1. Essential Question:
What role did the United States play as an imperial power in Asia & Latin America?

2. 115 years after gaining independence from Britain, the United States was an industrial & imperial power
How did this happen?

3. The United States:
The U.S. Economy: From 1790 to 1820, most Americans were small-scale farmers
But, a few early textile mills were built in New England and…
Economic development
Territorial acquisitions
Foreign policy
...Eli Whitney’s cotton gin led to a boom in southern cotton & slavery

4. The United States:
U.S. Territorial Expansion: The American population expanded across the Appalachian Mountains
Economic development
Territorial acquisitions
Foreign policy
In 1803, Jefferson doubled the size of the USA & gained control of the Mississippi River when he bought Louisiana from French Emperor Napoleon

5. The United States:
Economic development
Territorial acquisitions
Foreign policy
U.S. Foreign Policy: In these early years, the American government was committed to neutrality in regards to foreign policy

6. The United States:
The U.S. Economy: From 1820 to 1860, Southern cotton made up 60% of American exports
The North had a diverse economy based on farming textile production, & manufacturing
Western farmers were connected to Northern industry by roads, canals, & railroads

7. By 1850, the USA had all lands from the Atlantic to the Pacific
The United States:
U.S. Territorial Expansion: From 1820 to 1860, the USA claimed its “Manifest Destiny” & gained new western lands in Texas, Oregon, & the southwest
By 1850, the USA had all lands from the Atlantic to the Pacific

8. The USA remained committed to neutrality in Europe…
The United States:
U.S. Foreign Policy: In 1823, the U.S. declared a new foreign policy called the Monroe Doctrine
The USA remained committed to neutrality in Europe…
...but promised to protect the Western Hemisphere from European colonization

9. The USA became a world leader in railroads, oil, steel, & electricity
The United States:
The U.S. Economy: From 1860 to 1900, the United States experienced an industrial revolution
The USA became a world leader in railroads, oil, steel, & electricity
As America became more industrialized, it experienced a rise in urbanization & immigration

10. The United States:
U.S. Territorial Expansion: The USA expanded beyond North America & imperialized by gaining new colonies in Latin America & Asia

11. The United States:
U.S. Foreign Policy: With its industry & strong navy, the USA became the “police power” of the Western Hemisphere

12. Why did the United States imperialize?
American factories needed new sources of raw materials & markets to sell their goods
By 1890, there were no new lands in the west to expand into & Americans wanted overseas colonies

13. Why did the United States imperialize?
Americans felt the need to keep up with European imperialists
The U.S. had a modern navy & belief that it could compete with other powerful nations

14. Why did the United States imperialize?
Like Europeans, Americans believed in Social Darwinism & that they had a duty to “civilize” the “inferior races” of the world
So, what did the USA gain during Age of Imperialism?

15. U.S. Imperialism: HAWAII
From 1820 to 1890, Americans moved to Hawaii as missionaries & fruit plantation owners
In 1891, Queen Liliuokalani came to power & tried to reduce the power of Americans living in Hawaii
Americans overthrew Queen Liliuokalani in 1893 & Hawaii was annexed by the USA in 1898

16. U.S. Imperialism: CHINA
By the 1890s, European imperial powers carved China into spheres of influence, giving them exclusive trade rights in Chinese ports
In 1899, the USA declared an Open Door Policy in China to allow free trade by any nation in any port

17. U.S. Imperialism: CUBA
In 1895, Cubans declared their independence from Spain; To put down the revolution, Spain used brutal tactics (like starvation)
In 1898, the U.S. sent the USS Maine to Cuba to protect American interests there; After the ship mysteriously exploded, Americans declared war on Spain

18. The U.S. easily won the Spanish-American War to free Cuba & the Philippines from Spain

19. As a result of the Spanish-American War, Cuba gained its independence & the USA annexed the Philippines, Guam, & Puerto Rico
When the Philippine people were not given independence, they led an unsuccessful rebellion against the USA in the Filipino-American War in 1899

20. America’s Role in Latin America
By 1904, the USA was a world power & declared that it had “police power” to protect Latin America from European imperialism

22. U.S. Imperialism: PANAMA CANAL
By 1900, one of America’s main goals was to build a canal in Panama
After the Colombian gov’t rejected America’s offer to build a canal in Panama, the U.S. encouraged Panama to break from Colombia
In 1903, Panama allowed the U.S. to build the canal & the canal was completed by 1914

23. Click here to see how the Panama Canal works

24. By the 20th century, the U.S. was a world power
The U.S. was a world leader in industry & had one of the most powerful militaries in the world
The USA gained Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines…
…created an Open Door policy in China…
…& had influence over Latin America