Reasons for Reasons for American American

ImperialismImperialism

““New New Imperialism”Imperialism”

ColonyColony: direct rule by a : direct rule by a foreign power, backed foreign power, backed with military forcewith military force

ProtectorateProtectorate: indirect : indirect rule by a foreign power; rule by a foreign power; local rulers left in place local rulers left in place but must answer to but must answer to foreign powerforeign power

Sphere of influenceSphere of influence (“economic imperialism”): (“economic imperialism”): no direct political control no direct political control by foreign power, only by foreign power, only interest of foreign power interest of foreign power is in control of access to is in control of access to tradetrade

Reasons for US to Grow an Reasons for US to Grow an EmpireEmpire

Need to develop new Need to develop new markets for US agricultural & markets for US agricultural & manufactured goods: US manufactured goods: US producing more than it can producing more than it can useuse

Need new opportunities for Need new opportunities for capital investment capital investment

Mercantilism: belief that Mercantilism: belief that nations need to export more nations need to export more than they import to grow and than they import to grow and maintain wealthmaintain wealth

No more frontier: US had No more frontier: US had expanded as much as it expanded as much as it could in North Americacould in North America

Manifest Destiny: Americans Manifest Destiny: Americans still believed that God still believed that God favored their way of life and favored their way of life and wanted them to spread wanted them to spread elsewhereelsewhere

Frederick Jackson Frederick Jackson TurnerTurner

1861 – 19321861 – 1932 Historian / ProfessorHistorian / Professor 1893: Proposed his 1893: Proposed his

“Frontier Thesis” which “Frontier Thesis” which argued that American argued that American society had evolved as a society had evolved as a result of always having a result of always having a Western frontier; now that Western frontier; now that the frontier was closed, US the frontier was closed, US was at risk of stagnationwas at risk of stagnation

Many interpreted this as Many interpreted this as meaning that the US meaning that the US needed to find new needed to find new frontiers in order to frontiers in order to maintain our positionmaintain our position

Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism Political, economic, Political, economic,

and military and military competition between competition between nations leads to the nations leads to the failure of the weak failure of the weak and the “survival of and the “survival of the fittest”the fittest”

Small, “inferior” Small, “inferior” states will be states will be overpowered by overpowered by “superior” states“superior” states

Anglo-SaxonismAnglo-Saxonism Belief that English Belief that English

speaking nations speaking nations were destined to were destined to rule due to superior rule due to superior character, ideas, character, ideas, and systems of and systems of governmentgovernment

Popular in Britain Popular in Britain and the USand the US

Fit well with Fit well with American idea of American idea of “Manifest Destiny”“Manifest Destiny”

John FiskeJohn Fiske 1842 – 19011842 – 1901 Writer / HistorianWriter / Historian Argued that physical Argued that physical

evolution of man had evolution of man had ended due to social ended due to social developmentsdevelopments

As a result, the As a result, the society which is society which is superior will be the superior will be the dominant force in dominant force in social evolutionsocial evolution

Josiah StrongJosiah Strong 1847 – 19161847 – 1916 Protestant ministerProtestant minister Americans should support Americans should support

imperialism because it imperialism because it spreads Christianityspreads Christianity

The Anglo-Saxon race have The Anglo-Saxon race have a responsibility to “civilize a responsibility to “civilize and Christianize” the rest and Christianize” the rest of the worldof the world

Identified 7 “perils” for Identified 7 “perils” for American society: American society: Catholicism, Mormonism, Catholicism, Mormonism, Socialism, intemperance, Socialism, intemperance, wealth, urbanization, & wealth, urbanization, & immigrationimmigration

Capt. Alfred T. Capt. Alfred T. MahanMahan

1840 – 19141840 – 1914 1890: Wrote 1890: Wrote The The

Influence of Sea Power Influence of Sea Power Upon HistoryUpon History

Argued that powerful Argued that powerful nations have powerful nations have powerful naviesnavies

Powerful navies require Powerful navies require naval bases worldwidenaval bases worldwide

His ideas won widespread His ideas won widespread political support in both political support in both Congress and the White Congress and the White HouseHouse

The Great White The Great White FleetFleet

Fleet of 16 US Fleet of 16 US battleships sent out battleships sent out on a world tour to on a world tour to demonstrate demonstrate American naval American naval might between might between 1907 and 1909 on 1907 and 1909 on orders of President orders of President Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt

Greatly enhanced Greatly enhanced American prestigeAmerican prestige