American Imperialism and Expansion

1. American Imperialism and Expansion Ch. 10

2. USA did not want to be left behind in growth of nations. • Began its’ own policy of Imperialism. • Dominating another nation economically, politically, culturally, or militarily. • Why Imperialism occurs: • Economic-need for resources, markets. • Nationalism-love for one’s country. • Military-Western nations superior. • Humanitarian-Spread civilization, religion.

4. Early American Imperialism • America first began expansionist policies in early 1800s. • 1820s-Monroe Doctrine-USA will stay neutral in European wars; wants Europe to stay out of western hemisphere. • 1830s-1850s-Manifest Destiny. • Took/won/bought land from Mexico, Spain. • 1867-William Seward purchases Alaska from Russia. • Called “Seward’s Folly”; was believed nothing of value in Alaska. • 1853-Commodore Matthew Perry forces Japan to trade with USA.

8. William Seward

9. Commodore Matthew Perry

10. 1860s-USA, European nations open trade with China. • 1867-USA annexes Midway Islands in Pacific. • 1875-USA signs treaty with Hawaii, allowing Hawaii to sell sugar to USA without tariffs. • 1870-President Grant expands Monroe Doctrine. • USA will protect Latin America and Caribbean islands from European expansion. • USA is now dominant power in western hemisphere.

13. Reasons for Expansion • Economic Growth. • USA had built powerful industrial economy. • Produced more than we needed, needed export markets. • Some US companies already dominated international business. • Standard Oil, American Telephone & Telegraph. • Some Americans invested in businesses in S. America. • United Fruit Co. exported 50 million bunches of bananas/year to USA. • Led to calling S. American countries Banana republics.

14. Protecting American security. • Need foreign markets, and need strong navy to protect those markets. • Laid out by Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan. • Congress authorized construction of more battleships, gunboats, torpedo boats, etc. • By 1900, USA had one of the most powerful navies. • Preserving American Spirit. • With close of western frontier, some said we needed new conquest to maintain “can-do” spirit. • Wanted to expand Christianity and American exceptionalism to other countries.

15. Alfred Thayer Mahan

18. Spanish-American War • Cuba was Spanish colony. • Rebelled in 1868, crushed. • 1895, rebelled again, due to crashed economy. • Spanish sent 150,000 troops to Cuba, rounded up Cubans, put them in concentration camps. • 2 years, 200,000 dead due to disease, starvation. • USA not interested in intervention. • Spanish destroy American sugar plantations & mills. • US business starts pushing gov’t to get involved.

20. Two yellow journalism newspapers began to push hard for intervention. • New York World owned by Joseph Pulitzer. • New York Morning Journal owned by William Randolph Hearst. • Papers shifted public opinion to intervention. • Promoted jingoism-national pride and desire for aggressive foreign policy. • USA was ready to get involved in Cuba. • President McKinley sends battleship Maine to Havana, Cuba to protect US citizens and property.

21. William Randolph Hearst Joseph Pulitzer

24. America’s Entry • Series of events led USA to war. • de Lome letter-US papers publish letter stolen from Spanish ambassador calling McKinley weak. • Increased anti-Spanish feeling. • 2/15/1898-Maine explodes in Havana harbor, killing 250 sailors. • Spanish blamed. • Philippines rebelling against Spanish rule. • Perfect place for USA naval base. • McKinley sends list of demands to Spain, including Cuban independence. • Spain accepts all but independence.

25. de Lome

30. April 1898-USA recognizes Cuban independence, declares war or Spain. • Start of Spanish-American War. • War starts in Philippines w/ US Navy sinking Spanish fleet. • US Navy traps Spain’s Atlantic fleet in Santiago harbor. • US troops land in Cuba, fight Spanish. • Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. • Spanish forces quickly defeated.

34. December 1898, Treaty of Paris signed. • Spain grants Cuba independence. • USA pays Spain $20 million, gets Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam. • 2,500 US dead, only 400 in battle. • Others dead from bad food, disease. • “It was a splendid little war”. • USA now seen as major player in world politics.

38. Post Spanish-American War • Filipinos expected independence; USA did not grant. • War b/t USA and Philippines 1899-1902. • 4,000 USA killed, 16,000 Filipino killed. • Philippines granted independence in 1946. • USA governed Cuba for 3 yrs, then granted independence. • Forced Cuban constitution to include Platt Amendment. • Allowed US to have naval bases, Cuba could not form foreign alliances.

40. USA ruled Puerto Rico. • Military gov’t until 1900, then civil gov’t. • 1917-Puerto Ricans granted US citizenship; could elect local legislatures. • US still chose governor.

41. Other Pacific Gains • Hawaii. • 1891, Liliuokalani crowned Queen of Hawaii. • Tried to push American business out of Hawaii. • 1893, Sanford Dole & USMC pushed her out, requested annexation by USA. • 1898-Hawaii annexed as American territory. • Samoa. • Treaty-USA protects Samoa, USA can use Pago Pago harbor. • Germany, England want Samoa; treaty leads to 3-way protectorate, 1889. • 1899, England pulls out, USA gets half of Samoa.

42. Sanford Dole Queen Liliuokalani

45. China. • Valuable trade market. • US established “Open Door Policy” with European nations. • All nations could trade with China. • Chinese not happy with westerners in China. • Society of Harmonious Fists, or Boxers rebelled, tried to push west out. • Failed.

48. Panama Canal • Panama was a Columbian colony. • French company started construction on a canal, but abandoned it after 10 yrs. • Mismanagement, yellow fever. • 1902, USA bought French rights to canal. • Columbia would not let USA in to build canal. • Panamanians rebelled against Columbia with American support & protection. • Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty ended rebellion. • Panama independent, USA gets Panama Canal Zone permanently, gives Panama $10 million.

50. Construction began 1904, lasted 10 years. • Sprayed, used medicine to eradicate malaria, yellow fever. • Canal opened 1914.