Chapter 22 Overseas Expansion

Section 1 Expanding Horizons

George Washington advised Americans to increase trade with other countries but to have “as little political connection as possible.”

1. American Foreign Policy While striving to maintain their independence, merchants, farmers, and business leaders relied on trade with other nations.

A. American Expansionism Seeking land and better opportunities, many Americans moved West.

Expansionism was always the driving force in American history. Expansionism stopped during the American Civil War, but began right after it ended.

When the nation spanned from ocean to ocean Americans business leaders began looking overseas to expand their trade.

B. Foreign Trade President Fillmore sent Commodore Matthew Perry to open trade with Japan.

Commodore Matthew Perry

Perry entered Tokyo Bay with four warships and asked the Japanese to open their ports to U.S. ships.

Perry returned in 1854 and signed the Treaty of Kanagawa that opened two ports to U.S. ships. This started the American involvement in Asia.

2. An Age of Imperialism The late 1800s and early 1900s is called the age of imperialism. European nations created large empires by exercising economic and political control over weaker nations.

The need for raw materials and markets drove imperialism. European nations competed with one another for power and influence in Asia and Africa.

3. Toward an Empire Some Americans believed if the United States annexed new lands it would become one of the world’s great powers.

Secretary of State William H. Seward pictured an American empire that dominated the Caribbean, Central America, and the Pacific.

William H. Seward

A. The Purchase of Alaska Secretary Seward took is first step toward his vision when he signed a treaty with Russia and bought Alaska for $7.2 million.

Newspapers mocked the purchase as “Seward’s Ice Box” and a “Polar bear garden.” After gold was discovered in Alaska, it looked like a very wise decision.

B. A Sense of Mission Some Americans believed sharing Christianity was a better reason for imperialist expansion.

C. American Interest in Latin America Fear of European influence in Latin America led the United States into forming the Pan-American Union.

D. Building Sea Power To maintain an expanding empire in the Pacific, the United States believed that they would need a powerful navy.