American Imperialism
Mr. Owens
Essential Questions
• What drove the United States to become an imperial
power at the end of the 19th century?
• What caused the United States to declare war on Spain
in 1898?
• What were the significant political, economic and
diplomatic effects of the American victory in the
Spanish-American War?
• How did American Imperialism cause a debate over
America’s role in the world, and what were the main
imperialist and anti-imperialist arguments, and later
interventionists and isolationists?
Causes of “New” Imperialism
1.
2.
3.
4.
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8.
Commercial/Business interests: expand trade
to new markets
Military Interests: Alfred Thayer Mahan’s The
Influence of Sea Power Upon History (1890)
expand navy need for bases and coaling stations
Competition with other empires: Britain,
France, Germany, Russia & Japan
Racial Theories: Social Darwinism
(International Darwinism) “White Man’s
Burden”
Missionaries: Reverend Josiah Strong’s Our
Country (1885) duty to civilize to “uplift &
Christianize”
Closing of the western frontier
Republicans Henry Cabot Lodge and Theodore
Roosevelt advocated global expansion
Popular Press: yellow journalism advocated
Alaska & Hawaii
• William Seward (Sec of State for Lincoln &
Johnson 1861-1869)
– annexed Midway Island
– gained rights to build a canal in Nicaragua
– Drove Napoleon III & France out of Mexico
– purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for
$7.2 million – ridiculed as “Seward’s Folly” or
“Seward’s Icebox” until Klondike Gold Rush
• Hawaii: American missionaries and businessmen
(sugar) had developed Hawaii since 1850s
– Queen Liliuokalani “Hawaii for Hawaiians”
but Sanford Dole & American Marines
overthrew her and declared Republic of
Hawaii in 1893
– Cleveland opposed annexation
– McKinley supported annexation during
Spanish American War in 1898, official US
territory in 1900, 50th state in 1959
U.S. & Latin America
• Monroe Doctrine 1823
• James Blaine as Harrison’s Secretary
of State goal of expanding US role
• Pan-American Conference (1889)
organization of trade & international
cooperation
• Cleveland evoked Monroe Doctrine
1896 when British Guiana threatened
Venezuela
• US private interests expanded in
Central America and Caribbean:
especially Mexico & Cuba
Causes of Spanish-American War
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US desire for empire & Spanish decline
Cuban Revolt “Cuba Libre!” led by Jose Marti & Spanish
oppression under General Valeriano Weyler “The Butcher”
Jingoism in politics & Yellow Press: Hearst’s New York
Journal & Pulitzer’s New York World competed with
sensationalism
De Lome Letter 1898 Spanish foreign minister Dupuy De
Lome critical of McKinley
U.S.S. Maine: Feb 1898 exploded in Havana harbor killing
260 Americans “Remember the Maine to Hell with Spain!”
McKinley’s War Message - American should intervene to:
1.
2.
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4.
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“Put an end to the barbarities, bloodshed, starvation, and horrible
miseries” in Cuba.
Protect American lives and property in Cuba
Protect American commerce
End the “constant menace to our peace” arising from the disorder in
Cuba.
Congress voted for war but only w/ Teller Amendment
guaranteeing Cuban independence.
“That Splendid Little War” - John Hay
• Surprise: May 1st, First attack by Commodore
George Dewey at Manila Bay (ordered by Teddy
Roosevelt as Asst. Sec of Navy), captured Manila
with Filipino rebels
• Invasion of Cuba: ill-prepared and equipped, 5,000
died from malaria, typhoid & dysentery but only
500 from battle
– Rough Riders led by Teddy Roosevelt take San
Juan Hill
– Spanish fleet destroyed at Santiago Bay on July
3rd
• Treaty of Paris of 1898
1. Cuban Independence
2. US gains Puerto Rico & Guam
3. US acquires The Philippines for $20 million
• “Philippine Question” Filipinos led by Emilio
Aguinaldo expected independence, but
Republicans decide no
Other Results of War
• Rise of the Anti-Imperialist League headed by
William Jennings Bryan, Mark Twain &
Andrew Carnegie
• The Philippine War 1899-1902: Americans
sent 200,000 troops, 4,300 killed but at many
as 250,000 killed, Aguinaldo captured
• Insular Cases: Did citizenship follow the flag?
Anti-Imperialist “Yes” Supreme Court answers:
“No.”
• Platt Amendment: despite Cuban
“independence” US troops occupied Cuba and
forced agreement: 1. Restricted ability to sign
treaties 2. permit the US to intervene to
preserve “law and order” and economic woes
3. US right to build naval base and coaling
station at Guantanamo Bay
• Election of 1900: Rematch Bryan vs. McKinley
a referendum on imperialism. McKinley larger
margin of victory
• United States becomes a true imperial power
Open Door Policy in China
• Sec of State John Hay’s Open Door
Notes in 1899 guaranteeing all nations
equal access to markets in China
• Boxer Rebellion 1900 Chinese resented
foreign spheres of influence and
domination – “Society of Harmonious
Fists” attacked missionaries and
businessmen. International force
crushed rebellion in Peking (Beijing)
• Hay’s Notes Round 2: US commitment
to 1. China “independence” 2. “Equal
and impartial trade” with China