Transcript U.S. History

U.S. History
Ch. 5-1
The Roots of Imperialism
Pgs. 138-143
Why It Matters
• U.S. abandons isolationism
• Becomes a world power
• Acquires and influences territories
outside the United States
The Causes of Imperialism
• Imperialism- policy by which strong nations
extend their political, military, and economic
control over weaker territories.
• Following the Europeans
– Europeans acquired new colonies in Africa and
Asia
– Japan and U.S. started to follow
• Mid 1800s to early 1900s
Imperialists Seek Economic
Benefits
• Raw Materials and Natural Resources
– tea, rubber, iron, petroleum
• Extractive Economies- Imperial country
extracted or removed raw materials and
sent them to the home country.
• U.S. was not concerned with resources
– U.S. was looking for a new market
– Buyers/Consumers
Imperialists Stress Military
Strength
• In The Influence of Sea Power Upon History,
Alfred T. Mahan a naval officer stated:
– A modern navy would help lead the U.S. to
greatness
– Foreign bases were also needed for supplying the
ships
• U.S. Built
– New steel-plated, steam powered battleships
USS Maine
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Imperialists Believe in
National Superiority
• Imperialist believed in Social Darwinism
– The fittest survive
– Certain nations and races were seen as superior
to others
• Seen as “Manifest Destiny” in the U.S. to
expand to the Pacific, God given right to
civilize weaker races
• Overseas expansion could help keep
ambitious Americans out of each other’s way
U.S. Power Grows in the
Pacific
• 1853 Matthew Perry sailed a fleet of U.S.
ships to Japan
– Japan then opened their ports to U.S. ships
• They were behind militarily
• Trade began with Japan
• 1867 the U.S. takes possession of the
Midway Islands
• 1875 and 1887 treaties with Hawaii
– Increased U.S. trade
– Right to build a naval base, Pearl Harbor
Seward Purchases Alaska
• 1867, Secretary of State William
Seward purchased Alaska from Russia
for $7.2 million.
• Often called “Seward’s Folly” or
“Seward’s Icebox”
– Believed at the time to be worthless
• Rich in timber, oil and other natural
resources
William Seward
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U.S. Influence in Latin
America Grows
• First International Pan-American
Conference in 1889
– Sponsored by Secretary of State James
Blaine
• 17 Latin American Countries
• Paved way for Pan-American Highway system
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The U.S. Acquires Hawaii
• U.S. was influential in Hawaii since the 1790s
– Ships stop on their way to East Asia
– Missionaries had established Christian churches
and schools
– Sugar cane plantations were created
• In 1887, American planters convinced King
Kalakaua to amend the Hawaiian constitution
– Limit voting rights to only wealthy landowners
(white planters)
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American Planters Increase
Their Power
• 1890s American Planters in Hawaii faced two
problems
• Rising cost of their sugar cane because of
U.S. tariff laws
• 1891 King Kalakaua died
– His sister a Hawaiian nationalist took over
– Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown by John
Stevens a U.S. minister to Hawaii and a new
government was ran by wealthy planter Sanford B.
Dole
– Dole asked President Benjamin Harrison to annex
Hawaii into the U.S.
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The United States Annexes
Hawaii
• President Harrison could not get enough of
the Senate to approve
• President Grover Cleveland had an
investigation done
– Apologized to Hawaii and did not annex
• In 1897 President William McKinley entered
the White House
– 1898 After the Spanish-American war started,
Hawaii was recognized by Congress as an official
U.S. Territory
Questions
• Why create a strong navy?
• Would you consider Seward’s purchase a
good one? Why or why not?
• Why would the Japanese refer to the steel
steamships as dragons puffing smoke?
• If you lived in Hawaii after 1790s and the
arrival of Americans, would you want them
there? Why or why not?