Transcript Turn of the Century imperialism

Ms. Jerome
TURN OF THE CENTURY
IMPERIALISM 1877-1914
Map of the World in 1914
Imperialism:
A policy of extending a country's
power and influence through
diplomacy or military force.
1861-1865
Why Imperialism?
 Why do you think America sought options
abroad at the turn of the century?
1. Commercial/Business
Interest— overseas markets
 Exporting manufactured goods
 Exporting agricultural products
 Expand or explode!
 Booming increase of population, wealth,
industrial production
1. Continued
 America’s GDP—the total value of goods and
services—quadrupled between 1870 and 1900.
 American farmers:
 Farmers depended on supply and demand
 Farmers always needed their products to be in
demand
 Foreign markets would supply constant buyers to
American surplus
2. Military/Strategic
Interests
 With imperialism comes power
 America sought to locate forces around the
world—extend beyond borders for military
reasons
3. Social Darwinist Thinking
4. Religious/Missionary
Intentions
 To spread religion.
 “Christianize” heathens
 “Civilized” Christian cultures spread their way
of life to “lesser” cultures
 Early advocate: Reverend Josiah Strong
(pictured)
 An attempt to mute criticism of the economic
motives behind the adoption of an imperialist
policy
 Noneconomic justification for expansion
5. Closing the American
Frontier
 Frederick Jackson Turner
 “The Significance of the Frontier in American
History” (1920)
 Turner’s belief that territorial expansion
promotes social, economic, and political
stability.
Notes on American
Territorial Acquisitions
before the Spanish-American
War
Hawaii
Hawaii
 An independent nation
 Sugarcane attracted American planters
 1875 Treaty—gave Hawaii sugar duty-free
entry into the American market
 Declared the island off limits to the other powers
 1887 treaty—gave U.S. naval rights at Pearl Harbor
Hawaii cont’d
 The McKinley Tariff of 1890 increased
average tariff rate for imports to the U.S. at
48.4%-- tariffs protect manufacturing.
 However, it also abruptly ended Hawaii’s
access to American market$
 Sugar planters began to plot an American
takeover of the islands so that Hawaiian
sugar would be treated as a domestic
product.
Hawaii
 January, 1893: Led a
coup over the
kingdom of Hawaii
 July 6, 1898, after
approval from the
House and Senate,
Hawaii as a U.S.
territory.
Alaska
 1867 the U.S. purchased Alaska from Imperial
Russia for 7.2 million $$$ CHEAP!
 Russia—anxious to unload baron wasteland
 Secretary of State Seward (an expansionist)
 “Seward’s Folly”
What does Alaska give the
U.S.