[7.2-7.3]

Causes of American Imperialism

  1. Need for foreign markets

  2. Yellow Journalism

  3. Missionaries

  4. International Darwinism

  5. Jingoism

  6. Growth of the Navy

  7. International Plundering of Africa and Asia

  8. Example set by Colonial Nations

  9. Fear of losing out

  10. Americans were bruising for war-agression attitude

America Turns Outward

Americans felt expansion to overseas market might provide relief to the country

  • Felt emboldened with new sense of power and purpose

Reverend Josiah Strong’s Our Country: Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis

  • Theory- Anglo-Saxon civilization is superior;  need to spread American religion and values

Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan’s  The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783

  • Control of the seas is the key to world dominance

  • Stimulated a naval race and American US for the Panama Canal

Spanish American War

President McKinley did not want war, but the American people did

Sent war message to congress april 11, 1898

congress declared war and adopted the teller amendment