Expansion between 1890 and 1917
Key Ideas from Documents 5–9
Historical Circumstances Effects
Doc 5—Precedent of territorial expansion
(Louisiana; Florida; Texas; Hawaii; Cuba;
Philippines; Puerto Rico)
Foreign nations anxious to be on friendly
terms with United States (Russia; Germany;
Italy; Austria; Japan; England; France;
China)
Growth of nation from 13 states to major
world power
Isolationism no longer applicable with
changing conditions (nation filling up;
frontier line no longer traceable; large
undeveloped areas; energies diverted to
West and to great industrial centers of East)
Need for overseas markets (major producer of
steel and other manufactured goods; bulging
warehouses)
Doc 6—Location of Hawaii about two
thousand miles from San Francisco
Lack of agricultural development in Hawaiian
Islands (most fertile part of world; perfect
climate; capable of producing sugar, coffee,
rice, tropical fruits)
Location of excellent harbors in Hawaii
(providing commerce and coaling stations;
providing control of cable communication in
Pacific; giving carrying trade to American
vessels)
Doc 7—President McKinley’s reasons to
control Philippines: cowardly and
dishonorable to return Philippines to Spain;
bad business and discreditable to turn
Philippines over to France and Germany;
Filipinos unfit for self-government; need to
educate Filipinos, uplift them, civilize them,
Christianize them
Doc 5—America becoming a major world power on
global stage
Need for overseas markets for America’s steel and
other manufactured goods
Doc 6—Goods from Hawaii becoming available for
Americans (sugar; coffee; rice; tropical fruits)
Use of harbors in Hawaii for commerce and coaling
stations; control of cable communication in Pacific;
carrying trade for American vessels
Doc 7—Adding Philippines to the map of the United
States
Doc 8—Need to deal with Philippine revolutionaries
who wanted independence, had fought Spanish for
independence, and thought they would be included
in surrender ceremony
War between Aguinaldo and his Philippine
revolutionaries and the United States Army
Reinforcement of United States Army to deal with
war
Three-year guerrilla war with Filipinos (atrocities
committed by both sides)
More United States casualties than were lost in Cuba
Many deaths in war from disease (estimated 200,000
Filipinos)
Doc 9—Spanish-American War—turning point in
history of United States foreign policy
Establishment of undisputed United States dominance
of Caribbean
Extension of United States influence to shores of Asia
Recognition of United States as world power (no
longer able to remain aloof from politics of rest of
world)
Continuing intervention with troops in Caribbean
(Vera Cruz; Cuba; Honduras; Nicaragua; Panama;
Haiti; Dominican Republic)
United States financial supervision in Caribbean
(Haiti; Dominican Republic; Nicaragua)
Establishment of United States naval base at
Guantanamo, Cuba
Acquisitions by United States (Puerto Rico in 1898;
Panama Canal Zone in 1903; Virgin Islands in
1917)