Lecture Outline –
Foundations of American Foreign Policy – American Expansion in the 1890s[1]

Overhead

 

I         Historical Context

A      Western European Imperialism: Greed, Glory, God

B      United States – 19th century - Manifest Destiny

II     America – Model Society

A      “City on a hill” and “let the eyes of the world be on us…”

B      Permanent goal of American policy toward outside world

C      Motivations

1        Idealism of Democracy

2        Self-Interest of capitalism and political power

III  Early Expansionism of 19th century

A      1850s – Trade with Japan

B      1865 – Secretary of State – William Seward

C      1850 – 1870s – Commercial Dominance in Latin America and Asia

D      Example: Hawaiian Islands


 

IV  American Expansion – Global Context (map)

 

 

A      Aggressive European Expansion – “New Imperialism

B      Rationale: Social Darwinism – Survival of the Fittest

 

 


 

C      Example: Scramble for Africa


 

V      United States – Intent and Interests (map)

A      Central and Latin America, Caribbean and Pacific Rim

 

 

 


 

VI  Expansionism in the 1890s

A      Frederick Jackson Turner – 1893

1        American character – quest to conquer the frontier

2        End of America Frontier

3        New frontiers – beyond American borders

 

B      Two Concepts

1        Mobility and Markets

2        Morality and Missionary Activity

C      Similar to European Imperialism: Greed, Glory, God

VII           Greed: Profits: Searching for Overseas Markets

A      Rationale – Laws of Supply and Demand (Capitalism)

B      American Economic Growth

1        1870 - $434 billion – Ranked Fourth

2        1900 – $1.5 billion – Ranked First; surpassed Great Britain and Germany

3        1914 - $2.5 billion

C      The Problem - Economic Depression of 1893

D      The Solution: Global Markets

VIII       Glory: Patriotism

A      Assertion of National Power

B       National Honor to engage in the Darwinian Struggle to Assert America’s Economic Power

C       The U.S. must “become a competitor in the world-wide struggle for trade”

IX  God: Piety: the Missionary Impulse

A      “City on a Hill” - “Doing Good for Others” – “White Man’s Burden”

B      Josiah Strong – Reform Darwinism

X      The Marketing Plan: Politics and Manipulating Public Opinion

A      Need for Marketing Plan - Presidential Politics

B      Issues – The Safety Value

 



[1] Created: January 23; updated: 9/8/08