The Rise of American Imperialism. Imperialism – Defined The period at the end of the 19 th century when the United States extended its economic, political,

The Rise of American Imperialism

Imperialism – Defined

The period at the end of the 19th century when the United States extended its economic, political, and social influence over Caribbean, Asian, and Pacific islands.

4 Broad Causes of Imperialism

Political CausesEconomic CausesSocial CausesTechnological Causes

The Western nations were like P.E.S.T.s to the rest of the world!

Political Causes of Imperialism

Diversion of class tensions and social change by focusing on conquering foreign lands.Desire for coaling stations and naval bases

Belief that control of the seas was the foundation upon which great nations were buildAlfred Thayer Mahan’s The Influence of Sea Power Upon History

An American Imperialist

Alfred Thayer Mahan

Economic Causes

Desire to find new Markets – for industrial and agricultural surplusDesire to acquire new sources of Raw Materials

Social Causes

Belief in Social DarwinismChristian MissionariesDesire to uplift those in darkness to the light of civilizationExpansionism?

An American Supporter of Imperialism

Josiah StrongWrote Our Country: It Possible Future and Its Present Crisis, 1885Advocate for Anglo-Saxon superiority and action to aid the less civilized

Rudyard Kipling – Cheers America On!

Welcoming America to the world of adult responsibility among the nations, Kipling writes of :

‘...the White Man’s work, the business of introducing a sane and orderly administration to the dark places of the earth that lie to your hand.’

Kipling’s White Man’s Burden (1899)

TAKE up the White Man's burden - Send forth the best ye breed Go bind your sons to exileTo serve your captives' need;To wait in heavy harnessOn fluttered folk and wild -Your new-caught sullen peoples,Half devil and half child.

Take up the White Man's burden - In patience to abideTo veil the threat of terrorAnd check the show of pride;By open speech and simple,An hundred times made plain,To seek another's profit,And work another's gain.

Technological Causes

Industrialization created surplus and demandSteamships, refrigeration, communications technologyGuns

United States Imperial Holdings

America’s Coming Out Party

The Spanish American War, 1898113 Day war against Spain “Splendid Little War”Began in CubaResulted in USA gaining Puerto Rico, Guam, and PhilippinesCuba independent, but under American supervision

Spanish American War - Causes

Cuban Revolt and American public sympathy for Cuban rebelsDe Lome LetterExplosion of the USS MaineYellow Journalism

Yellow JournalismNegative term used to describe the sensationalistic, exaggerated, scandal mongering papersHearst New York JournalPulitzer New York World

US – Cuban Relations

Teller Amendment 1898 – USA will not annex Cuba war –leaves Cuba in 1902Platt Amendment – US right to intervene in Cuban affairs and impinges Cuban sovereignty

Open Door Notes

To Imperial Powers in ChinaAgreed to by all as each wanted to increase their sphere of influenceUsed a pretext to expansion in China

A New View of the World

From Republic to EmpireMany Object

Anti ImperialistsMark Twain, Samuel Gompers, Andrew Carnegie, William Jennings Bryan