America: A New Kind of Empire? – Week 7 Flashcards
(29 cards)
Key Points:
US breaks off from Europe – breaking away from an Empire
American expansion across North American Continent
Overseas Empire
American Revolution:
US breaks from British Empire at the end of the 18th century
Americans see themselves as establishing an anti-empire – instead a new form of democratic government
Manifest Destiny:
19th century idea that America destined to expand across all of North America
America has god’s blessing to march westwards
Expansion West was what set U.S. apart from the Old-World countries
Expansion believed to give the nation’s (white men) toughness, independence, true understanding of liberty. Allowed white men access to land/social mobility.
Expansion essential to nation’s Democratic character – expansion west throughout the 18th and 19th century.
Race issue central to ‘Manifest Destiny’ – idea of expansion only makes sense if you assume that Native Americans aren’t the true owners of the land and are already going extinct, also that white Anglo culture is superior
British Limited Colonists’ Expansion West:
Proclamation of 1763 prohibited colonists’ settlement west of Appalachians - British government limited white settlements from moving West – one of the main grievances of American colonists against the British
Andrew Jackson:
U.S. President 1829-1837
President that most symbolised this expansion Westward to Native American Territory
Believed full promise of America could only occur through Western expansion – came to fame by fighting the Native Americans
Famous Land speculator – invested in the issue of land
Wealthy slave owner yet portrays represents the white common man
Rose to prominence through warfare, much of it against Native Americans
1828 Presidential Election:
Andrew Jackson v. John Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson claims he represents the white common man
John Quincy Adams represents the coastal elite – out of touch with the common man
Andrew Jackson: Man of the People? “Vote for Jackson who can fight, not Adams who can write”
The Rise of Popular Democracy:
American politics becomes more democratic
All white men in America can vote – had a big effect on the outcome of the election in 1828
Electoral vote = 68% Jackson
Popular vote = 56% Jackson
Cherokee Indians
Seen as the group that assimilated most to American culture
Sided with British during Revolutionary War
After the war, George Washington had a policy that Native Americans’ supposed inferiority was cultural, not racial – idea that they could be civilised
Cherokees embraced the civilising program – became farmers, bought slaves, started newspapers, formed a government modelled after the US government, adopted a system of writing their own language – all in the hope to maintain some power and hold on to some of their land
1820s – Shift in Attitude Toward Native Americans
Andrew Jackson rising to power – American attitudes towards Native Americans shifts
View that Indians could never be civilised
As a result, there could be no place in American society for Native people
Population growth led to more pressure to get Indians’ land
“Indian Territory”
Government officials are tempting to convince tribal leaders to let go of their land for white settlement
Give far West land to Native Americans that was less desirable
Indian Removal:
Congress passed an Indian Removal Act of 1830 appropriated $500,000 for the relocation of native-Americans to the new Indian Territory in Oklahoma
Created machinery to expel aprox. 100,000 Native Americans, including 16,000 Cherokees
The Federal government negotiated 94 removal treaties with Native groups
Those who refused to negotiate faced forced relocation or massacre
Cherooke Nation vs. Georgia (1832)
Argue that they have assimilated
Case brought to US Supreme Court to stop the loss of their land
Much of their land in Georgia
US Supreme Court turns down case as they don’t have jurisdiction
The Trail of Tears (1838-1839)
Treaty gives Cherokees two years to prepare for removal
Many continue to resist and in the end soldiers round up all remaining Cherokees – many Native Americans die
John Gast, American Progress (1872)
Rhetoric of Manifest Destiny grows in strength
American progress only takes place by pushing Native Americans off the land
Not seen as building an empire as on the same continent ad lands that they are moving into are largely empty, seen as open land for the taking
US States and Territories, 1890
By the end of the 19th century America has expanded all the way to the sea
Taken land from other empires as well as Native Americans
For example, took Texas from the Spanish, Alaska from the Russian Empire, California from the Spanish Empire, Louisiana from the French Empire
By this time, expansion of America is complete
Frederick Jackson Turner, Frontier Thesis (1893)
American historian
Published a thesis – Frontier Thesis
Frontier made America more democratic
The spirit and success of the Frontier was what had shaped America and made it great
Frontier safety valve for social unrest
Frontier now closed
Benefits from having a frontier – potentially at the end – what is the end of the Frontier going to do to Americans
All expansion up to now on the American continent but once frontier is closed begin to think about expansion overseas – to build an empire would save the country
Economic benefits to expansion – new markets abroad
Race key idea for expansion
Empire, Race and Progress:
Race as argument for expansion
Domination of non-white people by whites is part of civilisation
Non-whites seen as barbaric and uncivilised
Bring civilisation abroad – groups seen as inferior to white Americans
Those Opposing Expansion Abroad also drew on Race:
Previous areas US had expanded into seen as “empty” and had been “settled” by whites and incorporated into American nation
Worried about expanding into nations that primarily had people of colour
Didn’t want more people of colour given the vote/worried about incorporating areas which wouldn’t be given representation e.g. Cuba, Porta Rica, The Philippines
Cuba:
90 miles off the Florida Coast
Spanish Empire in control
Long struggle for Cuban independence
End of 19th century Americans get involved in war
The Ten Years’ War (1868-1878)
Gorilla War – Cuban nationalists against the Spanish
First of three wars for Cuban independence from the Spanish
The Cuban War of Independence (1895-1898)
Spanish General Weyler
Spanish Policy of Reconcentration – early form of concentration camp – led to starvation of huge number of Cuban civilians
Longstanding struggle
American perspective on Cuba:
War going on causing economic damage to US plantation owners
Threatening lives of Americans living in Havana
Concerned about violent tactics of the Spanish general Weyler
Hearing about the war through new mass media – media influences decision to get involved – encourages Americans to go to war
Yellow Journalism and Cuba:
Cubans mistreated under Spanish empire
Need to ensure no anarchy – anarchy will happen if Americans led Cubans do it on their own
Political cartoons emphasise the brutality of the Spanish – General Weyler portrayed as “The Butcher”
The Sinking of the USS Maine (15 Feb 1898)
US sends battleship outside Havana harbour – protect American citizens in Cuba
15th Fed 1898 – explosion blows up ship – 2/3 of 355 sailors on board – later investigation would show probably accidental explosion
Media quickly blame Spain and call for retribution
War fever mounted
President Mackinlay holds back but portrayed as cowardly by the press
Congress authorise war with Spain in April 1898
Step in to conflict between Cuba and Spain
Cubans well on way to victory when America join war – Spanish were demoralised
