Age of Imperialism

mid-1800s through the early 1900s

powerful European nations extended their political, economic, and military influence by creating colonies in Africa and Asia

The United States and Japan began considering the benefits and started implementing similar imperialist policies

Why did the United States join the imperialist club at

the end of the 19th century?

1. Commercial/Business Interests

U.S. Foreign Investments: 1869 – 1908

2. Military/Strategic Interests

Alfred T. Mahan wrote The Influence of Sea Power on History (1660-1783): argued that many great nations owed their

greatness to naval power urged construction of a fleet of steel ships,

overseas bases, and a canal across Central America

believed future prosperity depended on foreign trade

As a result of Mahan’s book, the U.S. had a large, powerful navy by the late 1890’s known as the Great White Fleet.

Teddy Roosevelt succeeded in sending his

Great White Fleet around the globe

in 1908 to demonstrate American naval power.

3. Social Darwinist Thinking

The Hierarch

yOf

Race

Social Darwinism was the belief that life consists of competitive struggles in which only the fittest survive.

Social Darwinists believed that certain nations and races were superior to others.

Americans embraced Social Darwinism because they had long believed that God had granted them the right to settle the frontier, they spoke of their “Manifest Destiny.”

Rudyard Kipling’s The White Man’s Burden (1899)

“…take up the White Man’s burden, send forth the best ye breed, go bind your sons to exile, to serve your captives’ need, to wait in heavy harness, on fluttered folk and wild, your new caught sullen peoples, half-devil and half-child…”

• What does he mean by “the White Man’s Burden”?

• What does the word captives indicate?

• What does the final line tell us about his view of different cultures?

4. Religious/Missionary Interests

Unlocking Japan

Fearing the influence of outsiders, Japan chose to completely isolate itself from other nations in the 1600’s.

“The continuation of…the intention of introducing the Christian religion having come to our knowledge, it is impossible to look on with indifference. If in future foreign vessels should come near any port whatsoever, the local inhabitants shall…drive them away; but should they go away peaceably it is not necessary to pursue them. Should any foreigners land anywhere, they must be arrested or killed, and if the ship approaches the shore it must be destroyed.”

– Japanese policy, 1825Source: “When Japan was a secret.” The Economist December 22nd 2007 – January 4th 2008: 63.

Why did the U.S. want to establish a relationship with Japan?

1. Trade: to sell U.S. goods to Japanese Consumers

2. Sailors: to ensure proper treatment of shipwrecked U.S. sailors

3. Fuel: to purchase fuel (coal) from the Japanese for U.S. whaling and fishing ships

Matthew Perry:

Sent to Japan in 1853 by President Fillmore

Prior to Perry’s arrival Japan denied the rest of the world access to its ports

Set a precedent for expansion across the Pacific Ocean

Perry arrived with four steam-powered warships, impressing the Japanese. The Japanese though the ships were “giant dragons puffing smoke.”

Perry’s Black

Ships in 1853

Alaska: Secretary of State William

Seward purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867. Critics mocked “Seward’s

Icebox” and “Seward’s Folly” as a far off and useless frozen tundra but…

valuable resources, including timber, gold, and oil, were found

and Alaska doubled America’s territory

Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System transports oil, Alaska’s most important export. It runs 800 miles from the Arctic Ocean to the

Gulf of Alaska at Valdez. Residents share the profits ranging from $1800-$3000

Acquiring Hawaii:

Hawaii becomes a U.S. Protector late in 1849 by virtue of economic treaties

U.S. recognized the strategic importance of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean

In 1875, Hawaii agreed to give the U.S. control of the seaport Pearl Harbor

Wealthy American planters, such as Sanford Dole, forced the Hawaiian King, Kalakaua, to adopt a new constitution, giving more control of the kingdom to the planters. • Foreigners had the right to vote, but most

native Hawaiians could not.

Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani: How does the cartoonist depiction differ from reality?

Queen Liliuokalani

Becomes the leader of Hawaii in 1891 and attempts to restore the kingdom’s independence

However, U.S. Marines forced Queen Liliuokalani to surrender at gunpoint

“I yield to the superior force of the United States of America…To avoid any collision of armed forces and perhaps the loss of life, I do this under protest, and impelled by said force, yield my authority.” -Liliuokalani letter to the U.S. Government (1893)

Sanford Dole becomes the temporary President of the “Republic

of Hawaii”

• Hawaii was annexed in 1898 when President McKinley took office and it became the 50th state in 1959.

• “Another Shotgun Wedding” A woman (Hawaii) and Uncle Sam are getting married, kneeling before the minister (President McKinley) who is reading from a book entitled “Annexation Policy.” The bride seems ready to bolt.

United States Expansion Overseas after 1850

1853

1867

1867

1898

1898

Commodore Matthew Perry’s fleet entered Tokyo Bay, persuading Japan to trade with the United States.Secretary of State William Seward purchased Alaska from Russia.

The United States obtained Midway Islands in the Pacific.Congress approved the annexation of Hawaii.

The Spanish-American War gave the U.S. control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.