america and its foreign policy 1865 to 1920 saw america expand beyond the borders of north america

America and its Foreign Policy1865 to 1920 saw America expand beyond the borders of North America

America and its Foreign Policy

• Earliest United States


• US in 1803 after the Louisiana Purchase


• US after the Mexican American War


• The late 1800s saw America resume territorial expansion that was halted by the start of the Civil War

• Why get involved with other countries??

• Several factors led us to greater global involvement:


• 1. A need for more raw materials and resources to continue our industrialization makes America look outside of our borders

• 2. Racial Superiority: The belief that it is our duty to Christianize the “inferior people of the world”

• 3. A larger Navy gives the U.S. confidence in our ability to intimidate other people

• 4. Manifest Destiny: The belief that the U.S. should own everything from coast to coast


• After reaching the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. expanded outward around the world establishing friendships and trade networks (Interventionism)

• In each case the U.S. was looking out for its own best interests on how to enhance our industrialization efforts

• Where do we begin?


• 1867: America buys Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million dollars!

• This allowed the U.S. to stretch our influence into the Asian/Pacific region

• It would pay off later when a major gold strike occurs


• A democratic revolution in 1893 in independent Hawaii gains the United States’ attention

• The people of Hawaii throw off their Queen and want to become a state. After negotiations, President McKinley annexes (adds) Hawaii making them our 49th state in 1898


• 1899: China opens its doors to foreign trade for the first time and the US asks for an “Open Door Policy” (Nobody would be left out)

• 1900: Chinese citizens rebel against their gov’t because of this new trade and western influence. “Boxer Rebellion”

• U.S. sent troops but did not engage in any violence

• Alaska, Hawaii, and China are examples of Interventionism


• Boxer Rebellion of 1900

America its Foreign Policy

• The U.S. becomes more aggressive when dealing with foreign countries and becomes an imperialist nation beginning with the Spanish-American War of 1898

• Imperialism: Policy by which one country takes control of another directly, or through political dominance


• The Spanish-American War, known as “The Splendid Little War” was short, successful, and set off debate in America on whether the U.S. should be expanding or not

• Isolationists vs. Interventionists vs. Imperialists

america and its foreign policy 1865 to 1920 saw america expand beyond the borders of north america

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