American Imperialism and Global Expansion Study Notes

Defining American Imperialism

  • Definition: A policy where a strong nation seeks to dominate weaker nations politically, economically, or militarily.

  • Historical Context: European nations had practiced imperialism for centuries; the U.S. began adopting these themes through industrialization and advanced technology.

  • Themes:

    • Social Darwinism: The belief that "fit" nations should take over "lesser" ones.

    • White Man’s Burden: The perceived duty to "civilize" non-white populations.

    • World’s Policeman: Using internal turmoil in other nations as an advantage to seize power and stabilize interests.

Strategic Reasons for Expansion

  • Military: Alfred T. Mahan argued in The Influence of Sea Power Upon History for a strong navy to protect business. He recommended establishing naval bases in the Caribbean, acquiring Hawaii, and building large battleships like the Maine and Oregon.

  • Economic: The U.S. required raw materials and new markets to sell surplus food and manufactured goods resulting from advances in agriculture and industry.

  • Ideological:

    • Manifest Destiny: The belief in a God-given right to expand borders.

    • American Exceptionalism: The mission to spread democracy and freedom abroad.

Initial Territorial Acquisitions

  • Alaska: Purchased from Russia in 1867 by Secretary of State William Seward for its timber, minerals, and oil. Known as "Seward’s Folly."

  • Hawaii: Home to American-owned sugar plantations. After Queen Liliuokalani threatened the power of white landowners, she was overthrown by the USMC. Sanford B. Dole headed the new government, and the U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1898.

The Spanish-American War

  • Causes:

    • Cuban Revolution: José Martí led a 1895 rebellion using guerrilla warfare against Spain.

    • Yellow Journalism: Sensationalized reporting by Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst regarding General Valeriano Weyler’s concentration camps.

    • The De Lôme Letter: A leaked letter from the Spanish Ambassador criticizing President McKinley as weak.

    • U.S.S. Maine: Exploded in Havana on February 15, 1898, killing 260 Americans; Spain was blamed.

  • Key Actions:

    • Philippines: Commodore George Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay. Filipino rebels led by Emilio Aguinaldo assisted U.S. forces.

    • Cuba: The Rough Riders, a cavalry unit led by Teddy Roosevelt, participated in the Battle of Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill.

  • Outcome: Secretary of State John Hay called it a "splendid little war." The U.S. gained Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

New Territories and Colonial Administration

  • Puerto Rico: Became a commonwealth in 1952. Residents are U.S. citizens and can be drafted but cannot vote in presidential elections.

  • Cuba: The Teller Amendment initially stated the U.S. would not take over Cuba. Post-war military occupation helped eliminate yellow fever but faced local resistance.

  • The Philippines: The Philippine-American War (1899–1902) broke out when the U.S. refused to grant independence. The U.S. used brutal tactics before granting the islands independence on July 4, 1946.

  • China: Secretary of State John Hay proposed the Open Door Policy to share trading rights. This led to the Boxer Rebellion, which was suppressed by an eight-nation coalition.

  • Anti-Imperialist League: Included members such as Mark Twain, Grover Cleveland, Jane Addams, and Andrew Carnegie who opposed expansionism.

Global Diplomacy and Presidential Doctrines

  • Theodore Roosevelt:

    • Treaty of Portsmouth: Negotiated the end of the Russo-Japanese War.

    • Panama Canal: The U.S. supported a Panamanian rebellion against Colombia to secure rights for the canal, which opened in 1914.

    • Roosevelt Corollary: An extension of the Monroe Doctrine (1823) asserting the U.S. as an "international police power" in the Western Hemisphere, known as "Big Stick Diplomacy."

  • William Howard Taft:

    • Dollar Diplomacy: Substituting "dollars for bullets" by using financial aid and business investments to foster foreign relations.

  • Woodrow Wilson:

    • Missionary Diplomacy: The moral responsibility to deny recognition to undemocratic or oppressive regimes in Latin America.

Questions & Discussion

  • What is an "empire"? Can you think of any examples of empires throughout history?

  • What does it mean to be an empire? Is America an Empire?

  • How does the media influence us today (relative to Yellow Journalism)?

  • Do you think Puerto Rico should be a state? Why or why not?