American Imperialism

Imperialism

•policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories

•trend throughout many territories

•rise in production, population, and $ led to interest in overseas market

•led/started by senator Henrey Cabot Lodge

Factors that led to new American Imperialism

•desire for military strength

Alfred T. Mahan

•leader of US navy

•helped push for 9 steel hulled cruisers (1883-1890)

•US became third strongest navy

•talked about building canal and naval base

Alaska

•Russia owned Alaska before the US bought it

•William Seward urged US to buy it (sec. of state)

•rich in timber, minerals, and oil

•acquired by US in 1867

•sold for $7 million

Hawaii

•important for US to own because people stopped here on their way to China or East Indian islands

•annex means: to incorporate territory into an existing country or state

•stoping point in route to China

•natives didn't want to be taken over by US

•Queen Liliuokalani: Overthrew her

•Stanford B. Dole wanted to take over the pineapple (fruit company)

American Interest in Cuba

•diplomats recommended to President Franklin Pierce that the US buy Cuba

•Cuban revolt in Spain wasn't successful (1895)

•Cuba wanted independence from Spain

•sugar $

Jose Marti

•Cuban poet and journalist in exile in NY

•launched revolution in 1895

•Gurrilla Campaign (unorganized tactics)

•deliberately destroyed American property in Cuba

Valeriano "Butcher" Weyler

•was a general

•tried to crush the rebellion by herding entire rural population of central and western Cuba into barbed wire concentration camps

•used concentration camps (300,000 Cubans)

Yellow Journalism

•exaggerates the news to lure and enrage

•sensationalism: stretched the truth to sell news

•William Randolph Hurst and Joseph Pulitzer used yellow journalism

U.S.S. Maine

•boat sent to pick up American Citizens who were in Cuba

•ship blew up in the Havana Harbor on Feb. 15, 1898

•more than 260 men were killed

•war erupted mainly do to this event

War in Philippines

•George Dewey was an American Commodore

•American victory within hours

•after this, Filipino people joined forces with the Americans

•Philippines were a Spanish colony

•no Americans died

Rough Riders (Cuba)

•volunteer cavalry under command of Leonard Wood and Teddy Roosevelt

•made blockade around Cuba making it impossible for Cubans to leave (strong navy)

San Juan Hill

•Roosevelt was proclaimed hero of this battle although he didn't do much

•most famous battle

•Spanish was destroyed

Treaty of Paris

•US and Spain signed an armistice

•armistice: cease-fire agreement

•US and Spain agreed

Puerto Rico

•not all Puerto Ricans wanted independence, some just wanted statehood

•important to America because they wanted to stay relevant in the Caribbean

Foraker Act

•ended military rule and set up a civil government

•passed in 1900 by Congress

•set up a government in Puerto Rico

•president appoints governor and upper house of legislature

Platt Amendment

This amendment to the new Cuban constitution authorized U.S. intervention in Cuba to protect its interests. Cuba pledged not to make treates with other countries that might compromise its independence, and it granted naval bases to the United States, most notable being Guantanamo Bay.

Teller Amendment

Legislation that promised the US would not annex Cuba after winning the Spanish-American war

Philippine-American war

•Filipinos led by Aguinaldo

•Aguinaldo used Guerrilla tactics

•Americans forced Filipinos to live in concentration camps

•Emilio Aguinaldo rebel leader

•US wanted Philippines because it was close to China

•racial prejudice

•fights went on 3 years (4000 US deaths)

•government set up like Puerto Rico

China and Open Door Policy

•notes were letters addressed to the leaders of imperialist nations proposing that the nations share their trading rights with the US

•no single nation could have a monopoly

•China had lots or resources and huge nation

•open door policy was no taking over of territory in China

Boxer Rebellion

•thousands of Chinese died during the fighting

•Europeans dominated China's big cities

•"boxers" we're secret group who wanted foreigners out

•1900.US and other allies put down rebellion

Teddy Roosevelt as a 'Peacemaker'

•helped maintain Chinese independence over Manchuria/Korea

•TR brokered treaty of Portsmouth

•received 1906 Nobel peace prize

•Manchuria rich in resources

•Japan and Russia conflict over Manchuria

•after the treaty Russia and Japan fought and our relationships soured

•TR sent US navy around world to show how cool and strong we were

Emilio Aguinaldo

Leader of the Filipino independence movement against Spain (1895-1898). He proclaimed the independence of the Philippines in 1899, but his movement was crushed and he was captured by the United States Army in 1901.

Panama Canal

•canal had been a French project in 1880

•isthmus (small/thin portion of land) belonged to Columbia

•TR helped Panamanian rebellion against Columbia for independence

•US gained right to build canal (1904-1914

•legality was a big issue

•TR met with Columbia to discuss canal

•$10 million + $250 a year to own land

•$400 million to build canal

Taft and Dollar Diplomacy

•helped Latin American countries to keep out Europeans

•Taft only served one term

•Taft offered $ for the Russian RR and embarrassed himself because it didn't work out

•America wanted to invest in 2 areas

Wilson and Missionary Diplomacy

•US had "moral responsibility" to help undemocratic regimes in Latin Maerica

•not an imperialist

•gave Philippines more rights

•purchased Virgin Islands from Denmark

Mexican Revolution

•US owned large share of Mexico"s resources

•Mexico was exploited by foreign investors $1 billion in Mexico (US's stake)

•common folk were poor

•1913 General Huerta took over (anti-US)

•US intervened supporting Carranza; Huerta's regime collapsed

•revels under leadership of "poncho" Villa became US enemy (US General John J Pershing sent in to put down)

•war almost broke out between US and Mexico but both sides back down

•WW1 drew attention away from Mexico

"Speak softly and carry a big stick"

refers to Roosevelt Diplomacy, which allowed for aggressive foreign policy. "big stick" = the US Navy

Great White Fleet

Roosevelt sent out a fleet of 4 white ship around the world to show Japan how strong their army was. Stopping at 20 ports and one being in Japan

Roosevelt Corollary

Roosevelt's 1904 extension of the Monroe Doctrine, stating that the United States has the right to protect its economic interests in South And Central America by using military force

•added To Monroe Doctrine ($)

•US could act as a "policeman" in Latin America

•"speak softly and carry a big stick" -TR

Big Stick Diplomacy

The policy held by Teddy Roosevelt in foreign affairs. The "big stick" symbolizes his power and readiness to use military force if necessary. It is a way of intimidating countries without actually harming them.

Self-determination

The ability of a government to determine their own course of their own free will