Fostering Closer Ties: U.S. Interactions with Singapore 1898-1906

Abstract

This thesis looks at the changes in the interactions between the U.S. and the colony of Singapore during the years 1898-1906. My study will take into consideration the larger context of international events during this period to gain a deeper understanding of the ties between the U.S. and Singapore. Starting with the Spanish-American War in 1898, U.S. interests in the Pacific region deepened and the acquisition of the Philippines meant that the U.S. was here to stay. These international developments would help shape U.S. perception of Singapore and affect how U.S. officials, businessmen and missionaries interact with merchants and British colonial authorities in Singapore. Similarly, the Chinese boycott of American goods in 1905 would spread to the overseas Chinese community in Singapore and draw the attention of the U.S. officials in the State Department to Singapore?s increasing commercial importance in the Pacific.