1. 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?

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

9. 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

10. Click here to see how the Panama Canal works

11. 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