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U.S. Imperialism Era

*American Expansionism & The Panama Canal

“Speak softly and carry a big stick. You will go far.”

- Teddy Roosevelt

Political Cartoon:American Imperialism

The cartoon displays Uncle Sam showing off in front of other world powers, while balancing the “primitives” of its newly acquired territories. ..Notice the racial tone andarrogance of the political cartoon.

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Land base conquered1890-1897

Wounded Knee massacre

Chicago Pullman rail strike

Nicaragua

After the Spanish-American War, the United States emerges in possession of

an overseas empire.

Presidential Campaign Poster for Mckinley-Roosevelt

National HeroAfter the war with Spain, Roosevelt returned a hero and was soon elected governor of New York and then later

won the vice-presidency.

http://www.vw.vccs.edu/vwhansd/HIS122/Teddy/Images/trgov.jpg

http://www.politicalbadges.com/1896%20Theodore%20Roosevelt%20(for%20Governor%20stud).jpg

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Spanish-American War Era 1898-1903

Philippine Insurrectionagainst Spain, then U.S.

Cuba seized from Spain

Panamaindependence, canal zoneannexation

Boxer Rebellion in China

Gunship DiplomacyIn 1853, the United States had forced open an

isolationist Japan to Western trade and influence when Commodore Matthew Perry

landed there with American navy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:PerryFleet.jpg

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Formerly part of the Spanish empire, the Philippines came under U.S. rule after the Spanish-American

War. Filipino rebels had expected independence and fought against U.S. control until they were defeated

in 1902.

Filipino Rebels

In the mid-19th century, American settlers built sugar and pineapple plantations on Hawaii. These settlers

overthrew the Hawaiian queen in 1893. After the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Congress voted in favor of the annexation of Hawaii in 1898.

http://harwich.edu/depts/history/pp/imperialism/sld006.htm

The U.S. announced the Open Door Policy, favoring equal trading rights for all foreign nations in China. In 1900, the Box Rebellion threatened foreigners in

China. An international army, with U.S. participation, crushed the rebellion, but Americans opposed any

attempt by other nations to use the rebellion to dismember China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Boxer1900.jpg

Boxer Rebel

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In the early 20th century, the U.S. government extended the Monroe

Doctrine through the Roosevelt Corollary.

http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/uploadimages/169_02_2.jpg

The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine was used to justify sending troops into Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. In this way,

the United States protected its interests in the Panama Canal. Later, President Wilson intervened in

both the Caribbean region and Mexico.

www.csub.edu/~gsantos/jpgs/img0099.jpg

“Dollar Diplomacy” 1903-1912

Nicaragua landings

China interventions begin

“GunboatDiplomacy”

in Cuba

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In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt declared that the U.S. would act as an “international police power” in Latin

America. Rather than let European nations intervene to collect their debts, the U.S.

would act for them.

Some advocates argued that since the United States was now an industrial power, colonies

could provide needed raw materials for American factories and a guaranteed market

of U.S. manufacturers.

Others saw colonial expansion as a way of

showing that the United States was a great nation,

arguing the country should grab a few colonies

before nothing was left. Inspired by Manifest

Destiny.

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In particular, these voices favored American control of the Caribbean, building a canal through Panama, and the acquisition of

islands in the Pacific as coaling stations for ships trading with Asia.

Opponents felt that imperialism violated America’s democratic principles. They

reminded citizens that America was also once a colony and had fought a war with

Great Britain to break the chains of imperialism.

To sail from Atlantic to Pacific, ships navigated around Cape Horn, the treacherous southern extremity of South America. A New York to San Francisco journey measured some 13,000 miles and took months.

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Military importance: Naval strategists believed that the United States needed a large navy

and a canal through Central America to establish itself as a world sea power.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h73000/h73411.jpg

President Roosevelt took steps to build a canal that would allow ships to cross between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without circling South America. The Isthmus of Panama, the narrowest point in Central America, was a natural place to build the canal,

but posed may challenges.

http://harwich.edu/depts/history/pp/imperialism/sld049.htm

Natures Challenges and the Panama Canal

• Tropical climate• Disease-carrying

mosquitoes• Mountains

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/library/historical/medical_history/yellow_fever/assets/panama.jpg

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When Panamanian rebels declared their independence from Columbia in 1903,

Roosevelt sent U.S. warships to protect them.

http://www.panamacanalcountry.com/images/US%20stamp%20of%20Ancon%20crossing%20Canal.jpg

In return for U.S. protection, the new government of Panama gave the United

States control of the Panama Canal Zone, a ten-mile wide strip of land

through the center of Panama.

http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/joining.html

• Construction of the canal began in 1904.• To prevent malaria and yellow fever, the

U.S. Army cleaned up swamps where infected mosquitoes had bred.

http://yellowfever.lib.virginia.edu/reed/images/03-NC.jpg

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/online/2006/grade11/ss/images/8graphicaa.gif

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They built a series of locks that raised shops to an artificial lake, across the central highland, and then lowered them back to sea level on the other

side.

It took the Army Corps of Engineers ten years to build the enormous locks and to remove millions of tons of earth to

complete the canal.

http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/joining.html

U.S President Theodore Roosevelt

Visiting the canal construction site.

It is estimated that over 80,000 persons took part in the construction and that over 30,000 lives were lost in both French and American efforts.

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Dr. William Gorgas, was hired to eradicate yellow fever , like he had in Havana years before. He was able to accomplish his goal by killing the mosquitoes that carried the diseases. Workers:1. Drained swamps, swept

drainage ditches, paved roads and installed plumbing.

2. Sprayed pesticides by the ton.

3. Entire towns rose from the jungle, complete with housing, schools, churches, commissaries, and social halls.

1909 Lock Construction

The American expenditures from 1904 to 1914 totaled $352,000,000, far more than the cost of anything built by the United States Government up to that time. In today’s money it would cost $7,448,028,707.72

At the Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side, workers poured enough concrete to build a wall 8' wide, 12' high, and 133 miles long. They built culverts the size of railroad tunnels to channel water from Gatun Lake into the locks.

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By August 15, 1914 the Panama Canal was officially opened by the passing of the SS Ancon.

How the Panama Canal Locks work

A journey through the Panama Canal

Intervention inMexican Revolution

World War Iin France

Intervention in Russian Revolution

First World War Era1914-1919

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Intervention in China

Intervention in Latin America

Intervention in the Caribbean

Post-World War Era1920-1941