America Claims an Empire (Imperialism) Chapter 10
Jan 18, 2016
America Claims an Empire(Imperialism)
Chapter 10
Imperialism and America
Section 1
Imperialism
• The policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories
Why take over weaker nations?
• European nations had been competing for colonies in Africa and Asia for centuries
• For Americans, this type of expansion was a natural outgrowth of manifest destiny
3 factors driving American imperialism:
1) Desire for military strength- Alfred T. Mahan – urged building up our navy
2) New markets- Industrialization allowed America to produce more
food and products than Americans could consume- We needed more raw materials and more markets
(people to buy our stuff)
3) Cultural superiority - Some believed we had a moral duty to spread our
“superior” Anglo-Saxon Christian culture to others
Examples of early American imperialism:
Alaska- Secretary of State William Seward wanted to
buy Alaska back in 1867- Many called it “Seward’s Folly” or “Seward’s
Icebox” - thought it was a bad idea- Congress allowed the purchase from Russia for
$7.2 million- Became a state in 1959 – rich in natural
resources
Examples of early American imperialism:
Hawaii
- Put events in appropriate chronological order
How did we acquire Hawaii?
Mid-1800s – U.S. citizens owned many sugar plantations on the Hawaiian Islands
1870s – native Hawaiians only 1/3 of the population of Hawaii
1875 – Hawaii signs treaty with U.S. – we will allow sugar to be imported without a duty
1887 – King Kalakaua convinced to give voting rights only to white landowners
Treaty was signed allowing construction of a naval base at Pearl Harbor
1890 – McKinley Tariff eliminated duty-free status of Hawaiian sugar
1891 – King Kalakaua dies and his sister Liliuokalani becomes Queen
She wants to give power back to the Hawaiians
U.S. businessmen organize a revolution to overthrow her
1893 – U.S. Marines go to Hawaii to “protect” American lives and property
Sanford Dole is established as president after the Queen is overthrown
He asks Washington to annex HawaiiPres. Cleveland wants the Queen returned
to powerDole refuses so Cleveland won’t annex
Hawaii
1898 – McKinley becomes president and he annexes Hawaii
1959 – Hawaii becomes our 50th state
The Spanish-American War
Section 2
Chronology of the Spanish-American-Cuban War
1825
Spain had lost most overseas possessions
1854
Discussion of the U.S. buying Cuba
1860
Democrats wanted to admit Cuba as a slave state
1868-1878Cuba fought for independence from Spain
1884U.S. abolishes tariff on Cuban sugar
1886Spain abolishes slavery in Cuba
1894high tariff on Cuban sugar destroyed their economy
1895Jose Marti leads “Free Cuba” movement
1896Spain sends Valeriano Weyler (“the butcher”) to Cuba to restore order
1897McKinley takes office – tries to resolve crisis diplomatically
February, 1898New York Journal publishes DeLome letterU.S.S. Maine explodes in Cuba
April 9, 1898Spain agrees to all U.S. demands
April 11, 1898McKinley gets Congress to declare war with Spain anyway American public wanted it – yellow journalism played a role
April 20, 1898
U.S. goes to war with Spain
May 1, 1898
George Dewey leads U.S. navy into Philippines
June 1898
American forces land in Cuba
July 1, 1898
Battle of San Juan Hill (Teddy Roosevelt leads the Rough Riders)
July 17, 1898
Spain surrenders Cuba
July 25, 1898
U.S. troops invade Puerto Rico
August 1, 1898Spanish troops in Philippines surrender to Americans
August 12, 1898U.S. and Spain sign armistice
December 10, 1898U.S. and Spain sign Treaty of Paris
February 6, 1899U.S. Senate passes Treaty of Paris
Causes of the Spanish-American War
1. American business owners
urged U.S. intervention to protect American business interests in Cuba
Causes of the Spanish-American War
2. Jose Marti
Provoked U.S. intervention by deliberately destroying American-owned sugar mills and plantations
Causes of the Spanish-American War
3. Valeriano Weyler
Took harsh actions against the Cuban people, including forcibly removing them to camps, where thousands died
Causes of the Spanish-American War
4. Yellow journalism
Encouraged the American public to sympathize with Cuban rebels and the war
Causes of the Spanish-American War
5. De Lome Letter
Angered the American public because of its criticism of President McKinley
Causes of the Spanish-American War
6. U.S.S. Maine
Led to widespread support for the war; led McKinley to ask Congress to declare war
Effects of the Spanish-American War
7. Cuba
Achieved independence from Spain
Effects of the Spanish-American War
8. Puerto Rico
Went from Spanish to American rule
Effects of the Spanish-American War
9. Guam
Went from Spanish to American rule
Effects of the Spanish-American War
10.Philippine Islands
Sold by Spain to U.S., annexed by U.S.
Provisions of the Treaty of Paris
1) Cuba got its independence from Spain
2) Spain gave Puerto Rico and Guam to the U.S.
3) U.S. would pay Spain $20 million for the Philippines
Acquiring New Lands
Section 3
U.S. relationship with Puerto Rico
After Spanish-American War, some wanted self-government while others wanted to become a state of the U.S.
1900 – Foraker Act – ended U.S. military rule and set up civil government
1917 – given U.S. citizenship1952 – given commonwealth status – this means
they can move freely to U.S., are subject to the military draft, but can’t vote in presidential elections
U.S. relationship with Cuba
Teller Amendment and Treaty of Paris had guaranteed independence
But, American soldiers occupied the country after war ended
American military improved lives of the peopleU.S. insisted Platt Amendment be added to
their Constitution creating a “protectorate” relationship for 31 years
Today, Cuba not under any U.S. control - tense relationship
U.S. relationship with Philippines
1899 – revolt against American annexation led by Emilio Aguinaldo
Took U.S. 3 years to put down the rebellion
Became an independent republic on July 4, 1946
U.S. relationship with China
China was weak and vulnerable to foreign influence
U.S. Secretary of State John Hay issued Open Door notes – indicating that the U.S. would not allow other nations to shut U.S. out of China
1900 – Boxer Rebellion – Chinese revolting against foreign influence – thousands of Chinese killed
Open Door Policy towards China became key to protecting our economic interests there
Controversy Over U.S. Imperialist Gains
Supporters
Pres. McKinley
Big business
Pres. T.Roosevelt
Opponents
William Jennings Bryan
Grover Cleveland
Andrew Carnegie
Jane Addams
Mark Twain
Anti-Imperialist League
America as a World Power
Section 4
Teddy Roosevelt’s Diplomacy
• Mediated a settlement in Russo-Japanese War – he won the Nobel Peace Prize for this
• Supported building of the Panama Canal (by supporting a Panamanian rebellion against Colombia)
• Added Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine– Monroe Doctrine – warned Europe to stay out of Latin
America– Roosevelt Corollary – U.S. would use force to protect
our interests in Latin America
• “Speak softly and carry a big stick” diplomacy
Taft’s Diplomacy
• U.S. government guaranteed loans to foreign countries to support side we wanted to win in their disputes
• This was referred to as dollar diplomacy
Woodrow Wilson’s Diplomacy
• U.S. had a moral obligation to deny recognition to Latin American governments that were oppressive and undemocratic
• This was referred to as “missionary diplomacy”
• Led to U.S. intervention in Mexico
Mexican Revolution
• Ruled by Porfirio Diaz – military dictator, but we liked him because he protected the interests of American businessmen in Mexico
• 1911 – Francisco Madero led a revolt and overthrew Diaz – he promised Democratic reforms
• 1913 – Victoriano Huerta overthrew Madero and murdered him
• President Wilson refused to recognize government of Huerta
• U.S. used incident at Tampico with U.S. sailors as an excuse to intervene in Mexico against Huerta’s gov’t
• Almost resulted in war – Huerta regime collapsed and Venustiano Carranza came to power
• Wilson agreed to remove troops and recognize the Carranza gov’t
• Mexican rebels Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata were not happy – killed Americans on border with Mexico
• Wilson sent General John J. Pershing into Mexico to chase Pancho Villa – for over a year
• Carranza ordered U.S. troops out of Mexico
• Added to the negative image of the U.S. amongst Latin American nations
Early 20th Century Foreign Policy Achievements of the U.S.
1) Expanded access to foreign markets so our economy could continue to grow
2) U.S. built a modern navy to protect interests around the world
3) U.S. exercised international police power by dominating Latin America