Imperialism

ObjectivesTLW…

1. Explain the economic and cultural factors that fueled the growth of American imperialism.

2. Understand how individuals and events moved the United States into the role of a world power and to recognize the effects of economic policies on U.S. diplomacy.

Manifest Destiny

The philosophy of Manifest Destiny suggested that the United States was destined by God to spread democracy and capitalism to the rest of the world.

The United States was bringing blessings to foreign countries that would not have been otherwise achieved.

What is Imperialism?

Imperialism: The policy of extending a country’s power and influence over a weaker nation or region through diplomacy or military force.

Why and what? Manifest Destiny: American belief that

we were destined by God to expand from the east coast to the west coast (old definition). Destined by God to spread democracy and capitalism to the rest of the world (new definition).

Imperialism: The policy of extending a country’s power and influence over a weaker nation or region through diplomacy or military force.

How? Bullying techniques.

4 Factors that drove Americans to

Imperialism

1. Economic Competition among industrial nations.

2. Political and Military Competition

3. Belief in the Racial and Cultural superiority of Anglo-Saxons (Caucasians)

4. Manifest Destiny: Belief that the U.S. is destined by God for greatness.

Senator Albert J. Beveridge “Fate has written our policy

for us; the trade of the world must and shall be ours…We will establish trading posts throughout the world as distributing points for American products…Great colonies governing themselves, flying our flag and trading with us, will grow about our posts of trade.”

Admiral Alfred T. Mahan

President of the Naval War College

He was a professor at the United States Military Academy

Sir Alfred Mahan

President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Wrote a book called “The Influence of Sea Power Upon History. Encouraged the U.S. to modernize and increase the size of its navy in order to become a world power.

Great hair cut

The Influence of Sea Power Upon History 1660-1783, Urges U.S. to:

Build a strong navy to defend peacetime shipping lanes.

Acquire strategically located bases where U.S. fleets could refuel.

Develop a modern fleet.

Establish Naval Base in the Caribbean.

Acquire Hawaii and other Pacific Islands.

Build a Canal in Panama.

The “Great White Fleet”

In response to

Mahan the U.S.

builds 9 new steel

cruisers between

1883-1890.

The U.S. Navy,

became 5th in the

world in naval

power by 1898, by

1900 they were 3rd in

the world.

Justification for Racism*Social Darwinism (Herbert Spencer): Applied

Charles Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” theory to the societies in the world. Human progress resulted from the triumph of advanced cultures over their inferior competitors.

*Studied and evaluated every civilization based upon: Wealth + Power = Greatness

*Result=Anglo Saxons are the best and need to civilize the world.

*Hierarchy of Races: “The Negro was at the foot of the Mongol, the Yellow Race between and Caucasians at the top. There’s a small gap between Primitives Races and the Gorilla.” (Robert Chambers)

Hierarchy of Races

Whites: Caucasian

Yellow: Asian

Mongol: Eurasia

Negro

Where should the U.S. expand?

Non-white countries that will benefit us economically and militarily. “Inferior peoples.”

Hawaii, Cuba, Philippines, Puerto Rico, China, Guam, Panama, Nicaragua, and Mexico.

Ha

Why Hawaii?

-Naval Base (Pearl Harbor)

-Perfect for stopping to re-fuel before

going on to foreign lands.

-Sugar industry.

-Fruit industry.

Hawaii

Ha

Hawaii1893 Queen Liliuokalani proposed to remove property qualifications for voting status. This would return political power to the natives and take power away from white American plantation owners.

The natives would then not allow Hawaii to be annexed.

Ha

HawaiiOn January 16, 1893 U.S. business groups in Hawaii and the U.S. ambassador John L. Stevens organized a revolt against Queen Liliuokalani.

The USS Boston pulls into the harbor and marines take over the Hawaiian government, imprison the Queen, and establish a provisional government with Sanford B. Dole as president.

Dole refuses to step down when requested to by President Cleveland.

Result=U.S. annexes Hawaii in 1898 as an American territory and the sugar duty is removed.

CUBA Cuba is an island 90 miles off the coast of Florida owned

by Spain. It’s strategically based and has a lot of money to be made from sugar, tobacco and other resources.

Jose Marti: started a rebellion against Spain in 1895. He Intentionally destroys U.S. property to get the U.S. to intervene.

De Lome letter: The Spanish didn’t think the U.S. would go to war. The U.S. intercepted a letter from the Spanish minister to the U.S. Enrique De Lome criticizing Pres. McKinley and calling him “weak.”

The U.S.S. Maine was stationed off the coast of Cuba to protect Americans and mysteriously explodes killing 260 on board- Spaniards are blamed.

Jose Marti Enrique De Lome

In the Media Yellow Journalism: Exaggerated news stories

written to sell more papers.

William Randolph Hearst: Owned the New York Journal and used Yellow Journalism to get the U.S. to declare war against Spain.

Joseph Pulitzer: Owned the New York World and also used Yellow Journalism. He once told a photographer, “You supply the pictures and I’ll supply the War.”

New York Journal Headline: “THE WARSHIP MAINE WAS SPLIT IN TWO BY AN ENEMY’S SECRET INFERNAL MACHINE.”

Hearst Pulitzer

Spanish-American War

April 20, 1898 The U.S. declares war on Spain.

The “Great White” naval fleet under the command of George Dewey invades the Philippines and defeats the Spanish navy.

Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders (cavalry unit) invade Cuba and defeat the Spaniards.

Treaty of Paris: Spain frees Cuba, the U.S. gets Puerto Rico and Guam. The U.S. pays $20 Million to Spain for annexation of the Philippine islands.

Cuba Continued Platt Amendment: Cuba was Independent but U.S.

troops stayed there for 4 years controlling affairs of the Island- Provided food, education, & medicine. Agreements:

1. Cuba can’t make treaties

2. U.S. reserved the right to preserve Independence

3. Cuba can’t go in debt

4. U.S. can have a Naval base there

Protectorate (Cuba and Panama): a strong nation

exerts control over an Independent Territory.

Puerto Rico Sugar & tobacco industries. Also was strategic location

for a naval base to help protect the Panama Canal and southern U.S. Troops will stay in P.R. for 23 years.

Foraker act:

1. President of U.S. appoints Puerto Rico’s governor.

2. Established an executive branch of government and a two house congress. President of U.S. appoints members to their upper house of Congress.

3. Puerto Ricans elect the members to the lower house of congress.

Puerto Rico became a commonwealth in 1952.

1. Political Independence: make own laws

2. Handle their own finances.

3. Puerto Ricans are US. Citizens: Residents get free access to the access to the U.S.

4. Don’t pay taxes to the U.S.

5. U.S. provides military service.

The Philippines The U.S. fights Filipino rebel

Emilio Aquinaldo and his followers.

Filipinos believed they were promised independence by the U.S.

After suppressing the rebellion the U.S. set up a government exactly like the one in Puerto Rico (Foraker Act).

Panama Canal

Faster Trade Route= more $

Our warships can travel to other parts of the world faster

Big stick diplomacy (Teddy Roosevelt): Also know as the Roosevelt Corollary. “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.” (First try to negotiate a compromise. If that doesn’t work then take what you want.)

Columbia owned Panama and wouldn’t sell the canal zone to the U.S. So the U.S. helps Panama organize a revolution.

China Cheaper imports, huge markets for American

goods=lots of $$ for America businesses.

Boxer Rebellion: Many Chinese citizens didn’t like western culture or religion so they closed their door to all European nations.

Boxers would kill anyone with western influence: Europeans, Americans, and people who converted to Christianity.

Nicaragua

Loan money to “friendly” governments to police the world

People revolt against President Adolfo Diaz of Nicaragua. The U.S. sent in the marines to protect Diaz and put an end to the revolution.

Dollar Diplomacy: The U.S. policy of loaning $ to governments so they may pay their debts. Result=Financial alliance with the U.S.(Started by President Taft.)

Missionary Diplomacy

The U.S. refuses to recognize Latin American governments that are oppressive, undemocratic or hostile to U.S. interests.

Mexican Revolution Revolutions in Mexico

became a common place as Mexican governments were always corrupt.

Americans in Mexico were killed by Pancho Villa. Villa also crossed into the U.S. and killed American citizens.

The U.S. sent General John Pershing into Mexico to capture Villa (never did) and protect U.S. citizens and their property.