American Expansion Video Notes

Reasons for Imperialism Economic – need resources and markets Military strength – needed to expand economic interest Belief in racial superiority – the white races “God given duty” to civilize their “brown brothers”; Kiplings – “White Mans Burden”

Japan Date: 1853 – first approached with offer; 1854 – signed Treaty Used Gunboat Diplomacy – threat of force to get agreement Why: – Commodore Mathew Perry - Secure ports in Pacific to refuel naval ships How: – 1853 – Perry & navy sail into Edo harbor in Japan with heavily armed ships Result: – Japan opened trade, fair treatment to shipwreck sailors and allow US to refuel in Japan

Alaska Date: 1867 Acquired through Purchase Why: – Russia want to sell land to pay for Crimean War – U.S. Sec. of State Seward – saw Alaska value for trade, base for war, potential for resources – timber & fur How: – Treaty of Cessations – purchased Alaska for 7.2M, 2.5 cents an acre Results: – Seward ridiculed – “Seward’s Folly”, “Seward’s Ice Box” – US gained territory rich in oil

Hawai’i Date: – 1893: overthrow; threat of force – 1898: annexation Acquired through overthrow & annexation Why: – U.S. business interests – sugar How: – Overthrow & then annexation Results: – Gained refueling station & strategic military installation – Pearl Harbor

Spanish-American War Spanish misrule in Cuba – Cuban’s want independence Am involved in Cuba b/c: – Spain violates Monroe Doctrine – US business investments: $50M in sugar/fruit; $100M trade investment Causes: – Spain’s General Weyler sets up Reconcentration Camps – abuse of Cubans – Jingoism & Yellow Journalism; newspaper owner’s Hearst & Pulitzer get American’s riled up to support Cubans – De Lome Letter: Spanish Ambassador to US criticizes Pres. McKinley, Hearst publishes letter in newspaper – embarrasses Pres. – Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine battleship (at the time thought it was the Spanish, but found out later it was boiler room explosion on the ship)

Span-Am War Continued The War: – Theodore Roosevelt & Rough Riders, take Kettle Hill to win the war – More US soldiers died from disease and food poisoning than from the war – War lasted 15 months – “The Splendid Little War” Results: – Teller Amendment, 1898 US intervenes; secure “stable” government; not interfere with sovereignty – Occupied Cuba until 1902 – Platt Amendment, 1903 – Granted conditional Cuban independence: US not interfere with Cuban sovereignty as long as they does the following: No alliances with other countries that may take them over US allowed to intervene to ensure Cuban independence Cuba must lease Guantanamo base to US Cuba must not acquire huge debt

Puerto Rico Date: 1898 Spain surrenders territory to U.S. Why: – Security How: – Acquired as a result of Spanish-Am war through Treaty of Paris – Still a part of U.S. today Results: – 1900 Foraker Act – Puerto Rico becomes an unincorporated territory, still is – Citizens under U.S. protection, given U.S. citizenship; can vote, have rights.

Guam Date: 1898 Spain surrenders territory to U.S. Why: – Used for strategic location in Pacific How: – Acquired as a result of Spanish-Am war through Treaty of Paris – Still a part of U.S. today Results: – 1950 Guam Organic Act–becomes an unincorporated territory, still is – Citizens under U.S. protection, given U.S. citizenship

Philippines Date: 1898 US purchases Spain for $20M Why: – Used for strategic location in Pacific How: – Acquired as a result of Spanish-Am war through Treaty of Paris – US promised independence if help to fight the Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines – Rebel forces led by revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo helps US – US does not give them their independence because believes they are not capable of ruling by themselves. Results: – Becomes a Commonwealth unincorporated territory – Citizens under U.S. protection, given rights as a U.S. citizen but denied citizenship – Granted Independence in 1946 after WWII

Anti-Imperialist Am. Social Activists – Threat to Am. value system – Democracy should not keep other countries in servitude Cost to maintain army and navy to support imperialism Take away jobs for Am. workers Jane Adams – reformer (Hull House) was against it, so was Mark Twain - author