1. America Claims an Empire Chapter Ten

2. Guided Notes Questions Copy these into you notes.
1. Define Imperialism in your own words.
2. List the factors that shaped American imperialism.
3. Explain the economic and cultural factors that fueled
the growth of American imperialism?
Each question should be at least 3 sentences and use direct information from the lesson

3. Chapters in Brief - Overview
To compete with other powers, America gains colonies overseas, although some Americans object.

4. American Empire Objective
To understand how individuals and events moved the United States into the role of a world power

5. Chapter Ten – Section One Imperialism and America

6. American Expansionism
Americans had always sought to expand the size of their nation
By 1880s, many American leaders had become convinced that the US should join the imperialist powers of Europe and establish colonies overseas
Imperialism: the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories
Europe had been establishing colonies for centuries
Africa was a prime target (only two countries – Ethiopia and Liberia - were independent)
Competed in Asia (China)
Guided Question: Define Imperialism in your
own words.

7. American Expansionism
Imperialism grew on most Americans
(Manifest Destiny)
Three Factors Fueled American Imperialism:
1. Desire for military strength
2. Wanting new markets
3. Belief in cultural superiority

8. Desire for Military Strength
Military expansion of European powers led U.S. do the same
Admiral Alfred T. Mahan
urged government to build up its naval power
U.S. built 9 steel-hulled cruisers between 1883 and 1890
3rd largest naval power in the world

9. Thirst For New Markets
overproduction in the U.S. led to the view that factories needed raw materials from abroad
surplus U.S. products needed to be sold in new markets
Imperialists thought it was a solution to unemployment / depression

10. Belief in Cultural Superiority
cultural factors also were used to
justify imperialism
Three Factors:
1. Social Darwinism philosophy
“survival of the fittest”
2. belief in the racial and cultural
superiority of Anglo-Saxons
3. U.S. had a “responsibility” to expand and spread Christianity and civilization to the world’s “inferior people”
Guided Question: List the factors that shaped
American imperialism.

11. The United States Acquires Alaska
Seward’s Folly: 1867

12. The United States Acquires Alaska
William Seward – Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson
U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million
2 cents an acre
some though it was silly…
”Seward’s Folly”
1959 Alaska became a state

13. The United States Takes Hawaii

14. The United States Takes Hawaii
Protectorate: a country whose affairs
are partially
controlled by a stronger
power
Protectorate in 1849
military naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1887 – kingdoms best port

15. The United States Takes Hawaii
businesses organized a revolution against Queen Liliuokalani
she proposed removing property requirements from voting

16. The United States Takes Hawaii
Marines helped overthrow the Queen
President Cleveland refused to consider annexation - had unsuccessfully ordered her throne restored
McKinley takes over and favors annexation of Hawaii (1898)
1959 Hawaii becomes the 50th state

17. Guided Reading Question
Explain the economic and
cultural factors that fueled the
growth of American imperialism?