American History II Honors - Imperialism and the Great War |
United States and East Asia
The Open Door Policy
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Key People, Events, and Objectives
- Emilio Aguinaldo was the preeminent, nationalist leader of the Philippine insurrection against the United States -- relying on guerrilla warfare to weaken his enemies.
- William Howard Taft became the governor of the Philippines; he sought to improve the island -- extending limited self-rule and constructing schools, roads, and bridges -- yet relied on the censorship of the press and the incarceration of dissidents in order to do so.
- President Theodore Roosevelt established peace between Japan and Russia, ending the Russo-Japanese War and earning a Nobel Peace Prize.
- Secretary of State John Hay practiced the Open Door Policy -- a foreign policy that established equal trade in China and sought to protect the country's sovereignty.
- The Boxer Rebellion was a violent Chinese rebellion against European, American, and Japanese missionaries and diplomats. The Righteous and Harmonious Fists -- also known as the Boxers -- was a Chinese secret society formed in response to the growing influence of European nations in the country. And in 1898, the rebels killed foreign missionaries and diplomats.
Legislation
- After the Spanish-American War, the Teller Amendment prevented the United States from dominating Cuba, but not the Philippines. This allowed the United States to keep the Philippines.
- The Jones Act promised that the Philippines would eventually gain their independence, which they did after World War I broke out.
- The Open Door Policy was Hay's foreign policy that stated to the European nations that the United States did not plan to colonize China, but instead planned to establish equal, free trade (for all nations) there, thereby protecting the sovereignty of China.
- The "Gentlemen's Agreement" was Roosevelt's compromise with Japan: The San Francisco School Board promised to end its school segregation of Asian students if Japan agreed to limit the emigration of its citizens to the United States.
- The Great White Fleet was Roosevelt's armada of white battleships that circumnavigated the globe in order to demonstrate the military power of the United States to its foreign competitors.
Impact/Significance
Then - The United States, by keeping the Philippines, demonstrated its power to competing imperialist nations. United States imperialism -- opening up trade with East Asian nations -- led to economic prosperity; however, it also led to tension between such nations and the United States. The Philippine insurrection against the United States demonstrated the nation's tenacity to gain its independence from the United States, and the tensions that arose between Japan and Russia reiterated the competition between imperialist nations regarding their occupied territories.
Now - Today, the Philippines remains an independent, democratic nation and has adopted American culture -- including architecture, media, and music and dance. However, the nation faces a serious problem regarding potable water; many of its citizens lack access to the essential natural resource. In addition, Japan has become a strong economical and political power in the world -- exporting a myriad of goods -- including automobiles and electronics. The conditions of the two nations have progressively improved since the period of imperialism.
Now - Today, the Philippines remains an independent, democratic nation and has adopted American culture -- including architecture, media, and music and dance. However, the nation faces a serious problem regarding potable water; many of its citizens lack access to the essential natural resource. In addition, Japan has become a strong economical and political power in the world -- exporting a myriad of goods -- including automobiles and electronics. The conditions of the two nations have progressively improved since the period of imperialism.