American Imperialism Overview

American Imperialism

• Initially, the US was an isolationist nation, prioritizing avoiding foreign entanglements to prevent economic and political issues.
• Imperialism, historically, involved powerful nations economically, politically, and militarily controlling weaker countries.
• Following the Civil War (1865), the US needed to rebuild and expand globally. Alfred Thayer Mahan advocated for a modernized navy for this purpose.
• Methods of American Imperialism included economic influence, military interventions, and cultural/religious actions.

Reasons for American Imperialism

• Reconstruction (1865-1877) and the Gilded Age (1877-1900) resulted in significant economic growth.
• This fueled the desire for new markets for US products.
• Ideologies like Social Darwinism, Manifest Destiny, and the Cold War further motivated imperialism.

Social Darwinism

• Social Darwinism, supported by Charles Darwin, suggested some groups are naturally more dominant than others.
• This philosophy was used to justify racism and imperialism.
• International Darwinism developed, justifying competition and subjugation between nations.

Manifest Destiny

• Manifest Destiny was the belief that the US was destined to control lands from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
• This fueled expansionist desires beyond the continental United States, including Alaska, Cuba, and Hawaii.
• The US initially considered Cuba but these acquisition attempts were thwarted.
• Cuba and other islands became potential interests because of their locations.

The Cold War

• The Cold War (1945-1991) pitted the US (democratic) against the Soviet Union (communist).
• This conflict led to proxy wars, where the US and Soviets exerted influence in other countries.
• This led to the US again acting as an imperialist nation by trying to spread democracy.

Imperialism in US History

• The US, having won independence from an imperialist power (Great Britain), also experienced its own early forms of imperialism towards Native Americans.
• The Treaty of Paris (1783) ended the British-Native American alliances, placing Natives in conflict with growing US settlements.
• The Indian Removal Act (1830) forcibly relocated southern tribes.

Alaska and Hawaii

• Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, though initially called "Seward's Folly" due to skepticism.
• The discovery of gold in Alaska later vindicated the purchase.
• Hawaii was annexed in 1898 after a US-orchestrated coup that overthrew Queen Liliuokalani, motivated by economic interests (sugarcane).
• President Cleveland opposed the annexation, while McKinley supported it, due to its strategic location.

American "Diplomacy"

• American imperialism from 1900 to 1914 involved different approaches under various presidents.
• Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Stick Diplomacy" relied on military force and intimidation. Key features included the Panama Canal construction, modernized navy, and interventions in Caribbean countries.
• William Howard Taft's "Dollar Diplomacy" used US investments in foreign countries to dominate their economies, while limiting outright military intervention. Examples include investments in China and Nicaragua.
• Woodrow Wilson's "Moral Diplomacy" aimed to promote democracy and capitalism through diplomatic means, while also sometimes relying on military action to achieve these goals. Examples include involvement during the Mexican Revolution and in Haiti.

Indigenous Wars

• Early US imperialistic practices also targeted Native Americans.
• The Treaty of Greenville (1795) and the Indian Removal Act (1830) were attempts to restrict Indigenous peoples from lands and move them to reservations.
• Resistance was met with force, resulting in the loss of native lands and cultures.

Korean War

• The Korean War (1950-1953) was a proxy conflict between the US and Soviet Union, with the US supporting South Korea and the Soviet Union supporting North Korea.
• The war resulted in Korea remaining divided along the 38th parallel.

Vietnam War

• The Vietnam War (1954-1973) was another proxy war with similar dynamics.
• The US supported South Vietnam, while North Vietnam was backed by the Soviet Union.
• The US ultimately failed to achieve their objectives.
• North Vietnam took control of the country in 1975.

American Imperialism Today

• American involvement in the Middle East (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan) is seen by some as a modern example of US imperialism.

Explore the rise of American Imperialism from its isolationist beginnings to its expansionist policies post-Civil War. Understand the motivations behind imperialism, including economic growth, military strategies, and ideologies like Social Darwinism and Manifest Destiny. This quiz covers key concepts and figures that shaped America's global influence.