America Claims An Empire
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
Sec.
1-Imperialism and America
2-The Spanish-American War
3-Acquiring New Lands
4-America as a World Power
Imperialism and America
Section 1
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Imperialism – policy in which
stronger nations extend their
economic, political, or military
control over weaker territories
Motives
• Economic
• Military
• Religion
• Racial Superiority
Monroe Doctrine-1823
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The Western Hemisphere was closed to
any further European colonization.
The U.S. would not interfere with any
European colonies already established.
Any attempt by an European power to
intervene in Western Hemisphere affairs
would be interpreted as a threat to the
U.S.
The U.S. would not interfere in the
internal affairs of an European country.
What is the Message?
Global Competition

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European countries had been
establishing colonies since the
1400’s all around the world.
Late 1900’s through the turn of the
century they focus on competitions
for Asian and African nations.
World Colonialization 1900
U.S. Motivation for Imperialism

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Manifest Destiny- Idea that it is the fate of the
U.S. to expand its boundaries from the East to
West Coast. (By 1890 we had done that)
New Manifest Destiny- Idea that it is the fate of
the U.S. to expand it boundaries beyond the seas
American Progress
by John Gast
3 Factors that Fuel U.S. Imperialism

Desire for Military Strength
• Adm. Alfred Mahan
• Influence of Sea Power Upon History: 1660-1783
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Build up Navy
Need Colonies (Hawaii, Caribbean Is., Canal)
Need for refueling stations and raw materials
Foreign Trade
Thirst for New Markets (Economic)
• Too many workers, not enough work
• Need places to sell our products

Belief in Cultural Superiority
• Social Darwinism
• Theory of Eugenics
• White Man’s Burden
White Man’s Burden
The U.S. Acquires Alaska
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William Seward – Sec. of State
Acquires Alaska in 1867
Purchased from Russia for $7.2 Million
Known as “Seward’s Folly” or “Seward’s
Icebox”
Turned out to be an excellent investment.
•
•
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Oil
Fish
Timber
Minerals like gold
Naval Bases
1959 –Alaska becomes a state.
The U.S. Takes Hawaii
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History of Hawaii and the U.S.
Cries for Annexation
Value of Pearl Harbor
The End of a Monarchy
• King Kalakaua amends constitution to satisfy
white sugar growers – limits voting rights to
wealthy landowners
• Queen Liliuokalani takes over and wants to
restore Hawaii for Hawaiians. Landowners plot
to remove her.
• Growers plans a revolt and with the help of
U.S. Marines remove Queen and place her
under house arrest.
Sanford Dole is Named President of Hawaii
Annexation of Hawaii
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President Cleveland directs the Queen to
be restored but Dole refuses.
Recognized the Republic of Hawaii but will
not annex unless the majority votes to do
so.
William McKinley supported annexation
and Congress proclaims it an American
territory in 1898 with Hawaiians never
voting to do so.
Hawaii becomes a state in 1959.
The Spanish-American War
Section 2
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1868- Cubans rebel against Spanish
rule and fought for 10 years but are
defeated. Did abolish slavery.
Prosperity in Cuba due to sugar trade
with U.S. and McKinley Tariff Act
(1890)removes tariff on Cuban sugar
Wilson-Gorman Tariff (1894) puts tariff
on Cuban sugar and causes economic
hard times, leading to a new revolt
2nd War for Independence

José Martí – Launched the revolt in 1895
• See Key Player Box pg. 347

Tactics used
• Guerrilla Warfare
• Scorched Earth Policy
Scorched Earth Policy
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Cuban Rebels burn U.S. owned
plantations in an attempt to receive
American intervention
U.S. does not respond until Spanish
start using harsh tactics against the
rebels
General Weyler, a.k.a. “The Butcher”
• Reconcentrado / Concentration Camps
General Valeriano Weyler
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Reconcentrado Camps
Conditions
Estimated 300,000 Cubans
Interned
Unsanitary Conditions
Thousands died of hunger
and disease.
http://chss.montclair.edu/wi
tness/Reconcentrados.html
Causes of the Spanish American War
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Harsh Tactics against the Cubans
Yellow Journalism
De Lôme Letter
U.S.S. Maine Explodes
Yellow Journalism

Sensational style of writing, which
exaggerates the news to lure and enrage
readers
• Poisoned Wells
• Children throw to sharks

Publishers of Yellow Journalism
• William Randolph Hearst- New York Journal

“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the War.”
• Joseph Pulitzer- New York World
The De Lôme Letter

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Written by the Spanish Minister to
the U.S. (De Lôme )
Criticized Pres. McKinley
• Called him “weak” and “a bidder for the
admiration of the crowd”

Major Insult that upset the American
public.
U.S.S. Maine Explodes
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Who: 260 (plus) U.S.S.
Maine crew killed
What: Explodes and Sinks
Where: Havana Harbor,
Cuba
When: February 15, 1898
Why: Newspapers blame the
Spanish
Public Reaction
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Outrage against Spain
Hearst and Pulitzer fan the flames
and call for war
• Offers $50,000 Reward

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“Remember the Maine” Battle Cry of
Spanish American War
Captain Sigsbee
•
http://www.classzone.com
What Really Happened

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1976 Investigation concluded a
massive internal blast had destroyed
the ship.
Most likely cause was a spontaneous
fire in a coal bunker that ignited a
nearby supply of weapons.
Faulty design
War with Spain

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Although the Spanish gave in to all
demands the U.S. declared war April
20,1898.
Philippines Theater of War
• 1st battle took place in Manila Bay
• Commodore Dewey sailed into the bay
and destroyed all the Spanish ships.
• U.S. forces landed and joined with
Filipino revolutionaries lead by Emilio
Aguinaldo
• Spain surrenders
War in the Caribbean

Naval Blockade of Cuba
• Victory in Philippines and success of blockade
show the superiority of the U.S. Navy.

U.S. Army is only a small professional
force, with inexperienced volunteers
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of training
Lack of weapons
Lack of supplies
Wool Uniforms for a tropical climate
Lack of experienced leadership and old Civil War
leaders were more interested in sitting around
and talking about the old days.
Rough Riders

A volunteer cavalry unit commanded
by Leonard Wood and Theodore
Roosevelt
• Made up of men from all walks of life
• Dramatic uphill charge at Kettle Hill led
by the Rough Riders led to the more
significant taking of San Juan Hill
Myths about the Rough Riders
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Myth: They charged
up the battlefield on
horses as depicted in
newspapers and
pictures painted
about the event.
Reality: Horses had
been left in Florida.
They were
dismounted Cavalry.
(From the Painting by Frederic
Remington.)
http://www.bartleby.com/51/10.html

Myths about the Rough Riders
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Myth: Roosevelt lead the main
charge up San Juan Hill.
Reality: He had led the charge up
Kettle Hill and the Rough Riders had
assisted in taking San Juan Hill.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com
/roughriders.htm
Roosevelt and the Rough Riders
atop San Juan Heights, 1898
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_San_Juan_Hill
Roosevelt Posthumously Awarded
Medal of Honor

Though two Medal of Honor recipients
who had witnessed Roosevelt's actions
at Kettle and San Juan Hills (Generals
Shafter and Wood) recommended the
intrepid leader of the Rough Riders, his
political enemies succeeded in denying it
to him during his lifetime. Beyond
Roosevelt's death, his actions were
http://www.homeofheroes.c
debated for decades and finally, more
than 100 years after his famous charge om/wallofhonor/spanish_am
during the Spanish-American War,
/11_crowdedhour.html
Congress approved the award. On
January 16, 2001 President William
Clinton presented Theodore Roosevelt's
Medal of Honor to his great-grandson
Tweed Roosevelt, in ceremonies at the
White House. His award brought the
total of awards earned in the July 1,
1898 battles at El Caney, Kettle Hill and
San Juan Hill to an even twodozen. Ironically, Roosevelt's longsought Medal of Honor would be the
ONLY posthumous award of the entire
Spanish-American War.
Spanish American War Ends
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War lasted only 16 Weeks
Called a “Splendid Little War”
300,000 Americans served
5,400 lost their lives
379 battle causalities
5,000 died of diseases and other causes
• Yellow fever
• Malaria
Treaty of Paris
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Spain surrendered all rights to Cuba
and assumed Cuban Debt
Puerto Rico and Guam are given to
U.S.
The U.S. will pay $20 million for the
annexation of the Philippines
Debate over the Treaty
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Imperialism vs. Democracy
McKinley tried to imply it was for the
betterment of the Filipino people
• “that there was nothing left for us to do
but take them all and to educate the
Filipinos, and uplift and Christianize
them.”
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What is faulty about that argument?
Anti-imperialist would argue “you
don’t have to own people to trade
with them”
Acquiring New Land
Section 3
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Ruling Puerto Rico
Cuba and the U.S.
Filipinos Rebel
Foreign Influence in China
Impact of Imperialism
Ruling Puerto Rico
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Fairly smooth transition
Military Rule established
U.S. wished to maintain island as a
territory for a naval base.
Foraker Act – 1900
• Ends military rule
• Set up civil government
• Pres. Power to appoint governor and upper
house to legislature
• Denied U.S. citizenship

1917 Granted Citizenship and Right to
elect both houses of legislature
Puerto Rico Commonwealth of U.S.
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Make their own laws
Handle their own finances
U.S. controls defense and set tariffs
Citizens of U.S.
Move freely between island and mainland
Enjoy tax exempt status
Do not vote for President
Do not have voting members in Congress
Do not receive federal aid
Subject to military draft
Puerto Rico Debate
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Some want to be independent
Some want to be a state
Some want to maintain commonwealth
status
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Voted in 1967, 1993, and 1998
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What are the pro’s and con’s of each?
Guam
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Smooth Transition
U.S. Territory
Naval & Air Force
Bases
U.S. Citizens
Guam is the
largest and
southernmost of
the Mariana
Islands.
Cuba and the U.S.
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Teller Amendment: The U.S. will not
seek control of Cuba.
Cuba is officially independent but will
become an United States Protectorate
• A country whose affairs are partially
controlled by a stronger power.
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U.S. military would occupy Cuba
Provide food, clothing, schools,
hospitals, and help with malaria and
yellow fever.
Platt Amendment
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Condition of U.S. withdrawal
• Cubans must have Constitution and sign
the Platt Amendment
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Cuba could not make treaties that might
limit its independence or permit foreign
powers to control any part of its territory
The U.S. reserved the right to intervene in
Cuba
Cuba was not to go into debt that its
government could not repay
The U.S. could buy or lease land on the
island for naval stations and refueling
stations
Protecting American Business Interests
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Main reason for staying involved in
Cuba and other places around the
world was to protect American
businesses with investments in Cuba
and other countries.
Critics argue it is not necessary.
• See Page 355 Personal Voice
Filipinos Rebel
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Emilio Aguinaldo- Leader of Rebellion
U.S. is faced with the same situation as
Spain in Cuba of a people fighting for
independence from a colonial power
Aguinaldo uses guerilla warfare
U.S. Forces citizens to designated zones
like the reconcentrado camps in Cuba
• Poor sanitation, starvation, disease
• Thousands die
African Americans in the Philippines
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Many of the 70,000 U.S. troops in
the Philippines were African
American
Some deserted to the Filipino side in
solidarity for racial prejudice
Thomasites

540 young Americans who sailed to
Manila aboard the U.S.S. Thomas
• Trained Filipino teachers
• Conducted classes
• Set up schools
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Impact
• 1898 – 5,000 elementary students
• 1920 – more than 1 million students
Cost of the War
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Philippine – American War lasted 3
years
Human Cost
• 20,000 Filipino rebels died
• 4,000 U.S. troops died
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Monetary Cost
• $400 million – 20 times the price we
paid for annexation
Aftermath
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U.S. set up a similar government to
Puerto Rico
President appointed a governor
• William Howard Taft 1901-1904
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Build schools and hospitals
Improved Sanitation for the
prevention of disease.
Independence granted July 4th, 1946
China and the Open Door Policy
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Because of the Sino-Japanese War
China was weakened and vulnerable
to imperialistic countries like Britain,
Germany, France, Russia, and Japan.
Each country had carved out a
sphere-of-influence- an area where
that country has exclusive rights to
control trade and industry.
This interfered with U.S. business
interests.
John Hay’s Open Door Notes
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Sec. of State Hay issued a series of
statements to protect American
interests in China.
Sent to Britain, France, Russia, Italy,
Germany, and Japan.
Statements are known as the Open
Door Notes.
Open Door Policy
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Called for open access to China’s coastal
ports and trading rights of all nations
would be respected
Elimination of special privileges for any
trading nation
Existing tariffs would be collected by
Chinese officials
Railroad rates and harbor duties would not
discriminate against people of other
countries
China would maintain its independence
Boxer Rebellion
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1900 Chinese patriots called Boxers
rebelled, which threatened the Open
Door Policy
Boxers wanted to rid their country of
“foreign devils”
Boxers killed 200 missionaries, other
foreigners, and converted Christian
Chinese and also took over the
embassies.
2nd Open Door Note
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Hay responded by sending the 2nd
Open Door Note to propose the great
powers unit to put down the rebellion
and reinforced the idea of an Open
Door in China after the rebellion
The International Force, including
2,500 American soldiers, squashed
the rebellion.
Boxer Protocol
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Treaty signed by the great powers and
China after the Boxer Rebellion
Powers agreed to accept money ($332
million) rather than land from China.
• U.S. part was $24.5 million.
• In 1908 the U.S. returned about $20 million
to China for the education of Chinese
students
• Why do this?????????

Chinese agreed to execute some Chinese
officials and punish others.
Three Deeply Held Beliefs About
U.S. Industrial Capitalist Economy
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Americans believe that the growth of
the U.S. economy depends on
exports
Americans feel they have a right to
intervene abroad to keep foreign
markets open
Americans fear that the closing of an
area to American products, citizens,
or ideas threatens U.S. survival
America as a World Power
Section 4
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Teddy Roosevelt’s Big Stick Policy
William Howard Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy
Woodrow Wilson’s Missionary Diplomacy
Teddy Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy
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Roosevelt the Peace Maker
• Russo-Japanese War
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Russia and Japan were competing for Korea and Manchuria
Japan wins and Roosevelt steps in to offer to negotiate the
peace agreement
Treaty of Portsmouth
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•
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Southern ½ of Sakhalin Island
Japan gave up the cash payment
Japan took over Russian interests in Manchuria and Korea
Both countries agreed to the Open Door in China
Aftermath of Treaty of Portsmouth
• Japan upset about not receiving the money
• Roosevelt wins the Nobel Peace Prize
• Gentleman’s Agreement over segregated schools in California
The Great White Fleet
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Roosevelt sends 16 battleships (10
brand new) on a world cruise to
show the power of the U.S. and its
Navy.
Fleet puts into ports around the
world, including Japan
U.S. and Japan will pledge to respect
each other’s possessions and
interests in East Asia and the Pacific
in various treaties.
Roosevelt and the Panama Canal

Why do we need the Panama Canal?
• Eliminate the trip around South America
• Lower cost for shipping
• Lower cost for maintenance of separate
fleets
• Improved defense of the Western
Hemisphere

http://www.hippocampus.org/US%20History%20II
Possible Locations
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Nicaragua
• Problem: Volcanoes
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Mexico
• Problem: Distance
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Panama
• Problem: Rights owned by France
Hay-Herrán Treaty
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Treaty between U.S. and Columbia
• 6 mile zone
• 99 year lease with renewal privileges
• U.S. pays 10 million in cash
• Plus $250,000 a year starting in 1912

Columbia rejects treaty
Panamanian Revolt
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Instigated by French Company
official- Philippe Bunau-Varilla and
wealth U.S. business interests
U.S. (Teddy Roosevelt) sent the
U.S.S. Nashville and other ships off
the coast of Panama and Columbia to
keep Columbia from interfering
Hay / Bunau-Varilla Treaty

Treaty between U.S. and Panama
• 10 mile zone
• U.S. pays 10 million
• Plus $250,000 a year to begin in 1913

Ratified in 1904
Building the Canal
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Digging began in 1904 but stopped a
year later due to the high death
rates in the Canal Zone
Same problems the French had
• Malaria
• Yellow Fever
• Plague
Cleaning up the Canal Zone

Colonel William Gorgas in charge of
sanitation program
• Drained Swamps
• Installed Sewers
• Screened Buildings
• Paved Roads
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Building Resumes in 1907
Greatest Engineering Feat of the Time
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5 or 6 Lock System for raising and
lowering ships through the canal.
Total Cost – $380,000,000
Employed thousands of workers
• 5,600 died from accident and disease
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Opened in 1914
Damaged U.S. – Latin American
Relations
Roosevelt Corollary
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Roosevelt argued European powers
must not intervene in the Western
Hemisphere as put forth in the Monroe
Doctrine, but also warned that disorder
in Latin America might “force the U.S.
to exercise an international police
power” in order to protect U.S.
economic interests.
http://www.hippocampus.org/US%20History%20II
Dollar Diplomacy under Taft
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Dollars for Bullets
Policy of using the U.S. Government to
guarantee loans made to foreign
countries by American businesspeople
Used to keep European powers from
intervening in Latin America
http://www.hippocampus.org/US%20History%20II
Taft and the Monroe Doctrine
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Japan attempted to purchase Baja
California from Mexico
Why is that not good for the U.S.???
U.S. expresses its concern to Japan
and they back off.
Lodge Corollary
• Any attempt to sell strategic land located
in the Americas to a nation or company
outside the Western Hemisphere would be
opposed by the U.S.
Missionary Diplomacy and Wilson
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Purpose is to help other nations
Cooling Off Treaties – international
disputes were to be referred to a
commission that would investigate
and make a report. The parties of
the dispute must refrain from war in
the year it took to compile the report
Wilson and Mexico
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U.S. has a moral responsibility to
deny recognition to any Latin
American government it viewed as
oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile
to U.S. interests.
This policy on non-recognition will be
tested in Mexico.
http://www.hippocampus.org/US%20History%20II
Important People
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President Diaz –1876 to 1911 was
Mexico’s military dictator
Francisco Madero – Leader of rebellion
and new President in 1911
General Huerta – Killed Madero and took
over the government in 1913
Venustiano Carranza – Leader of
Constitutionalists fighting Huerta
Francisco “Pancho” Villa – Leader of
revolt against first Huerta and then
Carranza. Attacks U.S.
Dolphin Incident
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American whale boat puts into Tampico
Crew arrested by Huerta’s men
Released with apology
Admiral Mayo demands a 21 gun salute
Huerta insulted and demands on in return
Incident leads to the invasion of Vera Cruz
by the U.S. Navy resulting in 19 U.S.
deaths and around 200 Mexican.
U.S. close to war with Mexico
ABC Powers Step In
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Argentina, Brazil and Chile offer to
negotiate a settlement to the conflict
and a grateful Wilson accepts
In the meantime Huerta is
overthrown by Carranza
Villa breaks with Carranza
Pancho Villa on a Rampage
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Angry at U.S. for Wilson’s recognition
of Carranza’s Government
Kills 16 American Engineers in Mexico
Crosses U.S. border and conducts a
raid on Columbus, New Mexico, killing
17 Americans
Wilson Sends Troops
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General John J. Pershing – led
15,000 troops deep into Mexico to
catch Pancho Villa.
Caused much stress between the
U.S. and Mexico, almost to the point
of war.
Pancho Villa never captured.
U.S. Troops Withdraw
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Wilson is up for reelection and so
does not withdraw troops until
January of 1917.
Problems in Europe are worsening
and Wilson sees we will soon be in
another war.