United States Imperialism
after 1890
Describe the U.S. in 1890
Imperialism
Policy in which stronger nations extend
their economic, political, & military
strength over weaker territories
What other countries were
using imperialism at this
time?
Where? Why?
Why Imperialism in the USA?
1. Desire for military strength
• Alfred T. Mahan: urged modernization of U.S. navy (including
the U.S.S. Maine)  3rd largest naval power in the World
2. Thirst for New Markets
• Need for raw materials & new markets due to increased
industrialization
3. Belief in cultural superiority
• “Social Darwinism”-- belief that free-market competition
would lead to the survival of the fittest (best will always win)
• US had a responsibility to spread Christianity & “civilization”
to the world’s “inferior people”
Alaska
• Arranged by William
Seward, Sec. of State
• Purchased Alaska from
Russia for $7.2 million in
1867
• About $0.02 an acre
• Lots of timber, minerals, & oil
• 1959: became 49th state
Annexation of Hawaii
• Since 1790s: American
merchants used Hawaiian
islands as a rest/refuel
station on their way to
China and East India
• Around the 1820s:
American missionaries start
Christian schools &
churches; later generations
became sugar planters
Annexation of
Hawaii
After the McKinley Tariff
of 1890, Hawaiian sugar
growers had to pay a
tax to import their sugar
to the US (their #1
buyer)
If Hawaii was annexed,
they would not have to
pay the duty.
Military Base at
Pearl Harbor
Great location for a US Naval Base
Refueling station for American ships
Annexation of Hawaii
• John L. Stevens: Ambassador from
the US
• Led business groups to organize
revolution against Hawaiian Queen
Liliuokalani
• Successfully overthrew the
government
• Set up a new government headed
by Sanford B. Dole
• 1898: Congress declares Hawaii an
American territory
Spanish American War
• American desire for imperialism takes advantage of a
Cuban Independence movement.
• Three factors that led to American involvement:
1. Yellow Journalism
2. The de Lôte Letter
3. The U.S.S. Maine Explodes
Yellow Journalism
• sensational style of writing, exaggerates the news
to lure & enrage readers
• Propaganda, in the form of political cartoons,
headlines, and articles, added gasoline to the fire
The de Lôte
Letter
Spanish Ambassador
caught criticizing
President McKinley,
calling him “weak”
Embarrassed the
Spanish Government
and upset the American
leadership
U.S.S. Maine’s Explosion
American
newspapers
reported that the
Spanish purposely
attacked the U.S.
ship, killing 260
American men
The Spanish American War
War in the Philippines
• Commodore George Dewey
led American fleet
• Opened fire on Manila–
destroyed every Spanish ship
within hours
• Helped Filipino rebels fight
for independence
• August 1898: Spain
surrendered to US
The Spanish American War
War in the Caribbean
• American forces went to
Santiago, Cuba – very
unprepared
• Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt
led group of volunteer cavalry
men, called Rough Riders
• Won a victory at San Juan Hill,
in Cuba – Spanish fleet
destroyed soon after
• US invaded Puerto Rico
Rough Riders Video
Rough Riders
Teddy Roosevelt
The Treaty of Paris
(Another one…)
• US Gained Territory
• Islands of Guam (Pacific)
• Puerto Rico (Caribbean)
• US purchased the Philippines from Spain
• Rebelled against the US in 1899, but lost
• Filipinos successfully gained full independence
on July 4, 1946
The Platt
Amendment
Because of this, Cuba
became a protectorate of
the United States for 31
years
Cuba under Control of US
1. Cuba could not make treaties
that might limit its independence
or permit a foreign power to
control any part of it
2. The US reserved the right to
intervene in Cuba
3. Cuba was not allowed to go into
debt, if the government could
not repay it
4. US could buy or lease land on the
island for naval or refueling
stations (i.e. Guantanamo Bay)
Bell Ringer
Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.
Include the underlined phrases on your paper.
1. Draw a picture to represent the term “imperialism”
2. In your own words, explain the three reasons for U.S.
Imperialism.
3. In your own words, explain the three reasons the U.S. and
Spain went to war.
Turn in your Bell Ringer to the black tray when you
are finished and pick up both worksheets on the
front table.
Classwork
20 minutes to complete this worksheet front and back.
Side 1- Rough Riders
• Read the passage (highlight if necessary)
• Answer the corresponding questions.
Side 2- Yellow Journalism
• Look at front page of newspaper
• Answer question #1
China
• Potentially a vast
market for American
products
• Presented American
investors with new
opportunities for
large-scale railroad
construction
China
• Europe dominated
Chinese int’l trade
• US feared foreign
intervention and war
would carve China
into European
colonies, shutting out
the American traders
Open Door Policy
• US Secretary of State John
Hay circulated the Open
Door Notes to European
Imperialist powers
• Would prevent a single
nation from having a
monopoly on trade with
any part of China
• All nations would have
equal trading rights
Panama- Why?
• Canal through Central
America would greatly
reduce travel time for
merchant and military
vessels
• Shortcut between
Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans
Panama is an isthmus
(a narrow strip of land with sea on both sides that connects two larger land masses.)
Panama
• Columbia controlled Panama
• French began construction on the canal, but left
• Did not want U.S. to build the canal
• U.S. helped to organize a Panamanian
rebellion, resulting in Panama’s independence
Panama
• U.S. agreed to pay the Panamanian
government $10 million, plus an annual rent of
$250,000
• United States began construction in 1904 and
finished the canal in 1914
Roosevelt Corollary
• Addition to the Monroe
Doctrine
• Roosevelt warned that
disorder in Latin America
might lead to the US using
force to protect its
economic interests
• “Speak softly and carry a
big stick; you will go far.”
(from an African proverb)
Dollar Diplomacy
• President Taft urged American banks and
businesses to invest in Latin America
• Taft promised that the US would step in if
unrest threatened the investments
• As a result of international trade that occurred
between the late 1800s and World War I, this is
known as the era of the first true “global
economy”