Chapter 18: An Emerging World
Power
Unit 5
Section 1: The Roots of Imperialism
The Causes of Imperialism
• Age of Imperialism: mid-1800s into the early
1900s
• Nations were doing everything they could to
expand their influence across the globe
• Imperialism—the policy by which strong
nations extend their political, military, and
economic control over weaker territories.
Imperialists Seek Economic Benefits
• New colonies
meant more access
for countries to
gather raw
materials and
natural resources
• Imperialist
countries would
extract the
materials they
wanted from the
colonies, and ship
them back to the
home country
– Extractive economy
Imperialists Seek Economic Benefits
• The United States had an abundance of
resources and was not interested in colonizing
in the 19th century
• The US economy was booming and we were
producing more than we could consume
– Supply and demand = economic issues started to
arise
• We became more interested in trading/selling
our goods with new markets (in new
countries)
Imperialists Stress Military Strength
• To protect their new
territories abroad, countries
began to expand and
strengthen their militaries
• The United States started to
do the same
– Drive to gain foreign bases
where American ships could
refuel
– US Navy began to expand and
create better ships
Imperialists Believe in National
Superiority
• US feared that the country
would fail because we were
not going out and colonizing
other places, like the other
world powers
• Social Darwinism allowed
countries to dominate new
territories
– Racial, national, and cultural
superiority
– Manifest Destiny…
US Power Grows in the Pacific
• Through
diplomacy (and
gifts), the US
gained trade
rights with
Japan and got
the Midway
Islands
• The US
increased trade
with the
Hawaiian
Islands and built
a naval base at
Pearl Harbor
Seward Purchases Alaska
• 1867
• Secretary of State William
Seward buys Alaska from
Russia
– $7.2 million
• Seen as a foolish move but…
– Doubled the size of the US
– Rich in timber, oil, and other
natural resources
Section 2: The Spanish-American War
Introduction
• Spain was a serious military and imperialist
power at the turn of the 20th century
• Spain had control of the Philippine Islands,
Puerto Rico, and Cuba
Cubans Rebel Against Spanish Rule
• 1895 Jose Marti launched a war for
independence against Spain
• America had a real interest in this:
– $50 million had been invested in
sugar cane plantations on the island
• Rebel forces used guerrilla tactics
against Spanish forces, but the
Spanish fought back by depriving
food and recruits
– Tens of thousands of Cubans died of
disease and starvation
The Yellow Press Inflames Opinion
• Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst
were journalists who used the Yellow Press (or
Yellow Journalism)
– This form of journalism exaggerated Spanish
atrocities and compared Cuban rebels to the
patriots of the American Revolution
The Yellow Press Inflames Opinion
• President McKinley warned the Spanish to
establish peace, or else the US would step in
• Spain couldn’t stop continued violence, so
McKinley ordered the US battleship Maine to
Havana harbor to protect Americans
• Zimmermann Note
– Incited American jingoism
The Maine Blows Up
• Soon after the
Zimmermann Note was
published, the Maine
exploded
• 266/350 Americans died
• Yellow Press ran the story
saying that Spain had
blown up the ship
– Reality?
• America mobilized for war
– “Remember the Maine!”
The Nation Goes to War
• April 11, 1898 McKinley
asked Congress to use
force against the Spanish
in Cuba
• Congress agreed, but
added the Teller
Amendment
– This stipulation said that the
US had no intention of
annexing Cuba
War in the Philippines
• May 1, 1898, George
Dewey moved the
American navy into the
Philippines and surprised
the Spanish fleet
– Completely destroyed the
Spanish fleet and killed 400
soldiers (no Americans
dead)
– Eventually, between the
American naval assault and
the Filipino nationalists
rebelling on land, Spain gave
up control of the area
US Forces Win in Cuba
• June 1898
• US Marines captured
Guantanamo Bay and American
forces stormed the shore
• Americans unprepared for Cuba
• Rough Riders were sent in
– Cavalry unit, led by the future
President Theodore Roosevelt
– Joined by African American
soldiers from the Ninth and Tenth
Cavalries
• With a blockade to stop the
Spanish and the fighting on the
island, eventually Spain gave up
Effects of the War
• Treaty of Paris
– December 1898
– Spain gave up control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and
Guam
– Sold the Philippines to the US ($20 million)
• Imperialism or Isolationism??
Section 3: The U.S. and East Asia
Guerrilla War Erupts in the Philippines
• Filipinos wanted
independence from
America, war broke out
• 5,000 Americans were
killed
• 100,000 Filipinos were
killed
• Filipinos lost the fight,
the Philippines
remained in control of
the US
Reforms Lead to Promise of Self-Rule
• 1901, William Taft (future president) became
the governor of the Philippines
• He limited some aspects of life (like
journalism) but also helped to build schools,
roads, and bridges
• Jones Act
– Pledged that the Philippines would eventually gain
their independence
– Doesn’t happen until the end of WWII
America Declares Equal Trade in China
• China had been divided up into
Spheres of Influence
– Britain, France, Germany, Russia,
Japan
– US did not have it’s own zone
• America claims it has every right
to open markets with
China…meant something to China,
but not the other countries
• John Hay pushed America’s Open
Door Policy
– Stated that America didn’t want
colonies in China, it simply wanted
to trade with the Chinese
The Boxer Rebellion
• Righteous and Harmonious
Fists (The Boxers) were a
group of angry Chinese
– Secret society that was
against foreigners and
Chinese converts to
Christianity
• May 1900:
– Boxer Rebellion
• The Boxers went in and killed
foreign missionaries and
Chinese Christians
• Foreign troops (including
2,000 Americans) squashed
the rebellion
Russo-Japanese War
• 1905 Russia and Japan met in New Hampshire
to negotiate an end of the war.
• President Theodore Roosevelt intervened and
helped the two to sign a peace treaty
• Roosevelt ended up winning a Nobel Peace
Prize and this helped boost America’s strength
on the world stage
Gentlemen’s Agreement
• Anti-Asian sentiments were
growing in the US
• Segregated schools and housing
in California
• Gentlemen’s Agreement
– Quota laws in return for less
prejudice
Section 4: The U.S. and Latin America
Civil Government in Puerto Rico
• 1900: Congress passes the Foraker Act
– Established a civil government in Puerto
Rico
– The president could appoint a governor
and part of the Puerto Rican legislature
– Puerto Ricans could fill the rest of the
seas
• 1917: President Wilson signs the
Jones-Shafroth Act
– Granted Puerto Ricans more citizenship
rights and gave islanders greater control
over their legislature
Theodore Roosevelt and “Big Stick”
Diplomacy
• President Roosevelt
felt that it was the
U.S.’s duty to
“civilize” and
“uplift” weaker
areas of the world
– “Speak softly and
carry a big stick”
• If necessary, the
military would be
used to enforce any
of the
President’s/U.S.’s
policies
The Panama Canal
• U.S. bought the Panama route for $40 million
• Issue was, the Colombian government controlled Panama at the
time, and would not allow the U.S. to do anything with the territory
• Roosevelt stepped in using “Big Stick” Diplomacy
– Sent U.S. warships down to Panama to assist the Panamanians in
rebelling against Colombia
• Canal was a huge feat, but had a big payoff
– Cut about 8,000 miles off the trip from the west coast to the east
coast of the US
Roosevelt Updates the Monroe
Doctrine
• Recap:
– Monroe Doctrine was established to keep out any
European countries from interfering with things in the
Western Hemisphere
– Basically: meant to stop any new European colonies in
the Americas
• Roosevelt Corollary
– Built on Monroe Doctrine
– Said that if there were any issues in Latin America,
Europe could NOT intervene. The U.S. would use it’s
military force to restore order.
Taft and “Dollar” Diplomacy
• William Howard Taft wins the
Presidency in 1908
• Taft agreed with Roosevelt’s
imperialistic views, but thought
military force wasn’t the best
option
• Dollar Diplomacy:
– Investing money into weaker
nations to get what you want
– Set up businesses, establish
railways, mines, oil wells, etc.
Wilson and “Moral” Diplomacy
• Wilson wins the presidential election in 1912
• He promised that the US would never invade
another territory using force, instead we
would promote:
– Human rights
– National integrity
– And opportunity