Imperialism: Europe and America

Carving Out an Empire

Imperialism

• the policy of one country taking over a foreign land and controlling it

• (usually for the purpose of creating a colony)

1.Britain Dominates World Trade• Britain was the 1st country to

go through industrialization

• Gave them an advantage in gaining overseas markets (places to sell their goods for profit)

• Other countries were stuck in internal wars (esp. Italy and Germany)

• Britain sold many of their goods to rising powers (France, Germany, US)

• Made them the world’s leading power financially and industrially

• But other countries would soon catch up

2.The Need for Foreign Markets• Other countries soon industrialized and needed

foreign markets to sell their goods• Rather than compete at lower prices, colonies

offered a protected market for the countries that owned them

• They could sell their goods at their own chosen price

• And raw materials from the colonies could be sent home to the mother country at cheaper prices to make the goods

• This resulted in world powers competing for colonies around the world

• Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the US were the early leaders in colonial competition

3.European Imperialism• European powers focused most

of their imperialism on Africa and Asia

• The Berlin Conference (1884-1885) – European countries agreed to certain rules in carving up Africa

• Did not take into account African tribal lines or interests

• European powers also carved up China into spheres of influence

• Conflicts between European powers broke out over colonial disputes

• Many of these disputes helped fuel World War I (the Great War)

4.America Claims the Western Hemisphere

• The United States believed that they should be the only major power in the Western Hemisphere

• 1823 Monroe Doctrine – European powers are not to meddle in developing nations in the Western Hemisphere

• This led to American troops moving into Mexico in 1866 to intimidate the French (US troops did not permanently stay)

• The purchase of Alaska in 1867 from Russia• And the annexation (adding on) of Hawaii in 1898• At the end of the 19th century Spain controlled Cuba

(colony)• Cubans demanded independence and Spain refused• The US sent the USS Maine with marines on board to

protect the Americans living in Cuba at that time• Also to protect American interests in Cuba (US

companies)• Tensions continued to grow between the Cubans and

Spanish

5. Spanish-American War 1898• Feb. 15, 1898 – the USS Maine

exploded and sank in the Havana harbor killing 266 US marines

• US blamed a Spanish mine• Spain claimed it was an internal

coal explosion – not their fault• Resulted in a war between Spain

and the US (April 25, 1898)• Spain surrendered on Aug. 12,

1898• The US acquired Cuba, Puerto

Rico, Guam, and the Philippines (among others)

• Cuba was allowed to form their own government with strict US rules

American Empire in 1900

6.Imperialsim Leads to Conflict

• European and American imperialism led to several growing conflicts throughout the 20th century

• European powers battled with each other in Africa and against native tribes

• European countries began to build up their military strength in order to protect their colonial interests

• American imperialism upset native peoples as well

• Just after the Spanish-American war, the Philippine-American war broke out

• Cubans resented giving up Spanish rule for American rule when they wanted complete independence from both

• Japan became nervous over American expansion in their direction – began to build up their military strength too