Download Creating an American Empire

Presidential Timeline during this
Imperialistic time
1901: McKinley assassinated, Teddy
Roosevelt becomes President
 1904: Teddy Roosevelt elected
 1908: Taft is elected
 1912: Woodrow Wilson elected
 1916: Wilson re-elected

1901
1904
1908
1912
1916
Creating an American
Empire
How and why did
Americans seek to control
other parts of the world?
3.1: Students will distinguish two
major types of foreign policy
positions: isolationism and
imperialism.
 Isolationism: Strict non-involvement in
other countries’ affairs. (Ex: those who would
have “walked away” from the fight)
 Imperialism: The policy in which stronger
nations extend their economic, political, or
military control over weaker territories. (Ex:
Those “bullies” who would have extended their
control over both friend and enemy!)
3.2: Students will understand the
various motives for American
expansionism during the turn of the
century.
Why does the United States want to
extend their control and power?
 Economic
Motives: The U.S. had
economic interests in other parts of the
world such as Hawaii, Cuba, and
countries in Asia.
 Want to export to many countries, need
faster shipping routes in the ocean, etc.
Extending control in
order to build the
Panama Canalincrease our
shipping!
Extending control to take
advantage of resources of
other lands-for example:
Hawaiian sugar plantations.
3.2: Students will understand the
various motives for American
expansionism during the turn of the
century.
Why does the United States want to extend
their control and power?
 Political
Motives: The U.S. wants to keep
power by keeping pro-U.S. governments in
power of Central American countries and we
want to have a strong navy in order to
protect our interests around the world.
3.2: Students will understand the
various motives for American
expansionism during the turn of the
century.
Why does the United States want to extend their
control and power?
Social Motives: The U.S. had social
concerns in other countries. The U.S. felt
it had a moral duty to civilize people in
other countries and spread Christianity.
3.3: Students will understand the
various economic and military means
the U.S. used to expand its control
overseas and be able to provide
examples of American territorial
acquisitions.
Presidential plans of getting involved
 Using Yellow Journalism
Countries that were impacted by the U.S:
 Hawaii, Panama, Cuba, Philippines, China

William
Hearst
Yellow
Journalists:
reporting that
exaggerates the
news to lure new
readers.
“You furnish the pictures, and I’ll
furnish the war.”
The USS Maine
Explodes!!
Joseph
Puilitzer
A timeline of U.S. imperialism



1790s: United States
merchants stop in Hawaii
on their way to China and
East India.
1820’s: Americans send
“missionaries” to convert
Hawaiians to Christianity;
build churches, etc.
1800’s: Americans own
land and sugar
plantations in Hawaii
A timeline of U.S. imperialism
(1890)Alfred Mahan
(President of Naval War
College) suggests the U.S.
to:
– Acquire strategically located
bases to refuel ships
– Develop a modern fleet of
ships
– Construct a canal across
Panama and acquire Hawaii
 This would allow the U.S. to
become a world power!

A timeline of U.S. imperialism

1893: United States
imprisons the Queen
of Hawaii (Queen
Lil’) and places
Sanford Dole as
Hawaiian president.
 1897: U.S. President
McKinley annexes
Hawaii-no Hawaiians
had the chance to
vote!
A timeline of U.S. imperialism

1800’s: Americans
own sugar
plantations in Cuba
(Cuba, Philippines,
and Puerto Rico all
owned by Spain)
A timeline of U.S. imperialism
1898: U.S. send the
USS Maine to protect
Cuba and American
interests
 1898: USS Maine
explodes-yellow
journalists blame it on
Spain!

A timeline of U.S. imperialism
April 20, 1898:
U.S. declares war
on Spain
 May, 1898: U.S.
fights against
Spain in the
Philippines as well
as in Cuba.

A timeline of U.S. imperialism

December 10, 1898: U.S.
and Spain sign peace treaty
– Cuba would become
independent (but will
answer to the U.S)
– Spain would give Puerto
Rico and Guam to the U.S.)
– The U.S. would pay Spain
$20 million for the
annexation of the Philippine
Islands.
A timeline of U.S. imperialism

In 1899, The United States wants to keep
China open to U.S. business and protect
China from the influence of other
countries. So…we create the “Open
Door Policy” which grants open access to
China’s ports and no special privileges for
nations.
A timeline of U.S. imperialism
1900’s: United States
gets involved in Cuban
affairs to protect
American interests
 1904: The U.S. helps
support Panama rebel
against Columbia (owner
of Panama) in order to
gain rights to build the
Panama Canal

A timeline of U.S. imperialism
1914: The U.S.
opens the Panama
Canal
 The United States
controls the
Philippines until
1946.

Some views about American foreign
policy…
Some views about American foreign
policy…
Was the United
States an
“Imperialist”
country?