■U.S. Foreign Policy and Imperialism

America’s Changing Role in the World

■From 1790 to 1900, the U.S. expanded its role in world affairs:

–In 1796, George Washington promoted neutrality (America’s policy of remaining independent of alliances with other country's)warned against alliances

America’s Changing Role in the World

–In 1823, the Monroe Doctrine asserted neutrality but proclaimed that the U.S. would protect the western hemisphere (north and south America) from European influence

America’s Changing Role in the World

–In 1845, the U.S. used treaties & wars to pursue its “Manifest Destiny” & expand to the Pacific Ocean

Manifest Destiny

■control all land from Atlantic ocean to Pacific ocean was America's Destiny

America’s Changing Role in the World

–By the 1890s, the U.S. gainedcolonies & developed a more active foreign policy

New Imperialism

■New Imperialism was a period of colonial expansion by the European powers, the U.S. and Japan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

New Imperialism

■ The period (1830 -1945) was a pursuit of overseas territorial acquisitions.

■Using new technological advances and developments, they made their country bigger through conquest, and exploiting their resources

U.S. Imperialism■In the late 1800s, the United States

emerged as an imperialist nation:–ImperialismImperialism is the act of strong

nations exerting their power over weaker nations

–From 1867 to 1904, the U.S, annexed Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Philippines & built the Panama Canal

American Imperialism

Reasons for U.S. Imperialism

■Americans were motivated by:–In 1890, the closing of frontier (no

new lands in the “west”)– American industry needed new

overseas markets & new sources of raw materials

European powers had acquired colonies & many Americans believed that the USA

had to imperialize in order to keep up

Reasons for U.S. Imperialism■At the urging of Admiral Alfred Mahan,

the USA developed a modern navy, allowing the U.S. to compete with other powerful nations

■Many believed that Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism gave Americans a duty to “civilize” the “inferior races” of the world by introducing medicine, technology, Christianity, & democracy

White Man's Burden

■The White Man's Burden" is a poem by the English poet Rudyard Kipling.

White Man's Burden

----published 1899, The poem was to reflect the subject of American colonization of the Philippines, recently won from Spain in the Spanish-American War

----At face value it appears to be a rhetorical command to white men to colonize and rule other nations for the benefit of those people

The White Man’s Burden

Superstition

Oppression

Ignorance

Barbarism

Vice

Civilization

United States expands its borders

U.S. Imperialism: HAWAIIFrom 1820 to 1890, Americans moved

to Hawaii as missionaries & fruit plantation owners

In 1891, Queen Liliuokalani came to

power & tried to reduce the power of Americans

living in Hawaii

Americans overthrew Queen Liliuokalani in 1893 & Hawaii was annexed by the USA in 1898

U.S. Imperialism: CHINABy the 1890s, European imperial powers carved China into spheres of influence, giving them exclusive trade rights in Chinese ports

In 1899, the USA declared an Open Door Policy in China to allow free trade by any nation in any port

Open Door Policy

■America opened up trade with Asia

■Spanish-American War 1898

■(war fought with spain over cuba’s independence)

U.S. Imperialism: CUBAIn 1895, Cubans declared their independence from Spain; To put down the revolution, Spain used brutal tactics (like starvation)

U.S. newspapers sensationalized the events in Cuba (known as “yellow journalism”)

In 1898, the U.S. sent the USS Maine to Cuba to protect American interests there;

After the ship mysteriously exploded, Americans declared war on Spain

Teller Resolution

■The Teller Amendment was an amendment by United States Congress.

■ It placed a condition on the United States military's presence in Cuba.

Teller Resolution

■ the U.S. could not annex Cuba but only leave "control of the island to its people."

■U.S. would help Cuba gain independence and then withdraw all its troops from the country.

The Spanish-American War was fought to liberate Cuba & the Philippines from Spanish

control; The war lasted only 113 days

Teddy Roosevelt & the Rough Riders

Rough Riders

■Teddy Roosevelt lead the Rough Riders

■They were Volunteer Cavalry that fought during the Spanish-American War

■ President William McKinley called upon 1,250 volunteers to assist in the war efforts.

As a result of the Spanish-American War, Cuba was liberated & the USA annexed the

Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico

Commodore Dewey

■The Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.

■Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish fleet at Battle Of Manila Bay

Treaty of Paris of 1898

■ Spanish Empire's surrendering control of Cuba and ceding Puerto Rico, parts of the Spanish West Indies, the island of Guam, and the Philippines to the United States

Platt amendment

■It stipulated seven conditions for the withdrawal of United States troops remaining in Cuba at the end of the Spanish-American War. It defined the terms of Cuban-U.S. relations to essentially be an unequal one of U.S. dominance over Cuba

Platt amendment

■It called for the U.S. intervening in Cuban foreign policy

■It allowed for naval bases on Cuba for U.S. military support to maintain order in Cuba

■It allowed Cuba to govern themselves as long as a democratic form of government

U.S. Imperialism: PUERTO RICO

Puerto Rice is still a U.S. territory; Lots of poverty & unemployment

U.S. Imperialism: PHILIPPINESWhen the Philippines were annexed by the USA & not granted independence after the Spanish-American War, the Filipino-American War began in 1898

The Filipino-American War lasted 3 years & cost more in money & American lives

than the Spanish-American War

U.S. Imperialism: DOMINICAN REPUBLICWhen Theodore Roosevelt became president, he used “Big Stick Diplomacy”:

Develop an active U.S. foreign policy with a strong navy to accomplish goals

TR added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, giving the United States “police powers” to protect Latin America

from European imperialism

U.S. Imperialism: PANAMATR used “Big Stick Diplomacy” to build the Panama Canal by encouraging a

Panamanians to rebel from Colombia

Panama Canal

■Canal between North and South America offering a water passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

■An initial attempt by France to build a sea-level canal failed

Panama Canal

■ Panama was created through its separation from Colombia in 1903, due to a US backed revolt, so the US could then get control of the Canal project area.

Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty

■ was a treaty signed on November 18, 1903, by the United States and Panama, which established the Panama Canal Zone and the construction of the Panama Canal

■ United States was to receive rights to a canal zone

■ Panama was to receive $10 million and an annual rental payment of $250,000

Torrijos–Carter Treaties

■guaranteed that Panama would gain control of the Panama Canal after 1999, ending the control of the canal that the U.S. had exercised since 1903

U.S. Imperialism: MEXICOThe USA tried to intervene in Mexican affairs when Huerta overthrew Diaz &

again when Carranza overthrew Huerta

Mexico & the USA almost went to war when

Mexican rebel Pancho Villa killed 19 Americans

The Debate over American Imperialism■ Not all Americans

supported imperialism:–The Anti-Imperialist

League formed in 1899 to fight U.S. annexation of the Philippines

–Many argued that the U.S. had no right to force American culture upon others

The U.S. Becomes a World Power■By the 20th century, the USA was a

world power:–Built the world’s 3rd largest navy –Annexed Hawaii, the Philippines,

Puerto Rico, many Pacific islands–Asserted itself in Latin America

(Spanish-American War, Panama Canal, & Roosevelt Corollary

–Influenced Asia (Open Door Policy)