Download Chapter 18 Section 1 Notes: A-3 Causes of Imperialism During the

Chapter 18 Section 1 Notes: A-3
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Causes of Imperialism
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During the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, powerful countries competed to
spread their influence throughout the world in a process known as imperialism.
Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy
or military force. Nations in Europe began to add colonies to their nations from areas of
Africa and Asia. Later, the U.S. would practice imperialism as well.
Benefits of Imperialism
a. Of the many benefits to having colonies there were:
i. Natural Resources
1. Raw materials were valuable to Europe and Japan.
a. These materials could range from tea, rubber, iron, petroleum,
and many others.
b. They became extractive economies.
c. Having these resources provided an advantage for global
competition.
b. America’s Benefit
i. By practicing imperialism, America could use the resources they previously had
too much of.
Imperialist Military
a. Many imperialist nations expressed the need for military strength to keep their colonies
and interests in order.
Alfred T. Mahan
a. He was both a military historian and an officer in the U.S. Navy.
i. He played a huge part in making America a naval power
ii. He helped America to have the third largest navy on the planet
National Superiority
a. There were many justifications for imperialism
i. Racial, cultural and national superiority, and also Social Darwinism.
b. Darwinists
i. Thought that only certain races and nations were superior to all others, and
were destined to rule over the inferiors
ii. They are firm believers in Manifest Destiny
Frederick Jackson Turner
a. He was an American historian in the early 1900s
i. He believed that now that America had covered the continent, we needed to
expand overseas to avoid internal conflict within the country.
America’s First Steps Toward World Power
a. In the mid-1800s, America set its sights on expanding trade and getting new territories.
Commodore Matthew Perry
a. Sailed a fleet of warships to Japan
i. The Japanese were in awe because they had never seen steamships before.
ii. Japan had shut themselves off from the rest of the world, and had fallen behind
with military technology.
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iii. Perry won the Emperor's favor through gifts
iv. Within a year, a treaty was negotiated that allowed Japan to trade with
America.
b. Perry set the example for further treaties and expansion of the U.S.
i. The U.S. obtained the Midway Islands in 1867, increased trade with Hawaii, and
obtained the rights to build a naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1875 and 1887.
Alaska Purchase
a. Secretary of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million
b. Journalists mocked Seward and referred to Alaska as “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward's
Icebox”
c. They didn’t know why the U.S. needed vast tundra so far north
d. The purchase nearly doubled America’s size
It was abundant in oil and timber
e. The purchase also expanded the country’s reach across the Pacific
Latin American Influence
a. Businessmen viewed Latin America as a place to expand trade and investments.
i. In 1889 Secretary of State James Blaine helped by sponsoring the First
International Pan-American Conference
ii. Blaine addressed the economic benefits to the Latin American delegates
iii. Also led to the construction of the Pan-American highway system
b. In 1895, tensions rose between America and Great Britain
i. These tensions were over a border dispute between British Guiana and
Venezuela.
ii. President Cleveland threatened U.S. intervention.
iii. Britain eventually accepted U.S. sphere of influence.
The United States acquires Hawaii
a. Although the U.S. had an influence on Hawaii from as far back as the 1790s, Hawaii
didn’t become a territory until later in the late 1800s.
American influence
a. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, America had a fairly prominent influence in the
Hawaiian Islands. Missionaries set up churches and schools, there were established
sugar plantations.
b. “In 1887, American planters convinced King Kalakaua to amend Hawaii’s constitution so
that voting rights were limited to only wealthy landowners.” (Pg. 591)
Wealthy Plantation owners Run Into Problems
a. New U.S. tariff law
i. Put duties on previously duty-free Hawaiian grown sugar
ii. Made Hawaiian sugar more expensive
iii. Farmers feared for their sales and profits
b. Queen Liliuokalani
i. Kalakaua’s sister and successor.
ii. Very nationalistic
iii. She didn’t like the increasing power of white planters
iv. Abolished the constitution that gave power to the white minority
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The Planters Overthrow
a. The planters responded soon after. They overthrew the Queen and took power with the
help of the United States Marines, sent by John Stevens. A new government in Hawaii
was led by Sanford B. Dole, a wealthy plantation owner. He asked President Benjamin
Harrison to annex Hawaii into the U.S. afterwards.
The United States annexes Hawaii
a. Harrison signed the treaty of Annexation
i. Couldn’t get the required senate approval before Cleveland took office.
b. Cleveland set a full investigation
i. It revealed that most Hawaiian people didn’t like or approve of the treaty.
ii. As a result, Cleveland apologized and refused to sign the treaty.
iii. Americans still wanted the annexation.
c. Finally, in 1898, Congress and President McKinley stated Hawaii as an official U.S.
territory.
Against Annexation of Hawaii