LA 1201 Chapter : Historical Overview Page 2
Document Summary
Reasons to expand: midterm: money, resources, trade (the dream is to reach china, idealistic. Institutions: democracy/christianity: nation building competing with europe for empire. Tension at heart of foreign policy 1860"s secretary of state is seward, who wants to take all of north and central america, significant caribbean islands, until us is at china"s doorstep. But he does try to buy the virgin islands (owned by denmark), congress says no. First steps: alaska: seward argues that there would be great resources, and wants us to rule all of. Gets approval to annex (take from russia: the curious case of hawaii sailors, especially whalers, find hawaii, as well as christian missionaries (shipman family). These children end up controlling of resources. Loren thirsten grandchild of missionary, creates bayonet constitution in 1880"s. It has a provision to allow us to use pearl. This attracts us so they will not enforce tariffs. In response, planters form annex clubs, john stevens and his club order.
