pressure to expand

Becoming a world power

1890-1915

Chapter 10

Chapter 10.1: The Pressure to Expand

Key Qs:

1. Why did imperialism grow in Europe at the end of the 1800s?

2. How did the U.S. apply the Monroe Doctrine to its foreign policy throughout the 1800s?

3. Why did U.S. policymakers feel the need to secure new markets abroad?

4. Why did some believe that U.S. expansion was needed to preserve the “American Spirit”?

“Small states are of the past and have no future. The modern movement is all toward the concentration of people and territory into great nations and large dominions. The great nations are rapidly absorbing for their future expansion and their present defence all the waste places of the earth….As one of the great nations of the world, the United States should not fall out of the line of March.”

Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, 1895

Growth of Imperialism

What did he mean with this quote?

Do you think Americans living in 1895 agreed with him?

Growth of Imperialism

Imperialism—stronger nations attempt to dominate weaker nations—economically, politically, culturally, and/or militarily

Why Imperialism Grew

Economic Factors: Increased industry=increased need for natural

resources Example=rubber trees in Congo, used to make Belgian

bicycle tires Increased industry=increased need for new markets

to sell manufactured goods


Nationalism—devotion to one’s country; belief that a nation and its ideals are superior to that of other nations Example=when France acquired colonies in W. Africa

in the late 1800s, rival nations Britain & Germany seized neighboring lands to halt French expansion


Military Factors: European armies/navies superior to those of Africa &

Asia Growing navies required bases for fueling & getting

supplies

Humanitarian Factors: Missions—spread Christianity Spread law, medicine, democracy

Europe Leads the Way

Germany unified in 1871

Germany, France, Russia, Britain, Italy, Belgium all competed for empires

U.S. entered imperial arena by 1890s Annex—To join a new territory to an existing country

Expanding U.S. Interests

History of U.S. foreign policy:Washington’s Farewell—Advised to “steer

clear of permanent alliances”—advice followed until 1820s

Monroe Doctrine (1823)—U.S. declared itself neutral in European war; warned other nations not to interfere in Western Hemisphere

Monroe Doctrine

U.S. Expansionism

Mexican War 1846-1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gave U.S. Mexican

Cession 500,000 + sq. miles

U.S. Expansion

1867—Sec. of State Seward bought Alaska from Russia

“icebox,” “Seward’s Folly”

Proved to be a good purchase, why?

U.S. Expansionism

U.S. fleet led by Commodore Matthew Perry opens trade w/ Japan—1853

U.S. annexes Midway Islands in 1867 Used as refueling & repair stations for navy

1875—Agreement allows Hawaii to sell sugar to U.S. duty-free

Arguments for Expansion

Promoting economic growth: Surplus, Americans could not consume all goods

produced Looking to expand markets Investments in foreign businesses Banana republics—term used to describe Central

American nations dominated by U.S. business interests

Value of U.S. Exports


Protecting American security:Alfred T. Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power

Upon History, 1660-1783Build of navy needed to protect business

interestsSteam-powered ships made this possibleNaval Act of 1890 promoted naval build-up,

led to one of the most powerful navies in world by 1900


Preserving American spirit:U.S. had always had a frontier1890 census declared western frontier closedQuest for an empire would restore “vitality” &

“pioneer spirit”It was destiny to build an empire

Manifest Destiny Social Darwinism

Arguments for Expansionism

Debate heightenedShould U.S. build an empire or not?Arguments for & against….

Chapter 10.1: The Pressure to Expand

Key Qs:

1. Why did imperialism grow in Europe at the end of the 1800s?

2. How did the U.S. apply the Monroe Doctrine to its foreign policy throughout the 1800s?

3. Why did U.S. policymakers feel the need to secure new markets abroad?

4. Why did some believe that U.S. expansion was needed to preserve the “American Spirit”?

pressure to expand

Education