Objectives
11.1.4. Examine the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction and of the industrial revolution, including demographic shifts and the emergence in the late nineteenth century of the United States as a world power.
11.4 Trace the rise of the United States to its role as a world power in the twentieth century.
Imperialism: A Primer Imperialism: To expand, to take over another country, to extend
positive/negative influence into another country, to exploit another country for resources.
Isolationism: To withdraw from foreign affairs, to focus on domestic issues.
Foreign Policy: The way one country interacts with another country, diplomacy, working out economic, militaristic, and cultural exchange; usually focuses on war, border disputes, immigration, and trade.
Domestic Policy: The way one country deals with itself and its own people; usually deals with employment, education, elderly care, crime, civil rights, cultural issues.
Nationalism: The feeling of pride in one’s own country, extreme patriotism; usually denotes the idea that one’s country is infallible and better than any alternative.
Self-Determination: The ability for one country to decide its own fate, conduct, behavior, and diplomacy with the intervention of a foreign government.
Why would one country take over another country?
What are the benefits of taking over another country?
What are the downsides of taking over another country?
What reactions would the natives of that other country have to being taken over?
Arguments For Imperialism
Arguments For
Imperialism
Make Money
Spread Democracy
Acquire Raw
Materials
Acquire Terr itory
and Spread Population
Sell Finished
Product/New Markets
Social Darwinism
Revenge
Ensure Defense
White Man’s Burden
Take Foreign Ports
Become World Power
Liberate a
Country/Human Rights
Trade Opportunities
Show Power
Arguments Against Imperialism
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
IMPERIALISM
Encourage More
Immigration
Too Expensive
Difficult to Defend a
Large Empire
Too Many Non-White Immigrants Fundamentally
Un-Democratic
Responsibility for Success or Failure
The U.S. Takes Sides
PRO-IMPERIALISTS Big Business: Looking for
new markets to sell manufactured items; find cheap labor
War Hawks: Congressmen looking to spread U.S. influence overseas
Executive Branch: President seeking to define the U.S. as a “world power”
ANTI-IMPERIALISTS Minorities: Marginalized
groups who want domestic security before foreign involvement
Isolationists: Congressmen who consider the U.S. unprepared for full-scale foreign involvement
Nativists: Americans who find no reason to participate with “foreigners”
Becoming the “United” States
1776: The Declaration of Independence 1783: The Treaty of Paris --Great Britain cedes lands up to the Miss.
River 1803: The Louisiana Purchase --Doubles the size of the U.S.,
purchased for $15 million 1830: Oklahoma and Michigan Territories --Aquired after the Indian
Wars, through genocide and relocation 1848: The Mexican Cession --Won after the Mexican-American War,
included the Southwest, California, and Texas 1853: The Gadsden Purchase --Bought from Mexico, the last piece of
the continental U.S. 1867: Alaska --Purchased by William Seward for $7.2 million from
Russia, called “Seward’s Icebox” and “Seward’s Folly”, later to yield some of the riches oil reserves in the U.S.
1893: Hawaii --Taken as a “protectorate” after the U.S. started a civil war
So What?
Benefits of Territorial Expansion
Expand American influence Provide land to a growing
population Gain rich agricultural lands
and natural resources Secure borders against
foreigners (Britain, Spain, Russia, etc)
Gain needed ports for further expansion
Problems of Territorial Expansion
Territorial expansion caused slavery to spread (and Civil War to start)
Difficult to manage large territory (enforce laws, communicate, send mail, trade, etc.,)
Caused intense friction between the U.S. and other nations (including Native Indians)
The Friction
The War of 1812
The Indian Wars 1810-1831
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The Mexican-American War1846-1848
WAR WOUNDED DEAD COST
Revolutionary War 6,100 4,500 $3.2 Billion
War of 1812 4,500 2,300 $1 Billion
Mexican-American War 4,100 13,200 $1.8 Billion
Civil War 413,000 553,600 $72 Billion (combined)
Spanish-American War 1,700 2,500 $6.5 Billion
World War I 204,000 116,500 $588 Billion
World War II 671,000 408,000 $4.8 Trillion
What is it good for?
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