American ImperialismAmerican ImperialismUS Studies

What is Imperialism?What is Imperialism?

•Extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies

•Africa, Asia, C&S America (3rd World today)

Why Imperialism?Why Imperialism?

• Nationalism (pride, world power)• Economic (natural resources,

markets for US goods)• America gets new products

(especially tropical foods)• Military factors (bases—Hawaii)• Humanitarian (spread greatness of

Western Civ—medicine, government, religion)

Europe Was FirstEurope Was First

• Rivalry extension• US & Germany (newly

industrialized) joined• George Washington: stay

out of “permanent alliances”; exception was Monroe Doctrine

• Moved West—ran out of room! What next?

• Annexation

US Arguments for ImperialismUS Arguments for Imperialism

• Promotes economic growth (new markets; banana republics)

• Protects US interests (Alfred Mahan)

• Frontier closed—need a new challenge

• Social Darwinists

Europe Became Americanized Europe Became Americanized TooToo• London Journalist W.T. Stead (1902):

“The average [British Man] rises in the morning from his New England sheets...shaves with a Yankee safety razor, pulls on his Boston boots over his socks from North Carolina…and he tackles his breakfast, where he eats bread made from Prairie flour, tinned oysters from Baltimore and a little Kansas City bacon. The children are given Quaker Oats. At the same time he reads his morning paper printed on American machines…”

• Resentment?• How does this translate today?

Arguments Against ImperialismArguments Against Imperialism

• Rejects our national morals

• This is racist• Opposite: bring

“strange” people into the USA

• Too costly (military & economic)

• “Yankee, go home!”

Examples: Open Door Policy (Econ)Examples: Open Door Policy (Econ)

•China•Spheres of Influence

•US: Open Door•Boxer Rebellion

Examples: Hawaii (Econ, Mil)Examples: Hawaii (Econ, Mil)• American businesses• Weak monarchy• Planters wrote the

constitution• Queen Liliuokalani

tried to curb their power

• 1893:Dole removed her from power (help from US military)

Examples: Samoa (Mil, National)Examples: Samoa (Mil, National)

• 3 way conflict over (US, Ger, GB)• Almost went to war• US & Ger left; US had most influence

Example: Panama CanalExample: Panama Canal

• Faster means of travel between oceans

• Begun by France, part of Columbia• Bought by US

Panamanian RevolutionPanamanian Revolution

• Negotiated with Columbia; bad price!• Sponsored a revolution; got good price!• Canal Zone (1999—under full

Panamanian control)

Other ExamplesOther Examples

• Roosevelt Corollary (Any country that acts “friendly” will always get US support; those that uncivilized will be dealt with)

• Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy (US gave loans for modernization—much resentment