1. Isolationism to Empire
American Imperialism
Isolationism to Empire

3. Closing the American Frontier

4. Economic Interests

5. Military/Strategic Interests

6. White Man’s Burden

7. Humanitarian Efforts
China, 1905

8. Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani

9. 1893 – American businessmen backed an uprising against Queen Liliuokalani.

10. Cuba

11. “Reconcentration” Camps
General “Butcher”
Weyler relocated 300,000 Cubans to reconcentrados

12. Reconcentrados

14. “Yellow Journalism” & Jingoism
Sensational coverage
Encouraged Jingoism: feeling of intense national pride and a desire for an aggressive foreign policy
“You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war”
Joseph Pulitzer
William Randolph Hearst

17. The Great White Fleet Alfred T. Mahan,
1890, importance of sea power in history = Am. Naval build up = show of U.S. power

18. The U.S.S. Maine

20. Remember the Maine and to Hell with Spain!

21. The de Lome Letter
Described President McKinley as "weak" and a "petty politician."
Called by Hearst: "WORST INSULT TO THE UNITED STATES IN ITS HISTORY."

22. Battle of San Juan Hill

23. Theodore Roosevelt Gains Fame
T.R. led unit of calvary known as the Rough Riders received credit for the battle of San Juan Hill (1898)
Gained tremendous popularity and began to create image as an American hero

24. To take or to not take the Philippines?

25. Anti-Imperialists
Acquire territory w/no path to statehood Unconstitutional
Govern w/o consent against Dec. of Ind.
Pressing social reforms at home
Commitment of maintaining an empire

26. Outcome of the Spanish American War (1898)
Treaty of Paris
Obtained the Philippines (20 million), Guam, and Puerto Rico
Cuba became a U.S. protectorate
Teller Amendment: U.S. promises not to take over Cuba
Platt Amendment: Cuba could not make treaties, go into debt, and the U.S. could intervene

27. Cares of a Growing Family

29. Big Stick Diplomacy Roosevelt Corollary:
Asserted America’s right to intervene in order to protect economic interests
America would act as a international police force

30. Not to be left out… U. S. issues the Open Door Policy (1899)
America asserts right to free trade America use force if necessary 30

31. Boxer Rebellion (1900) Eight nation coalition defeated Boxers
First multinational force
Precedent of intervention to protect American civilians 31

32. The Panama Canal
Roosevelt: “I took the Canal Zone, and let Congress debate, and while the debate goes on, the canal does also.” 32

33. Completion of the Canal
Represented American technological capability
Symbolized arrogant American imperialism

34. American Foreign Investments, 1914

35. Dollar Diplomacy
Taft used financial power to exert influence over Latin American countries
Ex. Nicaragua intervention

36. Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”
Improve financial opportunities for American businesses.
Use private capital to further U. S. interests overseas.
Create stability/promote America’s commercial interests.

37. Nicaragua Intervention, 1911
President Diaz was an officer of U.S.-owned Nicaraguan mining company
U.S. bankers loaned 15 million/controlled Nicaraguan National Bank
Revolt ensued against Diaz
Taft sent in 2,500 Marines to protect American interests
Remained there until 1933

38. The U. S. should be the conscience of the world.

39. Moral/Missionary Diplomacy
Wilson would not recognize any country that was…
Undemocratic
Oppressive
Hostile to U.S. interests

40. Intervention in Mexico, 1914
Wilson refused to recognize Mexican gov’t
“I will not recognize a government of butchers…I am going to teach the South American republics to elect good men.”
Pancho Villa

41. Pattern of Intervention
Based on humanitarian grounds, to enforce order, forestall foreign intervention, and protect U.S. economic interests, the United States intervened in the Caribbean and Central America some 20 times over the next 30 yrs.

42. U.S. Interventions 1890s-1920s

43. America’s New Role

44. Changing World Role
U.S. now had global commitments and could no longer remain completely isolationist

45. “One of the Boys”