7.2 Imperialism: Debates Q&A and Cause & Effect

What was the focus of U.S. foreign policy after the Civil War?

Expanding overseas trade, establishing bases and territories in the Caribbean and Pacific, and protecting U.S. interests abroad

Who was William H. Seward, and what were his accomplishments?

He was the Secretary of State under Lincoln and Johnson. He annexed Midway Island, gained canal rights in Nicaragua, and purchased Alaska

Why was the Alaska purchase referred to as “Seward’s Folly”?

Americans initially saw no value in Alaska, viewing it as an icy, barren land.

What role did American settlers play in Hawaii in the 1890s?

They aided in overthrowing Queen Liliuokalani and petitioned for Hawaii’s annexation to avoid tariffs on Hawaiian sugar

What was Alfred Thayer Mahan’s contribution to U.S. imperialism?

In his book, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, he argued for a strong navy to secure foreign markets and global power.

How did the Panic of 1893 influence expansionism?

Economic fears and social turmoil pushed some Americans to see overseas territories as a “safety valve.”

What were the key reasons for U.S. imperialism in the late 19th century?

• Economic interests - foreign countries offered both valuable raw materials, including minerals, oil, and rubber, and provided markets for products; business leaders endorsed imperialism & farmers

• Competition for global power - some ppl believed the U.S. had to compete with imperialistic nations to not be sidelined as a second-class power in world affairs

• Social fears - caused b/c of the Panic of 1893, the violence of labor-management conflicts, & the idea that the country no longer had a frontier in the 1890s caused fear; overseas territories offered the country a possible safety valve

• Religious motivations - some saw imperialism as an extension of the idea of Manifest Destiny - ppl also applied the idea of Darwinism as competition to other countries

What were the primary arguments of anti-imperialists?

Belief in self-determination - goes back to the founding principles in the Declaration of Independence that ppl should govern themselves; believed imperialism was morally wrong

Opposition to racial theories - some denied Whites were biologically superior to people of Asia & Africa and so Whites ahd no right to rule others

Supported isolationism - George Washington had advised the country to avoid involvement in foreign affairs

Concerns over imperialism’s expense - building a large navy and controlling foreign territories would cost more than they were worth

What was the Monroe Doctrine’s significance in the Venezuela boundary dispute?

It was used to justify U.S. involvement, leading to British arbitration and improved U.S.-British relations