Imperialism
Imperialism is a policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political or military control over weaker territories.
3 Reasons why the United States wanted to engage in Imperialism.
- Desire for military strength
- Alfred T Mahan built 9 steel hulled ships- they were white - called the White Fleet
- Thirst for new market
- surplus of goods- had to start selling
- No consumers- sell somewhere else
- Belief in cultural superiority
- Thought we were the best in the World
- Social Darwinism
- William Seward-Security of state under Lincoln and Johnson.
- Payed 7.2 Million dollars for Alaska from Russia,in 1867.
- In 1959 Alaska became a state.
- main source of sugar.
- 1887- The U.S. acquired Pearl Harbor
- Farming leaders forced king Kalakaua to grant voting to land-owners only.
- Kalakaua made his sister the queen - Queen Lil
- John L Stevens organized a revolution, they overthrew the queen
- Sanford B Dole- Created a government
Spanish-American
- Cubans rebel against Spain. In 1854 The U.S offered to buy Cuba from Spain but they said NO. Through 1868-1878 Cuba revolted and managed to abolish slavery in 1886.
- Jose Marti launched 2nd revolt in 1895. He engaged in gorilla war fare for the first time and caught the Spanish off guard.
- Valerino Weyler "The Butcher", was sent to Cuba from Spain. He set up Concentration camps.
- Yellow Journalism, was made famous by William Randolf Herst and Joseph Pulitzer.
- 1897 Spain sent a letter to Mexico to bomb the U,S.
- USS Maine- 1898. ordered Cuba to bring back Americans that were still deployed. The USS Maine got blown up and sunk. William Randolf Hurst was a pioneer who offered $50,000 to find the perpetrator who bombed the ship. Meanwhile, the U.S said that Spain shot them, but the ship contained gunpowder that was stored next to the incinerator, which was the actual cause for the ship blowing up. The journalist in the States wrote a lot of over exaggerated stories.
- Warning to Philippines- The Philippines were owned by Spain during this time. On April 30th, Commander George Dewey gave command to open fire. The U.S won easily.
- The Caribbean- Admiral William Samson sealed up the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. The U.S was up against 125,000 volunteers, they were not soldiers and they were unprepared, they were not heavily unformed or heavily equip.
- 1898- The Roughriders- Air ,infantry, and horses. Theodore Roosevelt was the leader. The Rough riders basically conquered Cuba.
- San Juan Hill- Cleared way for infantry
- Treaty of Paris- August 12th 1898- called for seize fire, called it "splendid little war".
- The secretary of State was John Hay
- Dec 10 1898 (4 Months later)- we met with in Paris to set agreement to call a treaty.
- Spain sold Philippines for $20 Million