Warm-up Respond to the following quotation in a minimum of 4 sentences. What does the quote mean? What argument is W.E.B. Du Bois making? “What do nations care about the cost of war, if by spending a few hundred millions in steel and gunpowder they can gain a thousand millions in diamonds and cocoa?”  ― W.E.B. Du Bois

Unit 6: US Imperialism, The Roaring 20s, and the Great Depression (1890s-1939)

                                                             American Imperialism

Quick Review… What President first tried to exert American influence in world affairs with his 1823 “doctrine?” Monroe Doctrine… what did it declare? The U.S. has an interest in Latin America The U.S. will not allow European nations to interfere with or further colonize the region

What expansionist theory gained popularity in the U. S What expansionist theory gained popularity in the U.S. in the 1830s and 1840s as Americans moved westward? Manifest Destiny… which means? The belief that God granted Americans the right to possess all of North America With all of North America settled, what did expansionists want to do now?

So, what is Imperialism? What does imperialism mean? Does Empire have a positive or negative meaning?  or  What famous empires can you think of?

ANY GUESSES?? What is Imperialism? Stronger nations extend their political, military, and economic control over weaker territories (key word: CONTROL!!!) What were the causes of American Imperialism? Another way to put this… What were the reasons the U.S. became an imperialistic nation? ANY GUESSES??

IMPERIALISM – other definition(s) 1. Imperialism = the quest to build up a territorial empire. 2. Imperialism = control by powerful nation(s) over a less advanced area.

Why U.S. Imperialism? Well, there are many reasons… Reason #1. Initially, it was a response to European Imperialism (competition with western rivals) In the United States, a growing number of policy makers, bankers, manufacturers, and trade unions grew fearful that the country might be closed out in the struggle for global markets and raw materials (fear of global competition).

European Imperialism By the mid-1890s, a shift had taken place in American attitudes toward expansion. Why? Between 1870 and 1900, the European powers seized 10 million square miles of territory in Africa and Asia. About 150 million people were subjected to colonial rule.

EXAMPLE of other Nations (Imperialist) The British Empire controlled over ¼ of World’s territory and population by 1900

Why U.S. Imperialism? Reason # 2: (Fundamental Cause) Industrial Revolution Industrialized nations desired colonies to provide: a) cheap supply of raw materials b) a market for the mother country’s goods c) large profits w/ minimum risk on investment of SURPLUS CAPITAL

Why U.S. Imperialism? Reason #3: Nationalism Used NATIONALIST arguments to gains support for EMPIRE BUILDING. a) gain glory & achieve a “place in the Sun” b) secure essential military bases & war materials c) provide safety - missionaries spread Christianity d) bring to the backward areas the “blessings of the civilized culture” of the West [Europe & USA]

Why U.S. Imperialism? Reason #4: Closing of the FRONTIER – leads investors to look elsewhere for economic opportunity

The Invisible Wars After 1865, the U.S. will advance U.S. Army regiments to put down any Native American resistance out west. Thousands of Native Americans will die from battle, murder, and starvation. (Native American resistance ends by 1890s… nearly all are forced on reservations chosen by the gov’t) EX: Wounded Knee Massacre Americans will attempt to “Americanize” natives (from changing of clothes, forcing Christianity, to the changing of their names… destruction of Native American culture)

Reason #5: Desire for Military Strength Desire for Sea Power Alfred Thayer Mahan a naval strategist and the author of The Influence of Sea Power Upon History argued that national prosperity and power depended on control of the world's sea-lanes. "Whoever rules the waves rules the world"

Justifications for Imperialism 1. Social Darwinism- “Some races are naturally better than others.” Also known as “survival of the fittest.” 2. “White Man’s Burden”- Europeans had a moral duty to civilize primitive people. 3. Christian conversion- Some believed they needed to spread the Christian message to the “heathen masses.”

Belief in Social Darwinian Struggle A belief that the world's nations were engaged in a Social Darwinian struggle for survival and that countries that failed to compete were doomed to decline. This also contributed to a new assertiveness on the part of the United States.

Industrial revolution creates a superiority complex among Western nations towards other nations Following the Industrial Revolution, Europeans regarded their new technology (weaponry, telegraphs, railroads etc.) as proof they were better than other peoples. This attitude is a reflection of racism, the belief that one race is superior to others. Europeans believed that they had the right and duty to bring the results of their progress to other countries.

White Man’s Burden A popular writer of the day was Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). Kipling appealed not only to his readers’ sense of adventure but also the their feelings of superiority. He saw imperialism as a mission to “civilize non-Europeans” and urged his readers to: Take up the White Man’s Burden- Send forth the best ye breed- Go bind your sons to exile- To serve your captives’ need…

Christian Conversion Some of this push for expansion of the European way of life came from missionaries. One of the most famous of these missionaries was David Livingstone, a minister from Scotland who went to Africa to preach the Gospel and helped to end the slave trade there.

Wrap-up 1. Can you name any modern-day examples of imperialism today? 2. Does the idea of White Man’s Burden still exist in arguments today? Examples? 3. During the 1880s, were Christian missionaries (whether they knew it or not) pushing another agenda besides the gospel?