Foreign Policy 1865-1877 Flashcards
What was the Monroe Doctrine?
- Established scope of US interests abroad:
- Stated:
- US policy was to avoid becoming involved in European war unless there were American Interests
- ‘American Continents’ not to be colonised by European powers
- Any attempts regarded as unfriendly acts
- –> indicated disinterest in foreign affairs
What was Isolationism?
19th Century USA seemed detached from foreign entanglements
–> this policy referred to as isolationism
What were the reasons for Isolationism?
- USA felt superior to those countries that took part in expansion and empire building
- USA differed from other countries would be guided by morally-based principles
- USA had sufficient raw materials
- no state on American borders a major threat
- never totally isolationist –> intervened when American interest threatened
When was Alaska purchased and from where?
Purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million
Why did the US want to acquire Alaska?
- Might provide a gateway to Northern Asia where US merchant ships could fuel for long journey across Pacific Ocean
- expand Pacific coastline of USA, spread US rule and keep British out
- Made sense for US to maintain good relations with powerful nation Russia
America + British relations following civil war
Why was it strained?
What happened eventually
- Strained in years after civil war
- Unions objected to the building of the confederate ships in British dockyards
- Ships wrecked havoc on union shipping, forcing an increase in insurance for merchant ships
- USA demanded compensation from Britain $2 billion or ceding all of canada to US
- 1867 –> canada becomes a self-governing dominion
- US retaliated by allowing Fenian raids across border into canada
- Eventually the anglo-american dispute settled in 1872 when britain agreed to pay $15.5 million dollars to US for the damage caused.
US relations with the far east
What was acquired and when ?
What signed what did it to?
1867 - USA acquired the inhabited Midway Island in the West Pacific
1868 - Burlingame Treaty signed to promote trade with China
–> endorsed free movement of people + free trade between US and China
–> In part to stimulate chinese immigrants to work on railroads in USA
US relations with Dominican Republic
What happened ?
1869 - The Dominican Republic offered itself for colonisation but congress refused
1870 - an attempt by the US to annex the republic sparked debate
In favour argued –> US could exploit wealth and resources + sell its good to ready market there
opposed argued USA would not deal with “savages”
senate rejected the annexation of Republic
