IMPERIALISM
CHAPTER 17
SECTION 3 & 4
AMERICA’S NEW ROLE
After the Spanish-American War the debate intensified on whether the
U.S. should build and empire as three presidents took different
approaches to imperialism
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES




















George Washington; Federalist (1788)
John Adams; Federalist (1796)
Thomas Jefferson (1800)
James Madison (1808)
James Monroe (1816)
John Quincy Adams (1824)
Andrew Jackson; Democrat (1828)
Martin Van Buren; Democrat (1836)
William Henry Harrison; Whig (1840)
John Tyler; Whig (1841)
James K. Polk; Democrat (1844)
Zachary Taylor; Whig (1848)
Millard Fillmore; Whig (1850)
Franklin Pierce; Democrat (1852)
James Buchanan; Democrat (1856)
Abraham Lincoln; Republican (1860)
Andrew Johnson; Democrat (1865)
Ulysses S. Grant; Republican (1868)
Rutherford B. Hayes; Republican (1876)
James Garfield; Republican (1880)
#21 - …
Chester A. Arthur; Republican (1881)
Grover Cleveland; Democrat (1884)
Benjamin Harrison; Republican (1888)
Grover Cleveland; Democrat (1892)
William McKinley; Republican (1896)
#26 - Theodore Roosevelt; Republican (1901)
#27 - William Howard Taft; Republican (1909)
#28 - Woodrow Wilson; Democrat (1913)
OBJECTIVES
 CORE OBJECTIVE: Explain the causes and effects of
imperialism.
Objective 3.3: What were the goals of Roosevelt’s “Big Stick”
diplomacy?
Objective 3.4: What were the main arguments raised by the antiimperialists?
THEME: America will look to expand its borders and
influence
CHAPTER 17 SECTION 3
Under
imperialism, stronger
nations attempt to create
empires by dominating weaker
nations.
Americans needed a shorter route
between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
 A French company had bought a 25-year concession from
Colombia to build a canal across Panama.
 A concession is a grant for a piece of land in exchange for a
promise to use the land for a specific purpose.
Defeated by yellow fever and
mismanagement, the company
abandoned the project and offered its
remaining rights to the United States for
$100 million.
 Negotiations with Columbia (which owned Panama) failed. They wanted to hold
out until the French contract expired in 1904.
 President Roosevelt helped instigate the Panamanian
Revolution to overthrow the Colombian government.
The revolution is successful and the US recognizes Panama as an
independent nation.
 US negotiated Hay-Bunau- Varilla Treaty which gave us the land for the
canal.
 The way the U.S. received the canal left a legacy of ill will from

Latin America
 The United States paid Panama $10 million for the strip of
land to build the canal
U.S. also paid $250,000.00 yearly rental fee.
quick access to Atlantic &
Pacific
military protection of
territories
trade & economic value
would increase
•Roosevelt at the canal in
1906
•$400 million to build
•Began in 1904 and
completed by 1914
•Army engineer George
Goethals organized the
construction.
•Dr. Walter Reed found
ways to deal with yellow
fever
 The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine — The United
States will act as “an international police power” in the Western
Hemisphere
America will intervene to prevent intervention by other powers.
 Ask first but bring along a big army to help convince them.
 Roosevelt in Latin America — Under Roosevelt, the United States often
intervened in Latin America.
 Roosevelt in Asia — Roosevelt wanted to preserve an open door to trade
with China. He won a Nobel peace prize for negotiating a peace settlement
between Russia and Japan.
 Absent from Roosevelt’s geopolitical thinking was the concern for
interests of less powerful nations
“Speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far.”
Roosevelt used this old African proverb to guide his foreign policy.
Big Stick Policy: “Speak softly and carry a big stick”.
Also referred to as “Roosevelt’s Corollary”
THE GREAT WHITE FLEET
In 1907, President Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet, part of
the United States Navy, on a cruise around the world
 This
was to demonstrate U.S. naval power to other nations
and that the U.S. was no pushover

American citizens clearly saw the advantages of having a powerful navy.
 William Howard Taft
Elected President in 1908
 Taft believed in maintaining influence through American
investments, not military might.
 This policy was called dollar diplomacy. America will give
financial aid in return for loyalty.
 The United States reached new heights of international power under Roosevelt
and Taft.
 However, the policies of both Presidents also created enemies in Latin America
and a growing international resentment of U.S. intervention.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYeFcSq7Mxg
Roosevelt’s foreign policy was based on
 (A) the threat of military intervention.
 (B)
the use of American investments.
 (C) moral and legalistic standards.
 (D) the fear of foreign invasion.
The “dollar” in the phrase “dollar diplomacy” referred to:
 (A) bribing foreign diplomats.
 (B)
American investments in other countries.
 (C) being conservative about buying goods from other
countries.
 (D) spending campaign dollars to influence public opinion.
Roosevelt’s foreign policy was based on
 (A)
the threat of military intervention.
 (B)
the use of American investments.
 (C) moral and legalistic standards.
 (D) the fear of foreign invasion.
The “dollar” in the phrase “dollar diplomacy” referred to:
 (A) bribing foreign diplomats.
 (B)
American investments in other countries.
 (C) being conservative about buying goods from other
countries.
 (D) spending campaign dollars to influence public opinion.
CHAPTER 17 SECTION 4
US goal was always expansion
 (1) A political argument: Expansionism was a rejection of
our principle of “liberty for all.”
 (2) A racial argument: Imperialism was just another form of
racism.
 (3) An economic argument: Expansion involved too many
costs.
 Maintaining the armed forces required more taxation, debt, and possibly even
compulsory, or required, military service.
 In addition, laborers from other countries would compete for jobs with U.S. workers.
Which of the following was not an argument against imperialism?
 (A) Foreign workers would compete for jobs against U.S. laborers.
 (B)
Other nations might boycott U.S. goods.
 (C) Imperialism is another form of racism.
 (D) Imperialism goes against the founding principles of our
nation.
Which of the following was not an argument for imperialism?
 (A) People with non-Western cultures would enrich and
strengthen the United States.
 (B)
Access to foreign markets would make a stronger U.S.
economy.
 (C) Imperialism offered a new frontier.
 (D) Expansion helped to make the United States Navy stronger.
Which of the following was not an argument against imperialism?
 (A) Foreign workers would compete for jobs against U.S. laborers.
 (B)
Other nations might boycott U.S. goods.
 (C) Imperialism is another form of racism.
 (D) Imperialism goes against the founding principles of our
nation.
Which of the following was not an argument for imperialism?
 (A)
People with non-Western cultures would enrich and
strengthen the United States.
 (B)
Access to foreign markets would make a stronger U.S.
economy.
 (C) Imperialism offered a new frontier.
 (D) Expansion helped to make the United States Navy stronger.