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U.S. Imperialism
1880-1917
New American Imperialism was fueled by three factors
• Desire for military strength • Thirst for new markets • Belief in cultural superiority
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Alaska • In 1867 the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2
million. • 2 cents an acre • Land was rich in timber, minerals, and oil • 1959 state
Hawaii • Economically Important
– Stop on the way to China and the East Indies
• 1820 missionaries established schools and churches. Their grandchildren became sugar planters who sold most of their crop to the U.S.
• By the mid 19th century American owned sugar plantations accounted for about ¾ of the Islands wealth. – Imported labor from Japan, Portugal, China. By 1900 foreign
& immigrant labor out numbered Native Hawaiians 3 to 1
• 1875 U.S. imported Hawaiian sugar duty free, for the next 15 years sugar production increased.
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• 1890 McKinley Tariff eliminated the duty free status for Hawaiian sugar.
• American planters in Hawaii pushed for the U.S. to annex the islands to avoid the duty tax.
• 1887 U.S. military pressured Hawaii to allow the U.S. to build a naval base. (Pearl Harbor)
• 1891 Business groups with the help of the Marines helped overthrow the Queen.
• Aug.12, 1898 President McKinley annexed Hawaii as a territory
• 1959 Hawaii becomes the 50th state.
Spanish-American War
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Spanish-American War • American Investments in
sugar • Revolution in Cuba against
the Spanish. They deliberately destroy American owned sugar plantations
• Spanish put Cubans in large camps where they starved to death
• U.S.S. Maine exploded in Havana’s Harbor
• April 20th 1898 McKinley declares war on Spain
Cause
Yellow Journalism (cause)
William Randolph Hearst – New York Journal
• Joseph Pulitzer – New York World
• Used sensationalized articles in their newspapers to increase sales. They exaggerated the news to lure readers.
Joseph Pulitzer William Randolph
Hearst
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• Hearst sent artist Frederick Remington to Cuba
• When Remington questioned if there would be war Hearst is reported to have said “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.”
• Hearst published the De Lome letters.
Effects
• Spain frees Cuba • U.S. gains control over
– Guam – Puerto Rico
• Spain sold the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million
• Great debate is sparked in the U.S. about imperialism
• Annexation of the Philippines • Cuba became a U.S. Protectorate