Download Unit 4 Growth of Imperialism

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Unit 4
Imperialism: policy by a stronger nation to
attempt to create an empire by dominating
weaker nations economically, politically,
culturally, or militarily.
Factors of Imperialism
Economic
Factors
Nationalistic
Factors
Humanitarian
Factors
Militaristic
Factors
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* America’s industrial
economy produced more
than the nation could
consume
* Workers and farmers
convinced business and
political leaders that the
U.S. must secure new
markets abroad (a place to
sell our excess goods)
* We also could gain access to
new raw materials
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* Alfred T. Mahan
-argued that the nation’s
economic future depended on
gaining new markets abroad
-argued the U.S. needed a
powerful navy to protect these
markets from foreign rivals in
The Influence of Sea Power
upon History
* Naval Advisory Board
-established in 1881
-Board pushed to increase Navy’s
budget. Began to build cruisers
and battleships.
* By 1900, the US had one of
the most powerful navies in
the world.
* In 1907 President
Theodore Roosevelt sent
his Great White Fleet
(an armada of 16 ships)
on a “good will cruise
around the world.
* The voyage will
demonstrate America’s
increased military power
to the world.
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* Many thought America was
losing its strength
* “Worried that the closing of the
frontier would sap the nation’s
energy, they argued that a
quest for an empire might
restore the country’s pioneer
spirit.”
* We needed new territories so
we can spread what it is to be
“American”
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* Frederick Jackson
Turner:
* Argues that the frontier
had served as a “safety
valve,” siphoning off
potential discontent
* Imperialists argued that
Turner’s ideas required
overseas expansion as a
way to keep the “safety
valve” open and avoid
internal conflict
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* Americans believed they
were superior to the
societies that they
conquered.
* Implied Social Darwinism
* The Americans believed
that expansionism was
the nation’s destiny and
purpose to spread
Christianity & modern
civilization
* Truly believed that
people NEEDED our help
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* Take up the White Man’s burden—
* Send forth the best ye breed—
* Go send 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
* Take up the White Man’s burden
* In patience to abide
* To veil the threat of terror
* And check the show of pride;
* By open speech and simple
* An hundred times made plain
* To seek another’s profit
* And work another’s gain
* Take up the White Man’s burden—
* And reap his old reward:
* The blame of those ye better
* The hate of those ye guard—
* The cry of hosts ye humour
* (Ah slowly) to the light:
* "Why brought ye us from
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bondage,
“Our loved Egyptian night?”
Take up the White Man’s burdenHave done with childish daysThe lightly proffered laurel,
The easy, ungrudged praise.
Comes now, to search your
manhood
Through all the thankless years,
Cold-edged with dear-bought
wisdom,
The judgment of your peers!
Source: Rudyard Kipling, “The White
Man’s Burden: The United States &
The Philippine Islands, 1899.”
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* Americans eventually accepted Imperialism.
They did want new MARKETS ABROAD and
favorable TRADE RELATIONS.
* They soon discovered that political and military
entanglements followed this expansionism.
* US would find itself in difficult and painful
foreign conflicts.
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*Do you think the United States is still an
imperial power.
*What kind of evidence do you have?
*What countries does the US currently
have a presence in? (lots and lots and lots
of diff. answers)
*In your opinion, does history repeat
itself?