Ari Gilder, 3-201L
1. What are some factors that led the US
to emerge from their foreign policy of isolationism?
With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, factories
needed a place to get a large amount of raw materials as well as a market to
sell their products. Also, the Western frontier was closed. This brought America
to take interest in other lands to colonize and use for their profit.
2. How did Cuba’s
fight for self-determination contribute to the Spanish-American War?
The revolution in Cuba
against Spain
for the right of independence essentially brought about the Spanish-American
War. Cubans had launched a successful propaganda campaign in the US
rallying much US
support and sympathy towards their cause. Eventually on April 19, 1898, Congress voted that the US Navy
should be sent to secure the independence of Cuba.
3. Do you agree or disagree with the anti-imperialists who
argued that in taking the Philippines
the US violated
the Declaration of Independence? Explain.
I personally disagree simply for the fact that the US
can’t really be blamed, since they didn’t know all the facts about the country.
They simply made the assumption that “if they’re not American, they’re heathen”
– which is completely invalid and most likely would not have been made had the US
been more familiar with the Philippine culture. I think that the decision to
subject the Philippines
to American rule was too hasty and it should have been decided over a gradual
course of time, giving them adequate time to learn about the Filipinos.
4. How did the US
finally acquire Hawaii?
After the revolution in Hawaii,
the Hawaiians asked the American minister to be annexed to the US.
Due to popular opinion though, Congress abandoned this in 1894. In 1898, the
issue was brought up again and they did in fact vote to annex Hawaii.