American Imperialism

Chapter 18

What is Imperialism?
political, military, and

economic domination
(complete control) of
strong nations over
weak territories

Why Imperialism?
Economic Causes
desire for raw

materials & natural

resources
need for new markets

for American exports

U.S. was producing
more goods than
Americans could
consume

Why Imperialism?
Political / Strategic Causes
need to protect

trade & U.S.

interests abroad
to strengthen U.S.

navy; needed for

refueling stations
abroad (navy bases)

USS Maine
Launched in 1889, the USS Maine was a
modernized steel-plated, steam-powered
battleship.

The Spanish-American
War

Causes of the Spanish-American

War
People of Cuba & Philippines
wanted to rebel against Spain

Depression of 1890 in Cuba;

1895 Cubans revolted against

Spain

Spanish used harsh tactics

against Cubans (Gen. Valeriano

the Butcher Weyler)

The Butcher Weyler

American press (yellow

journalism) reported cruelties;

Pulitzer & Hearst created
sympathy for Cubans

American investments &

property destroyed during

Cuban revolt

Joseph
Pulitzer,
journalist for
New York
World

America Declares War

Feb 9, 1898 DeLome Letter

printed in Hearsts Journal

called McKinley weak & stupid

Feb 15, 1898 USS Maine

exploded in Havana harbor

killing 266 American sailors;
press blamed Spain - War?
Sure!

McKinley asked Congress to

declare war

April 19, Congress declared

war & adopted Teller

Amendment US had no
intention of annexing Cuba

A Splendid Little War

Rough

Riders

War fought on 2 fronts:

Caribbean (Cuba & P.R.)
Pacific (Philippines)
Commodore George Dewey led the naval

destruction of Spanish fleet in Manila Bay,

Philippines in May 1898; by Aug. Spanish troops
surrendered

Emilio Aguinaldo led Filipino rebels against

Spain

U.S. troops land in Cuba by June; T. Roosevelt led

Rough Riders in Cuba charged up San Juan Hill

which opened way into Santiago harbor

Spanish-American War: Apr 25 - Aug 12, 1898;

US won

Treaty of Paris, 1898

1. Spain recognized Cuban independence
(would become a U.S. protectorate)
2. U.S. paid Spain $20 mill. to give up
the Philippines
3. Guam (Pacific) and Puerto Rico ceded
to the U.S.
Guam still U.S. possession; Puerto Rico is a
commonwealth

Effects of the Spanish American

War

U.S. recognized as a world power & acquired an

overseas empire (leads to debate over

expansion)

U.S. annexation of Philippines led to Philippine-

American War led by Emilio Aguinaldo (3 years;

216,000 Filipinos died & 5,000 Americans)
1946 - Philippines given independence

U.S. made Cuba a protectorate (Platt

Amendment added to Cubas constitution) &

soon gave Cuba independence

Work on this
Spanish-American War Review
Index Card:
List or draw 2 causes & 1 effect of

the war
Spanish-American War
Causes & Effects

Debate over Expansion:

Should U.S. annex Philippines
Imperialists supported expansion
Arguments:
1. Americans needed new frontier
2. New markets for American
manufactured goods
3. New sources of raw materials
4. Increase in military power
5. Spread American ideals: Christianity,
democracy, capitalism
6. American superiority our duty

Debate Over
Expansion:
Should U.S. annex
Philippines?
Anti-imperialists opposed expansion
Arguments:
1. Rejected nations foundation of
liberty for all
2. Faced enough difficulties at home
3. Threatened democratic foundations
(fear of large standing armies)
4. Racism might have to absorb people
of different races
5. Expansion would cost too much
6. Fear of competition in job market;
lower wages

New Lands Come Under U.S.

Flag

Hawaii (1891) U.S. annexed after queen was

deposed by a wealthy planter Sanford Dole &

U.S. Marines
Guam (1898) Treaty of Paris, 1898
Puerto Rico (1898) Treaty of Paris, 1898
Midway Islands (1867) U.S. occupied &
annexed for naval base
Alaska (1867) U.S. purchased from Russia for
$7.2 million (Sewards Folly, Sewards
Icebox)
Samoa (1899) U.S. acquired base at Pago Pago
Philippines (1898) Treaty of Paris, 1898

Panama Canal
Who: Theodore Roosevelt
What: waterway linking

Atlantic and Pacific Oceans;

greatly reduced travel time
between U.S. coastlines

When: construction began

1904; finished in 1914

Why: for commercial and

strategic advantages;
facilitated trade; alternative
to needing separate navies
for each ocean
(page 606
607)

How Did U.S. Acquire Rights to Build

the Canal?

Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty signed

with Panama in 1904

Panama Canal Timeline:

1) 1903: U.S. negotiated treaty w/ Colombia

(Panama part of)
2) Colombian govt stalled treaty demanding more
money
3) Roosevelt impatient supported Panamas revolt
4) U.S. recognized Panamas independence,
negotiated treaty w/ Panama ($10 mill; $250,000
yearly lease for 10 mile
wide strip)

Panama Canal Today

1978 Panama Canal

Treaty negotiated
during Jimmy
Carters Presidency;
canal gradually
transitioned to
Panamas control

Transition completed

in 2000 Panama
owns and operates
canal today

Review: What is the Monroe

Doctrine?
Issued by President

Monroe in 1823
We (United

States) wont
bother you
(Europe), you
dont bother us
(Western
Hemisphere)

Roosevelt Corollary
(To Monroe Doctrine)
Why? Europeans threatened

intervention in W. Hemisphere
(to collect debts, etc.)
When and how stated? In

Dec. 1904 by Roosevelt in

message to Congress
Central Message: if

intervention in W. Hemisphere
necessary, U.S. would
intervene, not European
nations

Roosevelt Corollary
When / Where / How Tested?

Early 1900s in Dominican

Republic, Nicaragua, Haiti, Virgin
Islands U.S. used various
methods of intervention
Significance / Effect on

U.S. Latin American Relations:

Made U.S. the international police
power in W. Hemis.; led to U.S.
intervention; damaged relations
w/ Latin American nations

Latin America
Diplomacy
What does the word diplomacy mean?

managing or negotiating with other

countries

Roosevelts Big Stick Diplomacy

Tafts Dollar Diplomacy Wilsons Moral Diplomacy

Speak Softly and Carry a Big

Stick
African proverb
-Old
T. Roosevelt
Describes Roosevelts foreign policy:

- Use diplomacy, but have power to enforce

it and protect American interests
- Intervention if necessary
- big stick = the U.S. navy

Tafts Dollar Diplomacy

Maintain orderly societies

abroad by increasing
American investment in
foreign economies
Substituting dollars for

bullets
Tafts foreign policy not as

aggressive as Roosevelts

Wilson attempts a new

direction:
Moral Diplomacy
1912 Wilson criticized foreign

policy under TR and Taft

Wilson: promised US would

not seek new territory but

would work to promote
human rights, national
integrity & opportunity

Still ordered interventions in

Haiti, Dominican Republic &

Mexico