Transcript BECOMING A WORLD POWER

BECOMING A
WORLD POWER
United States Expansion
(1890-1915)
Chapter 10, Section 1
The Pressure to Expand
• What factors led to the growth of
imperialism around the world?
• In what ways did the United States begin to
expand its interests abroad in the late
1800s?
• What arguments were made in favor of
United States expansion in the 1890s?
European Imperialism
• By late 1800s, European nations dominated huge
portions of Africa and Asia:
– Economically: need for natural resources and markets
to sell goods
– Politically: related to NATIONALISM - devotion to
one’s nation - PRIDE
– Culturally: or Humanitarian. Religious missionaries
spread blessings of Western Civilization - law,
medicine, Christian religion
– Militarily: Superior technology. Also, growing navies
required worldwide bases
United States interests
• 1796 - Washington’s Farewell address and Neutrality
– Isolationist - not entangled in other nation’s business - isolated
• 1823 - Monroe Doctrine
• 1840s-50s - Manifest Destiny (westward expansion over
North America)
• 1853 - Japan opened to US (the “West”) tradeCommodore Matthew Perry
• 1867 - Alaska - “Seward’s Ice Box” or “Seward’s Folly”
• 1875 - Treaty with Hawaii - sugar
• 1870s - Latin American & Caribbean issues
Chapter 10, Section 1
Expanding U.S. Interests
The
Monroe
Doctrine
• Originally meant that the United States declared itself neutral in
European wars and warned other nations to stay out of the Western
Hemisphere.
• Later, the doctrine was interpreted to mean a more active role to
protect the interests of the United States.
Seward’s
Folly
• In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia.
Midway
Islands
• Seward bought the uninhabited Midway Islands for use as repairing
and refueling stations for navy vessels in the Pacific.
Latin
America
and Hawaii
• The United States signed a treaty with Hawaii and took a more active
role in protecting Latin America.
Expansionism
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Japan
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Alaska
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Chapter 10, Section 1
Arguments for U.S. Expansion
Promoting
Economic
Growth
• The United States needed to secure new markets in other countries.
• The United Fruit Company invested and gained political influence in
some Central American nations. These nations were called banana
republics.
Protecting
American
Security
• An expanded navy with bases around the world would protect U.S.
Interests. By 1900, the United States had one of the most powerful
navies in the world.
Preserving
American
Spirit
• Some leaders of the day believed that introducing Christianity and
modern civilization to less developed nations around the world was a
noble pursuit.
Changing times - Arguments for
US expansion
• Economic overproduction
and surplus
needed new
markets
• US business
abroad increased
call for
government
involvement
– Banana Republics
Changing times - Arguments for
US expansion
• American Security
overseas
• The Influence of Sea
Power Upon History
(Alfred T. Mahan)
– Importance of a
nation’s navy
– 1880s - first battleships
– 1890 - Naval Act - $ to
build a larger fleet
Changing times - Arguments for
US expansion
• The American Spirit: Culturally
• Closing the Frontier = limit
development of American character:
Needed to expand.
– Henry Cabot Lodge
– Frederick Jackson Turner (frontier thesis)
– Theodore Roosevelt
• Anglo-Saxon civilization:
– Josiah Strong (minister)
– Albert Beveridge (Senator)
– Could extend civilization to heathen (unChristian peoples)
• Social Darwinists
– Survival of the Fittest Civilizations
American Public
Opinion
• Most Americans
favored US Expansion
• Conquest of Western
US complete
• Extend influence (not
conquer) to other
nations