Unit 19: American Imperialism

Reasons for Imperialism

  • Manifest Destiny

  • Economics: America wants to sell to more people, internationally

    • “Critical Mass”: point in country economics: you can’t grow past a certain point.

    • Trade: Canal: Panama Canal was made in order to transfer goods to China faster and more efficiently.

  • Keeping Up with the Jones:

    • A.K.A - Europe: If Europe has an Imperial Empire, we need an Imperial EMpire

  • The Influences of Sea Power

    • Alfred Mahan writes a book about how if you are a first rate country, you will have a good navy. America needs a good navy

Beginnings of Imperialism

  • William Seward - 1867

    • Purchase of Alaska (Seward negotiates with Russia to buy Alaska because other people want it. petty shi)

    • $11 an Acre

    • “Seward’s Icebox”: make fun of him bc he wants to buy Alaska. however, its the worlds largest fishery, they find oil and gold.

  • Hawaii

    • Influence of American Business: previous king was hella locked in w/ businessmen. they are raising tariffs with hawaii after king dies

    • Dole Rebellion- Americans overthrow the Queen, install Dole as President of HA

    • Debate: does Hawaii become a territory

      • Cleveland Refusal: Grover Cleveland vetoes the push to make Hawaii a territory.

    • Dollar Deplomacy: if America is in a country and doesn’t gain an economic profit off being there, they shouldn’t be there

Prelude to Spanish American War

  • Cuban Revolt

    • Spanish Rule: power going downhill since the loss of the Spanish Armada

    • Revolt: they’re fighting back against Spain

    • Spanish Response: putting them into camps

  • Aggravation

    • Yellow Journalism: Reporters go to Cuba and report “over-the-top” messages/articles about Cuba’s situation. So much pressure on U.S gov to go talk to Spain, so they send a war ship to Havana as a show of force.

  • AMerican Response:

    • Recognition of Cuban Rebels

    • Plight of the U.S.S Maine: Spain “blows up” the ship, (real cause: coal bunker explosion)

    • Response

Spanish American War

  • Declaration of War

    • Teller Amendment: We are going to give Cuba their independence, but not the Phillipines

  • War in Pacific

    • George Dewey: he destroys the Spanish fleet, gets a march named after him

    • Capture of Manila: Americans captures Manila (capital of Philippines), America used Aguinaldo to overthrow Spain, and Aguinaldo’s new enemy is America

    • Emilio Aguinaldo: has been fighting against the Spanish in the Philippines. Dewey goes to Aguinaldo, you can help us !!, Emilio leads his rebels against Spain and win.

  • War in Cuba

    • American Navy: destroy Spain navy quickly

    • American Army: large shipment of men from Tampa

      • “Rough Riders”: group led by Roosevelt, fights for the Americans

        • Disease: Malaria killed more people than bullets

  • Peace Settlement:

    • Platt Amendment: Cuba is going to become independent, but the U.S reserves the right to invade/control U.S businesses and restore peace.

^^^^^^^^^^^ me fr ^^^^^^^^^^^^

the silliness is too much

  • Bad Taste of Imperialism

    • Filipino Insurrection: bye bye lil hoe - Americans. blud is like damn i’m mad i hate america 😠😠😠😠 (emilio)

      • Emilio Aguinaldo: leads guerilla war against Americans. (shi last till 1904) (mfs argue abt the war like what the flip!)

        • American tactics: mad cuz like filipino asians be like farmer mfs, they be like summer camp type shi »»»»»»»»»»»

    • Debate over Imperialism

      • Democracy- Consitution: The Philippines gotta be a democracy, i manifest the destiny till i America. (best gov na)

      • White Mans Burden- encouraging US to be imperial ( pls fr like do that shi -carti aka rudyard kipling)(all mfs ain’t even developed and naive like damn !!!)

      • Economics- China (i gotta pee so bad)-

        • “Open Door”- John HayDay:

      • Anti-Imperialist League: “shi against moral of America slime twizzy, so we should no no wanna do it to anyone else.

Panama Canal

  • Failed Attempts

    • Proposed Routes:

      • Nicaragua

      • Panama

        • Columbian Negations: Starts negotiating with Columbia for a canal, Columbia jacks up price like crazy, so USA motivates Panama to rebel.

    • Panamanian Revolt:

      • Americans send ships

    • Deal:

      • Lease:

    • Project

      • Problems: Americans die bc of yellow fever, they use yellow fever

      • Finishes in 1914

      • Effects: this is going to bring US together with the world

Latin America

  • Latin American Debt: they have huge loads of debt with Germany (bros big asl w/ money and power)

    • Venezuela

    • Dominican Republic

  • German and British blockade LA debt bc mfs like i ain’t pay non of that shi

  • American mad bc this lwk a violation of Monroe Doctrine

  • Roosevelt Corollary: if u wanna fw someone in the Western Hemisphere they can talk to the US.

    • Preventive Intervention: idea above ^

    • Dominican Republic: US goes into Dominican Republican to restore order

T.R. as “Peacemaker”

  • Russo - Japanese War: Japan defeats Russia

    • T.R. as mediator: bro pulls up and makes a peace agreement (proves that USA is a global power)