American Imperialism and Expansion

Ch. 10

• USA did not want to be left behind in growth of nations.

• Began its’ own policy of Imperialism.– Dominating another nation economically,

politically, culturally, or militarily.• Why Imperialism occurs:– Economic-need for resources, markets.– Nationalism-love for one’s country.– Military-Western nations superior.– Humanitarian-Spread civilization, religion.

Early American Imperialism• America first began expansionist policies in early

1800s.• 1820s-Monroe Doctrine-USA will stay neutral in

European wars; wants Europe to stay out of western hemisphere.

• 1830s-1850s-Manifest Destiny.– Took/won/bought land from Mexico, Spain.

• 1867-William Seward purchases Alaska from Russia.– Called “Seward’s Folly”; was believed nothing of value in

Alaska.• 1853-Commodore Matthew Perry forces Japan to

trade with USA.

William Seward

Commodore Matthew Perry

• 1860s-USA, European nations open trade with China.

• 1867-USA annexes Midway Islands in Pacific.• 1875-USA signs treaty with Hawaii, allowing

Hawaii to sell sugar to USA without tariffs.• 1870-President Grant expands Monroe

Doctrine.– USA will protect Latin America and Caribbean

islands from European expansion.• USA is now dominant power in western

hemisphere.

Reasons for Expansion• Economic Growth.– USA had built powerful industrial economy.• Produced more than we needed, needed export

markets.– Some US companies already dominated

international business.• Standard Oil, American Telephone & Telegraph.

– Some Americans invested in businesses in S. America.• United Fruit Co. exported 50 million bunches of

bananas/year to USA.• Led to calling S. American countries Banana republics.

• Protecting American security.– Need foreign markets, and need strong navy to

protect those markets.• Laid out by Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan.

– Congress authorized construction of more battleships, gunboats, torpedo boats, etc.

– By 1900, USA had one of the most powerful navies.• Preserving American Spirit.– With close of western frontier, some said we

needed new conquest to maintain “can-do” spirit.– Wanted to expand Christianity and American

exceptionalism to other countries.

Alfred Thayer Mahan

Spanish-American War• Cuba was Spanish colony.– Rebelled in 1868, crushed.– 1895, rebelled again, due to crashed economy.

• Spanish sent 150,000 troops to Cuba, rounded up Cubans, put them in concentration camps.– 2 years, 200,000 dead due to disease, starvation.

• USA not interested in intervention.• Spanish destroy American sugar plantations &

mills.– US business starts pushing gov’t to get involved.

• Two yellow journalism newspapers began to push hard for intervention.

• New York World owned by Joseph Pulitzer.• New York Morning Journal owned by William Randolph

Hearst.– Papers shifted public opinion to intervention.– Promoted jingoism-national pride and desire for

aggressive foreign policy.• USA was ready to get involved in Cuba.• President McKinley sends battleship Maine to

Havana, Cuba to protect US citizens and property.

Joseph Pulitzer

William Randolph Hearst

America’s Entry• Series of events led USA to war.– de Lome letter-US papers publish letter stolen

from Spanish ambassador calling McKinley weak.• Increased anti-Spanish feeling.

– 2/15/1898-Maine explodes in Havana harbor, killing 250 sailors.• Spanish blamed.

– Philippines rebelling against Spanish rule.• Perfect place for USA naval base.

– McKinley sends list of demands to Spain, including Cuban independence.• Spain accepts all but independence.

de Lome

• April 1898-USA recognizes Cuban independence, declares war or Spain.– Start of Spanish-American War.

• War starts in Philippines w/ US Navy sinking Spanish fleet.

• US Navy traps Spain’s Atlantic fleet in Santiago harbor.

• US troops land in Cuba, fight Spanish.– Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.

• Spanish forces quickly defeated.

• December 1898, Treaty of Paris signed.– Spain grants Cuba independence.– USA pays Spain $20 million, gets Philippines,

Puerto Rico, Guam.• 2,500 US dead, only 400 in battle.– Others dead from bad food, disease.

• “It was a splendid little war”.• USA now seen as major player in world

politics.

Post Spanish-American War• Filipinos expected independence; USA did not

grant.– War b/t USA and Philippines 1899-1902.• 4,000 USA killed, 16,000 Filipino killed.

– Philippines granted independence in 1946.• USA governed Cuba for 3 yrs, then granted

independence.– Forced Cuban constitution to include Platt

Amendment.• Allowed US to have naval bases, Cuba could not form

foreign alliances.

• USA ruled Puerto Rico.– Military gov’t until 1900, then civil gov’t.– 1917-Puerto Ricans granted US citizenship; could

elect local legislatures.• US still chose governor.

Other Pacific Gains• Hawaii.– 1891, Liliuokalani crowned Queen of Hawaii.• Tried to push American business out of Hawaii.

– 1893, Sanford Dole & USMC pushed her out, requested annexation by USA.

– 1898-Hawaii annexed as American territory.• Samoa.– Treaty-USA protects Samoa, USA can use Pago Pago

harbor.– Germany, England want Samoa; treaty leads to 3-way

protectorate, 1889.– 1899, England pulls out, USA gets half of Samoa.

Queen Liliuokalani

Sanford Dole

• China.– Valuable trade market.– US established “Open Door Policy” with European

nations.• All nations could trade with China.

– Chinese not happy with westerners in China.• Society of Harmonious Fists, or Boxers rebelled, tried to

push west out.• Failed.

Panama Canal• Panama was a Columbian colony.• French company started construction on a

canal, but abandoned it after 10 yrs.– Mismanagement, yellow fever.

• 1902, USA bought French rights to canal.– Columbia would not let USA in to build canal.

• Panamanians rebelled against Columbia with American support & protection.

• Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty ended rebellion.– Panama independent, USA gets Panama Canal Zone

permanently, gives Panama $10 million.

• Construction began 1904, lasted 10 years.• Sprayed, used medicine to eradicate malaria,

yellow fever.• Canal opened 1914.

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy• “Speak softly and carry a big stick” (US Navy).• Roosevelt Corollary.– Issued 1904-05, addition to Monroe Doctrine.– USA will act to protect itself and its’ interests.– USA will act as an international police power.

• Using Corollary, TR got involved in Latin America several times.– Did not make Latin America happy with USA.

Taft and Wilson’s Foreign Policy• Taft practiced dollar diplomacy.– Maintain peace, friendship in Latin America, Asia

by investing in foreign economies.– Not very successful; Russia & Japan blocked USA in

Asia, Latin America did not like USA involvement.• Wilson got involved in Mexico.– Supported Venustiano Carranza against Victoriano

Huerta in civil war.– Pancho Villa opposed Wilson/Carranza.

• Attacked Americans in Mexico, raided USA border towns.

• Carranza won, but hurt relations b/t USA & Mexico.

Venustiano Carranza

Victoriano Huerta

Imperialism & Anti-Imperialism

• Majority of USA supported imperialism.– Wanted more markets for goods.– Supported American exceptionalism.• Like “frontier” and “pioneer” spirit.

• 1907-TR sent Great White Fleet on world tour to demonstrate USA military power.

• Opponents to imperialism had a few arguments.– Not right to deny rights and freedoms to people

we colonize.– Imperialism is racist against people of color.– Southerners did not want more minorities in USA.– Too expensive to take over and support colonies.– Colonial goods would compete against American

goods & hurt economy.