Imperialism

Imperialism is…• The policy of establishing

colonies and building empires.

Definition of Imperialism

• A policy by a stronger nation (such as the USA) to create an empire by dominating weaker nations economically, politically, culturally, or militarily.

Why did Imperialism Develop?• Economic factors• Political or Nationalistic factors• Humanitarian or Cultural factors• Military factors

Economic Factors

• Manufacturing nations need more natural resources and more markets.

Political or Nationalistic Factors

• Nationalism - a belief that one’s nations goals are superior to those of other nations

Humanitarian or Cultural Factors

• Spreading Western ideas and Christianity. It was their duty to spread the blessings of Western civilization across the globe.

Military Factors

• Growing navies need new naval bases worldwide.

Early American Imperialism

• Using the idea of Manifest Destiny, Alaska was purchased in 1867.

• The Midway Islands were annexed (joined to the USA) in 1867.

Alaska is purchased in 1867

• Secretary of State William H. Seward agreed to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. (that’s only about 2 cents an acre!)

• At the time, critics thought Seward was crazy and called the deal "Seward's folly."

Delaware!

Was it worth it??

• Discoveries of gold were made there in the 1880s and 1890s.

• These discoveries brought attention and people to Alaska.

• Today, petroleum transported across the state through a pipeline is Alaska's richest mineral resource.

Imperialism Presidents

William McKinley• Republican• Starts US

Imperialism• Reaffirmed

Monroe Doctrine

Other Pacific Property

Hawaii – 1891 Queen Liliuokalani takes throne & against trade w/ US

• 1893 – Marines led by Sanford Dole overthrow Queen

• Dole made governor – asks for annexation to the US

• The Hawaiian Queen is removed from power by American military force under pressure from businessmen (including Sanford Dole – the pineapple guy…)

• Hawaii is annexed in 1898.

How did America become Involved in Imperialism?, cont.

Other Pacific Property.

• Japan - Trade relations are established in 1854 by Commodore Matthew Perry and a very young U.S. Navy

Other Pacific Property

Samoa – US, GB, & Germany fighting over harbor @ Pago Pago

• Over time US would gain complete control

Other Pacific Property

China – divided up among European countries

• These “spheres of influence” limited trade between the U.S. and China

Open Door Policy

• In the fall of 1898, President McKinley and Secretary of State John Hay force an "open door" policy on the

nations that control China.

• The policy would allow all trading nations access to the

Chinese markets.

Civil War in Cuba

In 1895 civil war broke

out in Cuba between

Spain and Cuban rebels.

• By 1895, Spain had only a few colonial

possessions left

including the

Philippines, Puerto Rico and Cuba

Setting the Stage for War• In competition for readership, two New York

newspapers wrote exaggerated stories about the Cuban rebellion.

•This yellow journalism sold a lot of papers but had other

effects as well:•It whipped up American public opinion in favor of

the Cuban rebels!

The Yellow Kid

Printed under a headline that read:

Cuban Babes Prey to FamineThousands of Children Perishing in

Island TownsSights that Sicken Strong Men

• The New York Journal reports "...blood on the roadsides, blood in the villages, blood, blood, blood!"

When William Randolph Hearst sent a reporter to cover the rumored war, he cabled back that there was no war going on.  Hearst wired back:  “Please remain. You supply the pictures, and I'll supply the war.”

To get the attention of the U.S. government – Cuban Rebels burn plantations owned by U.S.

businessmen.The U.S. Battleship Maine is sent to protect

U.S. citizens and as a warning message to Spain!

Spanish-American War

• Admiral George Dewey sent to Philippines ????

Remember the Maine!

Spanish-American War

• USS Maine EXPLODES!• Over 250

Sailors Killed!

Spanish-American War

• April 11, 1898 – McKinley asks Congress to declare war

• May 1st, 1898 – First attack was @ Philippines Dewey sank entire Spanish Pacific Fleet

Spanish-American War

• May 1st, 1898 – Second attack was surrounding Spanish Atlantic Fleet @ Santiago Harbor

Spanish-American War

• Theodore Roosevelt led invasion of Cuba w/ the Rough Riders – Volunteer Cavalry

Spanish-American War

• Battle of San Juan Hill – July 1st most famous incident of the war

Spanish-American War

• July 4th – Spanish Fleet tried to leave• All sunk by US fleet ending the war• Called “Splendid Little War”• 2,500 US died – 400 died in battle?• Rest died of yellow fever, malaria,

food poisoning, & bad Meds

Spanish-American War

Treaty of Paris1. Cuba is independent – US get to

keep 2 naval bases on island (now have one)

2. US gained Philippines, Puerto Rico, & Guam

Imperialism Presidents

Theodore Roosevelt

• “Big Stick Diplomacy”• Gained US Panama Canal• Roosevelt’s Corollary to the Monroe

Doctrine – it was the right of US to intervene in Latin American nations

The Panama Canal

• Greatest Shortcut on Earth!

Why Build a Canal?• A trip from

San Francisco to New York is 7,872 miles

shorter using the

canal instead of

going around South

America.

What the Heck’s an Isthmus?

Isn’t the Atlantic in the East and Pacific in the West??

1880s

• In 1881, the French were given permission to build a

canal across Panama.

• What challenges do you think they faced

building a canal in this type of area?

• By noon the temperature is around 100 degrees.

• The average yearly rainfall is

about 105 inches!

• (avg. rainfall for Middletown, De is around 42 inches)

• Flooding makes the ground like pudding, and

you can sink up to your knees in

mud.

• It’s so humid that after it rains steam rises from the ground

• Your clothes are nearly always soaking wet.

• The Jungle grows at an amazing rate!

• The terrain is NOT level!

• Tropical diseases, such as yellow fever and malaria are spread easily by

mosquitoes.

• After eight years and over 20,000

French construction

worker deaths, the French abandon

the project.• The company

building the canal goes bankrupt.

• In 1903, Panama was a province of Columbia (kind of like Delaware is part

of the United States)• The United States offers to buy rights to build the canal from

Columbia for $10 million dollars and

$250,000 per year.

Columbia refuses! – holding out for more money…

• On November 3, 1903 Panamanians, led by officials of the Panama Railroad and others hoping to gain from the construction of a

canal, launched a revolution…

• Roosevelt is Furious! He refuses to deal with the Columbians any longer…

• Teddy Roosevelt sends warships to protect Panama and prevent Columbia from

retaking it’s own territory.

• The rebels are quickly victorious and on November 6, 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt officially recognizes the new nation of Panama who in turn signs the treaty previously refused by Columbia.

• The United States begins work on the canal in 1904.

• It is a project of the U.S. government so unlike the French, they did not run out of money.

• The efforts of William Gorgas defeat the worst obstacle - Disease

• Another major decision had to be made – should the canal be sea level – like the French had tried to build or should they follow the natural rise of

the land?

What are locks?A lock is a part of a canal with gates at each end where boats are raised or lowered to different water levels.

• (click on “Operation”

when you get to the website)

•Click Here to See How a Lock Works

Building the Lock Chambers

• Construction progresses using steam shovels and human muscle

• By 1914, the canal is completed – ahead of schedule and under budget!

• More than 922,000 vessels have used the

waterway since its opening on August 15,

1914.

• 1977 The United States

signed a treaty with

Panama that

agreed to give

Panama control of the canal in 1999

A vessel passing through the Panama Canal pays a toll proportionate to its size. The average toll is about

$45,000

• The lowest toll ever paid is 36 cents, paid by Richard Halliburton for swimming the Canal in 1928.

On May 30th, 2006, the Maersk Dellys established a new toll record by paying

$249,165.00!!

• On average, a vessel will take between 8 to 10 hours to transit.

• Although longer than 3 Statues of Liberty laid

end to end, the current locks are too small.

• Many ships, known as

“Pana-Max”, barely fit

through…

• Due to be completed between 2014 and

2015, Work is under way to modernize the canal and enable it to handle much larger

ships.

• At a cost of over $5 Billion, work includes

deepening and widening the canal along with adding newer and larger

locks.

•Click Here to See The Panama Canal in Action Right NOW!!

Arguments for Expansion

• Obtain new markets.• Protect overseas investments.• Rekindle the American pioneer

spirit.• Bring civilization to the “heathen”

people around the world.