10 16 12 Imperialism The United States Acquires an Empire Factors Economic development U S Exports tripled between 1869 and 1900 National pride Americans became seriously impressed by imperialism overseas and became eager for America to join the race for colonies Racial superiority National mission New Manifest Destiny Captain Alfred T Mahan Doctrines became popular with Nationalists Imperialists and Militarists Wrote a book in 1890 called The Influence of Sea Power Upon History advocating that the U S should build up a large empire based on naval and commercial strength in order to prevent itself from being outdistanced by European competitors Alaska 1867 U S acquired Alaska from Russia as a gesture of friendship Secretary of State at the time was William H Seward Alaska was of little value at the time and thus became known as Seward s Folly as he purchased in for 7 2 million Alaska became a state in 1959 Central South Pacific 1867 1900 U S took possession of over 50 small islands that were sparsely or completely uninhabited 1867 Midway Islands 1899 made permanent what had been temporary control over several of the Samoan Islands Revolt Hawaiian Islands Already a large American population in Hawaii Treaty of Reciprocity 1875 Greatly enhances sugar trade 1890 Treaty of Reciprocity replaced sugar planters lost favoritism they had Annexation becoming part of the U S considered the next best thing 1893 American faction in the islands stage revolution against Queen Liliuokalani American Minister to Hawaii John L Stevens Supported the revolution Had American Marines land to preserve order Supported annexation but left office before he could do anything about it Incoming President Appointed James H Blount an Anti Imperialist as Special Commissioner After receiving Blount s report attempted to restore Queen Liliuokalani to her throne as long as she pardoned those who overthrew her she refused July 4 1894 revolutionary government declared itself the Republic of Hawaii Benjamin Harrison Grover Cleveland Republic of Hawaii Annexation of Hawaii Americans argued that if U S didn t annex it it might fall under control of another foreign power Provide naval bases in the Pacific Opportunities for commercial expansion and invest of American capital Americans believed in manifest destiny that they had the obligation to bring their superior culture and religion to Hawaii Joint Resolution of Congress joint resolution simple majority President McKinley signed July 7 1898 Hawaii becomes a territory of the United States becomes a state in 1959 Spanish American War Gave the U S an overseas empire Shattered tradition of Isolation Actively involved in world affairs Underlying causes U S had longstanding interest in Cuba Presidents Polk and Pierce and Grant had tried to purchase Cuba from Spain Growing investment in Cuba sugar tobacco Series of revolts starting in 1868 brought Americans sympathy for Cuban Revolution Yellow Journalism exaggerated atrocities of Spanish and suffering of Cubans William Randolph Hearst New York Journal Joseph Pulitzer New York World Growing demand for intervention Humanitarian grounds we ought to do something to help those poor Cubans Achieving glory and empire want to become important on the world stage Imperialists Militarists Nationalists American businessmen were some of the only groups against going to war they thought it would upset valuable investments thought they had more to lose from a war with Spain than continued revolts in Cuba Immediate Causes De Lome Letter Sinking of the Maine February 1898 Dupuy De Lome Spanish minister to Washington wrote a personal letter to a friend in Cuba and called President McKinley spineless and other horrible things but the letter was intercepted and published in the New York Journal February 15 1898 U S Battle Ship Maine blown up in Havana Harbor Remember the Maine became the battle cry At least 260 deaths Yellow press held Spain responsible without proof and called for war with slogan Remember the Maine War U S wanted Indemnity for the Maine which ended up not being Spain s fault at all Spain to abandon concentration camps in Cuba Spain to end fighting with Cuban rebels Spain to grant Cuban Independence Spain was willing to do all this except grant Cuban independence Teller Amendment War produced quick and easy victory for United States July 16 1898 Spain completely crushed asked for peace 460 Americans died from combat but more than 5200 died from disease typhoid yellow fever Treaty of Paris Ended war Signed 1898 U S received Guam and Puerto Rico Granted Philippine Islands for payment of 20 million Spain guaranteed Cuba s independence and turned it over to U S for occupation Secretary of State at the time John Hay called it a splendid little war Long range significance Brought about a change in foreign policy from isolation to foreign involvement Brought U S into close relationships with Latin American and Far East U S now has a colonial empire War marked emergence of U S as a world power in the Pacific and the Caribbean and a nation that had to be reckoned with in world affairs Stimulated industrial activity and post war prosperity United States Empire Hawaii Philippines Puerto Rico Alaska Guam Virgin Islands Panama Canal Zone Pacific Islands All darker skinned people who don t speak English Manifest Destiny White Man s Burden religious institutions believed it was their obligation to come in and share their institutions with them to civilize them
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