The Lure of Imperialism

Imperialist Activity

• Imperialism: the extension of a nation’s power over other lands

• Reasons for imperialism:– Economic interests– Military needs– Ideology– The scramble for

territory

Economic Interests

• Industrial Revolution brought great prosperity

• World powers needed new customers and new investments

• Looking for new resources for raw materials– Africa, Latin America,

Asia

Military Needs

• Navies strengthened to protect countries

• Navies needed bases to refuel and make repairs

• Foreign territory used to build bases in strategic locations

Ideology• Strong sense of

nationalism• Territorial conquests

increased a nation’s power and prestige

• Cultural superiority• Cultures seemed

“backward” due to less industry

• Missionaries spread religion

Scramble for Territory

• European powers and conquered most of Africa and Asia

• U.S. thought it was time to stake their claim

• Manifest Destiny was to keep spreading American territory

Taking Control of Hawaii

• Hawaii was ideal spot for naval base between the U.S. and Asia

• 8 major Hawaiian islands under one monarch

• Christian missionaries came in 1800s

• Settled down and raised crops, particularly sugarcane

Taking Control of Hawaii• Population of Hawaii

dramatically declined due to diseases brought by foreigners

• American investors in the sugar industry increased

• Few Hawaiians led to need for workers

• Workers brought from China, Japan and the Philippines

Taking Control of Hawaii

• Hawaiians resented American influence and control

• Treaty negotiated to allow Hawaiian sugar to enter the U.S. tax free

• Treaty boosted the Hawaiian sugar industry

Taking Control of Hawaii

• Hawaiian League created by American interests

• Purpose was to overthrow the monarchy and establish a democracy in Hawaii

• U.S. wanted the port of Pearl Harbor in exchange for renewing the sugar treaty

Taking Control of Hawaii

• King forced to sign bayonet constitution at gunpoint

• Deprived most Hawaiians of the vote

• U.S. placed permanent warships at Pearl Harbor

Taking Control of Hawaii• Sugar treaty revoked to

benefit producers on the mainland

• Sugar producers in Hawaii wanted annexation to protect their interests

• Hawaiian king died and sister took over

• She planned to restore the power of the monarch

Taking Hawaii

• U.S. Marines surrounded the royal palace

• The queen was forced to surrender

• Rebel leaders formed a new government

• Sanford Dole named president (sugar tycoon)

Taking Hawaii

• President Cleveland ordered an investigation

• Ordered the queen restored to throne

• Dole refused to step down

• Annexation left in limbo until President McKinley favored annexation in 1898

Influence in China• American traders had

traveled to China since 1784

• China was very isolated• European powers forced

their way into Chinese ports

• Japan, Russia, France, Germany and Great Britain carved out spheres of influence

Influence in China

• Sphere of influence: a geographic area where an outside nation exerts special or political control

• America too late to secure a sphere of influence

• Proposed the Open Door Policy in 1899

Open Door Policy in China

• Aim was to give all nation equal trade in China

• Notes sent to other countries, none objected

• 1900 U.S. announces Open Door Policy was approved

• Nationalism increased in China

Boxer Rebellion

• Nationalist group retaliated against foreign missionaries

• Laid siege to Beijing in 1900

• 20,000 Western troops sent in

• Rebellion stopped

Influence in Japan

• Seized Taiwan from China in 1895

• Japanese had not industrialized

• Awed by American steamships

• Japan opened to trade with U.S.

• Rapid industrialization and militarization

Russo-Japanese War

• 1904• Fought over Chinese

province of Manchuria• TR helped negotiate a

peace treaty• TR received the Nobel

Peace Prize as a result• Japan was the victor• Strongest power in East

Asia

Russo-Japanese War• Japan wanted to expand

to get natural resources• Also wanted to

outbalance U.S. influence• TR sent Great White Fleet• 4 squadrons of

battleships• 43,000 mile journey

around the world• Led by Adm. Sperry• Stopped on 20 ports on 6

continents

The Spanish-American war

Learning Targets

1. I can analyze how unrest in Cuba led to rebellion.

2. I can explain why Americans got “war fever.”3. I can outline the main events of the Spanish-

American War.4. I can explain why the annexation of the

Philippines was controversial.

Unrest in Cuba

• By the 1890s, Cuba and Puerto Rico were the last of Spanish empire

• Cubans unhappy under Spanish rule

• Jose Marti became one of Cuba’s greatest heroes

Unrest in Cuba

• Spain sent General Wyler to Cuba

• Cubans placed in reconcentration camps so they could not aid rebels

• 1/3 of prisoners died in camps due to starvation and disease

• Mistreatment of civilians shocked Americans

Americans Get War Fever

• Americans saw Cuban struggle as similar to their own

• Most Americans got news from newspapers

• William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer were newspaper publishers

• Competed for readers with scandalous stories

American Gets War Fever

• Yellow Journalism: reporting sensational stories

• Newspapers supported Cuban rebels

• No Spanish sources used

• Stories were biased, but sold more newspapers

The Explosion of the Maine

• Stories of Spanish cruelty fueled Americans call for war

• President McKinley reluctant to go to war

• de Lome letter: letter written by Spain’s minister to the U.S.

• Criticized McKinley for being weak

The Explosion of the Maine

• USS Maine sent to Cuba to evacuate American citizens

• The ship mysteriously blew up

• Killed 260 sailors• Americans blamed Spain• Was actually caused by a

fire in the coal storage room

The Explosion of the Maine

• Investigation blamed a Spanish mine

• President McKinley demanded the Spanish declare Cuba independent

• Spain refused• The U.S. declared war

The Course of War

• Lasted 4 months• Fought on 2 fronts• Spain had owned the

Philippines since the 1500s

• TR ordered navy to attack the Philippines in the event of war

War in the Philippines

• Americans had advantage of modern ships with iron and steel hulls

• Superior weapons• Spanish had wooden

ships• Spanish fleet destroyed• No loss of American

lives

War in the Philippines

• Dewey then attacked city of Manila

• Found ally in Emilio Aguinaldo

• Filipino patriot who had been fighting Spain for independence

• Navy remained in the harbor, Aguinaldo’s troops battled on land

• Spain surrendered the Philippines

The War in Cuba

• Teller Amendment• Adopted before the war• Stated that once Cuba was

free, it would be left to govern itself

• American soldiers ill-equipped– Had wool uniforms– Supplies left from the

Civil War– Food was not edible

The War in Cuba

• Soldier included the Rough Riders

• Regiment organized by TR after he left the navy

• Normally fought as a cavalry, but couldn’t transport horses

• Buffalo soldiers led the charge

The War in Cuba

• Battle of San Juan Hill won several Buffalo Soldiers and Rough Riders Medals of Honors

• Battle of Santiago: entire Spanish fleet sunk

• Spanish surrendered in Cuba and were then defeated in Puerto Rico

Consequences of War

• Spain had to give up Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guam to the U.S.

• Also turned the Philippines over to the U.S. for $20 million

• The war cost the U.S. $250 million

• 2,000 soldiers died, mostly from yellow fever

Consequences of War

• The U.S. now became an imperialist nation

• It now had more bases for trade and resupplying its navy

• America was split on its support for territorial expansion

Annexing the Philippines

• Some thought the US had a duty to spread values overseas

• McKinley wanted to help our “little brown brothers”

• Some wanted to keep the Philippines for economic value

• Thought US should keep the Philippines so other countries didn’t gain control

Opponents of Annexation

• Thought annexation violated the ideals of the Constitution

• Feared flood of new immigrants

• Philippine officially annexed in 1899

• Filipinos were infuriated

American Rule

• Aguinaldo had set up a government and named himself president

• He threatened military action

• Filipino and American forces battled for 3 years

American Rule

• U.S. stated goal was to prepare the islands for independence

• Filipinos were given the right to vote under an appointed governor

• The Philippines were granted full independence in 1946