1898-???American Imperialism

Why Does America become an Imperialist Nation

Imperialism?

Everybody else is

Resources

Strategic reasons

Bravado/Jingoism

No more safety valve

Alfred T. Mahan

• The Influence of Sea Power upon History

• Argued that control of the sea was key to world dominance

Cubans in Revolt

Cuban Insurrection- burned Sugar Fields and MillsSpanish send in General Weyler "The Butcher"

Causes of Spanish American War

Jingoism-is extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy

Yellow Press-Journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to

create sensations and attract readers.

De Lome Letter-"...weak and catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician

who desires to leave a door open to himself and to stand well with the jingos of his party."

Sinking of USS Maine-An explosion aboard the Maine took the lives of 258 sailors. Yellow

Journalists immediately blamed Spain.

"Remember The Spain, The Hell With Spain"

Yellow Journalism

McKinley's Reluctantly Declares War on Spain

• Pressure from the American Public and Congress

• Feared he would not win re-election in 1900

Spanish American War, 1898 (3 month war)

• Begins in the Spanish Philippines and ends in Cuba

Spoils Guam Puerto Rico Philippines

War gives birth to American Imperialism

Spanish American WarPhilippines Cuba

Superior Navy Rough Riders

Emilio Aquinaldo 2,061 die of disease385 die in combat

Annexation Dilemma Teller Amendment

Jingoism / Confidence

What do we do with the Philippines?

When I next realized that the Philippines had dropped into our laps I confess I did not know what to do with them. . . And one

night late it came to me this way. . .

1) That we could not give them back to Spain- that would be cowardly and dishonorable

2) That we could not turn them over to France and Germany-our commercial rivals in the Orient-that would be bad business and

discreditable

3) That we not leave them to themselves-they are unfit for self-government-and they would soon have anarchy and misrule over

there worse than Spain's wars

4) That there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them,

and by God's grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow-men for whom Christ also died.

White Man's Burden

White Man's Burden1. Who might the figures

here represent?

2. Where are they heading?

3. Why might the artist have drawn a person being carried uphill?

4. In what ways do you think the artist is trying to describe the "White

Man's Burden"?

Significance of Spanish-American War• The United States is NOW an imperial

power

• Annexiation- Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines

• Cuba gains independence

Platt Amendment • Never sign treaty that impaired its

independence

• Never build up excessive public debt

• Permit the US to intervene to preserve Cuban independence

• Allow US naval bases- Guantanamo Bay

Insular Cases

• Did the Constitution follow the flag?

Open Door Policy, 1899

"Big Stick Diplomacy"

Teddy Roosevelt1901-1908

Panama Canal

Roosevelt Corollary

Platt Amendment

Gentlemen's Agreement

"Speak softly but carry a big stick"

Panama Canal, 1903• Columbia refused to accept

U.S. offer to purchase rights to build canal

• Roosevelt assisted Panamians in revolution

• Roosevelt positioned gun boats off coast of Columbis to intimidate

• 1903 construction on canal begins

Critics called Roosevelt's tactics"Gunboat Diplomacy"

Roosevelt Corollary

Monroe Doctrine-Non-Colonization, Non-Intervention Policy

(Directed at Europe)

Roosevelt Corollary-U.S. would intervene in European/Latin

American conflicts. Latino American could not be indebted to Europe

(Directed at Latin America)r

Roosevelt Corollary • It is not true that the United States feels any land hunger or

entertains any projects as regards the other nations of the Western Hemisphere save such as are for their welfare. All that this country desires is to see the neighboring countries stable, orderly and prosperous....Chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention...[and] force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an internal police power.

• Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, 1904