Transcript Imperialismx

Imperialism
Taking control of the government
and economies of other countrie
and building an Empire.
Why expand the U.S.?
There were several factors that contributed to
the idea of overseas expansion.
Money!
During the Industrial Revolution, increased
production of all goods grew the economy, and
businesses needed to engage in overseas markets in
order to continuing growing their businesses.
Ca-ching!
It’s our duty
Another reason was that some Americans
believed the cultures of Asia, Africa, and Latin
America were inferior to American and
European cultures and that Americans had a
duty to “civilize” these people by showing them
American ways of governing and working.
America would be doing them a favor by
conquering and taking them over.
Manifest Destiny
Yet another reason was the idea of “Manifest
Destiny” - the belief that it was the destiny of
the U.S. to expand its territory over the whole of
North America and to extend and enhance its
political, social, and economic influences over
other nations.
These people were called “expansionists”
because they wanted to expand America’s reach.
America’s Age of Imperialism
• 1823 – Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a policy the United
States introduced stating that any efforts by
European countries to colonize land in the
Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression
requiring U.S. intervention (and possibly war).
In other words, The U.S. wanted “dibs” on
colonizing in the western hemisphere.
America’s Age of Imperialism
• 1867 – Purchase of Alaska
• 1887 – treaty with Hawaii, gain Pearl Harbor
• 1893 – Americans in Hawaii revolt against Queen
Liliuokalani and gain control of the island
• 1895 – U.S. aids Cubans rebelling against Spanish rule,
leading to the Spanish American War
• 1898 – Spanish American War pits [Cuba + U.S.] against
Spain
• 1898 – U.S. President McKinley Annexes Hawaii
• 1899 – U.S. announces Open Door Policy for China
Seward’s Folly
• In 1867, Secretary of State William
Seward (you may recall he survived the
assassination attempt of John Wilkes
Booth) arranged for the U.S. to
purchase Alaska from Russia for 2¢ per
acre, for a total of $7.2 million.
• Some Americans called this purchase
“Seward’s Folly” (folly: lacking good
sense; an act of foolishness), but it
became one of the most valuable
purchases the U.S. ever made due to its
natural resources.
Hawaii
• Missionaries (one who is sent on a mission,
often one of religious or charitable work in a
territory or foreign country) first arrived in
1820, followed by farmers who became
wealthy, powerful sugar planters and traders.
• An 1875 treaty allowed Hawaiian sugar to
enter U.S. tax free and included clauses that
bound Hawaii politically to the United States.
In 1887, Hawaii granted the U.S. use of Pearl
Harbor, a naval base.
• Hawaii’s economy was
dependent on sale of its
sugar to the United States.
When a sharp drop in
sugar price happened in
1890, Queen Liliuokalani
tried to restore control to
native Hawaiians and
created a new
Constitution.
• American Hawaiians revolted in 1893, and, with the
help of U.S. marines, overthrew the Queen and set up
new government. A treaty annexing (making part of
U.S.) was drawn up and sent to the Senate for
ratification.
• The President at that time, Grover Cleveland, withdrew
the treaty from the Senate, believing the actions were
illegal, and proclaiming Hawaii a free and independent
country.
• However when McKinley came to office, he with
believed annexing Hawaii was “Manifest Destiny” (our
God-given destiny) and pushed the treaty through
Congress. Hawaii was officially annexed in 1897 (but
didn’t become an official state until 1959)
Side note: why so long?
• Many Native Hawaiians in Hawaii protested
against statehood. Also, various bills of admission
were stalled in Congress beginning in the early
1900s because of the racial prejudices of many
members of the United States House of
Representatives and United States Senate; there
was a fear of establishing a state that was
governed by an ethnic minority, namely the large
Asian American population. Lawmakers
questioned the American patriotism of Hawaii
residents.
Back to 1896: McKinley becomes
President
William McKinley was elected president with the
help of Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt in 1896. In
exchange for his help, McKinley appointed
Roosevelt Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
William McKinley
Teddy Roosevelt
American Samoa
• The United States was racing against Great
Britain, Japan and Germany to attain the
Samoan islands, 3,000 miles south of Hawaii.
In 1899, warships from these three nations
gathered in the Samoan Harbor. Luckily, it was
resolved peacefully when they divided the
islands evenly.
Cuba
• Spain’s influence in the Americas was limited to
just Cuba and Puerto Rico. When the U.S. raised
its duty (an import tax) on Cuban sugar in 1893,
sales fell and a depression ensued. Economic
hardships angered the Cubans and increased
their resentment against Spanish rule. They
revolted in 1895. Spain responded with a brutal
campaign, including putting rebels into
concentration camps. Cubans died by the
thousands due to unsanitary conditions,
overcrowding, and disease.
• President Grover Cleveland tried to remain
neutral, offering to mediate the dispute
(which Spain ignored).
• When McKinley took office in 1897, he did the
same, although American public opinion was
swaying towards Cubans. The media was
portraying the Cubans in a sympathetic light.
A War Begins
In 1898 (one year after Hawaii was annexed),
McKinley sent a battleship to the Cuban Harbor
as a sign of support and strength. About 45 days
later, an explosion occurred on the ship, killing
266 crew members and sinking the Maine.
“Yellow Journalism”
• Newspapers wrote sensationalized stories
about the atrocities committed in Cuba.
Whether or not they were entirely factual, the
American public was swayed, and they
supported Cuba. The American government
did too, investing $50M in their economy and
trading $100M with them per year.
• McKinley spoke out against the Spanish
General, worsening relations in Spain.
“Remember the Maine”
http://www.pbs.org/crucible/frames/_journalism.html
WAR
• We now know the Maine most likely exploded
by accident. But back then, everyone was sure
Spain was responsible for sending a missile on
the ship.
• Spain denied responsibility in the Maine’s
demise, but Americans clambered for war.
When Spain denied McKinley’s terms for
peace, which included Cuban independence,
McKinley declared war: April 25, 1898
A short war
• The U.S. went to war with Spain, winning in a matter of
weeks.
• When the conflict was settled by the Treaty of Paris, Spain
relinquished its hold over Cuba, and gave Puerto Rico, the
Philippines (for $20M), and Guam to the United States.
• Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, the U.S. gained
possession the Philippines for $20 million. Although rebels
in the Philippines and Cuba had looked to the Americans as
saviors, the U.S. victory only replaced one imperial power
with another. Months after the Spanish surrender, America
was fighting its own colonial war against Filipino rebels.
• The Spanish-American War was the first "media war."
Sensationalist journalism played a huge role in the war.
• William Randolph Hearst was editor of The New York
Journal, and understood that a war with Spain over
Cuba would not only sell newspapers, but also move
him into a position of national prominence.
• Hearst's propaganda offensive, the first in modern
media history, demonized Spain for its brutal
suppression of the Cuban rebellion.
• With the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor
in 1898, Hearst had the perfect reason for war. The
Hearst press saw to it that Spain shouldered the blame
and a reluctant President McKinley took action.
A good war? (for America!)
• Described as a “Splendid Little War” because it
was very short and yielded America very much.
• The war served a number of positive purposes for
the U.S.: it unified a nation still divided by the
Civil War. It debuted the media in its role as
catalyst of U.S. intervention. It built up the navy
and vastly broadened the powers of the
president in wartime and foreign affairs.
• The Spanish-American War launched American
into the 20th century as a larger, stronger world
power.
Hero Teddy Roosevelt
• Teddy Roosevelt resigned from Assistant
Secretary of the Navy in order to fight in the
Spanish American War. He led the only volunteer
cavalry unit that saw battle. His men were known
as Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders.”
• Roosevelt’s heroism was flaunted by the media.
His popularity soared in the few short weeks of
war. At the end of the year, he ran for governor of
New York, and won and served two years.
• He won the bid to be McKinley’s VP in the
election of 1900.
• Roosevelt allied with expansionists and
wanted America to flex its muscles overseas
and acquire new territories.
• McKinley was well liked by Americans. During
his administration, America defeated Spain in
the Spanish-American war, annexed the
Hawaiian Islands, and attained other overseas
colonial possessions.
The Philippines
• The U.S. wanted a stronghold in the Pacific
because France had French Indo-China and
other European countries had territories
there.
• At the end of the war, Spain gave the
Philippines to the U.S. in exchange for $20M.
To Take or not to Take?
• President McKinley was conflicted about what to do with
the Philippines. He said “I went down on my knees and
prayed to Almighty God for light and guidance more than
one night. And one night it came to me…that there was
nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to
educate the Filipinos, and uplift them and civilize and
Christianize them…”
• This Filipinos had fought alongside Americans during the SA war because they thought the Americans would grant
them independence. After Americans purchased them for
$20M, Filipino rebels fought against American troops until
1902. It wasn’t until 1946 (after WWII) that the Philippines
were granted full independence by the U.S.
Battle at Manila Bay
New interest in Asia
• With new lands in the Pacific (Samoa and the
Philippines) America had increased interest in
trade with Asia – specifically, the rich markets of
China. Japan, Great Britain, France, Germany and
Russia were all controlling pieces of China and
had their own “spheres of influences. The U.S.
had no sphere of influence there, so McKinley’s
Secretary of State outlined a new policy: the
Open Door Policy. All foreign nations with a
sphere of influence in China would keep their
ports, railroads, and trading privileges other
nations.
• Not surprisingly, the nations with spheres of
influence didn’t want to share their ports and
equipment. Only Great Britain came close to
accepting it. Each of the others aid it would only
agree if all the parities agreed. So how did it
finally get accepted?
• McKinley’s Secretary of State lied to each country
and said that all the others had already accepted
the Policy and that it was in effect. No one
questioned him.
Assassination
• On September 6, 1901, President William McKinley
was shot while on a speaking tour in Buffalo, New York.
As McKinley stood in a receiving line at the Temple of
Music, a Polish born anarchist shot the President twice.
Although one bullet bounced off a button, the second
hit McKinley in the stomach.
• After the assassin fired, the crowd tackled him, and
McKinley was reported to have said, "Don't hurt him"
and called the assassin "some poor misguided fellow."
Eight days later, President McKinley died from infection
and gangrene.
Panama Canal: “the Big Ditch”
• VP Teddy Roosevelt dreamed of building a
waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans to make boat travel much faster.
• When Roosevelt was made President, he urged
Congress to fund his dream of a waterway
between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They
approved it.
• Roosevelt offered Colombia $10M for Panama.
(Panama was one of Colombia’s colonies). The
Colombian Senate refused.
• How does Roosevelt react?
• Roosevelt sends a warship to Panama. He knew
the Panamanians wanted independence, and
egged on a revolution there. American marines
kept Colombian soldiers from reaching Panama,
allowing the rebels to win.
• The newly independent Panama quickly agreed to
accept $10M in exchange for giving the U.S.
control over a “canal zone” of 10 miles wide.
• Critics referred to this as “Gunboat Diplomacy.”
Supporters said he was living out his personal
motto, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”
Teddy Roosevelt: “Speak softly and carry a
big stick”