Contextualizing American Imperialism

Contextualizing Period 7

  • Objective: Explain the context in which the US grew into its role as a world power.

Contextualizing the Unit

  • Examination of themes to address in Unit 7 as a whole.
  • Importance of understanding the context of US expansion into a world power.

Contextualizing American Imperialism (7.2 + 7.3)

  • Considerations on events in the post-Civil War world that influenced expansion abroad in the late 19th century:
    • Factors that motivated the US's turn toward expansion after the Civil War.
    • Reflection on why there was previously a lack of interest in expansion.
    • Identification of areas that the US had already taken control of prior to this period.
    • Assessment of the effects that territorial acquisitions would have on the US.

Contextualizing US Foreign Policy

  • Overview of foundational policies that shaped US foreign relations, including:
    • Washington's Farewell Address
    • Recommendations on maintaining cautious foreign relations and avoiding entanglements with other nations.
    • Monroe Doctrine (1832)
    • Statement declaring that European powers should stay out of the Western Hemisphere,
      • Contrarily, the US would avoid involvement in European affairs, including any existing European colonies.
      • Noteworthy point: The US lacks the means to enforce this doctrine effectively; it relied on the assurance that European powers would respect it.

Transition from Previous Policies to Imperialism

  • Historical context in the 19th century that prioritized industrial development, western settlement, and domestic politics over foreign affairs.
  • Notable shifts toward imperialism driven by:
    • Rapid industrial development necessitating access to resources and markets.
    • The closing of the western frontier (recognized through the Turner Thesis).
    • Influence of the Monroe Doctrine to maintain exclusion from Western Hemisphere operations.
    • Unfulfilled aspirations of Manifest Destiny, leading to a new wave of "jingoist" expansionists.

Acquisition of Alaska

  • Context surrounding the acquisition of Alaska:
    • Alaska purchased in 1867 by Secretary of State William H. Seward from Russia for $7.2 million.
    • The acquisition was initially ridiculed and referred to as "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox."
    • Discovery of rich natural resources (fossil fuels, gold, and fish) in Alaska later validated the purchase as a strategic bargain.
    • Ethical implications: Native Eskimos were not consulted about the sale and were treated similarly to Native Americans on the mainland.

Defining Imperialism

  • Definition of Imperialism:
    • The extension of a nation’s political, economic, and military power over foreign territories or peoples.
    • Represents the systematic building of an empire beyond a nation’s borders.

Shifts in Foreign Policy Stance

  • Factors contributing to the change in US foreign policy stance:
    • Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis, which presented the closing frontier as a catalyst for expansion.
    • Economic interests informing the need for industrialists and farmers to access international markets.
    • Analysis of party support for imperialism linked to industrial interests.
    • Concept of competing in a global market to avoid economic decline.
    • Focus on naval expansion, heavily emphasized by Alfred T. Mahan, who argued for greater naval power to protect interests.
    • Growth of popular press that fueled interest in international affairs, leading to sensationalized stories of exotic places that increased readership and sparked public interest.
    • Idea that Manifest Destiny evolved into a global context, influenced by Social Darwinism articulated by Josiah Strong.

Document-Based Questions

  • Josiah Strong's ideas used as a basis for a Document-Based Question (DBQ) evaluating the causes of US involvement worldwide between 1865 and 1910.
  • Assignment includes summarizing arguments and applying HIPP (Historical Context, Intended Audience, Purpose, Point of View).

Crafting a Thesis on American Imperialism

  • Collaborative thesis-building session aimed at evaluating the relative importance of different causes for the expanding US role in the world from 1865 to 1910, based on resources including maps and documents.

The Case of Hawaii

  • Overview of the Kingdom of Hawaii, founded in 1795, and its status as a sovereign state with its last sovereign being Queen Liliuokalani, overthrown in 1893.
  • Geographical significance of Hawaii:
    • Importance of access to the strategically valuable island and its resources.

Economic Motivations for Hawaii's Annexation

  • Factors leading to US interest in Hawaii's annexation:
    • Economic value of sugar production, which generated significant profits.
    • Strategic military importance of Pearl Harbor, leased in 1887, serving as a naval port critical to US interests in the Pacific.
    • Hawaii as a step toward establishing trade connections with Asian markets.

Factors Influencing the Annexation of Hawaii

  • Motivations for pursuing the annexation of Hawaii:
    • Competing global powers also interested in acquiring Hawaii.
    • Tariffs imposed by the McKinley Tariff (circa 1890) negatively affected American-born sugar plantation owners’ profits, accelerating calls for annexation.
    • Involvement of US business leaders in orchestrating a series of rebellions and coups supported by military and diplomatic personnel, leading to the overthrow of Hawaii’s monarchy in 1893, with notable figures like Dole Fruit extracting benefits.

Presidential Perspectives on Hawaii's Annexation

  • Divergent views of major presidential figures:
    • President Cleveland (anti-imperialist) advocated for a congressional investigation into the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, focusing on the abuse of power by US personnel.
    • President McKinley (pro-imperialist) supported the annexation of Hawaii in 1898, illustrating the split in US political opinion regarding imperialism and territorial expansion during this era.