Imperialism America century

• Emerging Imperialism (taking over other lands)

  By the 1880s, attitudes towards imperialism beyond North America were changing. America began to acquire overseas territories. Often, America felt that there were such significant changes in world affairs that they could not afford not to get involved.
• Imperialism: a policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means

  
• The open door poncy

  what was the open door porcy ?

  what motivated America to establish the

  open door policy ?

  Imperialism

  accesses to chinas resources (silk and minerals)

  wants to trade and sell their goods. The us wanted to maintain independence of china (to support open trade and uphold anti imperialism)

  a policy established by John Hay us

  security of state 1899 the policy ensured all countries could trade equally

  with china.
• acasess to chinas resources (silk and minerals) wants to trade and sell their goods. The US wanted to maintain independence of china (to support open trade and uphold anti imperialism) a policy established by Jhon Hay us Secretary of state 1899 the policy ensured all countries come trace equally with China.
• Presidents 1890-1913

  Benjamin Harrison 1889-1893 he followed Monroe Doctrine. Wanted to increase U.S influenc across the pacific.

  Grover Cleveland 1893-1897 followed the Monroe doctrine. His agenda in FP was to oppose territorial expansions and entangling alliances.

  William McKinley 1897-1901

  persuaded more aggressive and acquisitive foreign policy. Led the Us to war with Spain 1898, annexed Hawaii and Spanish possessions in Pacific. open door policy to China
• Spanish War 1898

  Wanted to help Cuba gain independence from Spanish colonial rule.

  Had economical interests

  
• Harbor, eventually


  I new bases in the Pacific in Samoa and Hawaii
• Annexation of Hawaii, including a naval base at Pearl


  1898
• The annexation of Hawaii went ahead after five years of argument in Congress about the morality of the venture
• American foreign policy was becoming increasingly assertive
• Spanish-American War and American imperialism

  Spanish colonies in Cuba and the Philippines became increasingly difficult to rule
• Cuban independence fighters staged rebellions


  1. Between 1868 and 1878

  2. In 1895
• An American tariff on sugar in 1894

  Plunged the Cuban economy into chaos, prompting another rebellion against Spanish rule
• There was strong support for the rebellion from the American public, politicians and newspapers, particularly Hearst's New York Journal
• An American battleship, USS Maine, blew up in Havana harbour, killing 260 American sailors


  February 1898
• The explosion has never been satisfactorily explained but Spain was blamed
• The American press whipped up public hysteria on the issue to such a pitch that, when Spain refused to give Cuba independence, President McKinley asked Congress to declare war in April 1898
• The war lasted for only four months
• The USA was fortunate that

  • Spain's antiquated navy and incompetently led army were no match for the modern ships of the US navy and the small but enthusiastic US army that invaded Cuba
• At the battle of San Juan Hill, the success of a volunteer regiment led by Theodore Roosevelt made its leader a war hero
• A peace treaty signed in Paris recognised Cuban independence and the American annexation of the Philippines, Puerto Rico and the Pacific island of Guam


  December 1898
• America had acquired an empire
• The acquisition prompted a fierce debate about the morality of empire, not only in the Senate but also in the 1900 presidential election
• The annexation of the Philippines was especially controversial-was it against the spirit of the Declaration of Independence? Would it involve the USA in foreign conflict? Would it lead to huge expenditure?
• Despite this there was a surge in national pride following the successful war
• The commercial and strategic advantages of empire and the prevalence of racial arguments about the superiority of the white race won the day
• The Filipinos were not necessarily grateful, having exchanged Spanish rulers for Americans
• A full-scale revolt against American rule began in February 1899


  1. Lasted three years

  2. Involved 70,000 American troops

  3. Expenditure of $170 million

  4. Involved brutality and savagery

  5. Claimed 4,200 American lives and thousands more Filipinos
• Eventually American control was established, but the acquisition of the Philippines had borne out the worst fears of the anti-imperialists about the potential liabilities of empire
• Spanish war

  
• summary of Spanish War

  • after Spanish American war the us. becomes an imperial power
  • Has worldwide territory leading to future debates on American

  Foreign policy

  • became a world wide power by gaining territory
• American imperialism is driven by economic interests and national pride
• the US gained Cuba from Spain in 1898
• The US gained Hawaii from Great Britain in 1898
• The US gained Puerto Rico from Spain in 1898
• The US gained Guam from Spain in 1898
• Theodore Roosevelt and the meaning of US imperialism
• In 1901 President McKinley was assassinated and was succeeded by the vice president, the popular Theodore Roosevelt
• Roosevelt's policies continued the expansionist trend in US foreign policy

  1. In 1903 the USA intervened in a dispute between Colombia and the inhabitants of Panama, resulting in the independence of Panama and a treaty favouring the USA

  2. This entrusted the USA with the construction and operation of a canal joining the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean, giving the USA enormous strategic and commercial advantages
• In Cuba independence was dominated by US influence and the country became, in effect, an economic colony of the USA