Unit 4A: American

Imperialism(1890-1912)

Part I – Imperialism Begins

Imperialism in America

• Imperialism- when a nation extends it’s authority over another nation that is politically, economically or militarily weaker to gain some benefit from it.

• American Imperialism is defined as the era of US History from 1890-1914 in which the US government expanded overseas with new territories in order to create an empire that they could control and take advantage of.

• Reasons why the American Imperial Era began:

– Gilded Age business owners saw imperialism as a way to have more people to sell products to and a way to get certain raw materials (natural resources needed to produce industrial products).

– A desire to compete with European powers who were spreading their empires to Africa and Asia.

– A philosophy that the US should help smaller countries and people (but ends up leading to the US trying to make those countries and people more like the US)

Alaska’s Purchase (Seward’s

Folly)

• In 1867, William Seward (the Sec. of State) purchased Alaska from the nation of Russia.

• At the time it was considered by many Americans to be a waste of money on land that was too remote and too cold.

• By the early 1900’s the deal was not seen as a folly (mistake) but as a great deal for the US.

– Alaska had always been a rich source of timber but Americans found gold (1896) and oil (1909) there as well.

$7.2 million check written to pay Russia for Alaska

Gold Miners in Alaska (Klondike Gold Rush 1896)

The Alaskan Pipeline (built to pump oil from northern Alaskan oil

fields to oil refineries in southern Alaska 800 mi)

America’s Plan to Become

an Empire

• Admiral Alfred Mahan and Teddy Roosevelt (then Assist. Sec. of the Navy) believed that naval power was the key to Imperialism.

• According to them, the US needed four things to be successful: – 1. A modern fleet – 2. Naval bases on Caribbean

Islands in the Atlantic – 3. Naval bases on Pacific Islands– 4. A canal in Central America

• By 1898, the US Navy was already the 3rd largest in the world.

Admiral Alfred Mahan

Student SummaryWhat things led to American

Imperialism? How would America continue, what was the plan for American Imperialism?

Part II – The Spanish American

War

The Unethical

Press

• Before the war the debate on America’s involvement in

Cuba was heated by two newspaper tycoons.

• William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer owned

many newspapers which all told Americans how

supposedly bad Spanish rule of Cuba was.

• A lot of what they reported was fabricated (made up)

and they even made up fake battles that took place

between the Cubans and the Spanish.

• Hearst and Pulitzer used Yellow Journalism to push

lies and sensational stories on the American people

– Doing so meant they would sell more newspapers

and in the process they swayed the public to support

a war with the Spanish.

– They both knew that a war involving the US would

sell even more newspapers.

William Randolph Hearst

Joseph Pulitzer

Yellow Journalism

Example

The War Begins

• In 1898, President McKinley ordered the Battleship, USS Maine to the coast of Cuba to warn the Spanish who ruled the island.

• In February an explosion on the ship sunk it and killed 260 sailors.

• To this day no one knows how or why the USS Maine exploded but Hearst and Pulitzer (in their American newspapers) blamed Spain.

• Shortly after, Congress declared war on Spain.

USS Maine entering Havana Harbor

The War

• The war will not be fought in the US or Spain but rather will be fought on Spanish controlled territories halfway around the world from each other.

• Admiral George Dewey of the US Navy used his ships to destroy the Spanish ships around the Philippines Islands and within a few months the US controlled that Southeast Asian island group.

• In Cuba the US Navy blockaded the Spanish fleet in, which gave 125,000 American volunteers time to train.

• One of the volunteer regiments was organized and joined by Teddy Roosevelt, they were known as the Rough Riders.

– The Rough Riders were made up of cowboys, Native Americans, former sheriffs, outlaws, and even Harvard and Yale graduates.

• The Battle of San Juan Hill was the only major battle of the war. The US won it thanks to the Rough Riders and two all black regiments, known as Buffalo Soldiers.

• Admiral George Dewey during the Battle of Manila Bay

• Rough Riders Charge up San Juan Hill

Buffalo Soldiers

Charge up San Juan

Hill

Rough Riders

Treaty of Paris (1898)

• In the treaty to end the war the United States gained control of:– Puerto Rico– Guam – The Philippines – Cuba (even though it did have in

independent gov’t the US was in control of it)

• The treaty only passed the Senate by one vote because many Americans were anti-imperialists and thought imperialism went against our nation’s democratic values.

• The US would quickly build military bases on Cuba and the Philippines.

Student SummaryHow did the problems in Cuba

with Spanish rule develop into a war with America?

Part III – Completing Mahan’s

Plan

Important Pacific Islands

• By 1872, there were more American businessmen then native Hawaiians on their islands.

• In 1893, the American business owners organized a successful revolution (with help from the US military) against Queen Liliuokalani

• By 1898, Hawaii asked Congress to accept them as a US territory and they did which led to the US military building a naval base called Pearl Harbor.

Queen Liliuokalani

Uniting an

Empire

• Until 1914, American ships (military and industrial) were forced to travel all the way around the southern tip of South America to get from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic.– A ship sailing from San Francisco to New

York would travel 14,000 miles. • In 1903, the US bought a 10 mile wide strip

of Panama in Central America to build the canal and quicken the route. – The Panama Canal in Central America

was finally completed in 1914 and the same trip from SF to NY was now only 6,000 miles but during its creation 5600 people died, mostly from tropical diseases.

Digging the Canal

US Naval Ship

passing through

the Panama Canal

Student SummaryHow was Mahan’s plan

completed?

Part IV: Protecting the Empire

The US Has Trouble in

the Philippines

• The US decided to make the Philippines an American colony after the Spanish-American War.

• The Philippinos were angered by that policy because they assumed the US was there to help them get rid of the Spanish and not to rule them.

• Many Philippinos led by their leader, Emilio Aguinaldo, fought a bitter guerilla war against the US soldiers on the islands but eventually Aguinaldo lost.

Emilio Aguinaldo

Imperialistic Foreign Policies

• Much of the US’ imperialistic foreign policy was begun way back in 1823 with President James Monroe.

• His foreign policy (known as the Monroe Doctrine) said if European countries attempted to colonize countries in Central or South America the US would take that as an act of aggression.

• In 1904, President Roosevelt added to it in what is known as the Roosevelt Corollary.

• His addition began a foreign policy known as interventionism or the “Big Stick Policy” which allowed the US go in and stabilize Central or South American countries it deemed necessary to.

• It made the US a police power for the Western Hemisphere in order to protect it’s empire.

• In 1899, the US Gov’t tried to uphold the Open Door Policy when it sent warnings to European powers that American interests in China should not be disturbed. – China was being used by many different imperial

nations in Europe and the US for financial benefit.

Student SummaryWhat changes does America have to make to deal with its

newfound empire?

Unit 4B: World War I (1914-1918)

Part V: World War I Defined &

The Causes of It

World War I

Defined

• World War I is a war from 1914-1918:

– The largest war ever fought (costliest and deadliest) to that point in history

– Mostly fought in western Europe (Germany & France) and eastern Europe

– Two groups of countries fighting each other

• The Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire

• The Triple Alliance of France, England and the United States

– A war that mostly takes place in the years before US involvement which isn’t until 1917.

– A war marked by ugly trench warfare and the use of new technologies like machine guns and poison gas.

– A time in which the US Government takes a larger role in the economy to help the war effort

Long-Term

Causes of the War

• 1. Nationalism- people who shared a common language or culture were increasingly willing to go to war to govern themselves and protect their nation.

• 2. Imperialism- European countries were competing to spread their empires to Africa, Asia, and Middle East..

• 3. Militarism- European nations built strong navies and stockpiled weapons to make them stronger then their enemy.

• 4. European Alliances- hostilities led to European countries signing treaties promising to protect one another.

Student SummaryBriefly re-cap WWI – causes

and other main points.

Part VI: America Tries to Stay Out

But Cannot

America Favors

Neutrality

• For three years the deadly war would be fought in Europe and not include the US.

• Early on, most US citizens did not want the US to get involved in the war.

• Wilson even won reelection in 1916, because he kept the country out of war.

• Many Americans wanted to remain in isolation which meant that we would deal with domestic problems at home first before any foreign problems.

Reasons War

Becomes Inevitable for the US

• In 1915, a British liner called the Lusitania was sunk by German U-Boats (submarines).

– Almost 1,200 people died including 128 Americans.

• Germany then sunk another ship called the Sussex.

– In 1916, Germany gave the US the Sussex Pledge which said that it would stop firing at passenger ships.

• Ignoring the Sussex Pledge, Germany decided in 1917 it could defeat the allies by using unrestricted submarine warfare which basically meant they would attack any ship headed toward Europe that wasn’t on their side.

• British agents then found the Zimmerman Note on a German ship which was a secret letter asking Mexico to join the war and fight against the US.

– If Mexico had agreed, then Germany would support Mexico at attempts to get back land taken from them in the Mex.-Amer. War.

– Even though Mexico never received the note the US had no choice but to go to war with Germany.

WWI German U-Boat

The Lusitania

British Agent’s

Decryption of the

Zimmerman Note

US Declares

War

• The US government declared war on Germany in April of 1917.

• Wilson said that the world must be made safe for democracy.

• Congress used the Selective Service Act (1917) to draft (randomly force men to join the Army) – 4 million men were drafted for WWI.

• Two million Americans went to Europe and 1.5 million fought in the battles of the war.

Student SummaryWhat causes the US to get

involved in WWI?

Part VII: The War’s Homefront

Promoting the War

• In order to popularize the war with the American people the gov’t created the Committee on Public Information (CPI).

• The CPI was run by a progressive muckraker named George Creel.

• The CPI used propaganda (a form of biased communication to try and influence people’s thoughts and actions) to persuade the American people that the war effort needed their patriotic support.

• The CPI achieved that goal by getting the nation’s artists and advertising agencies to create posters, paintings, cartoons and sculptors promoting the war.

American WWI Propaganda

American WWI Propaganda

TheWartime Economy

• While the US was at war the gov’t needed all kinds of products from

US businesses and in order to regulate that production the gov’t

created the War Industries Board (WIB).

– It existed to help facilitate the creation of products the war effort

needed and increased overall US business production by 20%.

• American farmers were sending as much food to our allies as possible

so many Americans planted victory gardens (small backyard gardens).

– Americans did this in order to help with the war effort and because

the gov’t set some food prices at high levels to discourage some

Americans from buying them.

• The war cost the US Gov’t billions, most of which was raised by selling

war bonds.

– War bonds were purchased certificates in which the American

people could loan the gov’t money during the war and then cash

them in after the war.

– The gov’t hired famous actors to help advertise them and it made

people feel a part of the war effort.

The Espionage

and Sedition

Acts

• Passed during WWI, these laws made it illegal to:– protest against the war – interrupt the draft – say anything profane or abusive

about the government• Breaking these laws could have

resulted in stiff penalties. • These laws are a good example of

how during times of war the US Gov’t has limited people’s Constitutional rights.

Student SummaryWhat changed at home?

Part VIII: The US Helps Bring Allied

Victory

The The Great Great

SlaughterSlaughter

• From 1915-1917, (mostly before US involvement) fighting From 1915-1917, (mostly before US involvement) fighting known as known as trench warfare trench warfare became very deadly.became very deadly.

• Trenches were 6-8 feet deep ditches which both sides dug Trenches were 6-8 feet deep ditches which both sides dug and they stretched miles in length. and they stretched miles in length.

• Enemy armies would hide in them and generals for both Enemy armies would hide in them and generals for both sides would send soldiers out (over the top as they called it) sides would send soldiers out (over the top as they called it) in mass to attack the enemy’s trenches. in mass to attack the enemy’s trenches.

• The enemy would see them coming and they would be easy The enemy would see them coming and they would be easy targets to hit especially with targets to hit especially with machine gunsmachine guns. .

• Attacking men would also run into barbed wire, explosives Attacking men would also run into barbed wire, explosives and in some cases poison gas. and in some cases poison gas.

• After the battle the area between the opposing sides’ After the battle the area between the opposing sides’ trenches (trenches (no man’s land no man’s land as it was called) would be littered as it was called) would be littered with dead and wounded soldierswith dead and wounded soldiers

• A war of attrition (meaning a war where battles were being A war of attrition (meaning a war where battles were being fought but no one seemed to be winning) was taking place.fought but no one seemed to be winning) was taking place.

• In one 10 month period; 700,000 men died. In one 10 month period; 700,000 men died.

• Finally with the arrival of American soldiers in 1917, trench Finally with the arrival of American soldiers in 1917, trench warfare would subside. warfare would subside.

How to build a Trench

Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare

WWI Machine Gunners

British Troops Blinded by Gas

American War

Heroes

• The US Army was led by General John J.

Pershing throughout America’s

involvement.

• Two members of the 369th all-black

infantry regiment, Henry Johnson and

Needham Roberts received military

awards for courageous service.

• Another US soldier, Sergeant Alvin York

captured 132 Germans soldiers.

• Edward V. Rickenbacker was the best

American pilot and he shot down 22

enemy planes.

• Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts

• John Pershing and Alvin York

Rickenbacker and Manfred von Richtofen (The Red Baron)

A rebuilt version of the Red Baron’s Plane

Allied Victory

in Europe

• With the arriving American soldiers, the Germans tried one last push into France.

• They were stopped at the Second Battle of the Marne by the US, French and English.

• Then the US, English and French armies pushed the Germans back into Germany.

• These victories in 1918 and the starvation of thousands of German people led to the end of the war.

• The war officially ended on November 11th, 1918 at 11:11AM which was called Armistice Day (and later in the US, Veteran’s Day).

Student SummaryHow did the US entry into WWI effect the outcome?

Part IX: Wilson’s Plan for Peace

Wilson’s 14 Points

• Wilson outlined Fourteen Points, which were rules for the world remaining in peace.

• The first five were designed to remove the causes of war.

• The next 8 points dealt with self-determination which means that national groups would decide how they would govern themselves.

• The last point developed a League of Nations to keep world peace and was much like the current day United Nations.

Wilson on the $100,000 Bill

The Treaty of Versailles

• Signed in 1919, it created 9 new European nations and shifted boundaries of other nations

• Germany had to pay war reparations of $32 billion to England and France.

• For Wilson’s League of Nations to pass he had to give up all of the other 13 points.

• When the treaty (signed by Wilson) was debated in Congress (who had to ratify it) many groups spoke out against it. – One Senator voted against the treaty because he thought

it was too hard on Germany. – Most resistance though, came from isolationist groups in

Congress who opposed the League of Nations. • Wilson’s supporters could not get the 2/3 vote they needed to

ratify (Congress’s check and balance vote to officially approve something the President signs).

• The US never joined the League of Nations and eventually it would fail.

• The treaty in many ways caused more problems then it solved and WWI would not be “the war to end all wars” as many had hoped.

Student SummaryWhat were the problems with

Wilson’s Plan for peace?