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!!!!
Click Here
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