7.2 Imperialism: Debates

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the similarities and differences in attitudes about the nation’s proper role in the world

INTRODUCTION

• US foreign policy originally centered around domestic westward expansion

  • Booming industrial economy—→ interest in overseas trade & territory

    - US wanted territorities of Cuba and Phillipines

    - some debated whether US should imperalize or remain anti-colonial

EXPANSION AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

• William H. Seward (former secretary of state)

  • Most influential secretary of state since John Quincy Adams

    - helped prevent Great Britian and France from entering Civil war

    - led drive to annex Midway Island in pacific

    - gained rights to build canal in Nicaragua

    - purchased territory of Alaska

    - failed to convince Congress to annex Hawaii & Danish West Indies

THE PURCHASE OF ALASKA

• Russia and Great Britian both claimed territories in Alaska

  • Russia assumed control and established colony for seal hunting

    - became economic burdon due to threat of British

    - Russia turned to Seward for US to purchase Alaska

    - Congress agreed to buy Alaska for $7.2 million

    - Americans originally saw no value in Alaska—→ lacked develpmnt

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

• American missionaries and entreprenuers had alr settled in Hawaii

  • US commission explored use of Pearl Harbor

    - Ulysses S. Grant sought control of Pearl Harbor & new trade treaties w Hawaii—→ exclusive rights to Hawaiian sugar

    - American settlers overthrew monarchy of Queen Liliuoukalani & petitiod for annexion (annexcation would lower tariffs on sugar)

    - Grover Cleveland opposed republican efforts of imperialism

THE ERA OF “NEW IMPERIALISM”

• Renewed interest in Africa, Asia, & Pacific Islands—→ imperialism

  • More armed and economicaly dominant countries conqured & divided

    - Brtian, France, germany, Russia, Japan, Belgium

    - US began to participate (hoped for diplomacy over military)

    - US continued to follow pattern of expansion into new territories

ECONOMIC INTEREST

• US industries strongly supported expanding economic interest overseas

  • Foreign countries provided raw materials and markets for products

    - Republican party members endorsed imperialist foreign policy

    - farmers were eager to sell in populous markets overseas

POLTICAL AND MILITARY POWER

• Some people believed US needed to compete against other nations

  • U.S. Navy Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan

    - author of The Influence of Sea Power Upon History

    - shaped debate over need for naval bases (argued strong navy was crucial to ambition of securing foreign markets & world power)

    - became prominent with American citizens and political leaders

  • Congress financed construction of steel ships & land acquisition

    - Samoa and others in the Pacific Ocean (coaling & supply stations)

    - US navy became third largest in the world

    - Theodore Roosevelt & Henry Lodge led expanding naval power

SOCIAL FEARS

• Panic of 1893, labor-management conflicts, and new perception of country

  • Increasing fears—→ social turmoil

    - overseas territories & expeditionsoffered safety valve for dissatisfied

DARWINISM AND RELIGION

• Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” was applied in imperialism as well

  • expansionist wanted to acquire territories to demonstrate strength

    - Josiah Strong: “Its Possible Future and Present Crisis” (white people were “the fittest to survive,” and Christian Protestants had responsibility to spread their superior civilization to “less fortunate”)

    - many missionaries supported racial superiority over humanitarian

POPULAR PRESS

• Newspaper and magazines increased cirulation by printing abt distant places

  • Stories increased public interest & demand for role in world affairs

OPPOSITION TO IMPERIALISM

• Many Americans opposed imperialism for different reasons

  • Self-determination

    - founding principlies in US was self-government (believed this principles should be applied everywhere)

  • Rejection of racial theories

    - some believed whites were not biologically superior & had no right to rule others (still feared nonwhites from coming to America)

  • Supported isolationism

    - George Washinton warned of foreign-affairs (idea was still trusted)

  • Rejection of expenses of imperialism

    - large navy and control of territoties would cost more than US gained

LATIN AMERICA

• US had taken special interest in porblems of western hemisphere

  • US was assumed protector of Latin America (Monroe Doctrine)

    - James G. Blaine played principal role in extending this tradition

PAN-AMERICAN DIPLOMACY

• Blaine’s efforts to efforts to establishe ties between US and south

  • Pan-American Conference held to premote cooperation of trade

    - representatives from various nations hoped for reduced tariff rate

    - larger goal was poltical and economic cooperation

    - Pan-American Unions continues today

CLEVELAND, OLNEY, AND THE MONROE DOCTRINE

• Venenzuela Boundary Dispute (between Venezuela & British Guiana)

  • President Celeveland & secretary Richard Olney

    - used Monroe Doctrine to settle dispute

    - insisted Britian agree to settle dispute (thought Doctrine applied)

    - Britian argued against Doctrine but was threated w US military

    - Brtish agreed to US demands (more beneficial to long-term interest)

    - Latin American nations appretiated US efforts

    - event marked turning point in US-British relations (became allies)

GROWING CONFLICT OVER IMPERIALISM

• Expansionist began to interfere with other countries in the Americas

  • Abuse of Monroe Doctrine—→ fierce political battle over country

    - anti-colonial/self-gov vs economic and global power

    - debate intensified over Spanish-American War and Phillipines