Imperial Presidents
William McKinley
(1896-1901)
Theodore Roosevelt
(1901-1908)
William Howard Taft
(1909-1912)
Countries Taft was involved with...
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Spain
Called on Congress for authority to create the Spanish-American War
This war stemmed from Spain not being able to make a compromise with Cuba, the USS Maine was also destroyed from a reported "attack" from the Spanish
The US wins the war and gains...
The Treaty of Paris!
Gave the US control of...
Officially ended the war between the US and Spain
Countries McKinley was involved with...
The Filipino people believed that the US was helping them gain independence but when they maintained possession of the Philippines the people rebelled. They failed in their rebellion and ended up having 200,000 of their men killed and faced racism from the US.
These locations gave the US ports to dock on during trade routes and allowed them to set up naval bases. This in turn helped boost the American economy.
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China
Open Door Policy
Argued for equal privileges among countries trading with China. This meant that the US didn't want to have spheres of influence in China like other European countries. Instead they wanted to have free trade with China.
The goal of this was to bring American businesses to new foreign markets to trade with. They thought that this would help them rebound from a economic depression.
Countries Roosevelt was involved with...
Japan
Roosevelt convinced both Japan and Russia to sign a peace treaty during the Russo-Japanese War (won the Nobel Peace Prize because of this)
Anti-Asian sentiment in the West coast created strained relations with Japan. The San Francisco School board banned Japanese students (among others) from attending public schools with white children.
This led to outrage in Japan as journals demanded that the government retaliate claiming that their fellow countrymen had been "HUMILIATED".
Roosevelt eventually negotiated a "Gentleman's Agreement" which calmed down tensions by ending the segregation by the school board and japan limited the emigration of its citizens to the US.
Latin America
"Big Stick" Diplomacy
This is the idea of depending on a strong military to achieve goals. "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
Panama Canal
Was a passage created to form a route from the Caribbean ocean to the Pacific Ocean through Central America
Roosevelt sends in US warships to support the Panamanian rebellion against Columbia, scaring them. This made the Colombian government to choose not to suppress the rebellion.
Panama grants the US control over the "Canal Zone" in exchange for a up front payment of $10 million and a annual rent of $250,000
The US bought the Panama Route for $40 million.
This gave the US control over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, made it easier to travel from the East coast to the West coast, helped make trade easier and cheaper with foreign nations, and helped increase both protection and security of the US's new territories
Roosevelt Corollary
Updated the Monroe Doctrine for an age of expansion and economic influence.
Latin America's response
Resented America's role as a police force and believed that they could police themselves.
American would prevent European nations from intervening in the western hemisphere, through the use of force if necessary.
Gave the US the role as police over the Western hemisphere
Woodrow Wilson
(1913-1920)
Countries Wilson was involved with...
Moral Diplomacy
Nathan Ou
Believed that other nations should be self governed
Believed that the US should help spread peace and ideas of democracy instead of colonizing other countries
Promised that the US would "never again seek one additional foot of territory by conquest" but instead would promote "human rights, national integrity, and opportunity".
Used the military to guide Latin Americans in ways he thought were proper.
In 1915, he sent marines to Haiti to protect American investments and guard against potential German or French aggression.
Haiti
Mexico
Latin America
Wanted to create a friendship with Latin America
"We must prove ourselves friends [to Latin America] by comprehending their interest, whether it squares with our own interest or not." - Woodrow Wilson, Oct. 27 1913
Revolution occurs in Mexico and in 1911 and Francisco Madero takes over power but is quickly succeeded by Victoriano Huerta.
Under "dollar diplomacy" Howard Taft would've recognized Huerta as leader as he promised to protect American Investments
Instead though under "moral diplomacy" Wilson didn't acknowledge Huerta as a leader and favored Venustiano Carranza who organized anti-Huerta forces.
Eventually Wilson helped aid Carranza to become president when he sent in marines to occupy to port of Veracruz, this in turn brought Huerta's reign as leader to an end.
Carranza was slow to bring up new reforms so new rebels rose up under the leadership of Francisco Villa, Wilson courted Villa for some time
Villa crosses into New Mexico and kills 18 Americans. In retaliation Wilson sends in more than 10,000 troops on a "punitive expedition" to Mexico.
American Forces fail to capture Villa and instead are sent out to Europe to deal with concerns about Germany and World War I.
Germany
America declares war on Germany
Dollar Diplomacy
Taft wanted to exchange "dollars for bullets" and believed that the US should invest in foreign economics to increase America's global influence.
China
Taft wanted to maintain the open door policy in Asia.
This allowed him to expand economic opportunity with China
Continued Roosevelt's foreign policies but with less aggression
Dollar Diplomacy aimed to increase American investments in businesses and banks throughout Central America and the Caribbean. Americans invested in plantations, mines, oil wells, railroads, and more in these areas.
Worked for stability in Latin America
Nicaragua
Taft dispatched troops to Nicaragua in 1909 to protect the creation of a pro American government.