U.S.
Imperialism
Benchmarks 912.A.4.1-4.4 & 912.A.4.11
Consequences of Imperialism
Spanish-American War April 1898-August 1898
Impact of yellow journalism
U.S. acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines
U.S. builds colonial empire
Construction of Panama Canal begins
Roosevelt corollary to Monroe Doctrine
Spanish-American War
April-August 1898
Origins;
- Humanitarian concerns- moral obligation to help Cubans
- Yellow Journalism(sensationalizing news)
- Economic Interests- American investments exceeded $50 million
- Imperial interests- ability to expand and obtain strategic possessions; Ostend
Manifesto- 1854 US minister to Spain wrote report to encourage purchasing
Cuba from Spain and using it as a slave colony
- Jose Marti organized a rebellion while living in the US- in 1895 he declared
Cuban independence and returned to Cuba where he was killed one month
later
Spanish-American War
April-August 1898
Triggering events;
- De Lome letter- Feb 9,1898; Enrique Dupuy de Lome, Spanish Ambassador to
U.S. wrote to Don José Canalejas, the Foreign Minister of Spain, calling
President William McKinley weak- letter was published by in Hearst Press
- Explosion of USS Maine- Feb 15, 1898-Havana harbor, Cuba
Spanish-American War
April-August 1898
Course and Consequences;
- War lasted four months
- Teddy Roosevelt lead his Rough Riders on famous charge up San Juan Hill-
victory helped US capture Santiago- capital of Cuba
- Commodore George Dewey defeated Spanish fleet in Manilla Bay and occupied
the Philippines
- Spain lost Cuba, Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico
Spanish-American War
April-August 1898
Course and Consequences:
Teller Amendment (April 1898)- U.S. would not annex Cuba
Platt Amendment (1901)- stated conditions for withdrawal of US troops from
Cuba;
- US has access to naval bases in Cuba
- Cuba will not borrow any amounts from foreign countries that they could not
repay
- Gave US rights to intervene in Cuban affairs at any time
Imperialism
Imperialism- one countries rule over another
Logic of Imperialism;
-need for raw materials and markets for American Industries
-New Technological capabilities- made it possible to colonize others
-Importance of Naval Power; Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan book, The
influence of sea power upon history- believed that sea power made a
nation truly great. He argued that the US also needed a large merchant fleet
and overseas colonies. He suggested a canal thru Panama, annex colonies
in the Pacific and Caribbean to serve as naval bases, and develop greater
trade with East Asia.
-Competition with European powers; if we don’t colonize they will
-The “White Man’s Burden”-superior in superiority of Anglo-Saxons
Imperialism
Anti-Imperialist Argument:
- Its immoral and goes against basic values of American Democracy
- Negative economic repercussions; colonies could become cheap source of
labor
- Others felt this could lead to future armed conflict with other imperial
powers
American Colonial Empire
Philippines- acquired during Spanish-American war
Hawaii- annexed in 1898
Puerto Rico- acquired during Spanish-American war; became self-governing
“Commonwealth” 1952
Guam- taken from Spain after war
Midway- American possession 1867
Samoa- 1899 became under U.S. control
Virgin Islands- purchased from Denmark in 1917
American Foreign Policy 1898-1914
Open door policy (1899)- US Sec of State John Hay declared an open door policy
in trading with China
Gentleman’s Agreement
Boxer Rebellion: happened shortly after the open door policy in China- boxers
(Chinese opposed to foreign influence in China)
Japan was an imperialist nation as well
Treaty of Portsmouth (1905); Teddy Roosevelt negotiated agreement between
Japan and Russia to end Russo-Japanese war (he won Nobel Peace Prize)
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine; (1823 President Monroe announced
that the US would not allow any European Powers to establish new colonies in the
Western Hemisphere. In 1904 when Dominican Republic owed debts to European
countries Roosevelt did not let those countries use force to collect. US collected
and acted as “international police power”
Roosevelt’s motto was “walk softly and carry a big stick” this attitude in the
Caribbean became known as the “Big Stick Policy”
Dollar Diplomacy- Taft’s use of American investments to promote American Foreign
policy in the Caribbean
