Unit 3. American Imperialism EQ: How did the US come to be a

global power? Major topics

Motives for imperialism Acquisition of Alaska and Hawaii Spanish-American War and acquisition of

the Philippines Major assessments

Spanish-American War article Presidential Advisory Committee speeches

The Origins of a Global Power

US Imperialism

THE ROOTS OF EXPANSIONISM

George Washington’s Farewell Address (1796)

Washington warned Americans to “steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”

Manifest Destiny

MANIFEST DESTINY (coined 1845): the belief that the mission of the United States was to: expand bring democracy to others spread American values across the

continent and perhaps even the world What to do when we occupy the entire

continent?

American Progress (John Gast, 1872)

WHY IMPERIALISM?

The Changing United States

Emerged as economic and political giant

Immigration, urbanization, industrialization

Everyday lives changed radically

Immigration 1890s: 45% immigrants or children of

immigrants New immigrants

US Immigration from Leading Countries Between 1850-1900

1850-60 1860-70 1870-80 1880-90 1890-1900

Ireland 36.9% 24.4% 15.4% 12.8% 11%Germany 34.8% 35.2% 27.4% 27.5% 15.7%Britain 13.5% 14.9% 21.1% 15.5% 8.9%Scandinavia 0.9% 5.5% 7.6% 12.7% 10.5%Russia * 0.2% 1.3% 3.5% 12.2%Austria-Hungary * 0.2% 2.2% 6% 14.5%

Italy * 0.5% 1.7% 5.1% 16.3%

Urbanization 1/3

Americans=city dwellers by 1900

Problems in the cities

Immigration + urbanization + industrialization = fears

Industrialization and International Trade Manufacturing overtakes agriculture Exports: cotton, grain, beef, tobacco,

dairy products, manufactured goods Value of exports: $1 billion by 1890s Surplus and tariffs

1893 depression= more fears

Crisis!

Would immigration fundamentally change the United States? Could the US’s prosperity be sustained now that the nation had reached its physical limits?

Overseas expansion is the answer!

Expansionists Expand into Asian

markets Control land and canals

in Caribbean, Central America, and Pacific islands

Expansionpolitical power

Imperialism

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

Motives: Economic Competition Raw materials New markets Foreign trade US was a leading

economic power by 1900

Motives: Political and Military Competition

Build up military strength

Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914) argues for a strong US navy The Influence of Sea

Power upon History (1890)

US becomes world’s 3rd largest naval power

Motives: Social Darwinism

“Survival of the fittest”

Scientific racism

European and American superiority

Duty to “civilize”

AMERICA EXPANDS

US Buys Alaska 1867: Secretary of

State William Seward buys Alaska from Russia

$7.2 million; only 2 cents per acre!

“Seward’s Folly” Rich in natural

resources

Hawaii: Before it was a state Americans owned sugar plantations that

provided ¾ of the islands’ wealth 1900: foreigners and immigrant laborers

outnumber native Hawaiians 3 to 1 1875: treaty allowed sale of Hawaiian sugar in

US without duty 1887: white business leaders forced King

Kalakua to change constitution 1887: US coerced Hawaii to sign treaty

allowing construction of naval base at Pearl Harbor

Hawaii: The Crisis McKinley Tariff (1890):

duty-free status of Hawaiian sugar eliminated

Competition in US market from Cuba sugar

Queen Lilioukalani proposed new constitution to remove property qualifications for voting

Hawaii: Road to Annexation

Business groups organized a revolution against queen

Marines took over government building and imprisoned queen

Established government with Sanford B. Dole as president

Eventually, in 1898, Hawaii is annexed

Annex: to incorporate (territory) into the domain of a city, country, or state

Summary

1890s period of great change Many changes alarming and

frightening Approaches to restore economic well-

being, promote American ideals, assert American power

Significant element of US policy in 1890s becomes involvement overseas