America Claims an Empire

What is imperialism?

*Imperialism policy in
which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories

Economic competition among industrial

nations

Why does the United States become involved in imperialism?

Political and military

competition

Belief in racial and

cultural superiority white is right or the White Mans Burden

Hawaiiimportant to the U.S. since the

late 1700s as a fuel and supply stop
o 1880 Hawaiians outnumber whites 3 to 1 o 1887 Whites force King Kalakaua to alter voting system to favor rich land owners o 1887 Pearl Harbor is granted to the U.S.

What was the United States 1st imperialistic acquisition?

 1890 McKinley Tariff raises the price of

foreign Hawaiian sugar

What was the United States 1st imperialistic acquisition?

1891 Queen Liliuokalani takes the

thrown and gives voting power back to the native Hawaiians

1893 John L. Stevens (ambassador) and Sanford B.

Dole ([pineapples) organize a revolution on January 16 U.S. marines from the USS Boston invade and force Queen Liliuokalani to abdicate, Dole becomes president of the Pineapple Republic and then asks the U.S. to take over (they do in 1898)

Spanish-American War
Spain

What events took place during the imperialism?

o April 20, 1898US officially declares war on o May 1, 1898 US invades the Philippines and the defeats Spain at the Battle of Manila

US invades Cuba

What events took place during the Spanish-American War?

o 125,000 volunteer soldiers head to Cuba (only 395 die) o Malaria and dysentery destroy much of Americas forces o Alcohol, especially rum, hinder many soldiers o Incorporation of the Buffalo Soldiersblack soldiers o Rough Riders come to prominence
o Teddy Roosevelts Calvary unit o San Juan HillRoosevelt is not actually the hero as it a complete infantry victorybut he rides this misconception all the way to the White House

o July 17, 1898 US invades and

captures Puerto Rico

August 12, 1898

o Treaty of Paris

How does the Spanish-American War conclude?

o Cuba becomes an independent nation o US gets Puerto Rico and Guam o US pays Spain $20 million for control of the Philippines

Puerto Rico

What did the United States do in each of the lands it acquired?

o The island became a commonwealthsimilar to a state but with a few differences

o Tax-exempt status o No representation in government o No voting right in presidential elections o No states rights

Cuba

What did the United States do in each of the lands it acquired?

o The island became an independent nation under the protection of the US (a protectorate) o Under the Platt amendment the US agreed that:
o Cuba cannot make treaties that limit its independence o Cuba cannot go into debt o US reserves the right to intervene in Cuba to protect independence and order o US could buy or lease land on the island for a naval base (Guantanamo Bay)

Philippines

What did the United States do in each of the lands it acquired?

o The Philippines becomes a US territory o 1 year later, in 1899, the Philippines rebels in the Philippine-American War
o The US is victorious but the island nation continues to be a trouble spot until after WWII

Negatives

Where there any problems with imperialism?

o Many citizens

protested the US involvement overseas and the $ spent (Dollar Diplomacy)

o Natives were not

interested in US control
o It goes against

democratic freedoms

What benefits were there in being a world power? The US builds the Panama Canal
o 1904-1914 o 50 mile canal over the isthmus of Panama o New York to San Francisco = 13,000 miles o New York to San Francisco = 5,200 miles o US essentially stole the lands from Columbia and created a new country (Panama) o Yellow fever and bubonic plague kill thousands of natives o 5,600 workers die constructing the canal