What is IMPERIALISM?
Imperialism is the United States extending beyond its borders to acquire overseas colonies and territories
Causes of Imperialism
Security
- 1890: Captain Alfred T. Mahan- suggested in his book titled “The Influence of Sea Power Upon History” the United States must build a powerful navy if it ever hoped to be a world power and protect it’s interests abroad
- By 1900, United States had one of most powerful navies in the world
Economic
- could create more economic markets
- Spheres of Influence concept: territories or nations over which a nation exercised control
- Mercantilism-policy which holds that the nation should accumulate wealth by exporting more products than imports
Causes of Imperialism
Adventure & Purpose (National Spirit & Destiny)
- United States had conquered the western hemisphere, so it was time to tackle the eastern hemisphere
- Frederick Jackson Turner 1861-1932: FRONTIER THESIS
Manifest Destiny
- United States should expand it’s borders nationwide and even past the Pacific & Atlantic Oceans
- Many saw it as God’s plan for United States to take the responsibility of whites civilizing and taking democracy to the rest of the world
Racial Superiority
- People like Josiah Strong 1847-1916 believed in racial superiority
- Anglo-Saxon Superiority: idea that English speaking whites are biologically superior to other races thus expansion was both noble and nation’s destiny
- Social Darwinism - United States should exercise it’s control over “less fit” and “inferior” races and nations
Imperialism
late 19th and early 20th century
Effects of Imperialism
Alaska:
- 1867: Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the buying of Alaska from Russia
- Most people in US thought it was a useless purchase
- Transaction became known as “Seward’s Folly”
- However, Seward correctly saw Alaska as a land rich in natural resources and full of great economic potential for the US
Hawaii:
- As time passed, these owners gained economic control over the islands
- Also struggled for power with the Hawaiian monarchy
- 1893: wealthy white plantation owners (led by Sanford B. Dole) rebelled against Queen Liliuokalani (1838-1917)
- Queen Lil opposed the increasing control of the owners
- With the help of US troops from a nearby ship, the plantation owners seized the islands and deposed the queen
- 1898: the United States annexed Hawaii and made it a US territory