Monroe Doctrine, William Seward, purchase of Alaska, Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Queen Liliuokalani, Grover Cleveland, new imperialism, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Darwinism, expansionist, Josiah Strong, imperialism, James G. Blaine, Pan-American conference, Venezuela boundary dispute, Richard Olney
expansion after the Civil War
William Seward’s purchase of Alaska (1867)
American settlers overthrow Hawaiian monarch Queen Liliuokalani (1893), Republican annexation efforts blocked by Grover Cleveland
“new imperialism”
renewed interest in industrialized nations conquering and dividing parts of Africa, Asia, and Pacific Islands through military or economic dominance for many reasons:
economic interests - foreign raw materials and markets
political and military - pressure to compete or be left behind in world affairs
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History by U.S. Navy Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan
U.S. naval strategists encouraged navy expansion and island acquisition
distraction from social fears in the U.S. (ex. Panic of 1893, labor conflicts, lack of frontier)
Darwinism and religion
expansionist demonstrations of strength by acquiring territory overseas
Our Country: Its Possible Future and Present Crisis by Reverend Josiah Strong, religious colonization
excitement derived from press coverage
reasons for opposition against imperialism
self-determination/morals - self-government threated by imperialism
rejection of imperialist race theories
whites were not superior, had no right to rule others OR
fear of addition of non-white citizens
isolationism - avoiding involvement in foreign affairs
expenses of building navy and controlling foreign territories
Latin America
Pan-American Conference (1889) - conference of representatives of western hemisphere nations promoting economic and political hemispheric coordination
Venezuela boundary dispute (1895) - Grover Cleveland settles boundary dispute between Venezuela and neighbor British colony Guiana, U.S. and Britain develop more cooperative relationship
growing conflict over imperialism
Monroe Doctrine let expansionists interfere in other American nations
imperialists (economic and global power) vs. anti-imperialists (anti-colonial, self government)
intensified debate over Spanish-American War and the colonization of the Philippines