American

Imperialism / Expansionism

U.S becomes a world power

1850 - 1917

Imperialism

Strong nations extend their political, military, and economical control over weaker
territories.

Imperialism causes at a glance…

● Economic gain
○ Industrialists want raw materials for industries in their home countries.
○ Entrepreneurs want to sell their goods and invest in new overseas
markets.
● Militarism
○ Colonial powers seek bases for naval forces that protect their global trade
networks.
● Nationalism and Social Darwinism
○ Expansionists and Imperialists feel a moral duty to spread their
culture to people that were considered inferior. (Which culture?
Which people were considered inferior?)

Extending our reach further into the Pacific

Hawaii - Independent Nation with a parliament and a king (or queen)

● King Kalakaua
○ Forced to make changes to constitution -
■ Voting rights - wealthy landowners (white planters)
 ● Planters rise in power
○ Tariff - Hawaiian Sugar
○ Growers - concerned about profits
● King Kalakaua dies
● Queen Liliuokalani 1891
○ Nationalist
■ Wants to take power back from white planters
● John Stevens US minister to Hawaii and Sanford B Dole take control
○ Queen is overthrown in 1893
● Queen attempted to regain her country
● Cleveland did not approve of the treaty to annex
● White businessmen pushed for the annexation
● McKinley favored annexation
● Hawaii - US territory 1898

How long did Liliuokalani reign? (7 years)

China

Spheres of influence (control China in “pieces”)

● England, France, Germany, Russia

Japan takes over territory (parts of China and Korea)

USA - left out!
● John Hay demand open door policy - The US wants to trade, not colonize!

1900 - Chinese nationalist resent the foreign presence

Boxer Rebellion
● Righteous and Harmonious Fists = Boxes
● Rebellion put down by - foreign power forces (US included)
● China forced to pay for damages caused by rebellion (reparations)
Spanish - American War A splendid little war

● The Maine
○ Sent to protect American business interests in Cuba
○ Why did the ship really sink? (A chemical reaction from the coal in
the storage room that heated it up and the wall heated up. On the
other side of the wall was ammunition which exploded.)

● Delôme Letter
○ Published by Hearst (Journal)
○ Called McKinley weak and stupid
○ Increased jingoism
■ Aggressive nationalism and anti-Spain feelings

● Maine Exploded
○ 266 of 350 on board die
○ Yellow press - War? Sure!

● April 11 1898 - McKinley asks Congress to declare war

○ “In the name of humanity, in the name of civilization, in behalf of
endangered American interests.”

● Spain declares war

● May 1898 - Philippines (also want freedom from Spain)

○ Commodore Dewey US Navy (won at sea)
■ USA steel ships - Spain wooden ships
○ Aguinaldo - Filipino nationalist (won on land)

● Rough Riders (leader Theodore Rossevelt)

○ Volunteer cavalry unit
○ Odd combinations of westerners and easterners

Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill

● African American 9th and 10th cavalries and Rough Riders
● Spanish surrender Santiago
Treaty of Paris - December 1898
● Spain gives up Cuba
● USA gets control if Puerto Rico and Guam
● Spain sells US the Philippines - $20 million

Imperialism greatly debated

● Treaty of Paris ratified
○ 57/27 in favor - 1 vote gave the ⅔ majority needed

Spanish - American War was a turning point for American Foreign Policy

Philippine - American War

Aguinaldo gathers supporter to rebel against American rule

● Guerrilla Warfare

USA’s response
● Killing and torturing Filipino prisoners
● Looting and burning villages
● Relocating civilians to camps (did not supply camps)

American press reported on the war (even American troops’ brutality)

Anti-Imperialist League spoke out against the war

Are there parallels between the Filipino Revolution and the American? How
are they alike? How are they different?

Roosevelt Corollary
● The US would assume the role of police power, restoring order and depriving
other creditors of the excuse to intervene.
○ The US would keep Europe out.

Latin American Leaders did not support Roosevelt Corollary

● Threatened “sovereignty and liberty” of the people.
Panama Canal
● Panama gets independence from Columbia
○ HOW???
● US buys French Co’s route 40 million
● Pays Panama 10 million plus 250,000 each year
● 30,000 workers
● 10 years
● 5,000 deaths
● Shortens the route by 8,000 miles
● Completed Oct 10, 1913
● “Officially” Opens Aug 15, 1914
○ Smallest toll: 1928 $0.36
○ Largest toll: 2016 $829,468

Types of Diplomacy

US military = Big Stick (T. Roosevelt)

Dollar diplomacy (Taft)
● By putting $ in we could “control” an area
● Occasionally required to return to “big stick”
Moral Diplomacy (Wilson)
● No new terriotory by conquest
● Promote human rights, national integrity and opportunity
● BUT Wilson still used military and some “strong arm” tactics

Foreign Policy Spectrum

Isolationism - “Loner”

Avoiding involvement in the affairs of other nations.

George Washington, farewell address “steer clear of permanent alliances” - this keeps
USA out of conflicts in Europe (and other parts of the world).

US trying to stay out of WWI, WWII

However, many felt we needed foreign trade and a strong navy to protect said trade.
Collective Security - “Team Player”

Wanted to work together with other nations to influence world affairs, keep others safe
(not for gain).

Peer pressure to obtain a desired outcome/behavior

Early 1990’s Persian Gulf War and Peacekeeping in Bosnia

Internationalism - “World Policeman”

Influencing what a country does within its borders, to promote favorable conditions
(security or monetary) for our country or promote our ideals or fight ideals counter to
ours.

Our entry in WWI, WWII, and the Truman Doctrine

Imperialism - “World Bully”

Increasing one’s power by taking over territory not previously part of one’s nation or
taking advantage of weaker nations for one’s own benefit.

Mexican-American War