1. The US and the World
Dr. John Holmes
History 121, U.S After 1877
Diablo Valley College San Ramon,
Summer 2013

2. Traditional US Foreign Policy
What is foreign policy?
Lack of U.S. foreign policy in
late 19th Century
Monroe Doctrine
Isolationism
Protecting U.S. citizens
Transformation in 1890s

3. Before the Civil War
“Manifest Destiny” “from sea to
shining seas”
Achieved through Mexican-
American War
Opposed by Lincoln
“54-40 or fight”
Sets stage for Civil War
Southern interest in Latin American
conquest to expand slavery
William Walker and Nicaragua
Confederate refugees in Brazil

4. After the Civil War
Rapid economic expansion
Promotion of immigration
Little interest in foreign affairs
Reaction to immediate events
Unfriendly to European imperialism
Foreign acquisitions no longer
automatically become states
Alaska, “Seward’s Folly”
Hawaii: transition to colonialism
Philippines: colonial war
Puerto Rico, still a colony

5. From Isolationism to Imperialism-
Economic Reasons
Overproduction - US industry
exceeding domestic market
Navalism
Alfred
Thayer
Mahan
Friend of Teddy Roosevelt
The Influence of Sea Power upon History

6. Other reasons
1890-end of the frontier
Frederick Jackson Turner
Racism and imperialism
Liberty and foreign intervention
Cuban revolt vs. Spain
Spanish atrocities
Protecting Americans
the sinking of the Maine

7. Anti-Imperialist movement
Foner p. 321: Rev. Ames
Traditional American values
Element of racism
Democrats support, Republicans
oppose
1900 election and Bryan
Business supports imperialism,
labor silent
Prominent intellectuals oppose
imperialism
Sumner and Mark Twain

8. Mark Twain vs. Teddy Roosevelt
Twain on the Phillipines:"the American
flag should be replaced not with the
stars and stripes, forget them, it
should be the Jolly Roger, the skull
and crossbones, because we bring
murder wherever we go."
Charge of the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill

9. Results of the
Spanish-American War
U.S. now a world power
The Phillipines
Cuba: the Platt Amendment
Panama Canal
Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe
Doctrine
U.S. interventions in Caribbean
and Latin America:
Cuba 1906; Nicaragua 1909; Haiti
1915; Dominican Republic 1916

10. Next Class: The Progressive Era
and World War I
Readings:
Foner, Chapters 18 and 19,
Johnson, rest of Ch. 21 and 22
Group Meetings to work on
Division of Labor statement
Student Teachin Research Guide
to be posted over the weekend
Tuesday, First Quiz, on Chapter
18 in Foner