American Imperialism
From Isolationism to Expansionism
Why?



Military
o
Alfred T. Mahan argued for a strong
navy in his book “Influence of Sea Power
Upon History”
o
Protection of territories
o
Refueling ports
Economic/Political
o
Need for raw materials and markets.
o
Open Door Policy— U.S. declares continued
trade with _China_.
o
Boxer Rebellion
o
Dollar Diplomacy— Taft’s idea to give
_financial _ support to other countries.
o
Roosevelt Corollary— justified sending U.S.
troops to intervene in Central America.
Social
o
Spread of American institutions
o
Missionary zeal
o
Christian Duty
Examples:





Annexation of Hawaii
o
Sandford B. Dole – helped overthrow Queen
o
Missionaries
o
Military Port- fueling station
Commodore Perry opens Japan to trade
Henry Cabot Lodge and Theodore Roosevelt pushed for
expansionism— what is that?
social gospel- white man’s burden
Christian duty
How was this different from previous U.S. foreign policy?
-isolationism
Panama Canal
o
Huge undertaking that Theodore Roosevelt
oversaw
o
Improved trade and military movement
o
Malaria/challenges of geography
Think About It: How did these events move the U.S. into the position as a world power?
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Who?
Effects of Technological
Innovations
Technological Innovations?
President Wilson initially declared
neutrality
Alliances:
_Allies __ vs. _Central Powers__
submarines
American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) led
by__John Pershing___
machine guns
Trench warfare … led to a
Argonne Forest one of the most famous
battles (1918)because
turning
point; _ Allied victory_
Alvin York won the Medal of Honor
poison gas
Stalemate led to …
Western Front— hundreds of miles of
battle front along eastern France
tanks/planes
Massive casualties
When?1914-1918___
Another
Turning
Point!
World War I—Why is this a Turning Point?
Militarism: strong military
Alliances:linked together
Imperialism:compete for
colonies
When__1917__

Lusitania is sunk
Germany’s unrestricted
_submarine warfare__ warfare
Ties to Allies
Nationalism: national pride
 Assassination of Arch Duke
Ferdinand_1914__
Zimmerman_Telegram
Sussex Pledge- promise to
warn passagengers before
attack
Treaty of Versailles—
Germany reparations and accept
war guilt
Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points
created League of _Nations_
Great Migration- African Amer. Move
north
U.S. returns to isolationism
International instability
Espionage Act of 1917/Sedition Act
restricted freedom of speech_
Selective Service Act – Drafted
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Who?

U.S. vs.
Spain

Yellow journalism—Pulitzer
and Hearst newspapers used
this exaggerated form of
journalism
When?
1898
Where?
Havana, _Cuba_____
___USS MAINE______ is sent
to Cuba to protect U.S.
interests
San Juan Hill Victory of Rough
Riders led by
Teddy Roosevelt
Philippines
Explodes and seen as an attack
on the U.S.- sabatage
Spanish American War
Review this short war and its impact by filling in the blanks
Why?
USS Maine sinks and the U.S.
blames ___Spain_____
How?

Media—
Yellow journalism increases
support

Land—
U.S. fought Spain in Cuba
and the Phillipines

Sea—
U.S. defeats _Spain quickly
 DéLome letter calls President
McKinley weak. Americans are
___Outraged_ and protest
Significance
U.S. acquired territory from
Spain—Guam, Puerto Rico,
and Philippines
Platt Amendment— U.S.
could intervene in Cuba
Why is this war considered
a turning point?
US wins; now a world power
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“Change in theBack”
“Business in theFront”
POLITICAL
 “Return to Normalcy” — President Harding’s
reduced role of U.S. government / laissez-faire
policies
Harding & Teapot Dome Scandal
18TH Amendment—Prohibition of Alcohol
19th Amendment— women’s right to vote
21st Amendment—repeal prohibition
ECONOMIC
$Economic Boom—How did these impact the
Economy?
$Mass Production/Assembly Line-
$Henry Ford
$Laissez-Faire – “hands off”
$Buying-on-Credit
SOCIAL
o
Red Scare/Sacco-Vanzetti— targets of navists
o
Growth of nativism
o
Immigration Quota/Citizenship Act of 1924
o
Eugenics- selective breeding
Great Migration influenced culture
o
Social Darwinism-survival of the fittest applied
to society and business
o
SOCIAL—modernism v. traditionalism
Adventure—
o Charles Lindbergh— first to cross Atlantic in plane
o Glenn Curtiss — Aviation Pioneer that was 1st to
design seaplane that could take off and land on water
Changing Role of Women—
o Flappers
o Frances Willard — Temperance Movement
o Women’s Rights Movement
Cultural Values—
o Prohibition Organized Crime
o Scopes “Monkey” Trial— clash between traditionalism
and modernism over teaching evolution.
Clarence Darrow – defense attorney
William Jennings Bryan – prosecutor
Art, Music & Literature
o Jazz Age – birth of new music
o Harlem Renaissance
Langston Hughes
Marcus Garvey
o
Tin Pan Alley—
o
Lost Generation —F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great
Gatsby; Ernest Hemingway; Sinclair Lewis
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