Imperialism and The United
States, 1890-1914
Introduction…
With your neighbor…
• You are a leader of a
country that has a
considerable amount
of land, relatively
small population in
proportion to land
size, natural
resources, and a
stabilized
government.
• Why then would you
feel the need (or be
pressured to) seek
out territory beyond
your own?
What is Imperialism?
• Exerting control
•
•
over another
nation
By means of
economic,
political, and/or
military control
Can be connected
with Jingoism
(extreme
nationalism led
by a pro-war
foreign policy)
Prior to the 1890’s the US was not
interested in expansion…Why?
• The Civil War
• Expanding westward (Manifest Destiny!)
• Staying away from foreign alliances and
wars
By the 1890’s the US was ready to
expand…why?
1. End of the frontier (1890 census)
• Many believed U.S. had to expand or
explode
a. Increased demand for raw
materials and resources
b. “Safety valve” thesis
Reasons…
2.
Increased importance of international
trade for the U.S. economy
a. The U.S. became the world’s leading
industrial power in the 1890s
b. Some Americans sought new
colonies to expand markets further
3. U.S. sought to compete with Europe for
overseas empires
a. Some American leaders sought
“great power” status for the U.S.
b. By 1914, Europe controlled 84% of
the world’s land
“The World’s
Plunderers,” Thomas
Nast, 1885”
Reasons for expansion…
4. Proponents of U.S. expansion overseas
1. Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan:
The Influence of Sea Power upon
History, 1660-1783 (1890)
a. Thesis: naval power was the key
to world dominance
b. Stimulated a naval arms race
among the “great powers”
c. U.S. sought defensive naval bases
and refueling stations
d. By 1900, U.S. had
the world’s 3rd largest navy
Reasons…
2. Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge
a. Social Darwinism (“survival of the fittest”)
b. Roosevelt also sought a canal in Central America
to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
3. Senator Albert Beveridge stated U.S. was part of a
worldwide movement of the superior white race and
imperialism was ordained by God
4. Josiah Strong, Our Country (1885)
-- Advocated superiority of Anglo-Saxon civilization
Welcome Back!
• Bell Ringer…
• 5 reasons the US
•
• Bring Textbooks to
class tomorrow!
•
began to imperialize?
Who did the United
States overthrow to
claim Hawaii?
Why did the US go to
war with Spain?
American interests in Imperialism
• Samoa
• Became a
protectorate in
the 1870’s
• A weak country under
the protection and
partial control of a
strong country.
Hawaii
Hawaii
• Early missionaries
• Many wanted US out,
•
•
bought large amounts
of land for sugar
plantations
By 1880’s, US using
Pearl Harbor as a
naval base
including Queen
Liliuokalani. Was
overthrown in 1893
Became a Republic
with Sanford Dole as
first Governor.
The Spanish American War
• US concerned about
•
•
Spanish control in
Cuba
Wanted to protect
American owned
sugar plantations
US against Spanish
atrocities towards
Cubans
WAR FEVER!!
• Yellow Journalism
• News that exploits,
distorts, or
exaggerates events in
order to attract
readers
In effort to gain support for the Cubans
many newspapers ran stories that were
exaggerated and untrue…
• The two most famous
•
editors of the time
were Joseph Pulitzer…
…and William
Randolph Hearst
“You furnish the
pictures…I’ll supply
the War”
WAR FEVER!!
• In 1898 Hearst’s New
York Journal
published what was
know as the “De Lome
Letter.”
• What was the content
in the letter?
• Spanish ambassador
Enrique Dupuy de
Lôme wrote a personal
letter to his friend
José Canalejas who
was in Cuba. The
letter contained
derogatory comments
about President
McKinley and his
policies concerning
Cuba.
• “...Besides the ingrained and inevitable
bluntness with which is repeated all that the
press and public opinion in Spain have said
about Weyler, it once more shows what
McKinley is, weak and a bidder for the
admiration of the crowd, besides being a
would-be politician who tries to leave a door
open behind himself while keeping on good
terms with the jingoes of his party.”
WAR FEVER!!
• In Feb. 1898 While
•
protecting Americans
in Cuba, the USS
Battleship Maine
exploded in Havana
Harbor killing 260
men.
“Remember the
Maine” became a war
slogan.
WAR!!
WAR!!
• A reluctant William
McKinley asked
Congress for a
declaration of war
in April 1898
“The Splendid Little War”
• First action of war
• Fight for
•
•
independence against
Spain
Was helped by Filipino
Patriot Emilio
Aguinaldo
Destroyed Spanish
Fleet at Manila Bay led
by Adm. Dewey
The Battle of the
Philippines
Welcome Back!
• For Tomorrow: Come
prepared to discuss
the last section of
your study guide
• Bell Ringer…1.
Discuss the Cuban
campaign and 2. what
was the outcome of
the Treaty of Paris?
The Cuban Campaign
• US Army had a
•
•
•
tougher
time…why?
Heat and wool
uniforms
Spread of disease
Ill prepared and ill
trained
The Cuban Campaign
• Object was to capture • On land, the goal of
•
port city of Santiago
where Spanish Fleet
was anchored
Navy was able to sink
the fleet
the Army was to take
military installations
above
Santiago…including
San Juan Heights and
El Caney
The Rough Riders
• Led by former
•
Secretary of Navy
Theodore
Roosevelt, this rag
tag Calvary unit led
the charge up San
Juan Hill
Or did they?
They actually attacked Kettle Hill!
Buffalo Soldiers
• 2,000 African American
•
soldiers comprised of
Regular Army regiments,
the 9th and 10th Cavalry
and the 24th and 25th
Infantry.
Joined the Rough Riders for
the battle of San Juan and
Kettle Hills
The End of the War
August 12, 1898
(114 days!)
• Treaty of Paris,
Dec. 1898
• Cuba gained
•
•
•
Independence
US received Puerto
Rico and Guam
Spain sold the
Philippines to the US
for 20 million
US became a colonial
Power…new problems
and responsibilities.
Welcome Back!
• Bell Ringer….What
are the outcomes of
the Treaty of Paris!
• Quiz tomorrow!
• Agenda and
Objective: Through
notes and discussion
students will identify
Roosevelt’s Foreign
policy.
Issues with Cuba in the
aftermath of War…
• At the start of War, US
• Promised Cuban
•
•
issues Teller
Amendment
Gave US the right to
intervene to maintain
stable government;
Cuba was not allowed
foreign agreements;
US controlled
Guantanamo Bay
independence after
war
With the country on
the verge of
economic/political
collapse Congress
passes Platt
Amendment
Issues with the Philippines in
the aftermath of War…
• US felt the right to
•
•
take control of the
Islands; Filipinos
thought differently
Three year rebellion
led by Aguinaldo; ends
with 200,000 dead;
7,000 US soldiers
Becomes a republic in
1946
Problems with Puerto Rico
after the War…
• Became a US
•
possession after the
war. US saw it as a
Colony.
In 1900 Foraker Act is
passed. Gave PR a
form of selfgovernment
• However, were
•
•
citizens of PR but not
the United States.
Led to Jones Act of
1917
Became a
commonwealth in
1952
United States Imperialism
Part II
1900-1914
Kathleen Krall
Spring Grove Area High School
Focus of US foreign policy shifts to
Central America after the War
• Was premised by the
Monroe Doctrine of
1823
• That US would stay
out of Europe and
would oppose
European intervention
in the Western
Hemisphere
US was also interested in
expanding in the Far East
• Interested in China • A weak country
• American
merchants feared
they would be left
out of trade
markets
who was carved up
into “spheres of
influence” by
Europe
In response, Secretary of State
John Hay authored the “open door
policy”
Sent Diplomatic notes
to Russia, France,
Germany, Britain, and
Japan asking them
for equal trading
rights and
transportation
facilities in China
However, many Chinese did not
want Westerns in China…
• In 1900 a secret
•
society known as the
“Boxers” tried to
overthrow the
imperial government
and expel foreigners
Did not succeed
“…destroy the foreigner!"
Meanwhile back in the Western
Hemisphere…
Foreign Policy Of Theodore
Roosevelt
• Extended the
Monroe Doctrine
into what was
known as the
“Roosevelt
Corollary”
The first test to the Corollary
occurred in the Venezuelan
Crisis of 1902
The United States has
the chief responsibility
for adjudicating any
conflicts between
Europe and Latin
America…became known
as the “Big Stick Policy.”
The Panama Canal
• When TR became
•
President he
wanted to…
To do this the US
agreed to the HayPauncefote Treaty
with the French
Why would a Canal be
important?
Granted the US the
• sole
Build a Canal across
right to build
Central America
and control a canal.
•Was
Keep
toEurope
remain out
freeof
Latinopen
American
and
to ships
affairs.
from all nations.
But where should the Canal be
Built?
• First place
considered was
Nicaragua. Was
free of disease and
only had about 50
miles to dig…
• However in 1902 a
volcano exploded
on the island of
Martinique. US
believed to be
unsafe
Option number
two…Panama
However Panama was
controlled by Columbia…
• Knowing that Panama
•
was unhappy under
Columbian rule, a
revolution was staged
with the help of the
French Canal agent
Philippe Bunau-Varilla
the new Foreign
Minister Bunau-
Varilla!
• Roosevelt supported
“I took the Canal”
the revolution,
•
sending navy to
ensure victory
US quickly recognized
Panama and
negotiated a treaty
with…
Building the Canal…
• Had to deal with
disease. Over 5,600
workers died
• Army Physician,
William Gorgas was
able to wipe out
yellow fever by
draining local water
areas
More than 43,000 laborers
worked on the Canal. Were
divided into Gold and Silver Star
Workers
Most work was done with pick
ax, shovel, and dynamite. Work
ended in 1914 with the cost of
352 million
Traveling through the
canal takes approximately
10-12 hours
The water route from
New York to San
Francisco was 8,000 miles
shorter Allowed Navy to
move quicker
On December 31, 1999 the canal
was returned to the government
of Panama
“The land divided, the world
united”
Latin America and William
Howard Taft
• Turned away from
•
“big stick” diplomacy
and supported “Dollar
Diplomacy”
Urged American
banks and businesses
to invest in Latin
America
Woodrow Wilson and Latin
America
• Was weary of dollar
•
•
diplomacy
Believed that heavy
investment would
actually harm weak
nations
Feared that investors
would take all profits
and influence local
governments
One area of concern for Wilson
was Mexico…
• Ruled by dictator
Porfilio Diaz who
was a friend of the
United States
• However Madero
was executed,
allowing Victoriano
Huerta to proclaim
himself ruler of
Mexico
• In the revolution of
1911, Diaz was
overthrown by
Francisco Madero
Shift in American Foreign
Policy!!
• Wilson refused to recognize new
government set up by Huerta…
• Government now must be based on free
elections before US will recognize…
• In response, Heurta arrested Americans in
Mexico. US sent Navy to port city of Vera
Cruz…
• The United
States supported
two local
revolutionaries
to help
overthrow
Heurta…
• Venustiano
Carranza
• And Pancho Villa
Huerta was eventually
overthrown in 1916 with the
United States supporting
Carranza…
Villa was determined to gain
control by attacking a train
in Northern Mexico, killing 12
Americans
US
troops
were
Wilson
threatened
by sending
never
abletroops.
to
wentEnds
on a
findVilla
Villa.
killing spree across
up being
the Rio Grande
assassinated
in
killing 3 soldiers
1923.
and a boy
But Wilson had other worries…
WORLD WAR I