Ch. 18 Sec. 3 #3, #4 & #5

How did American rule of Puerto Rico harm Puerto Ricans. How did it help Puerto Ricans? Do you think the benefits outweighed the harmful effects? Why or why not.

The Foraker Act ended military rule and set up a civil government, but the U.S. president and not the citizens of Puerto Rico the power to appoint their governor and members of the upper house of its legislature. The citizens had only the power to elect members of the legislature's lower house. While the U.S. had military control of Puerto Rico, the citizens did not have to worry about any attacks from other countries. This was a morale booster for the rebuilding community.

I think the harmful effects outweighed the benefits because overtime the Puerto Ricans became hostile towards the U.S. even venturing as far as to kill military personnel.

How was U.S. policy toward China different from U.S. policy toward the Phillipines? To what can you attribute the difference?

The U.S. set up a government in the Phillipines just like the one in Puerto Rico. The U.S. government would appoint the governor, then the governor would appoiont the Upper House of the Legislature. Filipinos only had the power to elect the Lower House. This was much different from the policy towards China because the U.S. had not fought a war against China and the U.S. was not occupying China with military. The U.S. had no political power in China. They had only power to set up trade with China.

How did U.S. foreign policy at the turn of the century affect actions taken by the United States toward China?

The U.S. saw China as a "vast potential market for American goods." (p.562) Investors saw new oppurtunities for large-scale railroad construction. The U.S. government also published the Open Door Notes, which stated that no imperialist power could have a monopoly on trade with China. The U.S. was trying to force its way into trade with the world and put U.S. goods into the hands of people globally.
Once again after the Boxer Rebellion the U.S. published a second set Open Door Notes. This policy stated that the U.S. would "safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire." (p.563) This made it easier for the U.S. to have a greater influence in Asia.