Imperialism

Study Guide for Imperialism: 


Terms:

  • Yellow Journalism: Journalism that sensationalized news reporting to entertain and attract readers; exaggeration

  • Open Door Policy:  Designed as a way to further its trade interests with China

    • sent letters to the other world powers proposing the nations share Chinese trade with the U.S. (no single nation would have complete control over trade in China)

  • Annexation: When one country or government takes control of a territory or land and makes it apart of its own country

  • Imperialist: a person that believes in or supports the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories

    • Who?

      • U.S. & European countries

      • Wiliam McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt

  • Anti-Imperialist: a person that doesn’t believe in or doesn’t support the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories 

    • Some famous anti-imperialists

      • Grover Cleveland, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)

  • Big Stick Diplomacy: foreign policy by negotiating peacefully while also displaying a strong military to achieve U.S. goals abroad

    • ”Speak softly and carry a big stick”

    • ex.

      • Great White Fleet: U.S. battleship sent around the world to show off U.S. naval power

      • Building of Panama Canal

  • Moral Diplomacy: foreign policy decisions should be based on the principles of equality, promoting peace, spreading democracy

    • no more control by conquest: anti-colonization 

  • Dollar Diplomacy: foreign policy aimed to use economic power and business investment to influence government, events, and policies

    • ex. Invest in Latin America plantations, mines, oils, railroads, etc.

  • Platt Amendment: Treaty between US and Cuba that attempted to protect Cuba’s independence from foreign intervention


Events: 

  • Spanish-American War 

    • What caused it 

    • Results 

      • Treaty of Paris 

  • Philippine War (1899-1902)

    • What caused it

    • Treatment of people during this time

    • Results 

      • 3 years to end Filipino rebellion 

        • cost U.S. $400,000,000 and 4000 American lives

      • Once rebellion ended, U.S. helped Filipinos establish a government under American control x6

      • Philippines independence (1946)

  • Annexation of Hawaii (1898)

    • Official state in 1959

    • How?

      • Led a revolution to overthrow the queen

      • subjugation

    • Why?

      • Avoid sugar plantation tax

      • Build naval base at Pearl Harbor 

      • Create a coaling station in the Pacific 

  • Annexation of Alaska (1867)

    • Official state in 1959

      • How?

        • Bought from Russia for $7.2 million (2 cents an acre)

      • Why?

        • opportunity to expand

        • resources


Other: 

  • Four Motives of Imperialism specifically from your notes (12 pts)

    • 1. Global competition 

      • wanted to keep up with European powers

      • economic and military advantages

    • 2. Desire for military strength 

      • establish a strong global military presence

      • build up naval power

    • 3. Wanted new markets (help the economy)

      • participate in foreign trade

      • needed raw materials

    • 4. Belief in cultural superiority

      • manifest destiny 

      • Anglo-Saxon racial superiority (white)

      • spread Christianity to “inferior peoples”

  • Panama Canal 

    • How we obtained it

      • U.S. hey Columbia $25 million to free Panama.

      • U.S. used influence to create a cut through route for ships eliminated to 2800 miles of travel

    • Its purpose 

  • Legacy/lasting impacts of Imperialism 

    • New territories & states

    • Extended military bases (help in future wars)

    • Gaining world power

    • Took advantage of labor and natural resources of other countries

    • U.S. Goal: national self-interest 

  • Be able to explain the motives and effects of imperialism 

    • The motives of imperialism were…

    • The effects of imperialism were… 

  • Be able to explain the role foreign policy (government’s strategy dealing with other countries) on imperialism 

    • The role foreign policy had on imperialism was…

  • Be able to defend whether imperialism was good or bad for the country (United States) with evidence 

    • Imperialism was bad because… 

    • imperialism was good because…


Four Motives of Imperialism

  1. Global Competition

    • Why it mattered: European powers were expanding their empires, and the U.S. didn’t want to fall behind. There was a desire to keep up with global rivals in terms of political, military, and economic power. Expanding overseas was seen as a way to ensure that the U.S. remained competitive on the world stage.

  2. Desire for Military Strength

    • Why it mattered: Imperialism allowed the U.S. to build a stronger navy and military presence across the globe. Establishing naval bases in strategic locations (like Hawaii and the Philippines) allowed for quicker military response and protection of American interests abroad. A stronger navy was also vital for trade routes and defense.

  3. Wanted New Markets

    • Why it mattered: The U.S. economy was expanding, and there was a need for new markets to sell goods, as well as access to raw materials like sugar, rubber, and oil. With the industrial revolution, the U.S. needed to expand its reach beyond its borders to keep its economy growing.

  4. Belief in Cultural Superiority

    • Why it mattered: Many Americans believed it was their "destiny" to spread American culture, democracy, and Christianity. This belief was tied to the ideas of Manifest Destiny, which had earlier justified westward expansion across the U.S. This was used to rationalize imperialist actions in the Caribbean, Pacific, and elsewhere, often under the assumption that white, Anglo-Saxon culture was superior to others.

Be able to explain the motives and effects of imperialism:

The motives of imperialism were…

  • Global competition (keeping up with European powers),

  • Desire for military strength (building naval power and overseas bases),

  • Desire for new markets (to sell goods and obtain raw materials),

  • Belief in cultural superiority (spreading American ideals and Christianity).

The effects of imperialism were…

  • Acquisition of new territories like the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska.

  • Increased U.S. military presence and the construction of key military bases like the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor.

  • Economic benefits, as the U.S. gained access to natural resources, new markets, and cheap labor in its colonies.

  • Cultural impact, as U.S. culture, democracy, and values spread to these territories, sometimes at the cost of local cultures and traditions.

  • International tensions, particularly with other powers like Spain and later Japan, as the U.S. expanded its influence.

Be able to explain the role of foreign policy on imperialism:

The role foreign policy had on imperialism was…

  • U.S. foreign policy was driven by the need to expand its influence and assert dominance internationally. Policies like Big Stick Diplomacy, Moral Diplomacy, and Dollar Diplomacy were tools used to justify and further imperialist actions. The U.S. aimed to control trade routes, gain military advantages, and protect its interests through diplomacy and military presence.

  • Big Stick Diplomacy (Teddy Roosevelt) involved negotiating peacefully while using the military as leverage. This policy was key in actions like the Panama Canal’s construction and intervention in Latin America.

  • Dollar Diplomacy (William Taft) focused on using economic investments to maintain U.S. influence in Latin America and East Asia. This led to increased American business interests and involvement in foreign economies.

  • Moral Diplomacy (Woodrow Wilson) was based on the idea that the U.S. should encourage democracy and human rights, but it was still used to justify American intervention and control over other nations.

Be able to defend whether imperialism was good or bad for the United States with evidence:

Imperialism was bad because…

  • It led to conflict and wars, such as the Philippine-American War, where the U.S. faced resistance from colonized peoples, resulting in thousands of deaths and long-term resentment.

  • The U.S. often imposed its values and culture on other nations, leading to cultural erosion and the loss of autonomy for native populations (e.g., the Philippines, Hawaii).

  • Racism and the belief in white superiority fueled imperialism, leading to the exploitation and mistreatment of native peoples (e.g., in the Philippines and Cuba).

  • The economic costs of imperialism, such as the $400 million spent in the Philippines, drained U.S. resources and created tensions within the country about the justification for such foreign interventions.

Imperialism was good because…

  • It allowed the U.S. to expand its territory, increasing its influence globally. The acquisition of islands like Hawaii and the Philippines provided strategic military bases and access to new markets.

  • It helped the U.S. become a global power, able to project military and economic strength worldwide. The Great White Fleet demonstrated U.S. naval power, and the Panama Canal opened up vital trade routes.

  • Economic benefits were realized as the U.S. gained access to new resources, including sugar in Hawaii, oil in the Philippines, and rubber in Latin America. American businesses also expanded their reach.

  • The U.S. spread its cultural and democratic ideals, which helped shape modern political systems in places like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines (even though the process was often complicated and not without opposition).

Additional Notes and Review Questions:

  • Spanish-American War (1898):

    • What caused it?: The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, Yellow Journalism exaggerating Spanish cruelty, and the U.S.'s desire to expand its influence in the Caribbean and Pacific.

    • Results: The U.S. defeated Spain, leading to the Treaty of Paris (1898). The U.S. gained territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Cuba gained nominal independence but remained under U.S. influence.

  • Panama Canal:

    • How we obtained it: The U.S. supported a Panama revolution against Colombia, then secured control of the canal zone by paying $10 million and an annual payment of $250,000 to Panama.

    • Purpose: The canal provided a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, cutting travel time and boosting trade and military mobility.

    • Legacy: The canal helped solidify the U.S. as a major global power, although it also left a legacy of interventionism in Latin America.