American Expansionism and Imperialism Notes

In the late 1800s, the United States shifted towards expansionism, seeking influence in distant lands.
The U.S. had grown in size for over a hundred years, expanding from coast to coast.

The U.S. initially maintained a low profile in world affairs, following a course of isolationism to avoid foreign entanglements.
By the late 1800s, the U.S. started to look beyond its borders due to booming business and a surplus of goods.
Expansionism, similar to imperialism, focused on increasing a country's territory to open new markets and access more raw materials.
American leaders observed European powers dividing territories in Africa and Asia, acquiring colonies and protectorates.
Captain Alfred T. Mahan of the U.S. Navy advocated for an international network of naval bases, a powerful battleship fleet, and an aggressive foreign policy.
Racist beliefs influenced imperialists and expansionists, who thought of the superiority of white, English-speaking people.

In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million.
The discovery of gold in Alaska in the 1880s and 1890s attracted prospectors and increased the population.
Alaskan salmon fishing and copper discoveries contributed to the recognition of the purchase as a great deal.
American missionaries and businesses established themselves in Hawaii in the early 1800s, focusing on sugarcane and pineapple production.
The U.S. recognized the strategic value of a naval base in Hawaii for Pacific Coast protection as early as the 1870s.
Queen Liliuokalani came to power in 1891 and dismissed the legislature, seeking to restore power to native Hawaiians and diminish American Settler Power.
American settlers, supported by 150 U.S. Marines, revolted against the queen, overthrew her, and requested annexation by the United States.
President Benjamin Harrison supported annexation, but the treaty was stalled when he lost the 1892 election to Grover Cleveland, who opposed such actions.
Hawaii was annexed by the United States during the Spanish-American War in 1898 due to its strategic importance.
In 1900, Congress established a government in Hawaii, making it an official U.S. territory.

The United States sought to establish trade relations and gain a foothold in China in the late 1800s, following Japan and European powers.

Commodore Matthew C. Perry negotiated the Treaty of Kanagawa with Japan in 1854, opening Japanese ports to American ships after over 200 years of isolation.
Great Britain had the strongest foreign presence in China, but France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Japan had also established spheres of influence.
Secretary of State John Hay proposed the Open Door Policy in 1900, advocating that all Chinese ports accept ships from every nation.
The Open Door Policy aimed to prevent the transformation of spheres of influence into colonies, calming Chinese fears and granting the U.S. a trading foothold.

The Righteous Harmonious Fists, a secret society known as the Boxers, opposed Western and Japanese influence in China, especially Christian missionaries.
The Boxers attacked foreigners and Chinese leaders perceived as favoring foreigners.
In 1898, elements within the Chinese government called for an end to foreign meddling.
The Boxers, renamed the Righteous and Harmonious Militia, were enlisted by the government, escalating violent actions.
The Boxers attacked Christian churches, foreign businesses, and laid siege to Beijing in 1900.
An international force was formed of 20,000 soldiers captured Beijing in August 1900 due to empress dowager Cixi supporting the Boxers and declaring war on the Eight-Nation Alliance.
In September 1901, the Boxer Protocol officially ended the Boxer Rebellion, forcing China to pay reparations to foreign powers, devastating the Chinese economy.

The United States gained Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines after defeating Spain in the Spanish-American War.

The Treaty of Paris in 1898 marked the end of Spain's empire and the rise of the U.S. as an imperialist nation.
Americans held divided opinions on the annexation of the Philippines, with some supporting manifest destiny.
President McKinley advocated for annexing the Philippines to bolster trade and gain a strategic territory in the South Pacific.
The United States government had to fight to gain control over the Philippines as Filipino rebels protested Spain's sale of their country to the United States.