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Reasons for American Imperialism

Reasons for American Imperialism. The Roots of American Imperialism. Imperialism  stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military power over weaker nations. Social Darwinism.

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Reasons for American Imperialism

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  1. Reasons for American Imperialism

  2. The Roots of American Imperialism • Imperialism stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military power over weaker nations

  3. Social Darwinism • Political, economic, and military competition between nations leads to the failure of the weak and the “survival of the fittest” • Small, “inferior” states will be overpowered by “superior” states

  4. Anglo-Saxonism • Belief that English speaking nations were destined to rule due to superior character, ideas, and systems of government • Popular in Britain and the US • Fit well with American idea of “Manifest Destiny”

  5. John Fiske • 1842 – 1901 • Writer / Historian • Argued that physical evolution of man had ended due to social developments • As a result, the society which is superior will be the dominant force in social evolution

  6. Josiah Strong • 1847 – 1916 • Protestant minister • Americans should support imperialism because it spreads Christianity • The Anglo-Saxon race have a responsibility to “civilize and Christianize” the rest of the world • Identified 7 “perils” for American society: Catholicism, Mormonism, Socialism, intemperance, wealth, urbanization, & immigration

  7. Capt. Alfred T. Mahan • 1840 – 1914 • 1890: Wrote The Influence of Sea Power Upon History • Argued that powerful nations have powerful navies • Powerful navies require naval bases worldwide • His ideas won widespread political support in both Congress and the White House

  8. The Great White Fleet • Fleet of 16 US battleships sent out on a world tour to demonstrate American naval might between 1907 and 1909 on orders of President Theodore Roosevelt • Greatly enhanced American prestige

  9. US Expansion

  10. Purchase of Alaska • “Seward’s Folly” • Purchased from Russia by Sec. of State William Seward for $7.2 million in 1867 • US wanted Russian competition out of North America • Turned out, Alaska was loaded with gold & oil!

  11. Timeline-U.S. Imperialism in Hawaii Sanford B. Dole Business groups organized a revolution, overthrew Liliuokalani, and put Dole in charge of the new government Queen Liliuokalani “Hawaii for Hawaiians!”

  12. Americans in Hawaii • First Americans arrived in 1819 (Christian missionaries) • Thousands of Americans soon flooded the islands to create sugar plantations, coming to dominate the islands’ economy and present a threat to the native monarchy • Americans forced the “Bayonet Constitution” on Hawaiian king in 1887 which gave whites the vote & limited the monarch’s power

  13. Queen Liliuokalani • 1838 – 1917 • Queen 1891 – 1893 • Lydia Kamaka’eha Kaola Mali’i Lili’uokalani • Attempted to throw out the Bayonet Constitution and extend suffrage to native Hawaiians and Asians • This angered Americans in Hawaii, and they began to plot an overthrow of the queen

  14. Economic Pressure • American sugar planters in Hawaii were also upset that the McKinley Tariff had placed a high tariff on Hawaiian sugar; if they could convince US to annex Hawaii, they would be part of the US and not subject to the tariff

  15. Overthrow of the Queen • 1893: Americans staged a coup, then reported to the American consulate that American lives and property were in danger due to the coup! • US consulate called Marines ashore from the US naval base at Pearl Harbor • Hawaiians interpreted this as US support for the coup and surrendered

  16. Annexation of Hawaii • American sugar planters established a temporary government, believing that the US would annex Hawaii immediately • Pres. Cleveland was furious with the way the sugar planters had manipulated the coup to look like it was US backed and blocked attempts to annex Hawaii • The independent Republic of Hawaii existed from 1893 - 1898 • US finally annexed Hawaii in 1898 under Pres. McKinley

  17. Acquiring New Lands Activity Instructions In your assigned groups, you will: • Read about two lands US acquired and fill in your chart. • Discuss and explain why the US acquired and what were the benefits and drawbacks from inhabitants. • Lastly, write a short essay answering the question: “To what extent was US imperialism justified?”. Support your answer with documents (Academic-2) ( Honors-4)

  18. Acquiring New Lands

  19. Acquiring New Lands

  20. John Hay’s Open Door Notes

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