United States Foreign Policy

1. United States Foreign Policy The conduct of one nation toward other nations

2. Goals of Foreign Policy • National Security • Promote Trade • Promote Peace • Promote Democracy • Promote Human Rights • Protect American Lives and Property

3. The President Negotiates treaties Executive agreements Summit meetings Recognizes countries and ambassadors Congress Approves money Declares war Approves treaties and appointments Who Makes Foreign Policy?

4. Other influences on Foreign Policy • Public opinion • The American voters • The Cabinet and other advisors • Needs of the U.S. • The Press • Other countries (allies & enemies) • Past policies of the U.S.

5. U.S. Turns Toward Imperialism • Imperialism • The policy by which one country takes control of another either directly or through economic or political involvement

6. Reasons for: Reasons Against: Eyes Toward Expansion(Pages 468 – 470 in The U.S. & Its People)

7. Reasons for Expansion • “Keep up with the Europeans” • Morally right to spread democracy, Christianity, and civilization • “Survival of the Fittest” (Social Darwinists) • Economic gain • Markets • Raw materials • Protect trade & investments

8. Reasons Against Expansion • Anti-democratic • Economic burden to build and maintain an empire • Fears that American society would not be able to “assimilate” non-white people (nativism)

9. Roots of U.S. Imperialism - Political • Promote democracy in other areas • Need to build military strength • Importance of the Navy • Alfred Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power on History (1890) • The Great White Fleet (1907 circumnavigation of globe) • Global competition for colonies • Europe involved in Asia and Africa • Other nations are doing this – US doesn’t want to be left out

10. Roots of Imperialism - Economic • Industrialization of the U.S. • Need raw materials • Need markets for manufactured goods

11. Roots of Imperialism - Cultural • Social Darwinism • “Survival of the Fittest” • Free market competition • Superiority of Americans • Spread Christianity • Promote the American way of life

12. Purchase of Alaska - 1867 • Purchased from Russia for $7.2 million • Reasons for: • Strategic location • Valuable resources – lumber, minerals (later gold & oil • Reasons Against: • “Seward’s Ice Box” • “Seward’s Folly”

13. Acquisition of Hawaii • Annexed after American business backed revolution in 1898 • Reasons for: • Sugar plantations • Naval base at Pearl Harbor • Reasons against: • Not democratic process – Hawaiian people did not vote to be annexed