Annexation of Hawaii Essay

The decade of the mid-nineties label a diplomatic watershed in American history. During that period the unite States embarked upon a very assertive expansionist policy that led to the solid ground becoming an imperialist ply by 1900. The reasons for this change from an es directially low-key, isolationistic external policy stance to an aggressive touchment in mankind affairs involved fundamental changes in the American economy and the attitudes of the American peck. The industrial revolution of the last quarter of the 19th century was the primary(a) factor in the shifting foreign policy. As the land became more than industrialized it began to look overseas for new markets for its manufactured goods and for new sources of new(a) materials to feed the growing industrial system. To treasure these foreign markets and raw materials the get together States began to expand its power and influence overseas through the acquisition of concern centers, naval stations, and coal ing ports. Indeed one of the major differences between the expansion of the 1890s and introductory decades was that the nation did not see these new territories as likely states to add to the nation, but as spheres of influence in the aid of foreign trade.Two another(prenominal) elements entered the expansionist/imperialist equation. One was the closing of the American frontier in1890. When the Census report of that year proclaimed that there was no more frontier it meant that the nation could no longer pursue its replicate goals of territorial expansion and isolation from world affairs. One or the other would have to be abandoned since there was no more beside territory to annex. The expansionist impulse proved stronger than the isolationist one and the nation began acquire an overseas empire. A mho factor was the desire to break the Christian gospel abroad, which meant securing an opening for American missionaries overseas. Militant Christianity rein strained the irritabi lity of American expansionism. A classic example of the intertwining of sparing and religious impulses was coupled States annexation of Hawaii. The first Americans to settle in Hawaii were Christian missionaries whose families remained and exerted a growing influence over the Hawaiian economy.By 1890 American economic and religious interests in the island kingdom were a permanent feature of the society. When the McKinley duty bill of 1890 sought to stimulate the American pelf beet industry by placing a duty on imported sugar and handsome a two cent a pound bonus for domestically grown sugar, the American-owned sugar companiesfaced a serious economic problem. From the base of the American sugar companies in Hawaii the answer to their economc problem was primary have Hawaii annexed by the United States so that Hawaiian sugar was domestic, not foreign grown. The flaw in that solution was that the Hawaiian plurality had no desire to become American. This popular aversion to anne xation was reflected in the refusal of the Hawaiian flower, Queen Liliuokalani, to request an American take-over. The sugar comp both executives, with the well timed(p) assistance of a contingent of American marines who marched through Honolulu to protect American lives and property, simply staged a political coup and asked for annexation.after prexy Cleveland refused, President McKinley acquiesced in 1898. Americas desire to belong its influence beyond its borders was not limited to overt acts of annexation. In the wooing of a boundary dispute between Venezuela and British Guiana, United States body process took the form of a virtual diplomatic ultimatum to England, insisting that Britain send no troops to press its boundary claims. The United States would set up a boundary commission to arbitrate the dispute and determine the legitimate boundaries. afterwards initially declining American good offices, Great Britain accepted after U.S. deposit of State Olney asserted that t he United States was practically sovereign in this hemisphere and threatened military action. This rather high-handed maneuver reflected growing U.S. power of persuasion. The most dramatic example of Americas increasingly imperialist foreign policy was the Spanish-American War of 1898.After having remained aloof from Cubas previous attempts to throw off Spanish rule, the United States adopted a more interventionist policy when another Cuban revolt erupted in the 1890s. The American people were sympathetic with the Cuban cause and their rallying cry became Cuba Libra, free Cuba. A sensationalist American press, led by New York City composition publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, played up Spanish atrocities against the Cubans and ran front rascal stories about the Cuban struggle for freedom. Hearst even sent a lensman to Cuba with instructions to send back pictures of Spanish atrocities. In addition to colour journalism, anti-Spanish emotions were stirred up by the publica tion of a private letter written by the Spanish ambassador to the United States, de Lome, considered insulting to President McKinley. Another event fanning the flames of war fever was the sinking of the American battleship Maine in Havana. tear downthough there was no proof of any Spanish involvement the rallying cry for pro-war forces became Remember the Maine, and to hell with Spain. Even though Spain, trying to avoid confontation with the United States, responded favorably to a diplomatic ultimatum from the State Department, McKinley yielded to popular pressure for war and delivered a war message. Congress, sensing Americas mood, declared war. Congress declaration of war was in brief accompanied by the Teller Resolution promising that the United States would not annex Cuba as a result of American intervention in its behalf. When the brief, successful war ( a splendid little war in the words of our Secretary of State) was ended, however, the Platt Amendment, incorporated in an American-Cuban treaty, accorded the United States the right to intervene in Cuba to preserve its independence and maintain law and order. In military group this amendment gave the United States a quasi-protectorate over Cuba.And while the war did not lead to U.S. acquisition of Cuba it did result in United States annexation of Puerto Rico and the Filipino Islands (acquired from Spain). The Philippinos expressed their aversion to becoming an American territory by good-natured in a guerilla war against the U.S. when annexation was proposed. Indeed the Filipino insurrection against the U.S. was more costly in terms of money and American lives lost than had been the Spanish-American war. Nor was everyone in the U.S. in favor of Philippine annexation. Anti-imperialists claimed that the Philippines might involve us in a war in the Far East, and that forced annexation violated the traditional American belief in governing body by the consent of the governed. American labor leaders joine d in opposition to acquisition lest it lead to the introduction of cheap Philippine labor.American racism also rallied against acquiring yellow-skinned Americas desire to track its economic influence to the Far East through opening up trade with China led to yet another diplomatic confrontation. By 1900 China had succumbed to European imperialism in the form of spheres of influence each of the major European powers and Japan had established. Concerned that this would lead to those powers excluding the U.S. from the China trade the U.S. sent a round-robin diplomatic note to all of them asserting that it was the U.S. policy, and assumed it was theirs as well, to provide an Open Door for trade with China. This was followed by a second Open Door note affirming respect for the territorial and administrative justice of China. Reluctantly most of the nations gave lukewarm assent.