Social Control through the Annexing of the Philippines

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Social Control through the Annexing of the Philippines

How did the United States try to achieve social control through the Philippine-American war?


         During the Progressive era, Americans were trying hard to achieve social control which was to achieve racial superiority, and gain control of their family life and of women. After the increase of industrialization, American men found themselves faced with more women in the work place. Women, especially feminists, wanted to be more independent and viewed as equals to males. Another problem was that with the use of machinery, skilled workers were no longer needed for most jobs, men found themselves working white collar jobs, behind a desk. With women in the work place and deskilled jobs, men felt like they were beginning to lose the control that men once had. They felt less manly. Men were supposed to be the bread winner and leaders of the family. With women working and also earning an income and men just sitting behind a desk, the war was a chance for men, in a sense, to get dirty.  Also, the issue of social control through racial superiority was at hand. At this time, Americans were dealing with the racial conflict of African Americans in the United States. The Americans looked at Filipinos as at the same social level as African Americans and gaining control in the Philippines might do something for that issue at home. To achieve the image of social control American men believed that annexing the Philippines would restore masculinity, and build a strong, powerful empire. The nation's leaders also believed it was their duty to educate and uplift the Filipinos. Building a strong society in the Philippines would help strengthen the home front and gain that social control.

One of the main issues for American men after industrialization was “manliness” and how the war would “regain women’s respect, devotion, and admiration”. With the boom in jobs available women were beginning to come out of the home and take on jobs like nursing, librarians, and social workers. Industrialism led to new technologies like dishwashers, ready made clothes, and canned foods. With these advancements, women had more time to become interested in other things like jobs and organizations. They were becoming more assertive and entering the “man’s” world which women were supposed to be sheltered from. A woman’s job was to “be the housewife, the helpmeet of the homemaker, the wise and fearless mother of many healthy children.” Many men were scared that if women started leaving the home, they would lose their place in society and families. Women would have fewer children and men would have to start taking care of themselves. Men were to do “man’s work, to dare and endure and to labor”. Theodore Roosevelt said that men were starting to become “soft” and “materialistic” and becoming comfortable with industrial life. Men were working desk jobs instead of “taming the wild.”  He said that holding colonies and building this strong empire would be a long term solution to that problem.  Men saw combat as a man’s job and by engaging in it would create a sense that men were strong and courageous again. By returning to war and gaining power, society could return to their traditional roles, men as the breadwinner and women as housewives.

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Building an American empire would also make the United States a powerful and strong country. McKinley reasoned that giving up the Philippines would be “cowardly and dishonorable”, making American men look even less manly. If Americans did not take the Philippines then other countries might look at them as if they were too scared to annex them. America was looked at as one of the more powerful countries at the time and they wanted to keep it that way. One small reason to annex the Philippines was also trade and the location of the island, in a speech by Albert ...

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