1. THE AGE OF
U.S. IMPERIALISM
• “Speak softly and
carry a big stick;
you will go far.”
- T. Roosevelt
2. IMPERIALISM - definitions
• 1. Imperialism = the quest to build up a
territorial empire.
• 2. Imperialism = control by powerful nation(s)
over a less advanced or less civilized area.
3. POWERFUL NATION
• USUALLY CHARACTERIZED BY
• Advanced Economy (Industrial)
• Strong Government
• Considerable
Military Strength
4. The “Less Advanced” Area
• CHARACTERIZED BY
• Primitive economy (pre-industrial)
• Underdeveloped natural resources
• Weak government
• Limited military power
*Imperialism has also been called Colonialism
5. BACKGROUND - Imperialism
• US. Imperialism – response to European Imperialism
• 1. Fundamental Cause: Industrial Revolution
Industrialized nations desired colonies to provide:
• a) cheap supply of raw materials
• b) a market for the mother country’s goods
• c) large profits w/ minimum risk on investment of
SURPLUS CAPITAL
6. 2. Other Causes:
• Used NATIONALIST arguments to gains support
for EMPIRE BUILDING.
• a) gain glory & achieve a “place in the Sun”
• b) secure essential military bases & war materials
• c) provide an outlet for surplus population
• d) provide safety - missionaries spread Christianity
• E) bring to the backward areas the “blessings of the
civilized culture” of the West [Europe & USA]
7. This “Duty” of the West
• Labeled by RUDYARD KIPLING as
• The “White Man’s Burden”
8. REASONS for U.S. turn to IMPERIALISM
• 1) Industrial Revolution
• 2) Closing of the FRONTIER – leads investors to
look elsewhere for economic opportunity
9. 3. EXAMPLE of other Nations (Imperialist)
• a. British Empire controlled over ¼ of World’s
territory and population
11. Controlled the Suez Canal in Egypt
• 101 miles long
• Connects Mediterranean
with RED SEA
12. British
Imperialists
• Cecil Rhodes wanted a
CAIRO to CAPE
Empire
• Cairo is in EGYPT
• CAPETOWN is in
South Africa
• Cartoon:
“Colossus of Rhodes”
13. The BRITISH Empire’s “Crown Jewel” =
• “THE SUBCONTINENT” AKA INDIA
18. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR (1898)
• Causes of the War:
• 1. Despotic Spanish rule over Cuba
– A. Spain denied civil liberties & political rights
– B. Levied heavy taxes – restricted foreign trade
– C. Ruthlessly suppressed rebellions
– D. Spain finally abolished slavery in 1886
– E. Economic depression brings another
revolt for INDEPENDENCE
19. 2. American Humanitarianism & sympathy
• A. Sympathized with desire for independence
• B. Outraged when over 200,000 Cubans died in
concentration camps of hunger and disease
20. 3. ECONOMIC INTERESTS
• A. American merchants traded with Cuba to the
amount of $100 Million a year
• B. American investors placed $50 million in
sugar and tobacco plantations.
21. 4. “Yellow Journalism”
• A. William Randolph Hearst – NY Journal
• B. Joseph Pulitzer – New York World
• C. Both Newspapers sought to increase
circulation by sensationalized news stories.
3) Hearst’s Journal printed the Delome Letter
Spanish ambassador calls McKinley “weak”
25. The DeLôme letter
• 1898- U.S. newspaper • Although DeLôme
published private resigned, the damage
correspondence stolen from
had been done.
the Spanish minister in
Washington, Dupuy DeLôme.
• In the letter the minister made
derogatory comments about
President McKinley, which,
when made public outraged
the American people.
26.
27. 5. Sinking of the Maine – Feb 1898
• A. American battleship visiting Cuba blown up
• 260 Americans killed
• B. Cause: probably fire in a coal bin
• C. But, American public goaded on by the
Yellow Press – blames SPAIN
31. Outbreak of the War
• McKinley demands Spain ends camps and
negotiate with Cuban rebels
• April 11, 1898: McKinley asks Congress to use
American armed forces in Cuba
• Congress approves on 4-20, and recognizes
Cuba’s INDPENDENCE from Spain
• Congress adopts Teller Amendment which
stated that the United States would not….
32. Teller Amendment [1898]
• Made PRIOR to Sp-Am War
• U.S. could NOT ANNEX Cuba
• US must “leave control of island to its People”
• Superceded by PLATT AMENDMENT
33. CONDUCT OF THE WAR
• Battle Cry = “Remember the Maine,
• to HELL with Spain!”
34. Spanish-American War
• Lasted several months, cost more American
lives from disease and spoiled food than
from Spanish bullets, and in the end
provided the United States with a global
empire.
• Secretary of State John Hay knew it had
been “a splendid little war”.
35. Major Military Events of the War
• One Spanish fleet was destroyed by U.S. warships under
the command of Commodore George Dewey in Manila
Bay on June 1st, 1898
• Manila, capital of the Philippines, was captured 2 months
later.
• In Cuba, the U.S. military force was unprepared for
tropical conditions.
• Despite the loss of thousands of soldiers to malaria and
other diseases, Cuban rebels and American soldiers were
able to wear down Spanish forces.
• One of the most famous land battles occurred in the
American attack on San Juan Hill, an event made popular
by the rousing charge of the Rough Riders, led by
Theodore Roosevelt, on Spanish forces
36. Goodbye and
Aloha
• The destruction of the
other Spanish fleet at
Santiago Bay on July 3
convinced the Spanish to
open negotiations to end
the fighting.
• That month, the United
States annexed Hawaii.
• It would soon add other
territories as well.
46. Terms - Treaty of Paris - 1898
• Spain agreed
• 1) CUBA independent
• 2) Puerto Rico and Guam “given” to USA
• 3) Philippines sold to USA for $20 Million
47.
48. Platt Amendment - post-war
• Followed Sp – Am War
• Cuba must accept for
US to withdraw
• Cuba could not allow
foreign powers to
control it
• USA could lease land
for naval base –
Guantanamo Bay
49. Protectorate
• Cuba becomes a Protectorate of USA
• Protectorate = a country whose affairs are
partially controlled by a stronger nation
50. Annexation Debate - Philippines
• PRO-Annexation • ANTI-Annexation
• Educate Filipinos • Violated the
• Uplift Filipinos Declaration of Independence
• Civilize Filipinos • Denied Self-Government to
the new territories
• Introduced more racial
problems
William Howard Taft,
Governor of Philippines
51. The “Bolo War”
• AKA the Filipino Rebellion
• AKA Philippine-American War
• Lasted 3 years
• Guerilla War
• Filipinos fight for independence
• Led by Emilio Aguinaldo
52. Meiji Restoration – Japan late 19th C
• Movement to modernize Japan
• Begins w/Commodore Matthew Perry’s visit
• Japan begins to adopt Western ways
• Built up navy
66. Roosevelt Corollary
• Put some “teeth” into the Monroe Doctrine
• USA will use
military to
enforce the
Monroe
Doctrine
• Claimed right
to “police” the
W. Hemsiphere
67. U.S. Interventions in Latin
America
• Cuba- occupied from 1898-1902- intervened again
militarily in 1906, 1909, 1917, and 1961
• Dominican Republic- occupied from 1916-1924. U.S.
protectorate from 1905-1940. The U.S. later sent troops to
D.R. in 1965
• Nicaragua- militarily and political interventions in 1909,
1912-1925, 1927-1933 as well as in the 1970s and 1980s
• Mexico- military interventions in 1916 during the Mexican
Civil War
• Colombia- 1903, established a secessionist movement in
N.W. Colombia [Panama] which soon came under U.S.
control. Later it became the site for the Panama Canal
68. GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY
• Pursuit of a nation’s
interests with implied
use of force
69. DOLLAR DIPLOMACY
Dollar Diplomacy = using a nation’s
economic power to influence
other countries.
Associated with Taft & subsequent presidents
70. Jose Marti
• Consider the “Father
of Cuban
Independence”
• Died in 1895 leading
independence
uprising against the
Spanish.
71. Frederick Remington - artist
• Sent to Cuba by Wm. R. Hearst to draw pictures
of Cuba’s fight against Spanish.
You supply the
pictures and I’ll
supply the war!
• Wm. Randolph Hearst Frederick Remington
72. Stephen Crane
• Young novelist
• Wrote The Red Badge of Courage
• Sent to Cuba by newspapers
• Served as war
• correspondent;
• Died @ 28 of
• Tuberculosis
73. Leonard Wood
• Organized “roughriders”
• Brigadier General in
Cuba during Sp-Am War
• Appointed military gov.
of Cuba
• Helped write the
constitution of Cuba
74. PANCHO
VILLA
• Attacked Columbus, NM
• Angered by
US decision to
end arm
shipments to his
rebel forces
• Killed 25
• Americans
75. John J. Pershing – Mexico 1916
• “Black Jack”
• Led force into Mexico
• Searching for Villa
• Re-assigned WWI
76. Wilson’s Foreign Policies
• Panama Canal Tolls Act of 1912- allowed U.S. ships to
use the Pana Canal toll-free. Wilson convinced Congress
to repeal the act, angering nationalists like Roosevelt but
was appreciated by the British, who had earlier challenged
the exemption.
• Jones Act of 1916- The act provided for eventual Filipino
independence, made the Philippines a full-fledged U.S.
territory, and granted universal male suffrage.
• Jones Act of 1917- act conferred coitizenship rights on all
Puerto Ricans and made democratic improvements to their
legislative system
