Imperial America

The United States in the World 1890-1914

Gilded Age: A Tale of Today 1873 Novel by Mark Twain and

Charles Warner: fictional account of political and economic corruption in the USA

gild gild·ed or gilt, gild·ing

1.To cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold. 2.To give an often deceptively attractive or improved appearance to American Heritage Dictionary

Show Big Ballin in Gilded Age

Voting Blocs

Democratic Bloc

White Southerners

*preservation of white supremacy

Catholics

Recent Immigrants

(especially Jewish)

Urban Working Poor

(pro-labor)

Most Farmers

Republican Bloc

Northern Whites

(pro-business)

African-Americans

Northern Protestants

Old WASPs

(support for anti-immigrant laws)

Most of the Middle Class

Political Machines: Boss Tweed Tammany Hall-NYC Most major American cities

grew with such speed, that legit government had trouble keeping pace

“Bosses” sprung up who instituted the spoils system in cities to ensure their power and strangely enough, get civic services taken care of… (5th hour)

Out of Touch Politics Electorate evenly divided Laissez-faire/change was socialistic

and harmful to $ & democracy Currency Reform

Sherman Silver Act 1890 (replaced in ‘93)

Civil Service Reform Pendleton Act of 1883

Civil service exam/not connections

The People’s Party Granger Movement-concern

farmer’s plight/ railroads cause of plight Munn v. Illinois (1877) &Wabash v.

Illinois (1886) established the principle of regulation of interstate transportation

Farmers’ Alliances-successors of Granger & concern of falling and rising costs due to bankers CO-OP’s People’s Party /Populist (1892)

Platform mostly for farmers but also for industrial workers

“The popular mind is agitated with problems that may disturb social order,

and among them all none is more threatening than… the concentration of

capital into vast combinations….Congress alone can deal

with them and if we are unwilling or unable there will soon be a trust for

every product and a master to fix the price for every necessity of life.”

Senator John Sherman of Ohio

Panic of 1893 Worst up to that time… 20 % unemployed Coxey’s Army- A protest

march from Ohio to Washington, D.C., in 1894 organized by Jacob Coxey to publicize demands for the federal government to alleviate the suffering brought on by the Panic of 1893.

Election of 1896 William J. Bryan runs for

President on anti-expansion/free silver campaign/loses to McKinley

½ million from Rock, A.G., and

J.P. Morgan

Civil Rights Cases (1883) Civil Rights Act of 1875 & 14th Amendment weakened/did not apply to

private and institutions

State’s limit 15th Amendment Poll Tax Literacy Test Grandfather Clause Result

Black vote down 62 % Poor White down 27%

Lynching Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) Establishes “separate but equal” 14th Amendment weakened more

Blacks response Booker T. Washington-self-help as the best

way to end poverty Poverty 1st, politics 2nd, and civil rights Tuskegee Institute 1881

W E. B. Dubois-education that best suits the individual 1909: NAACP was formed to demand an

immediate end of discrimination

European Imperialism 1839-1842: Opium War opens

spheres of influence in China to European powers

1889: US, Great Britain and Germany establish a protectorate over Samoan Islands

Partition of Africa US only opportunity: Western

Hemisphere & China European Imperialism or American

Imperialism

The Impulse for Expansion Manifest Destiny Problem: 1890’s 90% of US goods

sold in US = depressions Solution: Overseas empire

Navy Captain Alfred T. Mahan- powerful navy = world power The Influence of Sea Power on history:

1660-1783 Great White Fleet 1907

Social Darwinism

Goal: An Empire without large scale permanent military occupation and costly colonial administration

Acquisitions and Actions 1854: Commodore Perry

open’s Japan for trade

1867: Seward’s Folly

1889: US, Great Britain and Germany establish a protectorate over Samoan Islands

1893: Overthrow of Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani by Dole, Inc. Cleveland does not bring it into Union

YELLOW JOURNALISM

CARTOON

WHERE THE

TERM “YELLOW

JOURNALISM”

CAME FROM

IN 1898 NEWSPAPERS PROVIDED THE

PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION. PEOPLE

LACKED THE ABILITY TO VERIFY IF

THE STORIES WERE BIASED OR

INACCURATE AND THEREFORE

RELIED UPON NEWSPAPERS TO TELL

THE TRUTH. PULITZER AND HEARST

TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PUBLIC’S

IGNORANCE BY TWISTING THE TRUTH

TO SELL MORE NEWSPAPERS.

SENSATIONALIZED STORIES WERE

FEATURED HEAVILY IN THEIR

NEWSPAPERS SINCE EXCITING

HEADLINES INCREASED

CIRCULATION.

The Growing Conflict with Spain 1895: Cubans begin fighting their war

of independence against Spain 1896: Filipinos begin fighting their war

of independence against Spain Re- concentration of Cubans Yellow Press

The Decision to Intervene in Cuba De Lome Letter Maine Explosion Declaration of War with Spain

Teller Amendment-promised to leave the island to the Cubans

US investment in Cuba - $50 million Pres. McKinley proclaims Hawaii a US Terr.

Fighting the War against Spain Treaty of Paris 1898 Cuba

Guam

Puerto Rico

Philippines $20 million

Platt Amendment: reserves the right for US military to govern Cuba and cedes Guantanamo Bay base to US military Violates the spirit of the Teller

amendment and allows for US domination of Cuban sugar market

I have studied the Constitution of the US and I

find in it no authority for colonies and I have no fear…

You, newspapers forgot about us!!!! We were there as well!!!!

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ARMY NURSES DURING THE

SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

“…we do not intend to

free, but to subjugate

the people of the

Philippines. We have

gone there to conquer,

not to redeem.”

Mark Twain, 1900

“In the forcible annexation of

the Philippines our Nation

neither adds to its strength

nor secures broader

opportunities for the

American people.”

William Jennings Bryan, 1899

Arguments against imperialism in the

Philippines

The Debate over Colonies Anti-Imperialist League Politicians-WJB

Progressive Reformers

Writers

Industrialists

Labor Europe still big market

$$$ to maintain

Constitutional Rights??? To Colonists

Distract from problems at home

Pro- expansionist

There was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and

uplift and civilize and Christianize them.”

NO! Some Americans, like ex-President Grover Cleveland, thought

owning the Philippines went against our traditions of independence.

Most Americans had no idea where the islands were even located.

YES! The islands were a gateway to the markets of Asia.

Many Americans were excited about the prospect of a huge overseas empire.

Some Americans thought it was our duty to bring Anglo-Saxon civilization to non-whites.

The Philippine-American War 1899:Guerilla war begins in

Philippines in opposition to US occupation

1902: Guerilla war in Philippines ends/ 1out of 5 Filipinos & 4,500 US soldiers killed

Philippine Government Act: establishes limited self government for Philippines; President appoints a governor; promises eventual self determination

1946: Philippines receive independence from US