1. America Claims an Empire

2. What is imperialism?
*Imperialism – policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories

3. Why does the United States become involved in imperialism?
Economic competition among industrial nations
Political and military competition
Belief in racial and cultural superiority… white is right or the White Man’s Burden

4. What was the United State’s 1st imperialistic acquisition?
Hawaii…important to the U.S. since the late 1700s as a fuel and supply stop
1880 – Hawaiians outnumber whites 3 to 1
1887 – Whites force King Kalakaua to alter voting system to favor rich land owners
1887 – Pearl Harbor is granted to the U.S.

5. What was the United State’s 1st imperialistic acquisition?
1890 – McKinley Tariff raises the price of foreign Hawaiian sugar
1891 – Queen Liliuokalani takes the thrown and gives voting power back to the native Hawaiians
1893 – John L. Stevens (ambassador) and Sanford B. Dole ([pineapples) organize a revolution on January 16…U.S. marines from the USS Boston invade and force Queen Liliuokalani to abdicate, Dole becomes president of the Pineapple Republic and then asks the U.S. to take over (they do in 1898)

6. What events took place during the imperialism?
Spanish-American War
April 20, 1898…US officially declares war on Spain
May 1, 1898 US invades the Philippines and the defeats Spain at the Battle of Manila

7. What events took place during the Spanish-American War?
US invades Cuba
125,000 volunteer soldiers head to Cuba (only 395 die)
Malaria and dysentery destroy much of America’s forces
Alcohol, especially rum, hinder many soldiers
Incorporation of the Buffalo Soldiers…black soldiers
Rough Riders come to prominence
Teddy Roosevelt’s Calvary unit
San Juan Hill…Roosevelt is not actually the hero as it a complete infantry victory…but he rides this misconception all the way to the White House
July 17, 1898 US invades and captures Puerto Rico

8. How does the Spanish-American War conclude?
August 12, 1898
Treaty of Paris
Cuba becomes an independent nation
US gets Puerto Rico and Guam
US pays Spain $20 million for control of the Philippines

9. What did the United States do in each of the lands it acquired?
Puerto Rico
The island became a commonwealth…similar to a state but with a few differences
Tax-exempt status
No representation in government
No voting right in presidential elections
No state’s rights

10. What did the United States do in each of the lands it acquired?
Cuba
The island became an independent nation under the protection of the US (a protectorate)
Under the Platt amendment the US agreed that:
Cuba cannot make treaties that limit its independence
Cuba cannot go into debt
US reserves the right to intervene in Cuba to protect independence and order
US could buy or lease land on the island for a naval base (Guantanamo Bay)

11. What did the United States do in each of the lands it acquired?
Philippines
The Philippines becomes a US territory
1 year later, in 1899, the Philippines rebels in the Philippine-American War
The US is victorious but the island nation continues to be a trouble spot until after WWII

13. Where there any problems with imperialism?
Negatives
Many citizens protested the US involvement overseas and the $ spent (Dollar Diplomacy)
Natives were not interested in US control
It goes against democratic freedoms

14. What benefits were there in being a world power?
The US builds the Panama Canal
50 mile canal over the isthmus of Panama
New York to San Francisco = 13,000 miles
New York to San Francisco = 5,200 miles
US essentially stole the lands from Columbia and created a new country (Panama)
Yellow fever and bubonic plague kill thousands of natives
5,600 workers die constructing the canal