The Imperialist Vision

Building Support For Imperialism

• Immediately following the Civil War, the US was focused on…– Industrialization– Western Expansion– Southern Reconstruction

• The focus changed in the late 1800s– Now the US began focusing on expanding its

international influence

A Desire for New Markets

• Imperialism

• In the late 1800s, european nations began investing their money in other countries– They began exerting control over these nations in

order to protect the investments

• Some of these areas became colonies– Some became protectorates

A Desire for New Markets

• As the western frontier began filling up, the US became increasingly aware of European imperialism.

• Many believed that in order to keep up economically, the US would have to develop and invest in markets overseas.

A Feeling of Superiority

• Anglo-saxonsim

– The belief that English speaking nations had superior customs. They are destined to control the world.

Expansion in the Pacific

• Americans had always expanded westward.

• Naturally, once they reached the pacific, they kept going (towards Japan and China)

• US business leaders believed that trade with these nations would benefit the economy

Expansion in the Pacific

• The problem was that Japan refused to trade with anyone but the Chinese or Dutch.

• In 1852, Commodore Matthew Perry was sent to Japan by President Franklin Pierce.– He was to for the Japanese into a trade agreement

Expansion in the Pacific

• In July 1853, Perry arrived in Japan with a small fleet of warships

• Amazed and intimidated, the Japanese quickly signed the agreement– Opened 2 ports for American trade

Annexing Hawaii

• American/Hawaiian relations strengthened when the US removed tariffs on hawaiian sugar.

• In 1893, an economic crisis caused an uprising which overthrew the Hawaiian monarachy.– Replaced it with a provisional government.

• It took 5 years before the US decided to annex

Trade and Diplomacy in Latin America

• Panamericanism

– The idea that the US and Latin America (L.A.) should work together in order to support trade and promote peace

Trade and Diplomacy in Latin America

• US hoped this idea would be widely accepted in L.A.

– Hoped to take business away from European countries

– Hoped to keep European countries from meddling in American disputes

Trade and Diplomacy in Latin America

• Was not widely accepted in L.A. but they did create an organization that worked to promote cooperation among the nations in the Western Hemisphere

Building a Modern Navy

• The US had become more willing to go to war with nations that threatened its interests– As this willingness increased, so did the need for a

modern navy

• Supporters said that without a Navy, and bases overseas, the US would eventually be shut out of foreign markets by the Europeans.

Building a Modern Navy

• Ships burned coal in order to power their engines

• Oversea bases, near coaling stations, would allow the navy to be operated from great distances from home.

Building a Modern Navy

• These ideas were summarized by Alfred T. Mahan– He quickly gained support

• By the late 1890s:– Business leaders wanted new markets overseas– Anglo-saxonism convinced the US that it had the

destiny to dominate the world– European imperialism threatened American

society

Building a Modern Navy

• By the late 1800s, the US was becoming one of the top naval powers

• War would erupt in 1898 between the US and Spain– This war would quickly turn the US into an

imperial power