Download expanding overseas

EXPANDING
OVERSEAS:
IMPERIALISM
 Imperialism: the policy of powerful
countries that seek to control the
political and economic affairs of weaker
countries or regions.
 Isolationism: one country having
little to do with foreign countries.
For the first 75 years of its
existence the
United States
followed a policy of
isolationism.
Unlocking Japan
• Japan was an isolationist society.
• Commodore Matthew Perry was sent to open up
Japan.
– Perry’s mission was to open up Japan for trade with the US.
– Perry was sent away the first time.
– One year later he returned and the Treaty of Kanagawa was
signed.
• It was said they would help ship wrecked sailors and two ports
would be opened to trade.
American Expansion
 Seward’s Folly
 1867 William Seward (Secretary of State to Abraham
Lincoln) bought Alaska for $7.2 million (2 cents an
acre)
 We bought it from Russia
 It increased the size of the US by about a fifth.
 Most people thought this purchase was foolish.
 It turned out to be a good deal:
 Lowlands were well suited for farming
 It has many natural resources such as
copper and timber
 In 1896 gold was found in Alaska
 In 1868 “black gold” (oil) was
discovered
The American Urge to Expand
 Europe was starting to expand and many people
thought so should the United States
Remember
Westward
Expansion
Arguments for Expansion






Increase trade
Extend our culture to others
Spread our government: democracy
New markets
Need for raw materials
Navel Power
Arguments NOT to Expand
 We were once a colony how could we do
that to others
 Didn’t want to go to war with other
countries
Annexing Hawaii
• Why would we want Hawaii?
– Rich soil, and warm climate allowed
crops to be grown all year long.
• (sugar plantations)
• Midway point for fueling and trade
What happened when Missionaries
and planters came in?
– By mid 1800’s large sugar plantations were set up.
• The plantations needed cheap labor
• Workers from China, Korea, Japan and the Philippines moved
in to work the land.
• By 1900 ¼ of the people in Hawaii had been born in Japan
•
– The planters had so much power that they staged a revolt
•
– The American Sugar Planters set up a Republic and asked
the United States to Annex Hawaii.
•
– The United States did Annex Hawaii and later it became
the 50th state
Rivalry in China
 Carving up China
 In 1800’s Britain, France, Germany, Russia,
and Japan had carved out areas in China
called Spheres of influence.

 Sphere of influence is an area, usually
around a seaport, where a nation had
special trading privileges.
 Each nation made it’s own laws for it’s
own citizens in the sphere.
 Fearing being kept out The U.S. sent a letter to
China and to all the Nations that had a sphere to
urge them to follow an Open Door Policy.

 Open Door Policy: Under this policy any nation
could trade with any of the nations that had a
sphere of influence.
The Boxer Rebellion
– The Boxers (or Fists of Harmony) were the
Chinese citizens who were part of a secret society
against the nations who had a sphere of influence
• The boxers wanted to rid China of the “Foreign
Devils”
• The foreigners took the jobs
•
– In 1900 the
Boxers rebelled
• They attacked all
foreigners
• Many people were
killed or hurt
Pan American Union
 The United States did not want to be seen as a
bully
 It sent out invitations to the Latin American
Countries to hold a conference in Washington
D.C. to improve relations
 Countries of the Western Hemisphere worked
together to solve problems
Revolt in Cuba
• Cuba was not happy with Spain ruling over it
– There were many revolts to take it back and make
Cuba independent.
•
• The United States watched with concern
because Cuba is only 90 miles away from the
South Florida.
– President McKinley sent the Battleship “Maine” to
Cuba to protect American citizens and their property.
Monroe Doctrine:
 A document that did not allow countries from the
Eastern Hemisphere to take over countries from
the Western Hemisphere.
 The US did not want Spain (a colonial power) that
close to the US
Spanish American War
 The Spanish American War was started
because the battleship “Maine” exploded and
was split in two.
 Spain was blamed
 They were a scapegoat
 The American public was made to want to go
to war because of the fantastic newspaper
headlines.
 The Spanish-American War lasted 4 months






The Maine Blown Up
Terrible Explosion on Board the United States Battleship in Havana Harbor
MANY PERSONS KILLED AND WOUNDED
None of the Wounded Men Able to Give Any Explanation of the Cause of the
Disaster
Havana, Feb. 15 -- At 9:45 o'clock this evening a terrible explosion took place on
board the United States battleship Maine in Havana Harbor.
Many persons were killed or wounded. All the boats of the Spanish cruiser Alfonso
XII. are assisting.
As yet the cause of the explosion is not apparent. The wounded sailors of the
Maine are unable to explain it. It is believed that the battleship is totally destroyed.
The explosion shook the whole city. The windows were broken in nearly all the
houses.
The correspondent of the Associated Press says he has conversed with several of
the wounded sailors and understands from them that the explosion took place
while they were asleep, so that they can give no particulars as to the cause.
 Two editors were rivals and wanted to attract
more readers, and to do so, both Pulitzer and
Hearst claimed that the Spanish were the cause
of the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. Pulitzer
covered the horrible explosion of the ship while
Hearst focused on the enemy who set the bomb
— and offered a reward of 50,000 dollars to
anyone who can detect the perpetrator. To this
day, what happened on 15 February under the
cover of night at 9:40 p.m. remained a mystery.
 The World says that the Maine was
exploded by the Spanish because one of
their journalists arriving from Cuba had
“overheard” a plot to blow up the Maine.
Thus began the long march of the war
hawks: the assistant secretary of the navy,
Teddy Roosevelt left his post to fight the
Spain. From then on, it was “Remember
the Maine! To hell with Spain!” all the way
to San Juan Hill. The war was over in a
matter of weeks, but marked the birth of
the American imperial overreach.
• In the peace Treaty signed in Paris
• Many disagreed with the treaty because it
made the United States a colonial Power (we
had it done to us why would we do it to others)
• In the treaty Spain agreed:
• to grant Cuba it’s freedom
• to give the U.S. Puerto Rico and Guam
• to hand over the Philippines to the U.S. for
$20 million
 To make sure The Maine was not forgotten
many items were made with The Maine
as the centerpiece
Ruling the New Territories
 (Cuba) The Platt Amendment:
 Cuba was allowed to write it’s own
constitution, but the U.S limits Cuba’s right
to make treaties and borrow money.
 It allowed the U.S. to intervene in Cuba
 It gave the U.S. control of a Navel Base at
Guantanamo Bay
Ruling the New Territories
 (Puerto Rico) Foraker Act:
 A new government set up by the U.S.
for Puerto Rico.
 Puerto Ricans had limited amount of
say in their own affairs.
The Panama Canal
 In 1901 when Roosevelt was President he saw
the need for a canal through Panama to
connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
 This would cut down travel time
 At the time Colombia owned Panama.
 They rejected Roosevelt’s offer to buy a
strip of land.
 Roosevelt used the theory: “Speak
softly and carry a big stick, and you
will go far.” Which means words should
be backed up with power.
• So Roosevelt made it clear to the
rebels who wanted to get away from
Columbian rule it they started a war
the U.S. would support them.
• Panama won its independence and
we won the right to buy the strip of
land.
We Own the Strip of Land Now What
• The biggest problem: Disease
– The climate was tropical heat, rainy, and lots of
swamps.
– This lead to many mosquitoes.
– The mosquitoes lead to diseases like Malaria and
Yellow Fever
– The mosquitoes were battled and the percent of
disease went down.