American Imperialism
Goal 6 and 8
Essential Idea
 The rise of imperialism contributed to the
United States’ entry into the SpanishAmerican War.
Rise of Imperialism
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America’s Foreign Policy
under George Washington:
Neutrality, meaning the
United States stayed OUT
of foreign conflicts
Next, the Monroe Doctrine
said that “no European
country is allowed to
interfere with the Western
Hemisphere”
Next, Manifest Destiny
said that the United States
should expand across the
continent and “civilize”
other cultures
Imperialism
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According to imperialism, the United States must become a
world power to survive (Social Darwinism)
Imperialism – strong countries dominating weaker countries
Why Imperialism
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American imperialism had _____ main
causes:
Reason #1- Trade
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Reason #1: Overseas Markets
American businesses: businesses wanted to expand by
selling to other countries
American investment in Cuba: $50 million invested in
Cuban sugar plantations, mines, and railroads
 When did American exports begin to increase dramatically?
 Is this a trade surplus or a trade deficit?
 How would this graph look today?
Reason #2- Anglo-Saxonism
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Reason #2: Anglo
Saxonism
What it means:
English-speaking
countries have
superior character,
ideas, and government
Josiah Strong said that
it was the “white
man’s burden” to
bring liberty and
Christianity to the
“darker races”
Reason #3- Expanding the Military
 Reason #3: military
expansion
 What it means: expand
the military and build
bases to protect
American interests
 Alfred T. Mahan wrote
“The Influence of Sea
Power Upon History”,
which called for
expanding the U.S. Navy
Hawaii
 One reason for
imperialism:
overseas markets
 One major
overseas market
was East Asia
(China, Japan, etc.)
 Hawaii was a good
resupply/refuel
point for trade ships
going to Asia
Queen Liliuokalani
 Queen Liliuokalani was the
leader of Hawaii, who was
trying to increase her authority
 Why more authority? More
and more American settlers
were building plantations in
Hawaii
 Why a problem? Settlers and
native Hawaiians were fighting
Annexing Hawaii
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Eventually, the U.S. Marines
supported a rebellion of
Hawaii’s government and
overthrew the queen
The result: an American
government was put in place,
and Hawaii was annexed into
the United States five years
later
Annexing Hawaii
What other event in U.S.
History does the annexation
of Hawaii parallel?
Cuban-American Trade Relations
 In 1898, Cuba declared independence from Spain
 This was related to America in two ways:
 1. American were economically invested in Cuba
($50 million)
 2. Many Americans compared this event to the
American Revolution
Yellow Journalism
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The Event: Spanish
American War
Cause #1: Yellow
Journalism
What is it? Sensationalist,
biased, or false reporting
used to attract more
readers
Example 1: The Spanish
are feeding Cubans to
sharks and dogs!”
The New York Journal
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Example 2: “Blood on the
roadsides, blood in the
field…blood, blood,
blood!”
Effect on Americans:
many sided with Cuba,
and some even smuggled
weapons to Cuba
Caught Writing Notes
 Yellow Journalism
 In February 1898, a
newspaper intercepts and
prints a letter from
Spanish ambassador de
Lome, which insults the
president
Insulting the President
 American reaction: MAD!
The U.S.S. Maine
 Cause #2: U.S.S. Maine
 What happened: the American warship, the U.S.S. Maine,
explodes in Havana Harbor, Cuba, killing 260
 The U.S.S. Maine
Reaction to the Maine
 The LIKELY cause
(thanks to modern-day
investigation): the boiler
on the ship exploded
 What the newspapers
did: BLAMED SPAIN,
accusing them of setting
off a mine or sabotaging
the ship
Jingoism
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Jingoism- aggressive
nationalism
Result of Jingoism:
Americans, especially
Republicans, call for
war
April 1898: the
Spanish-American
War begins!