Creating the Empire
McKinley
- Republican convention in St. Louis June 16, 1896, nominated W. McKinley and W. Hobart
- Democratic convention in Chicago July 7-9 nominated William Jennings Bryan and Arthur Sewall
- Bryan Silver Crusade, fusion with Populists
- Mark Hanna managed McKinley's "front porch" campaign, stay at home, say nothing, avoid all issues
- McKinley won close election, 21 to 26 states (176 - 271 electoral votes), 47% vs. 51% (6.4m vs. 7.1m popular vote)
- Republican administration was conservative; pro-gold standard, pro-tariff, pro-business, pro-imperialism
- John Sherman (Mar. 6, 1897-Apr. 27, 1898), William R. Day (Apr. 28-Sep. 16, 1898), John Hay (1898-1905)
Hawaii
- history of American influence since 1820
- June 16, 1897 - Hawaii annexation treaty submitted
- sought by Sanford Dole since 1893 revolution
- McKinley declared protectorate - against Japan
- July 6, 1898 - treaty passed for annexation
- included Johnston atoll 700 mi. southwest claimed by Hawaii since 1858
Midway
- Midway discovered by Capt. Nicholas Brooks on the Honolulu brig Gambiain 1859 and 3 atolls claimed as Middlebrook islands for the United States
- Pacific Mail Steamship Company requested an official survey
- Capt. William Reynolds of USS Lackawana took official possession of Brooks Island in 1867
- USS Saginaw failed to dredge a ship channel 1870
- TR would designate Midway as a naval base in 1903
Samoa
- Strategic pacific island with good harbors for naval bases 3000 miles south of Hawaii, halfway to Australia
- 1884 German protectorate but 1888 native revolt
- American property shelled by German ships, caused wave of anti-German feeling in U.S. and jingoism
- 1889 Congress voted funds to defend Samoa from Germans
- Apia harbor hurricane mar. 16, 1889, sank 6 ships, prevented war
- 1889 treaty created "condominium" shared by U.S., Ger., Brit.
- 1899 civil war between native factions resulted in formal partition
- American Samoa included Tutuila and 6 eastern islands
- history of instability - 8 revolts 1823-53
- Maximo Gomez revolt 1868-78 - Ham. Fish, Virginius
- Jose Marti raids from U.S. - Carlos Aguero 1884
- U.S. investments grew - $79m trade annually
- $33m in land - Olney's friend Edwin F. Atkins
- 1894 tariff ended duty-free sugar since 1890
- new revolt began Feb. 24, 1895 - "Cuba Libre"
- "juntas" in U.S. - "Cuban Legation" at Raleigh Hotel
- Cuban Leagues raised $1m - Cigar Makers Union
- Spanish Allianza fired on U.S. ship March 8
- Spanish Restoration
- Cleveland's reluctance
- Republican eagerness
- Yellow Press
- McKinley's appeasement
- USS Maine sunk
- Splendid Little War
- Recent Interpretations
- Feb. 4 - Insurrection until July 4, 1902
- cost of $400m., 4200 U.S., 220,000 filipino dead
- Feb. 17 - Anti-Imperialist League from 30 states
- George F. Hoare, Eugene Hale, Mark Twain
- Films seen in nickelodeon and vaudeville theaters
Resources:
- Spanish-American War Films from American Memory at Library of Congress
revised 11/25/01 | Class page