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By the middle of the 1890's the American western
frontier was viewed by many as being "closed".
This was seen as the fulfillment of the westward
expansions started under the banner of "manifest
destiny". The public perception of the
"closing of the west", along with the
philosophy of Social Darwinism, contributed to a desire
for continued expansion of American lands and the spreading
of American culture. The result was a shift in US
foreign policy at the end of the 19th century from a
reserved, homeland concerned republic to an active
imperial power.
The
Spanish-American War
The "USS Maine" pictured
here in Havana Harbor, Cuba
The Spanish-American war heralded the start of the
era of American Imperialism. In the shadow of the
expanding empires of Europe, an America that now
stretched from sea to shining sea was desiring to still
grow.
Causes of the Spanish-American War:
- Cuban Revolution - The Spanish
suppression of an on-going Cuban revolution gave
the cause of war an air of independence and
freedom. Aiding the Cubans, who's suffering was exaggerated
by the Yellow Press of the day, became a reason
for war with the Spanish.
- Yellow Press - The newspaper
circulation war had already begun
long before a shot was fired in 1898. William
Randolph Hearst (pictured at right) and
Joseph Pulitzer used hyperbole, lies and
sensational violence in order to increase sales of
their NY papers. The often times untrue stories of
the Spanish brutality in Cuba served to outrage
many Americans and increased the call for war.
- Sinking of the USS Maine - The US
warship USS Maine was stationed in the harbor of
Havana, Cuba when it exploded, killing over 260
Americans. The Yellow Press ran immediate
headlines blaming the Spanish for the explosion,
however a conclusive reason behind the Maine
disaster is still unknown. Regardless, the act was
clearly sparked an immediate call for war with the
Spanish.
- US Desires to Expand - Many
American leaders who wanted the US to expand her
reach across the globe, recognized that defeating
a weak Spanish Empire offered an opportunity to
gain territories outside north America. These
territories would then provide access to world
markets for growing manufacturing by US
industries.
US Imperial
Gains, Late 19th to Early 20th Century:
- 1898:
- US Annexes Hawaii after a US supported
revolution against the Queen.
- US acquires control of: Puerto Rico, Guam
and The Philippines from Spain in the 1898
Treaty of Paris.
- 1899:
- US acquires control of: Samoa and Wake Island
in the Pacific for use as military and trade
ship refueling stops
- 1903:
- Panama Canal Zone is acquired following
the US backed Panamanian Revolution against
Columbia.
- 1917:
- Virgin Islands purchased from Denmark
US Expands
Control in Latin America
Following the transformation to a world
power, brought about by the events surrounding and
following the Spanish-American War, the US sought to
further extend its control over the nearby territories
of Latin America.
This policy expansion was mostly at the urging of President
Theodore Roosevelt, who worked to increase US presence
in Latin America via his Roosevelt Corollary to the
Monroe Doctrine. The Corollary expanded on the
statements of President Monroe by stating that not only
would Latin America be considered a vital US interest
and European interference there considered a threat to
the United States, but the US would and could actively
intervene in Latin America to protect those interests.
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