Imperialism

Imperialism - A policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military

  • U.S. during this time period want to expand outwards, such as searching for markets and political/social influence, through acquisition and conflict

American Reasons for Imperialism

Economic competition among industrial nations

  • U.S. recently became one (Gilded Age) and has lots of manufacturing that they want to find market for

Political/military competition - Strong naval force

White supremacy, “Anglo-Saxon Descent”

  • White Man’s Burden - How it’s the white man’s responsibility to colonize and westernize the world

Closing the frontier - America has been focused on westward expansion rather than imperialism, now they can focus on outward expansion, open up new frontier

Social Darwinism - survival of the fittest, applied to competition among nations

  • It’s our job as a powerful, elite country to spread our belief to become a powerful country

Monroe Doctrine - Enforce it, the Western Hemisphere is ours to control

  • “Big Sister Policy”

  • The Eastern Hemisphere should not interfere with the Westward Hemisphere’s affairs

The Influence of Sea Power Upon History - Mahan’s 1890 book

  • Stimulates a naval race to create a powerful navy

  • We need stopping places to refuel and ports to ship, therefore we need more land outward (Hawaii)

Yellow Journalism - Someone who exaggerates or lies in the newspaper to get consumers to purchase the newspaper

  • Wrote stories bigger or worse than they appeared in order to get customers, basically propaganda

  • Cuban mistreatment exaggerated to persuade American readers

  • EX. Joseph Pulitzer

Annexation of Hawaii (1898) - Missionaries arrive and sugar lords begin to dominate the economy using imported Asian labor on large plantations, originally ruled by a king and queen

  • McKinley Tariff made Americans living in Hawaii angry because it was expensive to export, planters asked for annexation

  • 1893 - Revolt organized by white planter minority deposed Queen but Cleveland refused to annex

  • 1898 - Annexed during Spanish American War out of fear Japan or another power would take it

Purpose of Hawaii - Sugar, pineapples, and for the island to act as a naval station for America’s naval powers to refuel and port

Spanish American War

Cuba having problems with Spain (Imperialistic nation)

  • America has economic interests in Cuba for sugar

  • Poor Spanish rule in Cuba, rebels in Cuba were put into concentration camps

  • The Monroe Doctrine

These 3 factors showed America that they should get involved

USS Maine - Stationed off Cuba and gets blown up, blames on Spanish (BTW It wasn’t even Spain that blew the ship up, it was an accident)

  • Yellow Journalism exaggerates, U.S. congress declares war

WAR fought primarily in Philippines and Cuba, both Spanish colonies

U.S. wins and was a short victory, abt. 4 months

Rough Riders - Regiment of volunteers led by Theodore Roosevelt rushed to Cuba

  • Roosevelt started off wealthy and got a big position in the army/navy, leading him to become a powerful leader

Treaty of Paris - Nicknamed war as “splendid little war,” U.S. prestige increases greatly worldwide (international power), but people accuse of being hypocritical

  • Territories gained: Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines (We no longer have Philippines and we NEVER had Cuba)

Legal Arguments - Does the Constitution follow the flag? Do American territories follow the Constitution, are people living in these territories considered citizens

  • Declared that people can be subjects of America aren’t citizens

  • America leaves Cuba with two amendments

    • Platt Amendment - U.S. could intervene in case of anarchy

    • Protected free trade with naval base Guantanamo Bay

    • Teller Amendment - Beginning of the war, stated that we had no intentions of capturing Cuba but instead freeing them from Spain

U.S. and Philippines - Philippines thought they were fighting for independence, not to be under U.S. control

Push for annexation because of naval station, strong agriculture

  • Aguinaldo Led revolt against Spain and later U.S.

  • The Anti-Imperialist League - Opposed this imperialistic move

    • If we take Philippines without them wanting us to, isn’t that like the British taking us without us wanting them to

  • White Man’s Burden is about Philippines - Urging America to keep Philippines and civilize them