Why did Americans become more interested in foreign affairs in the late 1800s?

Answer 1

The U.S. economy was growing more tied to other nations,

Answer 2

World trade became more important to the American economy

Answer 3

Actually, America wanted nothing to do with foreign affairs. It liked the idea of Manifest Destiny, but that only applied to the West. Not to the rest of the world. America wanted its own little corner to snicker and giggle in while the rest of the world killed each other.

But once the country cooled off from the Civil War, they saw clearly what European powers were doing to our hemisphere.

In 1873, revolutionaries were fighting for their freedom in Cuba and the Philippines. There were tales of terrible atrocities committed by their Spanish overlords. This wasn't some far-flung obscure backwater. This was right on America's doorstep (even the Philippines wasn't too far away, as America had established several Pacific Island bases). Many Americans supported independence from Spain, but the government didn't want to do anything official yet. So begins the tale of the Virginius and Captain Joseph Fry...

The Virginius was smuggling supplies to the revolutionaries in Cuba when it was captured by the Spanish ship Tornado. 53 members of its crew were summarily tried as Pirates and executed. Add the fact that a Spanish Ironclad was parked in New York Harbor with no American ship strong enough to beat her at the time, and you see how the powder was laid out. Now to light the fuse...

In 1898, atrocities were at an all-time high. And sadly for the Spanish, the USS Maine blew up in the middle of Havana Harbor. Oops...

Sabotage or not, America had enough. Its sorta like the bully you keep seeing beating kids up on the playground every day, then he finally pushes you, and you snap. Okay, maybe its not right to compare their reaction to one of a childs, but the result was the same: a no-holds bars slug-out.

America actually won pretty handily, and Spain surrendered after the ten week war was over. The attitude changed in America however. See, beforehand the U.S. didn't want a strong military. But now it seemed necessary. The War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and now the Spanish-American War, all of them started in a time when America had very little in the way of a standing Army (or Navy), so the country had to rush production of said military each time. America would NOT be caught with its pants down again. So it kept its dukes up.

The problem is, the more power you have, the more other nations want you to use it for them.

There were a lot of little things too, like the proposed Panama Canal. But by then, America was seen as a powerhouse, and the rest of the world treated her as such from then on. America defeated the Spanish Empire (yes it still had an Imperial attitude till we knocked them on their rear). The legacy of that war continues on today, even if the attitude against foreign intervention remains the same as well. WWI didn't see American intervention till 1917, AFTER millions had died already. WWII didn't see America fight until they were forced to by the Japanese. We just didn't want to get involved.

But a few revolutionaries in Cuba changed all of that forever...

Answer 4

Americans became very interested in foreign affairs when newspapers reported that a US warship was allegedly attacked by Spain in the Caribbean Sea. This was the cause of the Spanish-American War in 1898. Battle action took place in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Future US President Teddy Roosevelt made his mark by leading US forces in a battle in Cuba. Cuban revolutionaries also wanted freedom from Spain and revolted in Cuba. The result of the war was a US victory. The war ended with the signing of Treaty of Paris. As a consequence of its loss to the USA, Spain was forced to give the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Cuba became a free nation however, US troops established a garrison there.

Answer 5

Actually, America wanted nothing to do with foreign affairs. It liked the idea of Manifest Destiny, but that only applied to the West. Not to the rest of the world. America wanted its own little corner to snicker and giggle in while the rest of the world killed each other.

But once the country cooled off from the Civil War, they saw clearly what European powers were doing to our hemisphere.

In 1873, revolutionaries were fighting for their freedom in Cuba and the Philippines. There were tales of terrible atrocities committed by their Spanish overlords. This wasn't some far-flung obscure backwater. This was right on America's doorstep (even the Philippines wasn't too far away, as America had established several Pacific Island bases). Many Americans supported independence from Spain, but the government didn't want to do anything official yet. So begins the tale of the Virginius and Captain Joseph Fry...

The Virginius was smuggling supplies to the revolutionaries in Cuba when it was captured by the Spanish ship Tornado. 53 members of its crew were summarily tried as Pirates and executed. Add the fact that a Spanish Ironclad was parked in New York Harbor with no American ship strong enough to beat her at the time, and you see how the powder was laid out. Now to light the fuse...

In 1898, atrocities were at an all-time high. And sadly for the Spanish, the USS Maine blew up in the middle of Havana Harbor. Oops...

Sabotage or not, America had enough. Its sorta like the bully you keep seeing beating kids up on the playground every day, then he finally pushes you, and you snap. Okay, maybe its not right to compare their reaction to one of a childs, but the result was the same: a no-holds bars slug-out.

America actually won pretty handily, and Spain surrendered after the ten week war was over. The attitude changed in America however. See, beforehand the U.S. didn't want a strong military. But now it seemed necessary. The War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and now the Spanish-American War, all of them started in a time when America had very little in the way of a standing Army (or Navy), so the country had to rush production of said military each time. America would NOT be caught with its pants down again. So it kept its dukes up.

The problem is, the more power you have, the more other nations want you to use it for them.

There were a lot of little things too, like the proposed Panama Canal. But by then, America was seen as a powerhouse, and the rest of the world treated her as such from then on. America defeated the Spanish Empire (yes it still had an Imperial attitude till we knocked them on their rear). The legacy of that war continues on today, even if the attitude against foreign intervention remains the same as well. WWI didn't see American intervention till 1917, AFTER millions had died already. WWII didn't see America fight until they were forced to by the Japanese. We just didn't want to get involved.

But a few revolutionaries in Cuba changed all of that forever...

Answer 6

When it became clear that the U.S. had no interest in the liberation of the Philippines, Aguilnaldo's forces refused to ( etc. Welcome )