APUSH Talking Points 14.7
America’s Course (Curse?) of Empire – Part II

"The Real Trouble with come with the wake" 

AP Focus:  The Philippines proved to be hard to handle since the Filipino people didn’t want the U.S. there. They waged a guerilla war and resented American control until it was turned back over to the Philippines after WWII. The U.S. managed to get an “Open Door Policy” with China. This opened the Asian giant to international trade.

TIMELINE

Manifest Destiny/Imperialistic Expansion v.  Domestic/Global

Cartoon Uncle Sam and the Open Door Note

Hinging the Open Door in China 

OPEN DOOR POLICY:  Many Americans hoped trade with China would increase as a result of the annexation of its neighbor, the Philippine Islands.  However, Germany, France, Russia, Great Britain, and Japan were busily carving “spheres of influence” in China—areas where each would control trade and industrial growth.  Outraged by these imperialistic actions, Secretary of State John Hay, in 1899, announced the Open Door Policy, a U.S. edict guaranteeing equal trading rights between China and all foreign nations.

Italy was the only major power to accept the Open Door unconditionally and Russia was the only major power not to accept it.

Eventually several European nations followed suit, forcing China to sign a series of unequal treaties. Extraterritoriality guaranteed that European citizens in China were only subject to the laws of their own nation and could only be tried by their own courts. Eventually western nations weary of governing foreign lands, established spheres of influence within China which guaranteed specific trading privileges to each nation within its respective sphere. 

The Boxer Rebellion 1900 .The “Boxers” staged an uprising to drive out foreigners  and restore China to isolation. China took matters into their own hands with the Boxer Rebellion. The uprising took place in response to foreign "spheres of influence" in China, with grievances ranging from opium traders, political invasion, economic manipulation, to missionary evangelism In this, the Chinese rose up to oust/kill foreigners who controlled their cities. 200 foreigners and thousands of Chinese Christians were killed.

They attacked foreign missionaries, businessman, and diplomats (Use the language: Nationalism?  Xenophobia? (America 1900 25:11) 

Float in the parade commemorating the Centennial of Ballston Spa, 1907.
Horse drawn float possibly depicting Boxer Rebellion, with Asian warriors waving swords at pistol carrying Uncle Sam.

After the failed rebellion, Secretary Hay declared in 1900 that the Open Door would embrace the territorial integrity of China as well as its commercial integrity. This is known as a sphere of influence - a region where an imperialist nation maintains an  economic monopoly

Uncle Sam Creates Puppet Panama

On November 3, 1903, Panamanians, who feared the United States would choose the Nicaraguan route for the canal, made a successful revolution led by Bunau-Varilla.  Bunau-Varilla became the Panamanian minister to the United States and signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty in Washington.  The treaty gave the U.S. control of a 10-mile zone around the proposed Panama Canal.

TR's Perversion of Monroe's Doctrine

Several nations of Latin America were in debt to European countries.  President Roosevelt feared that if the European nations (mainly the Germany and Britain) got their feet in the door of Latin America, then they might remain there, in violation of the Monroe Doctrine.  Roosevelt therefore created a policy known as "preventive intervention."  The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine declared that in the event of future monetary problems of Latin American countries with European countries, the U.S. could pay off the Latin American counties' debts to keep European nations out of Latin America.

Latin American countries began to hate the Monroe Doctrine for it had become the excuse for numerous U.S. interventions in Latin America.  In actuality, President Roosevelt was the one to be blamed for the interventions.

Building the Panama Canal
“A continent divided, a world united”

Timelapse video through the Canal 2006

REVIEW: Transportation Innovation 1825 to 1956

Historical Circumstances

After the Colombia grew reticent in its negotiations to sell the canal, Roosevelt and Panamanian business interests collaborated on a revolution. The battle for Panama lasted only a few hours. Colombian soldiers in Colón were bribed $50 each to lay down their arms; the U.S.S. Nashville cruised off the Panamanian coast in a show of support. On November 3, 1903, the nation of Panama was born.  A payment of $10,000,000 secured a canal zone and rights to build .553 square miles;  (10 miles wide, 50 miles long)  Strategic location

Influence of a geography 

Dr. William Gorgas, who had helped to eradicate yellow fever in Havana years before by killing the mosquitoes that carried it, directed sanitation efforts. Workers drained swamps, swept drainage ditches, paved roads and installed plumbing. They sprayed pesticides by the ton. Entire towns rose from the jungle, complete with housing, schools, churches, commissaries, and social halls.

Impact of Government Action

“A continent divided, a world united”  The United States now has a two sea navy. Mahan vision of a stronger navy to protect American interests and commerce comes just in time for the start of World War

U.S. RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

OPENING OF JAPAN:  Isolationist Japan was forced to open to western trade in 1853 after U.S. gunships commanded by Commodore Matthew Perry landed at its shores.  Subsequently, Japan became the first non-western country to industrialize and become an imperialistic nation.

RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR:   After Japan defeated Russia in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt mediated a peace settlement, known as the Treaty of Portsmouth, between the two nations.  President Roosevelt received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

GENTLEMEN’S AGREEMENT:  President Roosevelt halted the segregation of Japanese children in San Francisco’s schools in 1907 in exchange for a promise by Japan to limit Japanese immigration to the United States.  In 1908, the Root-Takahira agreement was reached with Japan.  The U.S. and Japan pledged themselves to respect each other's territorial possessions. 

Roosevelt on the World Stage
Japan began war with Russia in 1904 after Russia failed to withdraw troops from Manchuria and Korea.  Japan was defeating Russia in the war when Japan's supply of troops began to run low.  Japan therefore asked President Roosevelt to step in and sponsor peace negotiations.  Roosevelt agreed and in 1905 forced through an agreement in which the Japanese received no compensation for the losses and only the southern half of Sakhalin.  Because of the treaty, friendship with Russia faded away and Japan became a rival with America in Asia.

Japanese Laborers in California

When the Japanese government lifted its ban on its citizens emigrating in 1884, thousands of Japanese were recruited to work in California.  Japanese immigrants were confronted with racist hostility by whites.

In 1906, what came to be known as the "Gentlemen's Agreement."  The Japanese agreed to stop the flow of immigrants to the United States.