History 2301E Study Guide - Final Guide: Social Darwinism, Medieval Commune, Great White Fleet
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21 Apr 2012
School
Department
Course
Professor
American History Exam Review: International Relations
International Relations
1890s-1915: The American Empire
o Acquisition of Hawaii, Samoa, etc.
o Why?
Gain bigger market
Competition, have to stay equal with Europe
Economics
Open door policy with China
Social Darwinism
Test of American manhood (Theodore Roosevelt)
Missionary
“Help our little brown brothers”
Focus on people of Latin America and Asia
Role of Big Business
National greatness, need to match Europe
Need a stronger Navy (Alfred Mahan)
Lack of a frontier, cannot move farther west anymore
Steps towards Empire
o 1. Spanish American War (1890s)
Cuba
US has a lot invested in Cuba
Cubans rebelling against Spain, US intervenes
Yellow Journalism
Protecting their economic interests, not the people
Formal empire
Philippines very similar
o 2. Open Door Policy with China (1902)
Informal empire
Us wants to sell goods in china
Opens China to American goods, Chinese felt exploited
US also taking goods from China (raw materials, etc.)
o 3. Panama Canal
US supports Panamanian revolts, given unending rights to the
Panama Canal in return
Perpetuity
US realizes they cannot be isolationist, movement back
towards the Monroe Doctrine
US as world police force
US takes more of an interest in Latin America
Formation of the Great White Fleet
Wilson doesn’t want an empire, but fights in Mexico (1915)
World War I
o Lusitania
o Zimmerman Telegram