IMPERIAL AMERICA 1890-1914

IMPERIALISM Fueled by Nationalism Militarism Cultural Superiority Need for raw materials and markets Stronger countries take over weaker countries to save the souls of heathens

1. Commercial/Business Interests U. S. Foreign Investments: 1869-1908

1. Commercial/Business Interests American Foreign Trade: 1870-1914

Closing the American Frontier

European Powers Berlin Conference 1884-1885 creates a scramble for Africa Africa carved into colonies under European rule America attended the Conference, but no Africans America held no interest in colonies in Africa

U.S. ACQUISITIONS Alaska – 1867 – Seward’s Folly – becomes brilliant purchase when gold is discovered – considered the final frontier Hawaii – 1875 Commercial reciprocity agreement 1889 – Naval Base rights at Pearl Harbor

HAWAII Original Americans were missionaries Children of missionaries create plantation system with sugar cane as primary crop Japanese brought in as farm laborer’s – Hawaiian’s become minority population in their country Dole begins a cannery for the “foreign fruit” pineapple

Treaty of Reciprocity 1875 Hawaii gains free access to U.S. markets for sugar cane and “exotic” products such as pineapple U.S. gains land which we call today Pearl Harbor

HAWAII AND THE TARIFF Hawaiian sugar not taxed until the McKinley Tariff of 1890 Dole becomes President of Hawaii after overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani Hawaii requests annexation into the U.S. 1893 Hawaiian’s revolt – American troops brought in 1898 Hawaii annexed

War Makers Joseph Pulitzer William Randolph Hearst Yellow Journalism sensationalizes headlines to sell newspapers

Yellow Journalism

“A Splendid Little War” Yellow Journalism swayed U.S. opinion to go to war with Spain What was the real prize?

CUBA, The Land of Sugar Cane

Fanning the flames for War

Valeriano Weyler’s “Reconcentration” Policy

Remember the Maine and to Hell with Spain! Funeral for Maine victims in Havana

Remember the Maine and to Hell with Spain! Funeral for Maine victims in Havana

Spanish American War U.S. hits Spain’s colonial possessions First Attack is on the Philippines Commodore George Dewey wins the battle of Manila Bay and crushes the Spanish Navy U.S. moves into Cuba Guantanamo Bay falls to the U.S. Marines Teddy Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders” take San Juan Hill

The Spanish-American War (1898): “That Splendid Little War”

Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

Japan

Gentleman’s Agreement: 1908 A Japanese note agreeing to deny passports to laborers entering the U.S. Japan recognized the U.S. right to exclude Japanese immigrants holding passports issued by other countries. The U.S. government got the school board of San Francisco to rescind their order to segregate Asians in separate schools. 1908  Root-Takahira Agreement.

Root-Takahira Agreement: 1908 A pledge to maintain the status quo in the Far East. Recognition of China’s independence and territorial integrity, and support for continuation of the Open-Door Policy. An agreement to mutual consultation in the event of future Far Eastern crises.