Imperialism

American Expansion 1880-1920 and Gilded Age Foreign

Policy

Imperialism in a Global Context

• Europe is savagely dividing and controlling the “3rd World” amongst itself

• Lord Kitchener @ Omdurman• King Leopold in the Congo

• Reasons for colonialism:• Raw materials• Market for manufactured goods• Coaling and telegraph stations• “civilizing” natives (white man’s burden)• Missionaries

Division of Africa

Division of SE Asia

US: isolation or imperialismjoin or die?

Monroe Doctrine• 1820’s President

James Monroe declares Europe must stay out of Western Hemisphere– How can we enforce?– Is this law?– Is this fair to Latin

America?

• 1860’s Napoleon III attempts to control Mexico

Acquisition of Alaska and Hawaii

Alaska:– Seward’s Folly or Icebox– 7.2 Million $

Hawaii:– American Sugar companies

control island’s politics– Queen Liliokalani tries to

control and American’s revolt

– Pres Cleveland refuses to annex (McKinley, 1898)

American ideas about Expansion

• We need markets for goods!!! And have always traded with the world

• Capt. Alfred Mahan’s book The Influence of Sea Power on History is influential

• Isolation v imperialism?

Cuba• Spain ruled island for over 300 Years “Pearl”• Cuban fight guerilla war for independence• Reconcentrado: Spain places all peasants in

forts, kills everyone else!

Spanish-American War 1898

• McKinley and Yellow Press agitate for war with Spain

• USS Maine explodes!!!• McKinley sends

ultimatum

• America is not ready for the war

• Declaration of War clarified with the Teller Amendment

• It is a 2 Theater War • Pacific: Philippines• Atlantic: Cuba

Pacific Theater

• As. Sec of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt sends Dewey to Philippines w/o orders

• Dewey gets ok to attack (Feb)

• Wipes out entire Spanish fleet in the Pacific with bold maneuver (May)

Division of SE Asia

Manila Harbor

TR’s early yearsYouth-• Privileged• Rough and tumble• Loved nature• Harvard Educated• Mid-life crisis

Cuba

Rough Riders:• Odd assortment of cowboys

and Ivy League • With the 10th Cavalry they

charge up Kettle Hill to win the battle of San Juan Hill

US in Cuba:• Defeat Spanish soldiers

easily• More soldiers die of

disease than bullets!!• US Navy bottles up

Spanish fleet in Santiago Harbor and destroys their fleet!!!

Results of War

• Philippines will initially fight American control

• Cuba:– Platt Amendment (Cuban Constitution):

• Cuba can’t sign treaty which weaken its independence

• US has right to lease naval stations• No excessive foreign debt• US has right to intervene in domestic affairs

• US- Puerto Rico, Guam, Guantanamo Bay

American Diplomacy in Latin America

Roosevelt Corollary:• In rxn to German

and Brit bombing Venezuela for defaulting on loans

• RC: if Hemisphere countries act irresponsibly, we may intervene in their internal affairs!!!

Panama Canal• TR help starts a revolt in

Colombia’s Panamanian Province

• US Navy prevents Colombia from intervening

• “I took it and left Congress to debate”

• US extends immediate recognition and signs canal treaty

• Building the canal:• 1880: French failure• Key is control of disease• Earth moving machines and

locks are engineering marvel

• Complete: 1914, open to world and currently owned by Panama

Results of Imperialism

• 3rd World controlled by industrialized nations

• Eventually Imperial powers image is tarnished in the 3rd World

• US gets involved in world affairs briefly and then retreats into isolation until WW1