5 | the united states and the world Flashcards
Manifest destiny
Americas right and duty to become a continental nation from sea to sea. Slogan that fostered intense patriotic feeling in 1840s, at the time of war against Mexico. Belief in continentalism (consolidation of US to occupy North American continent) went hand in hand with the belief in America as a future world power
Contradicting ideas
Powerful forces holding back any urge for expansionism in 1865. Some of these forces had deep ideological roots, sense of American exceptionalism and the desire to avoid entanglements with old Europe. Other forces were immediate and practical - the need to reconcile the nation after civil war, stabilise relations between Canada and Mexico, bring order and stability to the west and complete territorial consolidation of the nation.
Specific ideas making USA look inward
Relations with Britain were complicated by tensions over the us-Canada border and since Britain supported the confederates.
Spain was anxious to protect what was left of its empire against USA expansion
Conservative regimes like Austrian empire feared the dangerous ideas of American democracy.
Americans were Hostile to the interference in Mexico promoted by napoleon
Expansionism
Policy of extending a state’s territory by taking over territory by taking over territory held by other nations.
Colonialism
Forming of a settlement or colony by a group of people who seek to take control of territories or countries. Usually involves large scale immigration to a new location to a new location and the expansion of their civilisation
Isolationism
A policy by which the USA detached itself from foreign affairs. Non involvement and non intervention in other government’s internal affairs and wars.
Detachment due to - geographic distance (due to two great oceans), exceptionalism, abundance of raw materials, natural borders since they have no bordering states as a threat, anti-colonialism, America as the land of the free-a refuge from persecution.
Underpinned by Monroe Doctrine
Monroe Doctrine
- ‘We have not interfered and shall not interfere’. If other countries leave them alone, they will too, not concerned with Europe, anti empire as people trying to take over nations are bad, won’t expand into hemispheres, want to protect bordering countries like Mexico from french involvement. From 1823, all American politicians and opinion formers accepted this as an article of faith. During and after the war, the doctrine was demonstrated by the American response to the attempt of France and Austria to establish an empire in Mexico.
Monroe doctrine and Mexico
In 1863, emperor Napoleon of France sent an army into Mexico City, allowing archduke Maximilian of Austria to accept the crown of Mexico. After the civil war, there were protests from Congress and the press against it and generals wanted the army to be sent to Mexico to defend the monroe doctrine. Seward, Secretary of State, relied on diplomatic pressure instead. Maximilian found he had no support and Mexican nationalists fought a guerrilla war and executed him. It was easy for Seward to present the outcome as a vindication of the doctrine, reinforcing its mythic importance to Americans. Expulsion of Europeans fitted in with the idea of the doctrine as essentially defensive but also fed expansionist ideas about the western hemisphere in the future.
Midway Islands
1865 Guano Islands act enabled the government to take control of the island temporarily containing guano deposits, claiming Midway Island in Pacific for US. They formally annexed it in 1867
Dominican Republic
Offered itself for colonisation. If US took over, it could use it for wealth and resources but to take it over would make them need to deal with savages and it may become a state which reduces white states. Congress refused the offer. A year later, the federal government attempted to annex it (protectorate), but there was a debate on empirical expansion in Congress and it was rejected by the senate.
Hawaii
1875- Reciprocity Treaty, granted Hawaiian sugar and other agricultural products duty free access to the United States market. This significantly boosted the Hawaiian economy. In exchange for this, US gained access to pearl harbour, where they could make a naval base in a strategically important location. Led to increased influence in Hawaii and eventually they annexed them in 1898.
Navy
In the 1880s, politicians began to show greater interest in foreign policy and called for an expanded navy. A nation without a navy could make little treadway in world affairs in an age of sea power. Out of their 48 armed vessels in 1880, just 30 were considered fit for overseas duty, and such a fleet was unsuitable for power projection and even for coastal defence. Transformed from largely wooden fleet to a modern, steel hulled navy, driven by a desire to improve the nation’s naval capabilities and increase global influence. Rapid expansion led to an increase in size and capabilities.
Relations with Latin America
First Pan-American conference. Secretary of State, Blaine, campaigned for the conference in 1881. USA acts as a leader across the continent to prevent war. All countries would benefit from greater trade links. In October 1889, delegates from 18 countries met in Washington with 2 aims - a system for international arbitration to avoid war and a customs union offering free trade across continent. Didn’t go well, it was too ambitious, contradiction in aims (USA preparing McKinley Tariff), Latin American delegates feared USA would attempt to dominate continent. Consequently - arbitration system signed by half, little agreed beyond trade.
Territorial consolidation
Already well advanced by 1865. Vast territory was acquired From France by the Louisiana purchase 1803. Spain ceded Florida in 1818. Between 1830s and 1845, American settlers pushed the annexation of Texas. Victory in Mexican war 1846 gained new territories in California and south West. From 1840s, Oregon Trail enabled settlers to cross the Great Plains and start new settlements in the pacific north west. After 1865, new territories included, Alaska, Great Plains, far west. Founded on wars, treaties, deliberate government policy.
Alaska
Opportunistic rather than planned. Seward was already interested but a Change in Russian policy opened the way. Russian-American company had become an expensive drain on resources, Russia also feared the united states might seize the territory anyway so it made sense to get a financial reward and to improve relations, so Russia ceded Alaska for $7.2mil. At the time it was denounced by politicians and the press as a mistake, but attitudes changed as strong commercial links were established with west coast ports like Seattle and San Francisco. The economic potential of the region, for things like fish and mining, became recognised even before the Alaska Yukon gold rush. they also worried that Britain would buy it instead and have more influence so they purchased it in 1867, but many didn’t see the motives of buying ‘Seward’s icebox’.
US-Canada border issues
also an unfinished nation. US-Canada border had been agreed by treaties in 1842 and 1846. However it only covered east Canada from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic. 3 main issues raising the possibility of American annexation of Canada- Fenian raids, Red river Colony, western Canadian province of British Columbia.
The border line of the 49th parallel ran through largely unexplored territory. Also, the main river valleys and trading links of North American west ran north to south and the nearest neighbours of the early Canadian settlers were Americans. Made Canadian unity hard to achieve and annexation tempting
Fenian raids
1866-71 - 5 of them into Canada by unofficial militias supporting the Fenian brotherhood - an Irish American nationalist organisation established in 1858 to fight for an independent Irish republic. At first, us government ignored it because of ongoing disputes with Britain and Canada over the Alabama Claims. Eventually they took action and arrested ringleaders. The raids aroused genuine fears of American annexation. Pushed the Canadian provinces to join in a national confederation. (Joining between 1867-71 of provinces to strengthen unity of dominion of Canada, recently granted self rule by Britain)
Alabama claims
during the civil war, British and Canadian businessmen sympathised and trade with south. A confederate warship, Alabama, was very effective in breaking the northern blockade of southern cotton exports and after the war, the United States demanded compensation for the damage done by the Alabama. Tension until settled in 1872
Desire to annex Canada
Seward’s success in Alaska opened the way for annexation of the entire Pacific Northwest coast. All that separated Alaska from American was British Colombia, far from Canada by land and even further by sea. Annexationists, Seward and many Canadians were confident British Colombia would choose to join US rather than Canadian confederation. Canada won by the commitment to build a railway, Canadian Pacific, to connect British Colombia to the rest of the nation. Completed in 1886. Fears of annexation were dissipated and Canada became a continental nation. After 1871, tensions were generally at a low level- last hostility was the Alaska Boundary Dispute
Tensions with Britain over Canada
Canada was ruled by Britain. Britain supported the south in the civil war and some ships were built in Britain. One ship went to West Indies and took 40 unionist merchantmen and US demanded compensation of $2bil or Canada, settled in 1872- Britain agreed to pay $15.5mil
Indian nations
Compromised numerous Indian nations, each with their own way of life, ancestral lands and their own political and social structures. The colonisation of the west was only made possible by wars, treaties, executive decisions of government, enforced by army.
Fighting with Indian nations
Massacre - sand creek in Colorado 1864, major conflicts continued until 1877. Wars involved countless battles and local conflicts - 101 in 1871.
Treaty of Medicine Lodge
October 1867. Comprised 3 treaties between Indian peace commission, set up by Congress in 1867, and the Indian nations of the southern plains- Comanche, Apache, Cheyenne-Arapaho. Set new borders for Indian territory and was intended to ensure control over white encroachment into Native American lands.
Treaty of Fort Laramie
Similar agreements with the Sioux nations after Red Cloud’s War or 1866-68, a war fought by the Plains Indians, led by Sioux Chief Red Cloud to stop white encroachment. 1868, established the Great Sioux Reservation to the west of Missouri River, including exclusive Native American rights over the black hills region. Also made provision for white assistance in education and economic development.
