Why would a country want to acquire land overseas? Imperialism

Definition -Policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories. Global Competition -Africa -China -Americans wanted in the action.

Africa

Factors of American Imperialism Desire for Military Strength -Alfred T. Mahan urged government officials to build up American Naval power in order to compete with other powerful nations. -U.S. Government agreed and built modern battleships between including the Maine. -America became the world’s third largest naval power.

Factors of American Imperialism Thirst for New Markets -Trading our surplus goods with other countries surplus goods that we needed. -Advancements in technology allowed us to have a surplus in agricultural and manufactured goods but we needed raw materials for our factories. -Foreign trade was viewed by many to be a solution to unemployment and economic struggle.

Factors of American Imperialism Belief in cultural superiority - Unites States had the responsibility to spread Christianity and its culture to other “inferior peoples.”

Alaska William Seward wanted to buy Alaska in 1867 from the Russians. People called it “Seward's Icebox” We bought it for about 2 cents an acre and the land is rich with timber, minerals, and oil. Alaska became a state in 1959.

Hawaii Background - Hawaiian Islands had been economically important to us as American merchants used it to fuel on the way to China and India. -Many Americans became sugar planters there and sold their goods to America. Annexation -U.S. built the naval base Pearl Harbor in 1887 in order to dock and fuel our Pacific naval ships. -Queen Liliuokalani came to power in 1891 and wanted to rule for the people of Hawaii not American business. -Stanford B. Dole led a rebellion, with the Marines help, and then ruled Hawaii. -After William McKinley took over the Presidency Hawaii became an American territory. -Hawaii became a state in 1959.