Imperialism American Expansion and Gilded Age Foreign Policy

Imperialism in a Global Context US Foreign Affair~ ISOLATION! Europe is dividing and controlling the “3 rd World” amongst itself Reasons for colonialism: Raw materials* Market for manufactured goods Coaling and telegraph stations “civilizing” natives (white man’s burden) Missionaries

Division of Africa

Division of SE Asia

Monroe Doctrine 1820’s President James Monroe declares Europe must stay out of Western Hemisphere –How can we enforce? 1860’s Napoleon III attempts to control Mexico

Acquisition of Alaska and Hawaii Alaska: –Seward’s Folly or Icebox –7.2 Million $ Hawaii: –American Sugar companies control island’s politics –Queen Liliokalani tries to control and American’s revolt –Pres Cleveland refuses to annex (McKinley, 1898)

American ideas about Expansion US was always involved in global trade Mass consumption is necessity w/ mass production –We need foreign markets Capt. Alfred Mahan’s book The Influence of Sea Power on History is influential –Thesis: Great nations have great navies

Cuba Spain ruled island for over 300 Years “Pearl” Cuban fight guerilla war for independence Reconcentrado: Spain places all peasants in forts, kills everyone else! We sympathize w/ cuban rebels

Spanish-American War 1898 McKinley and Yellow Press agitate for war with Spain USS Maine explodes!!! McKinley sends ultimatum Declaration of War clarified with the Teller Amendment It is a 2 Theater War Pacific: Philippines Atlantic: Cuba

Pacific Theater As. Sec of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt sends Dewey to Philippines w/o orders Dewey gets ok to attack (Feb) Destroys Spanish fleet in the Pacific with bold maneuver (May)

Manila Harbor

Cuba Rough Riders: Odd assortment of cowboys and Ivy League With the 10 th Cavalry they charge up Kettle Hill to win the battle of San Juan Hill US in Cuba: Defeat Spanish soldiers easily More soldiers die of disease than bullets!! US Navy bottles up Spanish fleet in Santiago Harbor and destroys their fleet!!!

Results of War Philippine and Cuban “Independence” Philippines will initially fight American control –We basically repeat Spain’s tactics –Twain- “20K permanently civilized” Cuba: –Platt Amendment (Cuban Constitution): No for treaty which weaken its independence US has right to lease naval stations No excessive foreign debt US has right to intervene in domestic affairs

American Diplomacy in Latin America Roosevelt Corollary: In rxn to German and Brit bombing Venezuela for defaulting on loans RC: if Hemisphere countries act irresponsibly, we may intervene in their internal affairs!!!

Panama Canal TR help starts a revolt in Colombia’s Panamanian Province Building the canal: 1880: French failure Key is control of disease Earth moving machines and locks are engineering marvel Complete: 1914, open to world and currently owned by Panama

Results of Imperialism 3rd World controlled by industrialized nations Eventually Imperial powers image is tarnished in the 3 rd World US gets involved in world affairs briefly and then retreats into isolation until WW1