Imperialism in America

Chapter 18 Section 1

I American Imperialism• Imperialism= policy in

which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories

• Most American already bought into this idea with Manifest Destiny– Economic– Political/military– Racial/cultural superiority

A. Thirst for New markets• Advances in tech. allows US to produce more than it can

consume (overproduction)• Need raw material to keep up production & new markets to

sell its goods• Imperialists saw foreign trade as solution to overproduction• US achieves goal of exporting more than it imports making

it a leading econ power

B. Desire for Military Strength• Advocated strong US Navy to protect peacetime shipping routes

that were vital to American econ growth– Strategically located bases for refuel– Construction of canal on Isthmus of Panama

• Modern battle ships transform US into 3rd largest naval power in world

C. Belief in Anglo Saxon Superiority• Combined Social

Darwinism with racial superiority– Argues that the US had

responsibility to spread christianity and civiliztion to “inferior” ppl

• Clearly recist because it defined civilization according to the standards of ONE CULTURE: THE US

D. Anti-imperialism• Some saw imperialism

as threat to American Anglo Saxon Heritage

• Other objecte don moral & practical grounds– Nothin justified

domination of another nation by the US

– Nations claimed by the US not given US constitutional protection

II the United States Takes Hawaii• Americans own plantation on majority of island• White planter profited from trading w/ US– No duty on sugar from Hawaii into US

• Business leaders force change to constitution allowing only white land owners to vote– American business men control Hawaii’s gov’t

• US forces construction of naval base at Pearl harbor

• McKinley Tariffeliminates duty free sugar from Hawaiir comp from Cuabn sugar– Am. planters call for annexation of Hawaii to eliminate

duty on sugar

B. Queen is Deposed• King Kalakaua diesQueen Liliuokalani

proposed new constitution removing property qualifications for voting– Attempting to give power back to native

Hawaiians• American businessmen org. revolution

against queen w/ support from US ambassador– Ambassador recognizes Hawaiian

gov’tpres. Cleveland recognizes Rep. of Hawaii but does not annex it

• McKinley succeeds Cleveland and Congress proclaims Hawaii an Amer. territory

• US turns attention to Cuba