1. American Imperialism Begins
Hawaii & Alaska
Jose Marti
Yellow Journalism
U.S.S. Maine
Spanish American War
Commodore George Dewey
Rough Riders
Treaty of Paris

2. Imperialism
The policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories
America wanted to be more powerful
Manifest Destiny fueled this desire
Desired military strength
New Markets
Belief in cultural superiority

3. Alaska & Hawaii Purchased Alaska from Russia (1867) Hawaii
$7.2 million
Hawaii
Took over Midway Island
No one lived there
American plantation owners in Hawaii wanted to be annexed so they would not have to pay duties on sugar they sent to the U.S.

4. Hawaii cont. Pearl Harbor Naval Base built in 1887
Hawaiian monarch was overthrown with help from U.S.
Pres. William McKinley favored annexation
1898 Congress proclaimed Hawaii an American Territory

5. Cuba Americans had large investments in sugar plantations in Cuba
U.S. once tried to buy Cuba from Spain
Spain refused

6. Jose Marti Organized a revolution in Cuba in 1895
Deliberately destroyed American property
U.S. sentiment on Cuba was split
Spain sent in troops to quell the revolution
Also set up concentration camps

7. Yellow Journalism Newspaper Wars
William Randolph Hearst
Joseph Pulitzer
Both printed exaggerated accounts of life in Cuba
Poisoned wells
Children thrown to sharks
Wanted to fuel a war between Spain and the U.S.
Made a mountain out of a mole hill

8. DeLome Letter
Spanish minister to the U.S. criticized Pres. McKinley calling him weak
Spain was embarrassed
U.S. was angry

9. U.S.S Maine
U.S.S Maine was sent in to Cuba to bring Americans home who might be in danger and protect American Property
Feb there was an explosion aboard the Maine
Some believed it was destroyed by the Spanish
No real proof
Probably an explosion from the forward magazine
“Remember the Maine” became a rallying cry to war with Spain

10. Spanish American War
Pres. McKinley asked for a declaration of war on April 11, 1898
Congress granted on April 20
War with Spain was not limited to Cuba
Also attacked the Philippines
America had a trading interest there
China

11. Commodore Dewey Attacked the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay
Dewey’s steel ships destroyed Spain’s wooden ships
Had support from the Filipino's
Filipino rebels and U.S. troops forced Spanish troops to surrender in August

12. War in Cuba 125,000 volunteered to fight in Cuba
Troops were ill equipped
Wool uniforms
Lack of leaders
Spanish fleet was blockaded in Santiago Harbor

13. San Juan Hill Infantry battle (July 1, 1898)
Theodore Roosevelt was in charge of “Rough Riders”
Voluntary cavalry unit
Charged up San Juan Hill and won the battle
Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were heroes in the newspapers at home

14. More War in Cuba
Spanish Navy tried to get out of harbor and was destroyed
U.S. then invaded Puerto Rico

15. Treaty of Paris Actual fighting only lasted 15 weeks Spain freed Cuba
Turned over Guam, Puerto Rico, and West Indies to U.S.
Sold Philippines to U.S. for $20 million
Senate approve treaty
Some people worried about imperialism
Booker T. Washington- fix race problems at home
Samuel Gompers-would new territories compete for jobs?