American imperialism The Pacific

What is imperialism? What is Imperialism? The extension of a nation’s power over other lands What are its motivations? Economic Interests – New places meant new markets for the goods of Industrial nations. They also were new sources of raw materials

What is imperialism? Military Motivations – Industrial nations have created strong navies to protect their shores and trade interests. Why is acquiring territory important to this? They need places where they can build bases to repair and resupply.

What is imperialism? Ideological Motivations – Two different ideologies, or belief systems, also contributed to imperialism. Nationalism – Pride in ones country led to the idea that national power and prestige should be increased through conquest. Social Darwinism – The idea that superior cultures would survive while other cultures would be “civilized”.

Where to expand? European powers had been taking control over large territories in Africa and Asia throughout the 19th Century. When the U.S. started expanding the target area was the Pacific Ocean. President McKinley, the 25th US President oversaw this initial US expansion in the Pacific This is helped along by events occurring not in the Pacific, but Cuba.

Simmering Unrest in Cuba Spain’s influence in the West is on the decline by the late 1800’s. Constant revolts in Cuba test Spanish resolve. General Weyler is sent to try to regain control. Gen. Weyler sends thousands of civilians to concentration camps. It becomes a humanitarian disaster Out of the frying pan, into the fire?

Americans Get War Fever Many American’s sympathize with Cubans. Why? Revolutionary similarities, humanitarian concerns. Yellow Journalism is journalism based on sensationalism and crude exaggeration. It attributes to “war fever” by telling ever more sensationalist stories in an effort to attract readers. At papers like the New York Journal and the New York World objectivity was thrown out. Sources were unimportant, drama was key

Americans Get War Fever Feb. 9, 1898 the de Lôme letter is released showing a Spanish diplomate ridiculing President McKinley Feb. 15, 1898 the USS Maine explodes in Havana Harbor ending its mission to protect American lives and property in Cuba. 260 sailors lost their lives in this disaster. What about this image makes it “sensational” enough for Yellow Journalists?

War Is Declared Yellow Journalists instantly blame Spain with no proof. Today historians believe it was most likely a fire on board that led to the disaster. By April 25th of 1898 at McKinley’s request, Congress declared war against Spain.

War in the Phillipines The Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Theodore Roosevelt, had given Commodore Dewey in the Pacific secret orders to attack the Spanish in the Philippines if war broke out. Dewey assualted Manila Bay and destroyed the Spanish fleet in a matter of hours while losing no American lives. Working with Filippino rebels Dewey captured the city of Manila and Spanish forces in the Philippines surrendered.

War in Cuba Many Cubans were hesitant to take US support in gaining their independence as they did not want another power to seize control of them The Teller Amendment was part of a US Congressional resolution that guaranteed that Cuba would self govern once independent from Spain. The quick victory of the Philippines is not repeated. Soldiers are ill-equipped and ill-prepared Most soldiers are drafted but some volunteer.

War in Cuba One group of volunteers are the Rough Riders. Theodore Roosevelt resigned his Navy post to lead this unit of adventurers, athletes and cowboys. Even though they trained as a cavalry unit the Rough Riders had to leave their horses behind.

Battle of San Juan Hill The turning point was the Battle of San Juan Hill where the Spanish had large guns protecting their fleet. The 9th and 10th Cavalries, African- American soldiers known as Buffalo Soldiers, led the charge to control the hills around Santiago with the support of the Rough Riders’ After hard fighting they gained control of San Juan Hill After the fall of San Juan Hill the U.S. Navy is able to move in and destroy the Spanish fleet. The Spanish surrendered shortly thereafter.

Consequences After the victory the U.S. is propelled onto the global scene as a serious power. Cuba is guaranteed self rule by what Amendment? However, the Platt Ammendment (an amendment the US forced Cuba to put into their constitution) turns Cuba into a U.S. protectorate. It gave the U.S. the Naval base at Guantanamo Bay. It also limited Cuba’s ability to interact with other countries without US consent

Beyond the Philippines The US was always looking for ways to expand its influence in the Pacific and its access to Asian markets This leads to the U.S. gaining control of Hawaii It proves to be a great place to set up coal stations on the way to China and is capable of a rich sugar economy. Even as early as 1800s the U.S. Navy is interested in Pearl Harbor

Hawaii The U.S. had contact with Hawaii as early as the 1820s shortly after King Kamehameha united the islands. The Americans that began settling and raising sugar cane also brought disease The population of Hawaii goes from around 300,000 in 1770 to 40,000 in 1893

hawaii American’s controlled much of the economy in Hawaii and wanted more and more power. Bayonet Constitution – A constitution forced on Hawaiian rulers in 1887 that severely limited the power of the Hawaiian monarchy. Queen Liliuokalani declared that she would restore the power of the monarchy in 1893 The monarchy ends after a revolt of American sugar tycoons led by Sanford Dole. U.S. Marines are used at the order of the American minister to Hawaii President McKinley annexed Hawaii in 1898, it became a state in 1959. The U.S. Congress issued an official apology in 1993 for its role in overthrowing Liliuokalani.

China By the 1890’s most European countries had already established spheres of influence in Asia. Sphere of Influence? A Sphere of Influence is a geographic area where an outside nation exerts special economic or political control Secretary of State John Hay proposed the Open Door Policy which stated that all nations should have equal trading rights in China. This was an attempt to get the U.S. into the largest growth market of the time.

china When no other country rejected the Open Door Policy Hay declared that it had been approved. With multiple countries vying for Chinese business anti-foreigner sentiment grows in the Chinese population. One group called the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, or Boxers by Westerners, began attacking foreign missionaries and Chinese Christians. Europeans and Americans flooded troops into China to quell the Boxer Rebellion. These events strengthened Hay’s Open Door Policy and weekend Chinas ability to resist foreign powers further

Japan In 1853 President Fillmore sent modern U.S. Warships into Tokyo Bay. To a non industrialized nation the message was clear, you can not resist. In 1854 Japan and the U.S. had a treaty that opened Japan to trade with the U.S. Japan began rapidly industrializing and modernizing. By 1895 Japan seizes Taiwan from China By 1905 the Japanese defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. A fight over the Chinese province of Manchuria

The great white fleet With the growing power of Japan and the unsettled balance of power following the Russo-Japanese War, President Roosevelt decided to make a statement. He sent the Great White Fleet consisting of four squadrons of battleships on a worldwide journey to demonstrate U.S. naval power. The ships stopped in 20 ports across six continents, including Japan, before it came home. He wanted other nations to understand that the U.S. had the power to defend its international interests.