NEW UNIT- AMERICA FROM IMPERIALISM TO THE GREAT DEPRESSION

THE AGE OF
IMPERIALISM
The Age Begins
Imperialism- the action of
stronger countries dominating
weaker ones mostly to the benefit
of the stronger nations

With most of the West already

settled, Americans began to look
elsewhere for new markets

The United States built up its

Navy during this time, something
it would need as it moved into
position as a world power
 Alaska
One of the first places that the United
States expanded was Alaska, but this
move wasnt considered aggressively
imperialistic since America bought the
land from Russia in 1867

The isolated territory of Alaska

generated little interest except among
hunters, trappers, and explorers

At the time of its purchase, people

referred to Alaska as Sewards Folly
because few people saw the value of
the land named after the Secretary of
State who negotiated the deal, William
Seward

Gold strikes in Alaska changed this idea

Hawaii
Hawaii is a chain of islands located in the Central Pacific

Unlike Alaska, annexing Hawaii was pure U.S. imperialism Most of Hawaiis
population did not want the islands to be subject to American rule

A small, white minority of businessman and planters were the ones who pressed for
annexation

Sugar and pineapple plantations in Hawaii were profitable

Queen Liliuokalani ruled Hawaii in 1891, but was overthrown by the white minority,
led by a planted named Sanford B. Dole

When William McKinley became President in 1897, he desired to annex Hawaii by

this time, the U.S. had a renewed interest in having a permanent naval base in the
Central Pacific (Pearl Harbor)annexation would make that naval base permanent

Hawaii was officially annexed in 1898Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959
Spanish American War
The U.S. went to war with Spain in 1898 for a number of reasons:
1) The Spanish militarys harsh treatment of Cuban rebels
2) Expansionists in the U.S. who wanted territories in the Caribbean
3) Publishers who wanted to sell newspapers
4) Americans who wanted revenge for sinking of the U.S.S. Maine

Cuban rebels were attempting to gain independence from Spain, but the Spanish did not
want this to happen (Spanish general even put civilians in concentration camps to stop the
rebellion from spreading)

Near the turn of the century, newspapers were the primary sources of the news for most in
the U.S. (Two New York papers, the New York Journal owned by William Randolph Hearst
and the New York World owned by Joseph Pulitzer began a fierce competition to sell
newspapers)

To gain more readers, the publishers often exaggerated details of Spanish cruelty in Cuba
(this type of reporting became known as yellow journalism)

This led many Americans to desire to go to war with Spainjingoes - patriots who favor an
aggressive foreign policy, including war
Spanish-American War (cont.)
As the situation in Cuba grew worse, the U.S.S. Maine, an American warship
mysteriously blew up on the coast of CubaMany Americans blamed the Spanish

War was declared not long after in 1898

The Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1898through this
treaty, the United States gained the territories of Guam, Philippines, and Puerto
RicoThe U.S. did not annex Cuba, but restrictions were placed on the country to
protect American interests there

A naval base was permanently established in Cuba, Guantanamo Bay

Many Americans became increasingly anti-imperialistic, opposing U.S. territorial

expansion

Former president Grover Cleveland, Andrew Carnegie, Jane Addams, and Mark Twain
among others were members of a group called the Anti-Imperialist League they
believed some of the United States imperialistic actions were a restriction of freedom