Imperialism

Taking control of the governments and economies of other countries

and building an Empire.

Why expand the U.S.?

There were several factors that contributed to the idea of overseas expansion.

Money!

During the Industrial Revolution, increased production of all goods grew the economy, and businesses needed to engage in overseas markets in order to continuing growing their businesses.

Ca-ching!

Another reason was that some Americans believed the cultures of Asia, Africa, and Latin America were inferior to American and European cultures and that Americans had a duty to “civilize” these people by showing them American ways of governing and working. America would be doing them a favor by conquering and taking them over.

It’s our duty

Manifest Destiny

Yet another reason was the idea of “Manifest Destiny” - the belief that it was the destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory over the whole of North America and to extend and enhance its political, social, and economic influences over other nations.

These people were called “expansionists” because they wanted to expand America’s reach.

America’s Age of Imperialism

• 1823 – Monroe DoctrineThe Monroe Doctrine is a policy the United States introduced stating that any efforts by European countries to colonize land in the Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention (and possibly war). In other words, The U.S. wanted “dibs” on colonizing in the western hemisphere.

America’s Age of Imperialism

• 1867 – Purchase of Alaska• 1887 – treaty with Hawaii, gain Pearl Harbor• 1893 – Americans in Hawaii revolt against Queen

Liliuokalani and gain control of the island• 1895 – U.S. aids Cubans rebelling against Spanish rule,

leading to the Spanish American War• 1898 – Spanish American War pits [Cuba + U.S.] against

Spain• 1898 – U.S. President McKinley Annexes Hawaii• 1899 – U.S. announces Open Door Policy for China

Seward’s Folly

• In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward (you may recall he survived the assassination attempt of John Wilkes Booth) arranged for the U.S. to purchase Alaska from Russia for 2¢ per acre, for a total of $7.2 million.

• Some Americans called this purchase “Seward’s Folly” (folly: lacking good sense; an act of foolishness), but it became one of the most valuable purchases the U.S. ever made due to its natural resources.

Hawaii• Missionaries (one who is sent on a mission,

often one of religious or charitable work in a territory or foreign country) first arrived in 1820, followed by farmers who became wealthy, powerful sugar planters and traders.

• An 1875 treaty allowed Hawaiian sugar to enter U.S. tax free and included clauses that bound Hawaii politically to the United States. In 1887, Hawaii granted the U.S. use of Pearl Harbor, a naval base.

• Hawaii’s economy was dependent on sale of its sugar to the United States. When a sharp drop in sugar price happened in 1890, Queen Liliuokalani tried to restore control to native Hawaiians and created a new Constitution.

• American Hawaiians revolted in 1893, and, with the help of U.S. marines, overthrew the Queen and set up new government. A treaty annexing (making part of U.S.) was drawn up and sent to the Senate for ratification.

• The President at that time, Grover Cleveland, withdrew the treaty from the Senate, believing the actions were illegal, and proclaiming Hawaii a free and independent country.

• However when McKinley came to office, he with believed annexing Hawaii was “Manifest Destiny” (our God-given destiny) and pushed the treaty through Congress. Hawaii was officially annexed in 1897 (but didn’t become an official state until 1959)

Side note: why so long?

• Many Native Hawaiians in Hawaii protested against statehood. Also, various bills of admission were stalled in Congress beginning in the early 1900s because of the racial prejudices of many members of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate; there was a fear of establishing a state that was governed by an ethnic minority, namely the large Asian American population. Lawmakers questioned the American patriotism of Hawaii residents.

Back to 1896: McKinley becomes PresidentWilliam McKinley was elected president with the help of Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt in 1896. In exchange for his help, McKinley appointed Roosevelt Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

William McKinley Teddy Roosevelt

American Samoa

• The United States was racing against Great Britain, Japan and Germany to attain the Samoan islands, 3,000 miles south of Hawaii. In 1899, warships from these three nations gathered in the Samoan Harbor. Luckily, it was resolved peacefully when they divided the islands evenly.

Cuba

• Spain’s influence in the Americas was limited to just Cuba and Puerto Rico. When the U.S. raised its duty (an import tax) on Cuban sugar in 1893, sales fell and a depression ensued. Economic hardships angered the Cubans and increased their resentment against Spanish rule. They revolted in 1895. Spain responded with a brutal campaign, including putting rebels into concentration camps. Cubans died by the thousands due to unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, and disease.

• President Grover Cleveland tried to remain neutral, offering to mediate the dispute (which Spain ignored).

• When McKinley took office in 1897, he did the same, although American public opinion was swaying towards Cubans. The media was portraying the Cubans in a sympathetic light.

A War Begins

In 1898 (one year after Hawaii was annexed), McKinley sent a battleship to the Cuban Harbor as a sign of support and strength. About 45 days later, an explosion occurred on the ship, killing 266 crew members and sinking the Maine.

“Yellow Journalism”

• Newspapers wrote sensationalized stories about the atrocities committed in Cuba. Whether or not they were entirely factual, the American public was swayed, and they supported Cuba. The American government did too, investing $50M in their economy and trading $100M with them per year.

• McKinley spoke out against the Spanish General, worsening relations in Spain.

“Remember the Maine”

http://www.pbs.org/crucible/frames/_journalism.html

WAR

• We now know the Maine most likely exploded by accident. But back then, everyone was sure Spain was responsible for sending a missile on the ship.

• Spain denied responsibility in the Maine’s demise, but Americans clambered for war. When Spain denied McKinley’s terms for peace, which included Cuban independence, McKinley declared war: April 25, 1898

A short war

• The U.S. went to war with Spain, winning in a matter of weeks.

• When the conflict was settled by the Treaty of Paris, Spain relinquished its hold over Cuba, and gave Puerto Rico, the Philippines (for $20M), and Guam to the United States.

• Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, the U.S. gained possession the Philippines for $20 million. Although rebels in the Philippines and Cuba had looked to the Americans as saviors, the U.S. victory only replaced one imperial power with another. Months after the Spanish surrender, America was fighting its own colonial war against Filipino rebels.

• The Spanish-American War was the first "media war." Sensationalist journalism played a huge role in the war.

• William Randolph Hearst was editor of The New York Journal, and understood that a war with Spain over Cuba would not only sell newspapers, but also move him into a position of national prominence.

• Hearst's propaganda offensive, the first in modern media history, demonized Spain for its brutal suppression of the Cuban rebellion.

• With the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor in 1898, Hearst had the perfect reason for war. The Hearst press saw to it that Spain shouldered the blame and a reluctant President McKinley took action.

A good war? (for America!)• Described as a “Splendid Little War” because it was

very short and yielded America very much.• The war served a number of positive purposes for

the U.S.: it unified a nation still divided by the Civil War. It debuted the media in its role as catalyst of U.S. intervention. It built up the navy and vastly broadened the powers of the president in wartime and foreign affairs.

• The Spanish-American War launched American into the 20th century as a larger, stronger world power.

Hero Teddy Roosevelt

• Teddy Roosevelt resigned from Assistant Secretary of the Navy in order to fight in the Spanish American War. He led the only volunteer cavalry unit that saw battle. His men were known as Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders.”

• Roosevelt’s heroism was flaunted by the media. His popularity soared in the few short weeks of war. At the end of the year, he ran for governor of New York, and won and served two years.

• He won the bid to be McKinley’s VP in the election of 1900.

• Roosevelt allied with expansionists and wanted America to flex its muscles overseas and acquire new territories.

• McKinley was well liked by Americans. During his administration, America defeated Spain in the Spanish-American war, annexed the Hawaiian Islands, and attained other overseas colonial possessions.

The Philippines • The U.S. wanted a stronghold in the Pacific

because France had French Indo-China and other European countries had territories there.

• At the end of the war, Spain gave the Philippines to the U.S. in exchange for $20M.

To Take or not to Take?

• President McKinley was conflicted about what to do with the Philippines. He said “I went down on my knees and prayed to Almighty God for light and guidance more than one night. And one night it came to me…that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift them and civilize and Christianize them…”

• This Filipinos had fought alongside Americans during the S-A war because they thought the Americans would grant them independence. After Americans purchased them for $20M, Filipino rebels fought against American troops until 1902. It wasn’t until 1946 (after WWII) that the Philippines were granted full independence by the U.S.

Battle at Manila Bay

New interest in Asia

• With new lands in the Pacific (Samoa and the Philippines) America had increased interest in trade with Asia – specifically, the rich markets of China. Japan, Great Britain, France, Germany and Russia were all controlling pieces of China and had their own “spheres of influences. The U.S. had no sphere of influence there, so McKinley’s Secretary of State outlined a new policy: the Open Door Policy. All foreign nations with a sphere of influence in China would keep their ports, railroads, and trading privileges other nations.

• Not surprisingly, the nations with spheres of influence didn’t want to share their ports and equipment. Only Great Britain came close to accepting it. Each of the others aid it would only agree if all the parities agreed. So how did it finally get accepted?

• McKinley’s Secretary of State lied to each country and said that all the others had already accepted the Policy and that it was in effect. No one questioned him.

Assassination

• On September 6, 1901, President William McKinley was shot while on a speaking tour in Buffalo, New York. As McKinley stood in a receiving line at the Temple of Music, a Polish born anarchist shot the President twice. Although one bullet bounced off a button, the second hit McKinley in the stomach.

• After the assassin fired, the crowd tackled him, and McKinley was reported to have said, "Don't hurt him" and called the assassin "some poor misguided fellow." Eight days later, President McKinley died from infection and gangrene.

• VP Teddy Roosevelt dreamed of building a waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to make boat travel much faster.

• When Roosevelt was made President, he urged Congress to fund his dream of a waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They approved it.

• Roosevelt offered Colombia $10M for Panama. (Panama was one of Colombia’s colonies). The Colombian Senate refused.

• How does Roosevelt react?

Panama Canal: “the Big Ditch”

• Roosevelt sends a warship to Panama. He knew the Panamanians wanted independence, and egged on a revolution there. American marines kept Colombian soldiers from reaching Panama, allowing the rebels to win.

• The newly independent Panama quickly agreed to accept $10M in exchange for giving the U.S. control over a “canal zone” of 10 miles wide.

• Critics referred to this as “Gunboat Diplomacy.” Supporters said he was living out his personal motto, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”

Teddy Roosevelt: “Speak softly and carry a big stick”