1898 when Maine blew up in Havana harbor
Americans argued that the blast had been caused by a submarine mine (Yellow Press!)
REMEMBER THE MAINE TO HELL WITH SPAIN!
Main Causes
The desire for Spanish Naval bases in pacific
Yellow Journalism
Anger caused by concentration camps of Cubans
De Lome letter
Explosion of the Maine
McKinley in a jam
Did not want war and neither did spain
“Wobbly Willie” recognized inevitable and eventually gave people waht they wanted
War message sent to Congress (free oppressed Cubans)
War would help McKinley during his reelection campaign in 1900
Causes of the Spanish American War
Spain: Colonial Rulers of Cuba - Spain's last 2 colonies in W hemisphere (Cuba + Puerto Rico)
Cubas close proximity to US made it very intriguing to expansionists
US HAD 50 MIL IN CUBAN INVESTMENTS + 100 MIL IN TRADE!
Cuba was famous for its sugar cane plantations
Wilson Gorman Tariff (contributed to Cuban Depression) - put high tariff on cuban sugar
Cubans adopted a scorched earth policy
The INSURRECTOS torched canefields and sugar mills + dynamited passenger trains
Destructive tactic menaced American interests on island
The US sympathized/sided w/ the Cuban people (vs. Spain)
JOSE MARTI !
“Father of Cuban Independence” - Died in Battle (1895)
GENERAL VALERIANO WEYLRE WAS SENT INTO CUBA (the butcher)
RECONCENTRACION - throws people into unsanitary reconcentration camps
Yellow press refers to him as the butcher - ill, malnourished, and beaten
US citizens were outraged at the atrocities + demanded action
Jingoism over the top patriotism
Congress passed resolution that called PRes cleve (anti imperial) to recognize cuban rebels but wouldn’t mobilize troops even if congress declared war
William McKinley Inaugurated (March 4, 1897)
Cubans Rise in Revolt
THE TELLER AMENDMENT AP!!
Proclaimed once we free Cuba from spanish rule it would grant their freedom
Wanted to prove that the US was NOT imperialistic
Spanish American War cont.
The US was NOT PREPARED for tropical war(old gens., small army/navy, Spain has Euro power)
The war started in THE PHILIPPINES
Before war was declared, Theo Roosevelt ordered an attack of the Phils. In event of a declaration
Battle of Manila BAy
War began on May 1, 1898
George Dewey sinks entire Spanish fleet (steel vs wood)
US troops seized island of Guam while crossing the Pacific
Emilio Aguinaldo Leader of Filipino Indep Movement- US captured Manila after armistice
Spanish American happened during Annex of Hawaii
Admiral Pascual Cervera Spanish navy and American Attack Force William Shafter
Spanish ships under Cervera ordered to Cuba - felt it was “suicidal”
Cervera was blocked in
Rough Riders were a volunteer cavalry unit led by Colonel Leonard Wood
Teddy roosevelt famous guy assisting attacks
The Charge of San Juan Hill is regarded as most famous battle
ROOSEVELT BECAME A NATIONAL HERO
Cervera ordered to fight for honor, + his fleet was destroyed on Jul 3, 18998 (500 Sp. dead1/US)
Naval Battle of Santiago
Gen Nelson Miles and easily took control Puerto Rico
War is now over Spain on Aug 12, 1898
Good thing war ended because disease was rampant - more died from disease than in battle
Treaty of Paris = 3rd time
1898 Spanish and American negotiators met in Paris
Cuba was freed from Spanish overlords
Americans secured remote pacific island of Guam
Spain ceded Puerto Rico to US as payment for war costs
Knottiest of all was problem of the Philippines
US does ending up getting the Philippines but promised to give Spain 20 mil for it
US BECAME IMPERIAL POWER and had more ambitions
End of spanish empire
3/14
We’re not Imperialists… Are we?
Imperialists vs. Anti Imperialists - Americas course of empire
Debates over annexation of the Philippines (jingoism vs continentalism)
What to do w/ Philippines continue to be largest issues between imperialists + anti imperialists
The American Anti-Imperialist League- Founded in 1899
Minority of the American People
Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, William James, William Jennings Bryan among the leaders
Spoke out against treaty of Paris and McKinley administration
Anti-imperialists raised many objections
Imperialism defies Declaration and constitution
Despotism abroad could lead to despotism at home
Annexation would lead the US into the political + milt cauldron of east asia
Both played up possible trade possibilities
Both argued philippines had abundance of natural resources
Both argued that the US would help uplift (and exploit) world's poor “white man's burden”
McKinley agonized over whether to buy
Arguments for buying
Did not want spain or other power to reassert control
Having freed Cuba would be morally cowardly
Many Americans wanted to protestanize the catholic
Feb 6 .1899 - Treaty looked doomed in Senate BUT WJB PROMOTED IT (would officially end the war + give Filipinos independence sooner)
Outcomes of the Spanish American War
JOHN HAY “SPLENDID LITTLE WAR”
Captain. Mahan's “Big-Navyism” Proved True
Low in casualties + theatrically successful
Other Imperial powers have respect for the US
Nationalism was rampant
One of the most beneficial results was further closing gap between N + S “bloody chasm”
USA annexed PUERTO RICO, GUAM, and the PHILIPPINES
Governing Puerto Rico
LUIS MUNOZ RIVER advocated for Puerto Rican independence
THE FORAKER ACT: US gave PR Limited self govt
Allowed US to appoint PR’s governor and upper house of legislation only lower elected by PR
US helped w/ education, sanitation, transportation, etc but they still wanted independence
Jones Act of 1917 :Made Puerto Ricans American citizens
Gave them the right to elect members of both houses of their legislature
Many PRS lived in New York
INSULAR CASES
Does the US constitution apply to these outside territories>
Supreme court decides they did not get constitutional rights- let congress do whatever they want
US withdrew honoring Teller amendment, but Cuba was chaotic (milt govt under Gen Wood) excellent in govt, finance, education, health, and agriculture
In 1902 US withdrew from CUBA
PLATT AMENDMENT
US hoped to stabilize the island (protect trade/investments)
They were forced to agree not to conduct treaties that might compromise their independence
Not to take on debt beyond their resources
Further that the US might intervene w/ troops to restore order when it saw fit
Guantanamo bay we can send Marines there
FDR replace amendment with his “Good Neighbor Policy” (1934)
Cuba became a US protectorate (protects but can also intervene)
The Philippine American War (Philippine Insurrection) - 1899-1902
Disappointed Filipinos assumed they would be granted freedom after war
Aguinaldo now fought AGAINST the US
US sent troops to philippines
Guerrilla War Phase used by Phillipinos
US REVENGE - violent killing, torture, waterboarding, etc
In 1901 Aguinaldo is captured by US forces
Swears an oath of loyalty to the US
Asked his followers to surrender
Scattered fighting will continue for another 10 years
This was a “race war” 4,234 Americans and 600k Fillipinos
Taking over Philippines
The First Philippine Commission
Headed by William H Taft wanted to assimilate the Fillipinos
Called the Filipinos his “little brown brothers
He censored the press, Established a healthy care system, He staffed schools, Built roads and bridges, He extended limited self rule
Called this “Benevolent assimilation”
The Philippine Government Act same as Foraker Act
US chooses governor and upper house they choose lower house
Jones Law - approved Aug 1916
July 4th 1946 they were finally granted their freedom
US anxiously waited to open up the vast CHINA Asian Market
Hinging Open Door in China
Sino- Japanese War (1894-1895
Japan V China Over Korea (“buffer zone”)
Japan starts taking control over China defeated them easily
SPHERES OF INFLUENCE : Area where country controls economic development
These spheres of influence like GB, France, BElgium, Germ, and Japan in the way
US DOESN'T WANT TO TRADE W/ Them
JOHN HAY : OPEN DOOR NOTE (1899)
Keep the CHINA MARKET OPEN (Only Russia declined)
He took the no response as a yes from other countries
Open Door Policy :
3/17
Boxing, a Rematch, & a Big Stick
The Boxer Rebellion - 1899
A secret organization was formed known as Society of righteous and Harmonious fists or “BOXERS”
“Death to the foreign devils”
Aimed to stop foreign control - anti imperial, foreign and christian uprising
Very violent >200 Christian missionaries killed (Torture/Beheadings)
Started storming foreign embassies
Coalition of European/other Nations Created a Large International Force
US contributed 2500-3500 troops (breaking washington's neutrality)
Boxers lost to foreign troops and rebellion was CRUSHED
Results of Rebellion
Chinese had to pay 333 million - America remitted 18 million
Secretary Hay released another set of paper in 1900 - second open door notes
Focus on maintain China's territorial integrity(respect sovereignty)
Safeguard “equal and impartial” trade w/ all parts of Chinese empire
Great powers did more than hay to offset each other (competition/capitalism)
Presidential Election of 1900 - Imperialism or Bryanism in 1900
William Mckinley vs William Jennings Bryan
Vice President Garret Hobart had died
Theodore Roosevelt - Former governor of NY and hero of Spanish American war
McKinley renominated by Republicans because
Had won a war and acquired rich though Burdensome real estate
Had safeguarded gold standard and promised “dinner pails” (prosperity
Theodore Roosevelt - Former governor of NY and hero of Spanish American war
While Mckinley campaigned from front porch, TR campaigned energetically
Willian Jennings Bryan renominated by Democrats
Campaigned for free silver, anti imperialism + anti trusts
Results: McKinley win by larger margin and “Free Silver” crushed Bryans chances
Political Machines in NYC were happy to see TR go
Assassination of William McKinley -
Sept. 6th 1901 McKinley shot by Leon Czolgosz shot him at the Pan-American Exposition- Buffalo, NY
Leon Czolgosz was an anarchist
Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1909
Very well rounded + knowledgeable about a variety of topics- went to harvard- good at everything
Youngest president in American history
Tennis Cabinet (Yes men) like AJS Kitchen cabinet
Was highly popular, extremely self confident (egoist), hero of the common man + reformer
He set the agenda (president leads/self righteous): Courts too slow, no real respect for checks+balances, ignored the constitution coerced + compromise with Congress (appealed to the American people)
BIG STICK OR GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY
Preached the virile virtues and denounced pacifistic “flubdubs” and “mollycoddles”
Was an ardent champion of military and naval preparedness “speak soft carry big stick”
Building the Panama Canal
Roosevelt soon applied bullish energy to foreign affairs
He proposes a canal through central america was important
The terms of the Clayton Bulwer Treaty, concluded w/ Britain in 1850
Britain was willing to consent to the HAY PAUNCEFOTE TREATY
Gave the US exclusive control of any canal through central america
MUST BE OPEN TO ALL NATIONS
Options were Nicaragua or Panama but Panama was the final choice
COLOMBIA controlled Panama- US negotiates with them but they reject deal
TR encouraged Panama revolt against Colombia (US helped them) - sent warship USS nashville to Panama
Colombian troops gathered to crush uprising - US paid French Co to construct the canal
1903- Hay Bunau Varilla TReaty
Agreement between Hay, and Philippe Bunau- Varilla
US was to receive rights to canal zones and was to receive payment of 10 mil
Was supposed to cost 40 mill but ended up 400 mil and over 5600 lost their lives due to disease
Jim crow segregation of workers during construction
US fortified canal zone by establishing military bases in the Caribbean (cost 25 mil)
SECRETARY STATE JOHN HAY was important during this time
TRs Perversion of Monroe's Doctrine
THE ROOSEVELT COROLLARY IS ADDED TO THE MONROE DOCTRINE AP TEST!!
The United states would intervene in Latin American affairs when necessary to maintain economic and political stability in the Western Hemisphere- POLICE THE W HEMISPHERE!
Marks our sphere of influence as the western hemisphere and believes US is dominant power
TRS rewriting of monroe did more to promote “good neighbor” policy
Used to justify wholesale interventions - repeated landings of the marines
To Latin America seemed like a cloak behind which he hides
Russo- Japanese War 1904-1905
Fought over Manchuria and Korea
JAPAN WAS WINNING but were also running short of MEN + Money
TR was asked to mediate between Japan/Russia
At Portsmouth, NH they negotiate THE TREATY OF PORTSMOUTH
Japan got some key lands but no $ (angry)
TR Was the first president to earn Nobel Peace Prize
Japanese Laborers in California
Japanese were only 3% of Calis population ranted about a new “yellow peril” and being drowned in Asia
In 1906 a big earthquake hits San Francisco and destroys white school and keeps asian school, therefore they kick out asians and white students take their place
Japan was offended - agreement worked out GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT
Japanese had to stop immigration to the US
US would allow Japanese to go to school with white students(integrate)
THE GREAT WHITE FLEET - Steel brand new battleships
Sails these battleships around the world to show strength of US fleet
TR sails them right into Tokyo Bay
RESULT: ROOT TAKAHIRA AGREEMENT
US respects all Japanese possessions in Pacific and they respect US possessions
US BECOMES IMPERIAL POWER BY THIS TIME!!!!!!!!!- but so does everyone else.
Gilded Age
South: Reconstruction
North: Economic, political, social
West: Natives, mining, ranching, farming
End of Century Politics
Foreign Policy (Imperialism)
Ch. 25 - The Conquest of the West (1865-196)
The “Wild” West
Settlers ravished the land and transformed it quickly (the “New West”) unlike the South.
Reasons for expansion: land, railroads, natural resources, farming, ranching, God, and gold.
Geography: West is between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.
Known as “The Great American Desert” (the Great Plains).
Societies of the Far West
Migration included diverse groups; English-speaking migrants found Native Americans and Mexicans already settled.
New states and territories formed at the expense of Native Americans (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma).
Crushing of Native Americans
Hundreds of tribes stretched from the Mississippi to the Pacific Coast.
Before the Civil War, the West was a big reservation (Indian Intercourse Act of 1834 forbade whites from entering “Indian country” without a license).
Rapid Western expansion brought a new Indian “concentration policy” with distinct boundaries.
Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851)
Native Americans agreed to live on certain territories, and in return, the U.S. government promised those territories would belong to them.
Guaranteed safe passage for settlers on the Oregon Trail.
Decline and Conflict
Post-Civil War decline in Native numbers due to disease, intertribal conflict, and destruction of buffalo.
Most tribes west of the Mississippi stood in the way of Manifest Destiny.
Plains Indians
Thousands of tribes divided into bands; varied lifestyles – some sedentary, most nomadic hunters.
Their lives were based on the buffalo and influenced by gun and horse technologies.
Conflicts arose with the U.S. government as they battled against settlers encroaching on their lands.
The Clash of Cultures on the Plains
Settlers moved in, with agents sent to negotiate treaties (communication was often non-verbal due to language differences).
White soldiers and settlers spread diseases among Native peoples, undermining Native culture.
Indian Peace Commission
Removed tribes onto reservations to enable U.S. westward expansion.
Attempts to establish peace ended Native nomadic cultures (“civilize and assimilate” efforts).
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Considered the most corrupt government agency in history.
Many treaties were deceptive, forcing Native Americans into signing unfavorable agreements.
BIA chief Luke Lea supported the reservation system and believed in controlling Native Americans.
The Race for Survival
Various issues included land ownership concepts misunderstood by federal officials, leading to many treaties falling apart.
Buffalo Soldiers
Segregated African American troops supporting Native American conflicts.
Plains Indian Wars posed serious threats to settlers due to Plains Indians possessing rifles and horses.
Significant Uprisings:
Dakota Sioux Uprising (1862): Poverty and hunger led to an uprising against settlers, resulting in mass executions of Sioux.
Sand Creek Massacre (1864): An attack on Cheyenne led to distrust in the U.S. government by Native Americans.
Red Cloud's War: Led by leaders such as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull as a resistance against U.S. encroachments.
A Century of Dishonor: Receding Native Population
Nez Perce: Chief Joseph’s movement aimed to escape to Canada but ended in his surrender 40 miles from the border.
Fierce Apache: Led by Geronimo; their pursuit into Mexico marked the last of the Indian removals.
Reasons for U.S. Victory
The U.S. willingness to back land claims militarily contributed to their dominance.
Railroads facilitated military troop mobility.
The extermination of the buffalo extinguished the nomadic Plains Indian lifestyle.
Bellowing Herds of Bison
Buffalo were vital to Native American food and culture, but their numbers plummeted from 15 million to less than 1,000 by 1885 due to hunting and exploitation.
The End of the Trail
Changing Attitudes
By the 1880s, awareness grew regarding the plight of Native Americans.
Helen Hunt Jackson: Activist for Native American rights who wrote "A Century of Dishonor" to expose U.S. mistreatment of Indians.
Humanitarians and hard-liners debated responses to the situation.
Ghost Dance Movement
Sioux believed this dance would bring back buffalo and banish white settlers.
Wovoka: Prophesied a spiritual movement that alarmed U.S. authorities.
The movement led to the Wounded Knee Massacre on December 29, 1890, where over 200 unarmed Sioux were killed.
Dawes Severalty Act (1887)
Attempted to assimilate Native Americans by allocating land to individual families.
Resulted in significant loss of tribal land and further impoverished Native Americans.
Spanish-American War
Causes of the War
Spain colonial rule in Cuba created tensions due to proximity to the U.S. and American investments (~$50 million) in Cuban sugarcane plantations.
The Wilson-Gorman Tariff worsened Cuba's economy by imposing high tariffs on sugar.
Cuban rebels adopted scorched earth policies against Spanish rule, endangering American interests.
Sympathy for the Cuban cause grew among Americans, coupled with jingoism – an aggressive form of nationalism.
Key Events Leading to War
De Lome Letter: A private letter from Spanish Ambassador Enrique Dupuy de Lome criticized President McKinley, causing outrage among Americans when it was published.
USS Maine: The battleship mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898. Yellow journalism blamed Spain for the incident, inflaming public sentiment.
Outcomes of the War
The war began on April 25, 1898, and lasted a few months, concluding with the Treaty of Paris (December 10, 1898).
The U.S. defeated Spain, resulting in the acquisition of territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
Marked the U.S.'s emergence as a global power and began a period of American imperialism.
Farming and Ranching
Farming on the Frontier
Great Plains: Known as the “Great American Desert.”
Homestead Act of 1862: Provided 160 acres of land under certain conditions.
Challenges included drought, lack of resources, extreme weather, and plagues of insects.
Innovations
Steel Plow: Patented by John Deere to improve farming.
McCormick Reaper: Enhanced harvesting efficiency.
Ranching Industry
Texas Longhorns were vital for ranching across the Great Plains.
Cowboys included diverse backgrounds; they became cultural icons.
The rise of corporate ranching changed the landscape of ranching and led to conflicts with farmers over land use (The Range Wars).
The Closing of the Frontier (1890)
Frontier Thesis
Proposed by Fredrick Jackson Turner, stating the frontier shaped American character.
Critiques noted the exclusion of diverse experiences and roles of women and racial minorities.
Ch. 26 - Rumbles of Discontent (1865-1900)
The Farm Becomes a Factory
Mechanization and innovation transformed farming into a commercial enterprise.
Farmers became both producers and consumers, faced challenges of market conditions.
Farmers Unite
Formation of organizations like the National Grange to address grievances.
Emergence of the People’s Party (Populism) culminated in demands for reform.
Communication and Agriculture
The rise of large-scale farming and agribusiness changed the agricultural landscape.
Farmers' reliance on cash crops made them vulnerable to market fluctuations.
The Election of 1892
Major figures: Grover Cleveland (Democrat), Benjamin Harrison (Republican), and James Weaver (Populist).
Economic Challenges
Panic of 1893: A devastating economic downturn influenced political actions.
Cleveland's adherence to the gold standard created rifts within the Democratic Party.
Rise of the Populists
The Populist movement mobilized discontent among farmers for political action.
Issues faced included racial divisions and lack of appeal to urban workers.
Election of 1896
Bryan's campaign focused on free silver against McKinley's gold standard approach, signifying a significant political shift in America.