imperialism power point

AMERICA CLAIMS AN EMPIRE

IMPERIALISM AND AMERICA

  • American leaders believed the U.S. should join European powers in establishing colonies.

  • This marked the beginning of American imperialism, defined as stronger nations extending control over weaker nations.

U.S. Expansionism in the 1880s

  • The U.S. had significantly expanded by 1853, incorporating various territories:

    • Canada: British control.

    • Oregon Country, Texas annexation, Mexican Cession after the war.

    • Territories shaped the modern map of the U.S., including parts of present-day states.

WHY IMPERIALISM?

  1. Military Strength:

    • Alfred Mahan, US naval officer and historian, advocated for a strong navy to protect national interests.

  2. Economic Motivation:

    • Need for new markets to boost economy and trade.

  3. Cultural Superiority:

    • Belief in the superiority of Anglo-Saxon (whites) culture as justification for imperialism.

THE U.S. ACQUIRES ALASKA

  • 1867: Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.

  • Initially mocked as "Seward's Icebox," it proved valuable due to abundant natural resources (timber, minerals, oil).

U.S. TAKES HAWAII

  • Hawaii had been crucial economically, particularly for sugar growers to avoid tariffs.

  • U.S. interests were solidified with a naval base at Pearl Harbor (1887).

  • Sanford Dole led the annexation in 1898; Hawaii achieved statehood in 1959.

THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

  • Long-standing U.S. interest in Cuba intensified with Cuban rebellion against Spanish rule.

  • American investments in Cuban sugar heightened sympathy for Cuban independence.

CUBA’S SECOND WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE

  • Anti-Spain sentiment led to a second independence struggle, marked by poet José Martí’s 1895 uprising.

  • Martí’s deliberate destruction of property aimed to provoke U.S. intervention.

WAR FEVER ESCALATES

  • Yellow journalism, led by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, sensationalized events to rally public support for war.

  • Exaggerated reports painted Spanish forces as brutal antagonists.

U.S.S MAINE EXPLODES

  • 1898: U.S.S. Maine was sent to Havana to protect Americans.

  • The ship exploded on February 15, killing over 260 men, inciting public demand for war.

YELLOW JOURNALISM

  • Media speculation followed the Maine explosion, with claims that it was caused by enemy action, further pushing the U.S. toward war.

  • Political pressure mounted for intervention in Cuba due to public outrage.

WAR ERUPTS WITH SPAIN

  • Calls for war intensified following the Maine explosion; "Remember the Maine!" became a rallying cry.

THE WAR IN THE PHILIPPINES

  • The U.S. launched a surprise attack on Spanish forces in the Philippines with assistance from Filipino rebels.

  • By August 1898, Spain surrendered in Manila.

THE WAR IN THE CARIBBEAN

  • The U.S. established a naval blockade and engaged in land battles, most notably Roosevelt’s Rough Riders at San Juan Hill.

  • The American Navy obliterated the Spanish fleet, facilitating an invasion of Puerto Rico.

U.S. WINS; SIGNS TREATY OF PARIS

  • A treaty ended the war and more people were killed from diseases than actual combat.

  • Resulted in Cuban independence and U.S. acquisition of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines for $20 million.

ACQUIRING NEW LANDS

  • Debate ensued on governing newly acquired territories; Puerto Rico sought independence but was kept strategically important by the U.S.

  • Established a civil government and citizenship rights for Puerto Ricans.

CUBA AND THE UNITED STATES

  • The Platt Amendment (1903) granted the U.S. rights to intervene in Cuba’s affairs and maintain naval stations on the island.

  • Marked Cuba’s status as a U.S. protectorate.

FILIPINOS REBEL

  • Resistance against American annexation led by Emilio Aguinaldo, resulting in a brutal three-year conflict claiming lives and substantial costs.

FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN CHINA

  • The Open Door Policy (1899) promoted free trade in China amidst European colonial powers vying for influence.

BOXER REBELLION

  • Anti-foreign sentiments resulted in the Boxer Rebellion (1900) where secret societies attacked foreign nationals and enterprises.

  • International forces intervened to suppress the uprising.

AMERICANS PROTECT RIGHTS IN ASIA

  • Post-rebellion, Open Door Policies reaffirmed U.S. commitment to keeping foreign markets accessible and active involvement in international affairs.

AMERICA AS A WORLD POWER

  • Significant developments:

    • Roosevelt mediated the end of the Russo-Japanese War, earning a Nobel Peace Prize.

    • The Panama Canal project highlighted American engineering prowess and geopolitical strategy.

THE PANAMA CANAL

  • Acknowledged for dramatically reducing travel times for shipping and military vessels between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

BUILDING THE PANAMA CANAL (1904-1914)

  • After failed attempts by France, the U.S. supported Panama's independence from Colombia to construct the canal, an engineering feat costing $380 million and taking a decade.

AMERICANS AND THE PANAMA CANAL

  • NASA’s images illustrate the canal’s importance in maritime travel, with nearly 1,000,000 ships passing through since its opening.

  • Became Panama's sole property in 2000.