The United States experienced rapid growth during the nineteenth century. A great deal of this was fueled by more efficient means of production; another factor was the explosion of the American population, especially those who were foreign-born. The Civil War proved to be a testing ground for American mass production, as the Union armed forces swelled to over one million men by the end of the war. At war's end, manufacturers looked to make their goods available to the entire country. This was fueled by the growth in rail service that took place in the decade after the war. American business was fueled by infrastructure and a never-ending supply of cheap labor; this called for a constant demand for natural resources. In order to send pineapple and sugar into the United States duty-free, American plantation owners in Hawaii overthrew the rightful queen and petitioned the Cleveland administration to become an American territory. Cleveland refused this, but the pro-business McKinley agreed. Around the same time, American business owners were being hurt by the conflict in Cuba between rebels and the Spanish government. The yellow press of the time portrayed the Spanish as barbarians, and as a result, the American people clamored for war, even though it was a war that helped business interests most.
American industrialists also had to find new markets for their goods. These titans of industry salivated over the potential of the Chinese market and its multitude of potential customers. Alfred Thayer Mahan even wrote a book that stated that all great powers needed a great navy in order to protect their trade. It was because of this that the United States acquired territories in the Pacific. This was not done with the intention of sending Americans to live there; rather, the goal was to set up coaling stations in places like Guam in order to fuel steamships bound for China. The United States even meddled in Latin America so that Panama could gain its independence in return for the building of the Panama Canal.
Government and business were closely tied together during this period, and business backed the minimal government and the gold standard, which was the Republican party platform of the time. The government also typically believed that business was the best way for the people to earn a living; therefore, the more people employed by business, the better the nation would be. This involved creating a very favorable business climate that ensured that foreign policy goals coincided with American commercial interests.
As the United States approached the 1900s, domestic events and foreign events seemed to be increasingly connected to each other. By the end of the 1800s, the United States had expanded from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. People who believed in manifest destiny began to believe that the United States should expand overseas. These people believed it was the duty of the Americans to spread their way of life and their way of government to places around the world that they believed were inferior to them. Additionally, American businesses were growing. These businesses were looking for markets beyond the United States. These businesses needed raw materials and knew they could get them cheaply if the United States had colonies. These colonies could also serve as a marketplace for American products. As European countries continued to expand beyond their boundaries, Americans realized they needed to act before it was too late if they wanted to get colonies.
The United States began to look to spread its influence around the world. An opportunity arose when people heard that Spain was allegedly mistreating the people of Cuba. The American public read exaggerated news stories of this mistreatment. Public opinion turned against Spain. When a United States warship, the U.S.S. Maine, exploded in Havana Harbor, people immediately blamed Spain. Eventually, the United States declared war on Spain. As a result of this war, the United States gained control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
As American trade expanded worldwide, we wanted a quicker way to get products from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The trip around South America was a long one. If a canal could be built near Columbia or Nicaragua, this would shorten the travel time significantly. American products could be shipped more quickly and profits could rise. When Columbia refused the American offer to buy land to build a canal through Columbia, the United States helped Panama win its revolution against Columbia. The United States quickly signed a deal to build the canal in Panama.
The United States wanted to be able to trade with China. However, there were hazards to China’s independence that threatened the ability of the United States to trade with China. In 1899, the United States issued the Open Door Policy that said all nations would have equal trading rights in China. The United States intervened again when the Boxer Rebellion occurred. The United States was able to convince European countries not to take over China, which allowed the United States to keep trading with China.
The United States also wanted to assert its influence within the western hemisphere. As a result, President Theodore Roosevelt issued the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This policy stated that the United States would resolve issues that Europe was having with countries in the Americas.
Domestic and foreign events became increasingly connected to each other by the late 1890s and the early 1900s.
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3158
https://www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/spanish-american-war
https://www.history.com/topics/landmarks/panama-canal
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