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America Claims an Empire

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Title: America Claims an Empire


1
America Claims an Empire
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(No Transcript)
3
Imperialism Goals
  • Imperialism
  • Policy in which stronger nations extend their
    economic, political, or military control over
    weaker territories
  • Three Goals
  • Desire for military strength
  • Thirst for new markets (money)
  • Belief in cultural superiority

4
Military Strength
  • Leaders in America pushed for a stronger military
    in order to compete
  • America concentrates on developing a stronger
    navy
  • U.S.A. develops 9 steel cruiser warships between
    1883-1890 including the U.S.S. Maine

5
Thirst for New Markets
  • New technology produced goods at a much faster
    rate than Americans could consume such goods.
  • Pursuing foreign trade would satisfy the want to
    continue to sell these goods

6
Cultural Superiority
  • Social Darwinism
  • Belief that free market competition would lead to
    the survival of the fittest
  • Belief in racial superiority of Anglo-Saxons
  • Belief that the United States had a
    responsibility to spread Christianity and
    civilization to the worlds inferior people.

7
U.S.A. Acquires Alaska
  • In 1867 United States buys Alaska from Russia for
    7.2 million
  • Created a lot of argument over its usefulness
  • Alaska proved to be very rich in timber, mineral,
    and OIL.

8
U.S.A. Takes Hawaii
  • Hawaii was first used as a break point on the way
    to China and East India
  • Merchants set up schools and churches on the
    Islands
  • Sugar planters on the islands sold most of their
    crops to the United States.

9
U.S.A. Takes Hawaii continued
  • America builds a naval base at Pearl Harbor
  • Sugar plantations accounted for a ¾ of the
    islands wealth
  • A tariff threatens to create competition for
    Hawaiian sugar farmers
  • Imperialist President McKinley allowed congress
    to proclaim it an American Territory.

10
Spanish-American War
11
U.S. Wants what Spain has
  • Spain has control over the Philippine, Island of
    Guam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico
  • Cubans rebel against Spain
  • Continually fight against slavery
  • U.S.A. interested in Cuba
  • Geographically close to U.S.A.
  • Provides rich resources especially sugar crops

12
War Fever Escalates
  • Yellow Journalism
  • Type of writing that exaggerates news to lure and
    enrage readers
  • Cuban children thrown to the sharks was an
    example of the type of reporting that brought
    sympathy for the Cuban rebels.
  • The De Lome Letter
  • A letter written by Spanish leaders criticizing
    President McKinley
  • Americans grew angry over the insult of their
    President
  • U.S.S. Maine Explodes
  • Days after the letter, McKinley ordered the ship
    to return from Cuba in order to protect American
    property, but it suddenly explodes
  • Still a mystery on why it exploded, the
    newspapers claimed the the Spanish were
    responsible.

13
War Begins
  • Despite Spanish concessions, War begins
  • U.S.A. invades Philippines
  • Surprise attack because the Spanish thought
    America would invade Cuba
  • Easily wins, and the Philippines claim
    independence from Spain
  • War in the Caribbean
  • The naval forces formed a blockade of Cuba and
    sealed up the Spanish fleet
  • Rough Riders
  • While the naval forces proved superior, the
    ground forces lacked adequate training, supplies,
    and leaders
  • One group, the Rough Riders, were lead by Teddy
    Roosevelt, and were responsible for taking a
    strategically important location known as San
    Juan Hill.

14
Treaty of Paris
  • The war only lasted 15 weeks
  • Terms of war
  • Spain freed Cuba
  • Spain turned over Guam and Puerto Rico to the
    United States
  • Spain sold Philippines to the United States for
    20 million.

15
Acquiring New Lands
16
Puerto Rico
  • America contemplated statehood for Puerto Rico,
    but decided to make them a commonwealth, which
    makes them citizens, but denies them the right to
    vote in presidential elections
  • America needed Puerto Rico for future access to a
    canal and to maintain a presence in the Caribbean.

17
U.S.A. in Cuba
  • American soldiers occupied Cuba even though they
    were considered independent
  • U.S.A. Army would not withdraw unless they adopt
    the Platt Amendment
  • Platt Amendment
  • Cuba could not make treaties
  • America reserved the right to intervene in Cuba
  • Cuba was not to go into debt that it could not
    repay
  • United States could buy or lease land on the
    island for naval stations and refueling stations

18
Philippine-American War
  • Filipinos revolt because they felt United States
    assumed the same role as Spain
  • Filipinos resort to guerrilla tactics, and
    American military forced them to live in
    designated zones where they were thousands were
    killed by starvation, disease, and sanitation
  • It took 3 years, 20,000 Filipion lives, 4,000
    american lives, and 400 million to bring down
    the rebellion.

19
Foreign influence in China
  • Open Door Notes
  • A policy created by then Secretary of State John
    Hay, to ensure trading rights with China.
  • China had been weakened by war, and America was
    worried they would be taken over by European
    powers
  • Boxer Rebellion
  • Angered by a strong European presence in China,
    secret societies such as the Boxers formed and
    killed hundreds of foreigners
  • Combined infantry from Britain, France, Germany,
    Japan, and the U.S.A. shut down the rebellion
    within months.

20
America as a World Power
21
The Panama Canal
  • Greatly reduced travel time for commercial and
    military ships by providing a shortcut between
    the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
  • In order to build it, the United States had to
    get permission from Colombia, which controlled
    Panama at the time.
  • The United States helped Panama gain independence
    with a a dozen U.S. warships present the day
    Panama declared independence.
  • United States paid 25 million to Colombia for
    compensation of lost territory

22
Construction of Canal
  • Ranks as one of the worlds greatest engineering
    accomplishments.
  • At the height of construction 43,400 workers were
    employed, with 5,600 of them dying from accidents
    or disease.
  • Total cost 380 million
  • Construction ran from 1904-1914
  • More than 1,000 merchant ships passed through in
    its first year

23
Roosevelts Big Stick Policy
  • The use of military threat to protect Americas
    interest
  • Roosevelt was worried that European nations might
    intervene on Latin American countries because
    they would not be able to pay their loan back
  • In attempt to protect the control of Latin
    American countries, Roosevelt reminded European
    nations of the Monroe Doctrine, and stated that
    the U.S. would use force to protect Latin America.

24
Dollar Diplomacy
  • Initiated by Taft
  • Essentially was a tactic that involved the U.S.
    paying the debt of Latin American countries
  • In return the U.S. would gain control of their
    national banks, infrastructure, and most
    importantly would keep out European influence.

25
Wilsons Missionary Diplomacy
  • Another expansion of the Monroe Doctrine
  • The act of denying recognition of a government
    based on their hostility towards American
    interests.
  • The American government denied recognition to
    governments that were oppressive, or
    undemocratic.

26
Revolution in Mexico
  • Wilsons policy was put to the test when a
    revolution in Mexico threatened to American
    business in Mexico
  • With a series of governmental changes, the two
    countries almost came to war until the revolution
    ended.
  • Finally Wilson withdrew troops and recognized
    Mexicos government
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