American Expansionism

Gabriela Pena
Period 5
Mr. Jackson
US History
11/22/09

                                            American Expansionism:

  Some people may think that American Expansionism was a good thing when it wasn't. America expanded in the late 1800's. It intervened in Latin America and Mexico. Americans annexed Hawaii, the Philippines and Puerto Rico after the war with Cuba and the Philippines. The United States took control over Cuba which made it a protectorate. Also, it exerted influence in China and Japan that caused the Russo-Japanese war. As a result the United States becomes a world power. Expansionism was a bad thing because it caused war, made an American rule and they control some islands.

On February 9,1898; the journalist published a letter written by Enrique Dupuy De Lome to the United States. The de Lome letter blame McKinley for being "weak and catering to the rabble." That made many Americans mad and declare war with Spain. It happened when Spain refused, congress declared a state of war on April 25, 1898 the Spanish- American war had begun. The war lasted about four 4 month with Cuba and the Philippines. Cuba had fought with the Buffalo soldiers and the Rough riders. Therefore, Spain also turned control of the Philippines over to the United States in exchange for a $20 million payment. The United States paid a heavy toll   for the was about S250 million.

Americans formed an Anti-imperialist League in June 1898. Americans feared that annexing the Philippines would open doors to a flood of new immigrants. The American rule had to do debate in order to annex the Philippines. On the other hand Philippines were angry because they have been fighting independence from Spain for a long time. Emilio Aguilando was setting a government   and declared himself as president. He warned the United States that he was prepared to face military action on the United States if they wanted to control the Philippines. It made the Filipinos break   out war on the...