American Imperialism
United States
History
Mr. Terrell
Goal and Purpose
6.01 Examine the factors that led to the
United States taking an increasingly
active role in world affairs
6.02 Identify the areas of U.S. military,
economic, and political involvement and
influence
6.03 Describe how policies and actions of
the United States impacted other
countries
Imperialism
The practice of extending a
nation’s power by gaining
territories for a colonial
empire
The economic and political
domination of a strong nation
over weaker nations
Great Britain, France, Spain
and other European nations
had empires
Some Americans believed
we should do the same
(Social Darwinists)
empire
A nation that dominates
and controls other
countries, territories,
and colonies.
Example:
British Empire
during the
1700s.
colony
A nation that is
controlled by a
stronger country and
exploited for natural
resources, labor, and
taxes.
A new branch of
territory settled by
citizens of another
nation.
We used to be the 13
colonies of England.
Military needs
The United States needed a
strong navy to protect its
shores and trading interests
The Navy needed bases
where ships could refuel and
make repairs
U.S. wanted foreign territory
so they could build the bases
in strategic places
Economic interests
The industrialists of the
United States had the
desire to gain overseas
markets to sell their
products.
Industrialists also began to
look to Africa, Asia, and
Latin America for new
sources of raw materials
for their factories.
protectorates
A country that is
controlled by an
outside
government in
return for military
protection from
invasion and
rebellions
Social Darwinists
Believed that when
nations competed
against one another, only
the fittest would survive
Believed that it was a
social responsibility to
“civilize” the inhabitants
of lesser developed
nations
Anglo-Saxonism
Belief that Englishspeaking nations had
superior character,
ideas, and systems of
government and
therefore were
destined to dominate
the planet
Promoted by
Protestant clergyman
Josiah Strong
Causes of U.S. Expansionism
Causes
-Economic: Desire for
new markets and raw
materials
-Military: Desire for naval
bases and coaling stations
-Ideological: Desire to
bring Christianity,
western-style culture, and
democracy to other
peoples
United States
Expansionism
Foreign industrial competitors
British Empire
France
Belgium
Germany
Japan
Captain James Cook
British explorer who
discovered Hawaii
and brought Hawaii to
the attention of other
nations
Sugar Plantations in Hawaii
American planters set up
sugarcane plantations in
Hawaii
American diseases killed
many Hawaiians
Planters employed workers
from Japan and China to
work on the sugarcane
plantations
Bayonet constitution in Hawaii
1887
King Kalakaua of
Hawaii was forced to
sign a constitution
which severely
restricted his power
and deprived most
Hawaiians of the right
to vote
Here they
go again!
Queen Liliuokalani
Queen of the Hawaiian
Islands
She opposed annexation
of Hawaii by the United
States, but lost power in a
U.S. supported revolt,
which led to the
installation of a new
government in Hawaii as
a U.S. territory
Sanford B. Dole
American sugar tycoon
that became the
president of the new
Republic of Hawaii
Pineapple Industry
James Dole, Sanford
Dole’s cousin, began
growing pineapples in
Hawaii in 1901.
By the 1930s Dole
supplied 90% of the
world’s canned
pineapple.
Annexation of Hawaii
President William
McKinley favored
annexation of Hawaii
Congress narrowly voted
to annex Hawaii in 1898
Hawaii became an
American territory
Hawaii became the 50th
state in 1959
In 1993 Congress
apologized for the U.S.
role in overthrowing
Liliuokalani.
Pan-Americanism
The idea that the United
States and Latin America
should work together to
support peace and
increase trade
Led to the creation of the
Pan-American Union
which is today called the
Organization of American
States
Alfred T. Mahan
U.S. Navy Captain
1890 Published the book
“The Influence of Sea Power
Upon History”
Argued that the U.S.
needed a strong,
modernized Navy and
territory for overseas bases
to compete with other
powers such as the British
and Dutch
Henry Cabot Lodge
United States Senator
who pushed for the
creation of a new
modern U.S. Navy
Building a Modern Navy
In the 1890s, the
United States
modernized its fleet of
naval warships
Constructed steelhulled ships with
steam powered
engines as well as
sails
U.S.S. Maine
One of the U.S. Navy’s
first armored battleships
and one of the first naval
vessels with electrical
lighting
U.S. Navy took it on a tour
of the world to show off
our new naval power and
persuade Japan not to
mess with China.
The Spanish-American War
Reading Questions pp. 558-564
What happened to
the U.S.S. Maine?
Who was blamed for
that tragedy?
Why was there a
rebellion in Cuba?
How did yellow
journalism influence
the U.S. to get
involved in Cuba?
Which side did the United
States support in the
Spanish-American War?
Where were the two fronts
of the war?
How prepared was the U.S.
Army?
What three territories did
the United States obtain
after the war?