US foreign policy during the 1890s

Question 1

What did Americas foreign policy approach change from, to in the 1890s?

Answer 1

isolationism -> expansionism

Question 2

what is Imperialism?

Answer 2

Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonisation, use of military force, or other means.

Question 3

what is Manifest destiny (accomplished before course)?

Answer 3

in 1840s was the idea that it was the destiny of the USA to expand across North America.

Question 4

how was manifest destiny used to justify the USA’s expansionist and imperialist polices in 1890s?

Answer 4

the West of America had been settled and so some argued that manifest destiny should be extended to Latin America and beyond, because the USA was seen as superior to other nations and it was the duty of America to extend their influence overseas for the good of other races.

Question 5

What were the reasons for the change in US foreign policy in the 1890s?

Answer 5

• economy > economic expansion in the latter half of the 1800s lead to an increasing desire to open up new economic markets.
• power > for the USA to expand its influence, otherwise its power would be diminished as the great European powers grew through imperial expansion.
• manifest destiny > a genuine desire to improve
  the lives of non-Americans.

Question 6

What were the arguments against imperialism?

Answer 6

Anti-Imperialist League, that argued against expansion.
Their arguments included the fact that expansion could potentially lead to war,new territories would actually have a negative impact on the US economy and the USA would lose is unique position as a powerful, democratic nation, that respected the freedom of other nations.

Question 7

when did samoa become a US territory and which part?

Answer 7

eastern Samoa became territory in 1900

Question 8

when was Hawaii annexed by the US?

Answer 8

1898

Question 9

what and when was the British Guiana indecent?

Answer 9

In 1895, the USA intervened in a boundary dispute between Britain and Venezuela over British Guiana. President Cleveland demanded arbitration which the British agreed after the USA threatened to send warships to the disputed area.

Question 10

what was the importance of the British Guiana indecent?

Answer 10

USA had asserted their power
in the hemisphere and the British were forced to concede to the expanded
interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine.

Question 11

what is the Monroe Doctrine?

Answer 11

a US policy of opposing European colonialism in theAmericas beginning in 1823 but the USA would not interfere with existing European colonies in the hemisphere.

Question 12

when was the Monroe Doctrine?

Answer 12

1823

Question 13

what was americas Open Door Policy in China?

Answer 13

the Open Door Note asking countries to respect each other’s trading rights in china, even in each other’s spheres of interest.

Question 14

when was americas Open Door Policy in China?

Answer 14

in September 1899

Question 15

why did america join the cuban war for independance?

Answer 15

• DeLome letter 1898
• Maine inncident 15th feb 1898
• yellow press
• economic interests in Cuba
• cubas positiion in the carribean

Question 16

results of the spanish american war?

Answer 16

• Spain would give up all rights to Cuba. (protectorate > Platt ammendement)
• Spain surrendered Puerto Rico. (territory 1898)
• Spain surrendered Guam to the USA. (territory)
• Spain surrendered the Philippines to the USA for $20 million. (Philippine-American War lasted for three years until US forces were able to crush the rebel forces. It resulted in the deaths of around 4,000 US soldiers and cost around $600 million.)