unit 3. american imperialism eq: how did the us come to be a global power? major topics motives for...
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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