Imperialism

Imperialism

The policy of extending a nation's power through diplomacy or military force to acquire territories.

Empire

A group of nations or territories ruled by a single authority.

Reasons for U.S. Imperialism - Economic

Desire for new markets and raw materials.

Reasons for U.S. Imperialism - Military

Establishing naval bases and global military presence.

Reasons for U.S. Imperialism - Ideological

Belief in cultural superiority and spreading democracy.

Reasons for U.S. Imperialism - Strategic

Maintaining power and competing with European nations.

Expansionists

Those who supported imperialism for economic, strategic, and moral reasons.

Anti-Imperialists

Those who opposed expansion on moral, political, and economic grounds.

Underlying Causes of the Spanish-American War

Economic interests in Cuba, Spanish mistreatment of Cubans, and expansionist sentiment in the U.S.

Yellow Journalism

Sensationalized news reports fueling anti-Spanish sentiment.

De Lôme Letter

A Spanish diplomat's criticism of President McKinley that inflamed U.S. anger.

Trigger for the Spanish-American War

The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898.

Treaty of Paris (1898)

Ended the war, establishing U.S. control over Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Philippine-American War

Armed resistance against U.S. rule in the Philippines after the Spanish-American War.

Platt Amendment

Legislation that allowed the U.S. to maintain influence over Cuba after its independence.

Panama Canal

A faster sea route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, facilitated by U.S. intervention.

T.R.'s "Big Stick" Policy

Diplomatic negotiations backed by the threat of military force.

Roosevelt Corollary

Extension of the Monroe Doctrine allowing U.S. intervention in Latin America.

Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy

Policy encouraging U.S. investment in foreign economies.

Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy

Policy promoting democracy and opposing imperialist policies.

Anti-Imperialists' Arguments - Moral & Political

Belief that the U.S. should not control other nations against their will.

Anti-Imperialists' Arguments - Economic

Concerns that imperialism could hurt domestic workers by bringing in cheap labor.

Appeal of Imperialism

Economic growth, increased national power, and the belief in spreading American values.

Global View of American Imperialism

Mixed perceptions of the U.S. as both a liberator and an aggressive power.