When a stronger nation takes

control of a weaker nation.

When a stronger nation takes

control of a weaker nation.

1. More Natural Resources

2. More Markets in which to sell goods

3. More Military Bases and Power

4. To spread Christianity

1. More Natural Resources

2. More Markets in which to sell goods

3. More Military Bases and Power

4. To spread Christianity

Expansionism

Reasons for US Expansion Included that the USA wanted:

Control of a powerful nation over dependent territories

Control of a powerful nation over dependent territories

Annexation

ColonialisColonialismm

To take over a territory/ country with plans of making it part of your own country

When a stronger nation agrees to “protect” a weaker nation

US IMPERIALISMOF THE LATE

1800’s

US IMPERIALISMOF THE LATE

1800’s

Alaska:US bought from

Russia for$7.2 million

Alaska:US bought from

Russia for$7.2 million

Latin America:Monroe Doctrine

guided USpolicy

Latin America:Monroe Doctrine

guided USpolicy

Pacific:Missionarieswere a strong

influence

Pacific:Missionarieswere a strong

influence

Mexico:US ousted the

French(Benito Juarez)

Mexico:US ousted the

French(Benito Juarez)

Africa:US pushed

OPEN DOORPOLICY

Africa:US pushed

OPEN DOORPOLICY

U.S. ACQUIRES ALASKA

• 1867, Sec. of State William Seward arranged for the purchase of Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million

• Many called it “Seward’s Icebox” & “Seward’s Folly”

• U.S. bought Alaska for 2 cents an acre

• Alaska is rich in timber, minerals, & oil

Alaska

U.S. TAKES HAWAII

• Important economically to U.S. for centuries

• To avoid tariffs, sugar growers pleaded for annexation

• Value of the Islands – built a naval base at Pearl Harbor (1887)

• Led by Sanford Dole, U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1898 & it became a state in 1959

Alfred Thayer Mahan:

Wrote “The Influence of Sea Power Upon History”

Said if you have a modern & powerful navy, you will become a world power.

Underlying Causes

*Cuban desire for independence

*Jose Marti

Secondary Causes

*Sugar Tariff

*Yellow Press

*Concentracion Camps

Triggers

*De Lome Letter

*Sinking of the USS Maine

Events in the Philippines

*Admiral Dewey

*Manila Bay

Events in Cuba

*T.R. & the Rough Riders

*Santiago Bay

The Spanish-American War of 1898

Type of journalism that used large headlines, sensational stories, & comics.

The reporters often exaggerated their reports to get readers.

Created the New York newspaper The World.

Published the New York newspaper The Journal.

Competed for readers & fans of Yellow Journalism

De Lôme Letter• Insulted

President McKinley & caused many Americans to be upset with the Spanish gov’t!

U.S.S MAINE EXPLODES

• 1898, President McKinley ordered the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to bring home U.S. citizens in danger

• Feb. 15, 1898 - the ship blew up in the Havana Harbor

• 260+ men were killed

Before

After

Yellow Press blamed Spain for the explosion. 78 years later, US Navy claimed that a malfunction in the ship’s boiler room caused the explosion.

War in the Philippines

• U.S. forces surprised Spain by attacking the Philippines

• 11,000 Americans joined forces with Filipino rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo

WAR IN THE CARIBBEAN

• Naval blockade of Cuba was followed by a land invasion, highlighted by TR’s Rough Rider victory at San Juan Hill

• Next, U.S. Navy destroyed the Spanish fleet & paved the way for an invasion of Puerto Rico

- Teddy Roosevelt & the Rough Riders were the heroes of the US Army in Cuba

- More US soldiers died because of bad American meat ( “The Jungle”) than by Spanish bullets

TTRR

US Navy destroyed the Spanish Navy at Manila Bay in the Philippines under Admiral George Dewey. We also

destroyed the Spanish Atlantic Fleet at Santiago Bay, Cuba.

U.S. Wins!!!!!•U.S. & Spain

signed an armistice, ending what Secretary of State John Hay called “a splendid little war”

•The war lasted only 16 weeks

Treaty of Paris, 1898

December 1898December 1898

•Spain surrendered all claim to Cuba

•Ceded Puerto Rico & the island of Guam to the United States

•Sold the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million dollars

ACQUIRING NEW LANDS

• Puerto Rico wanted independence– but U.S. had other plans

• Puerto Rico was important to the U.S. strategically

• U.S. set up a civil gov’t, full citizenship, & a bicameral system

CUBA & THE U.S.

• U.S signed an agreement with Cuba known as the Platt Amendment (1903)

• Key features of “Platt” – right of the U.S. to

maintain naval stations on Cuba

– right to intervene in Cuban affairs

• Cuba had become a “protectorate” of the U.S. Today , U.S. has a prison

in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

FILIPINOS REBEL

• Filipinos reacted with rage to U.S. annexation

• 1899, Rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo vowed to fight for freedom

• 3-year war– 20,000 Filipinos died– 4,000 American lives– $400,000,000 (20x the

price the U.S. paid for the land)

U.S. troops fire on rebels

We should keep new territories from Spain for 2 reasons:

-Enhance US trade & new markets

-Fulfill our mission in the world to spread democracy, capitalism, & Christianity

Taking control of new territories is contrary to principles of the US Constitution.

(Makes us look like a bunch of hypocrites!)

VS.

Reasons for U.S.Involvement in Pacific

In Late 19th & Early 20thCenturies

More landEconomic gain by

increasing markets

Desire to aid less fortunate

people.“White man’s

burden.”

SpreadChristianity

SpreadDemocracy

US wanted free & equal trade in

China (everyone gets their fair share)

Spheres Spheres of of

InfluencInfluencee

Open Door Open Door PolicyPolicy

VS.

Europe & Japan wanted to carve China up like a

big pie (each country gets their own piece, no

sharing)

An extension of the Monroe Doctrine, it stated “we are the police of the Western Hemisphere”.

“Speak softly & carry a big

stick”

US helped Panama gain independence from

Colombia. In return, Panama gave us permission to build a canal through the

isthmus.

U.S. took over construction of the Canal from France who

could no longer afford it. The US started in 1904 & finished

in 1914.

Panama Canal decreased travel time from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Biggest threat to workers on the Panama Canal was the mosquito. The mosquito was a carrier of malaria

& yellow fever.

Dr. William Gorgas figured this out & had the Canal Zone sprayed to kill off the mosquitos.

The Panama Canal Today

U.S. policy of using the nation’s economic power to exert influence

over other countries.

“Substituting dollarsfor bullets.”