american imperialism

why did the us imperialism increase

to gain power in the world

justifications of imperialism

• access to seas, inc military power

• spreading christian ideas to non christians

• access to china/far east for trading purposes

• uncivilized people cannot self-govern (white-man’s burden)

• inc hawaii plantations by americans

spanish american war (1898)

• spain sinks uss main —> us war on spain

• spain was in decline, us opportunity to get their colonies

us wins spanish-american war and acquires:

• guam

• puerto rico

• cuba

• philippines

significance of the spanish-american war

• us becomes an imperialist nation

• us emerges as a world power

• us creates more valuable naval bases on new territories, still here today

• access to trading in china/far east

the platt amendment (1901)

• gave us the right to intervene in countries (if in debt)

• the right to buy/lease land for naval fueling stations/bases

• in cuba constitution, cuba must stay out of debt

roosevelt corollary

• extension of monroe doctrine

• us had rights to protect economic interests by military intervention in affairs of western hemisphere nations

• “world’s police” right to take over if need to protect interests

panama canal

• us takes over part of panama and builds the canal

• helped them gain independence then builds for trade/access