Imperialism America Claims an Empire Chapter 10 Imperialism America Claims an Empire

Section 1 – Defining Imperialism and Americans’ Views on Imperialism Do you think it will be looked on it favorably or unfavorably?

What is Imperialism? What is an empire? Imperialism: The policy by a stronger nation to attempt to create an empire by dominating weaker nations economically, politically, culturally, or militarily. What is an empire? Imperialism is very similar to colonialism, with one major difference: colonial powers settle the countries of which they gain control, while imperial powers do not. The term “imperialism” does not seem to exist prior to the 1800s. Def: a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government:

European Nations had long established imperial colonies British  India French  Indochina Spanish  Pacific and Caribbean What about United States? Africa

Most Americans gradually warmed to the idea of Imperialism Why? (wait to list) Economic competition among industrial nations… Political and military competition - some believed U.S. lacked powerful armed forces and not able to defend its economic interests Belief in the racial and cultural superiority of Anglo-Saxon (English) descent as compared to nonwhite people $$$

#1 reason – Economic The Industrial Revolution Advances in technology after Civil War enabled farmers and factories to produce more than American citizens could consume US need raw materials and new markets for its manufactured goods Solution to overproduction – FOREIGN TRADE (sell more than you buy) Unemployment – Job Creation

What do we see happening…? #1 What are they saying? “…Whether they will or not, Americans must now begin to look outward. The growing production of the country demands it. And increasing volume of public sentiment demands it…” - Alfred T. Mahan (meet him later) “But today we are raising more than we can consume. Today we are making more than we can use. Today our industrial society is congested; there are more workers than there is work, there is more capital than there is investment. We do not need more money – we need more circulation, more employment. Therefore, we must find new markets for our produce, new occupation for our capital, new work for our labor.” - Senator Albert J. Beveridge ?? What course of action are Mahan and Beveridge suggesting for the United States and Why? What do we see happening…?

#2 - Military Strength and Alfred Mahan? Who was he? Other nations establishing a global military presence…American experts agreed the US should build up its own military strength * Admiral; Pres of Naval War College; outspoken advocate of American military expansion Wrote - The Influence of Sea Power upon History  Argued for a strong US navy to defend the peacetime shipping lanes essential to economic growth  Also needed strategically located bases where fleets could refuel

Suggested… 3 Part Plan Naval bases in Caribbean Canal through Panama Acquire Hawaii and other Pacific Islands

Transformed us into the world’s 3rd largest naval power Military Strength To demonstrate, Congress approves to build up American sea power Includes 9 steel-hulled cruisers - called Great White Fleet* (ex: Maine, Oregon) Under Roosevelt  used to demonstrate growing American military power and naval capability. Hope  to enforce treaties and protect overseas holdings *popular nickname Transformed us into the world’s 3rd largest naval power Any Guesses - #1 and #2? #1 Great Britain #2 Germany

#3 Ideological Motives - Cultural A desire to “civilize” non-Europeans also spurred the development of imperialism During this time – rise of a philosophy called Social Darwinism – a belief that free-market competition (def: A market economy based on supply and demand with little or no government control) would lead to the survival of the fittest with a belief in the racial superiority of Anglo-Saxons All European nations who participated in imperialistic activities during this time period supported missionary activity in one way or another. In addition, a belief in the superiority of the white race produced the idea that whites had a responsibility to civilize non-whites. Although the term “survival of the fittest” was first used by Herbert Spencer in 1851, it gained greater fame when Charles Darwin used it in his discussion of natural selection in The Origin of Species. The late 19th century saw the rise of a philosophy known as “Social Darwinism,” which (among other things) used the principle of natural selection to explain the need for stronger countries to dominate weaker ones. Ideological motives both rationalized and provided a measure of justification for European imperialism. Darwin’s handwritten cover page for The Origin of Species Herbert Spencer

Literature of the time “The White Man’s Burden” By British author Rudyard Kipling Published in the February, 1899 issue of McClure’s Magazine and London Times In this poem, British author Rudyard Kipling urged “civilized” nations to extend their control over those who were “half-devil and half-child.” (Note: The slide shows the first two stanzas of the poem.) “The White Man’s Burden” was first published in McClure’s magazine, and it generated a tremendous response. Let’s take a look at the poem…

Compare and Contrast White Man’s Burden Brown Man’s Burden In what ways do these poems reflect a larger debate concerning Imperialism?   What central ideas are being debated?

Background – The White Man’s Burden Coincided with the beginning of the Philippine-American War U.S. Senate had begun ratification of the treaty that placed Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba, and the Philippines under American control (Prize of winning Spanish-American War*) Kipling's aim was to encourage the American government to take over the Philippines Kipling friend of Roosevelt – he sent him a copy of the poem Theodore Roosevelt (Gov. of NY  soon to become vice-president and then president) copied the poem and sent it to his friend, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge T.R. commenting that it was “rather poor poetry, but good sense from the expansion point of view.” Lodge responded that it was "better poetry than you say," while apparently agreeing about its "standpoint Not everyone was as favorably impressed as Roosevelt The racialized notion of the “White Man’s burden” became a euphemism for imperialism Both for Imperialists and anti-imperialists (opposition)

Defined civilization according to the standards of only one culture The “White Man’s Burden” appeared in children’s books and even in advertisements of the time period. US had a responsibility to spread Christianity and civilize the world’s “inferior” people Highly racist – why? Defined civilization according to the standards of only one culture The advertisement in this slide shows U.S. Admiral George Dewey washing his hands with Pears’ Soap while surrounded by illustrations symbolizing “progress and civilization.” It was published on the inside front cover of the October 1899 issue of McClure's magazine.

Many authors wrote poems of their own mimicking “The White Man’s Burden” and attacked Kipling’s ideas Let’s take a look at Henry Labouchère’s “The Brown Man’s Burden” (offered a particularly harsh response).

Anti-Imperialism Some Americans believed in ethnic superiority to justify it BUT others saw imperialism as a threat Rejected on moral and practical grounds “To ‘protect the weak’ has always been the excuse of the rule and tax-gatherer, the chief, the king, the baron; and now, at last, of ‘the white man.’ “ Jane Addams (activist) Nothing justified dominion of other countries Those claimed were not given U.S. Constitutional protections Suggested that US citizens were superior to the residents of the territory Ex: The American Anti-Imperialist League - created to battle the American annexation of the Philippines Opposed expansion Believed that imperialism violated the fundamental principle that just republican government must derive from "consent of the governed." Argued that such activity would require the abandonment of American ideals of self-government and non-intervention — ideals and values expressed in the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution, George Washington's Farewell Address and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

Anti-Imperialism Some Americans believed in ethnic superiority to justify it BUT others saw imperialism as a threat Cost of maintaining military force large enough to enforce U.S. claims abroad Fear that expansion would take away jobs from U.S. workers…sounds like an argument of today…

Tweet Debate marktwain empirerocks

Mark Twain - Active Anti-Imperialist Became outraged when the US became involved in imperialism.  In 1898 Spanish-American war Began with intervention on behalf of the Cubans, but the American victory in Cuba led to the Spanish surrender of all their possessions in the Pacific. The United States had to decide what to do with them…Kipling wrote to keep them President McKinley decided to keep most of the possessions. Most controversial was the Philippines. The Filipinos resisted American rule  Philippine American War Forcing the Philippines to accept American rule outraged Twain.