10.1 Imperialism and America How did economic activity lead to political and military involvement overseas?

Roots of American Imperialism In 1893, Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii gave up her throne; Hawaii was about to be taken over by the U.S. By the 1880s, many American leaders thought the U.S. should establish colonies overseas; this idea was known as imperialism, or the policy where stronger nations extend economic, political, or military control over weaker territories

Continued Three factors fueled American imperialism: –Desire for military strength –Thirst for new markets –Belief of superiority of American culture –Admiral Alfred T. Mahan of the U.S. Navy supported growing American naval power so the U.S. could compete with other nations and the building of modern battleships to make the U.S. the world’s largest naval power

Continued By the late 1800s, technology caused American farms and factories to produce more than Americans could ever consume, so that the U.S. needed foreign trade and markets to sell their goods and products Racism was prevalent and stemmed from pride in Anglo-Saxon (Northern European) heritage; some felt they had a duty to spread their religion and culture to others in the world

Hawaii and Alaska William Seward was Secretary of State for Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, and purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million The Hawaiian Islands had been used by the U.S. since the 1790s, and missionaries founded Christian churches and schools there in the 1820s Americans also established sugar plantations around this time period

Continued These plantations accounted for about three- quarters of the wealth in the islands Laborers were brought to Hawaii from Japan, Portugal, and China, which weakened the influence of native Hawaiians; by 1900, foreign laborers outnumbered Hawaiians three to one In 1875, the U.S. agreed to import sugar duty- free; over the next 15 years, Hawaiian sugar production increased nine times

Continued Hawaiian growers faced stiff competition from other growers, and the growers called for the U.S. to annex Hawaii In 1887, the U.S. forced Hawaii to let it build a naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii’s best port When Queen Liliuokalani took power, she wanted a new constitution to give voting power back to ordinary Hawaiians

Continued American business groups organized a revolt against the queen, helped by their U.S. ambassador John L. Stevens Planters took control of the islands and set up a temporary government, led by ‘President’ Sanford B. Dole U.S. President Cleveland refused to take over until a majority of Hawaiians favored that, but when McKinley became president in 1897 he went ahead with making Hawaii a U.S. territory in 1898