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America Claims an Empire. Unit: 2 Section 1: Imperialism and America. Imperialism. Stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories. European Imperialism: Entire continent of Africa, with the exception of Ethiopia and Liberia.
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America Claims an Empire Unit: 2 Section 1: Imperialism and America
Imperialism • Stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories. • European Imperialism: Entire continent of Africa, with the exception of Ethiopia and Liberia. • Japanese Imperialism: By late 1800’s, Japan sought to expand into China.The Russo Japanese War
Factors Fueling American Imperialism,cont. Admiral Alfred T. Mahan, president of the Naval War College • Need for military expansion. • Strong navy to defend shipping lanes for U.S. economy • Strategically located bases in Caribbean. • Construction of Panama Canal • Acquisition of Hawaii and other Pacific islands • By 1890, U.S. had built the third largest naval fleet in the world.
Factors Fueling American Imperialism • Economic competition • US farms and factories produced far more than we could consume. • Foreign trade would be solution to overproduction and offer new markets.
Factors Fueling American Imperialism, cont. • Belief in Anglo-Saxon superiority • (Ethnocentric) • Many believed that it was U.S. responsibility to spread Christianity and civilization to the world’s “inferior” people.
Newspapers called the territory: "a national iceberg, consisting of nothing but walrus covered icebergs." America Buys Alaska • Secretary of State William Seward • In 1867, the treaty was signed between Russia and the U.S. for the purchase price of $7.2 million.
Hawaii - important to U.S. economy since 1790. American-owned sugar plantations = ¾ of the islands’ wealth. Queen Liliuokalani took the throne, removing property ownership as the qualification for voting. The U.S. Takes Hawaii
Hawaii, cont. • U.S. Ambassador John Stevens organized a revolution against the queen. • President Cleveland refused to recognize Hawaii as a territory unless it was approved by a majority of Hawaiians. • In 1897, President McKinley and Congress proclaimed Hawaii an American territory w/o Hawaiians’ approval.
The Republic of Hawaii Sanford P. Dole was sworn into office during annexation ceremonies on August 12, 1898.