U.S. IMPERIALISM

WHY EXPAND?

• Growing need for markets beyond U.S. borders

• American civilization is the best! We need to spread

our culture and Christianity

• ‘Scramble for Africa’ and territorial fights in China

lead U.S. to seek imperialist approach

• “Big Sister Policy”

• Rally Latin American countries under U.S. leadership

VENEZUELAN BORDER DISPUTE 1895-96

BRITAIN BACKS DOWN

• U.S. threatens to

intervene

• Britain backs down

• “The Great

Reapproachment” –

‘pat the Eagle’s

head’

• Shift in U.S. / European

relationship

OVERTHROW OF HAWAII

• America slowly infiltrates Hawaii with missionary

work -> leads to sugar trade expansion

• 5/6ths of indigenous Hawaiians die from disease

• Asian workers imported to work sugar fields

• Queen Liliuokalani – Overthrown by Americans –

1893

• Most Hawaiians reject American rule

• 1898 – US annexes Hawaii

• Key Pacific foothold

• 1900 - Statehood

SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

• Spain holds Cuba (and Phillipines) as last vestiges of

once expansive empire

• 1894 – Cubans revolt (insurrectos)

• Spaniards violently put down insurrection

• US has economic and political interest in getting

Spain out

THE SINKING OF THE MAINE

Feb. 15,

1898

Havana

Harbor

TELLER AMENDMENT

• Public sentiment split on imperialist activities

• 1898 – US declares it will go to war, only to reject

Spain from Cuba – once completed, Cuba would

gain independence

THE PHILIPPINES

• Spain also controls Philippines

• Theodore Roosevelt (asst. Navy

secretary) – urges America into

attack on Philippines

•US sneak attacks – hundreds of

Spanish navy officers killed (1898)

•Guam also taken

CONFUSED INVASION OF CUBA

• US blocks ships in

Santiago harbor

• Teddy Roosevelt leads US

‘Rough Riders’ forces as

Colonel.

• After month of fighting –

Spain declares armistice

THE PHILIPPINES

• Population – 7 million in 1899

• Spanish colony (would be ceded to US after Span-Am War)

• US sends 125,000 troops to Philippines (Filipinos revolt with guerilla tactics) • Concentration camps / the

water cure

• Forced assimilation • Millions of dollars spent on

Philippines – improving infrastructure, etc.

• Filipinos gain independence post WWII – July 4, 1946

THE CHINESE ‘OPEN DOOR’

• Western (and Eastern) nations see China as an opportunity for exploitation

• Country was already divided into ‘spheres of influence’ by outside economic interests

• 1899 – Sec. of State – John Hay ‘Open Door’ note

• Boxer Rebellion – 1900

• From this point forward, US would respect China’s territorial AND commercial integrity

THEODORE “TR” ROOSEVELT

• Brandisher of the Big Stick

(Alpha Male)

• Quickly ascends from

Colonel, to NY governor, to

VP, to President (with

McKinley’s assassination in

1901)

• Disregarded checks and

balances of US government

• Strong believer in imperialism

THE PANAMA CANAL

• US offers Panama $10 million for 6 mile wide swath through country for canal

• Panamanians revolt for fear of losing economic opportunity – US puts it down 1903 – gets 10 mile wide swath

• ‘The rape of Panama’

• Costs $400 million and 10 years to build

• One of the most impressive engineering feats in world history to that point

THE ROOSEVELT COROLLARY

• Addendum to Monroe

Doctrine

• 1904 State of Union

• US would now

intervene in any Latin

American issue

• Uncle Sam –

policeman of the

Caribbean

• ‘Bad Neighbor’ policy