Imperialism
• The policy by which strong nations
extend their political, military, and
economic control over weaker
countries
Roots of Imperialism
1. Economic Benefits
–
–
–
Not colonies (extractive economies) but future states!
US had a surplus of goods
Opened up new trade networks
2. Military Strategies
–
3rd largest Navy in the world
3. Missionaries and Social Darwinism
–
–
Survival of the fittest
– “God is training the anglo-saxon race
for its mission to civilize weaker races.”
Manifest Destiny
“The White Man’s Burden”
America’s First Steps
• 1853: Japan Opens Trade with the US
– Commodore Perry’s smoking dragons
• 1867:
– Midway Islands
– Seward’s Folly: Alaska purchased from
Russia: $7.2 million
America’s First Steps
• 1875 and 1888 Treaties: Trade with Hawaii
and permission to build Pearl Harbor
• 1889: 1st Pan-American Conference
– To promote economic cooperation with
Latin American countries
U. S. Intersts in Hawaii
•
Missionary: Establishing
Churches and Schools
•
•
Imiola Church –1820s
Economic Sugar Cane
Plantations
U. S. View of Hawaiians
•
Hawaii becomes a U. S.
Protectorate in 1849 thru
economic treaties.
• Limit voting rights to only
wealth landowners (white
planters)
Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani
Anti American
involvement Hawaii for
the Hawaiians!
U. S. Business Interests In Hawaii
1875 – Reciprocity
Treaty: voting
rights limited to wealthy
landowners (whites)
1890 – McKinley Tariff
1893 – American
businessmen backed an
uprising against Queen
Liliuokalani.
Sanford Ballard Dole
proclaims the Republic
of Hawaii in 1894.
To The Victor Belongs the Spoils
Hawaiian
Annexation
Ceremony, 1898
SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
An exercise in imperialism
Causes
• Spain’s Imperial powers decline
– Cuban rebellions
– Americans related
The Yellow Kid
• William Randolph Hearst and the Yellow Press
– Exaggerated stories with sensational headlines and
pictures to prompt dislike of Spanish government
• February 1898: Enrique Dupuy de Lome
– Stolen by Cuban Rebels in DC
– Calls McKinley (President), “weak and stupid”
– Jingoism: aggressive nationalism
Remember the Maine! To Hell with Spain!
• Shortly after de Lome’s
letter
• “War? Sure!”: The people
• Not quite for the president
– Naval Board must investigate
the explosion first
• March 28,1898: Board
concluded a mine blew it up
A Declaration of War
• April 11, 1898, McKinley requests War declaration
on Spain
» In the name of humanity, in the name of
civilization, in behalf of endangered American
interests!
• 8 Days later..
– Four war resolutions passed
that declared war on Spain
– Teller Amendments (Resolution #4):
US had no interest in annexing Cuba
– Spain declares back in response
Theodore Roosevelt
• Assistant Secretary to the
Navy under McKinley
– “You have the backbone of a
chocolate éclair!”
– Resigns to fight in Cuba!
• Rough Riders
– Westerners and Upper-class
Easterners
– 9th and 10th Calvary: African
American Outfit
– Success: Kettle and San Juan
Hills
Battles in Cuba
• June 1898: 17,000 US troops make landfall
• July 3rd, 1898: Naval Blockade
• July 3rd, 1898: Spanish unsuccessfully attempt to flee Santiago
Harbor
• Surrendered
• August 7th, 1898: Withdrawal from
Cuba
Deaths in Cuba
Philippines: The Other Spanish
Possession
• At Sea
• May 1st, 1898: Commodore
Dewey enters Manila Bay
• “Fire when ready!”
• Spanish fleet decimated
in a matter of minutes
• ON Land:
• Emilio Aguinaldo: Rebel
leader
• 15,000 American troops
aided
Effects
• Treaty Paris (1898) War with Spain OVER
– $20 million for Philippines
• The American Anti-Imperialist League (1899)
– Campaigned against annexing the
Philippines
– Mark Twain, Williams Jennings Bryan,
Andrew Carnegie
• McKinley created an American Empire
– Re-elected in 1900
– America gains status in World affairs
THE US IN CHINA
Spheres of Influence
• US, France, Britain, Germany, Russia interest in the
region
• Carve it up!
– Each country had exclusive rights and access to China
markets in their region
Boxer Rebellion
• Righteous and Harmonious Fists: secret society
that emerged in response to Western influence on
their society
– Condemn Chinese Christian converts
• 2,100 soldiers 20,000 sent in to squash rebellion
• Indemnity: money to repair damages
– China must pay!
Open Door Policy
• America doesn’t want colonies in China, just free
trade!
– Described by John Hay
• US used some of the indemnity money to fund
Chinese scholarship
Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” Diplomacy
• US needs a strong military to achieve its goals
• Civilize weaker nations
• American elite must accept challenge of
international leadership
Big Stick Diplomacy
• Panama Canal
– $40 Million purchase from Columbia
– Panamanian rebellion  Panamanian freedom from
Columbia
– $10 million purchase from Panama and $250,000
rent/year
Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy
• Maintain open door policy
• Less about “the big stick”
• Increase American investments in business and
banks in Central America and Caribbean
– Plantations, Mines, Oil wells, railways
• Dollar Diplomacy and the Big Stick Intervene
– Nicaragua in 1909 and 1912