UNIT 6- Imperialism/ WWI

I. Imperialism

A. Defined: political, military &/ or economic domination by strong nations over

weaker ones.

B. Late 1800’s: US adopts a policy of imperialism

C. Reasons

1. need for new markets and materials

2. the racial belief in Anglo-Saxon superiority

3. a call for a strong navy to protect American business interests

4. nationalism

II. America’s first steps toward World Power (pg. 588)

1. Alaska, 1867

2. Midway Islands, 1862

3. Japan opened up to trade by Commodore Perry

4. Hawaii, 1898

5. US develops more business with Latin America

III. The Spanish American War (1898) (pg. 592-598)

Spain v. United States

  1. Causes

1. USS Maine explodes in HavanaHarbor

2. Yellow Journalism (Yellow Press)

3. Cubans rebel against Spanish rule because of brutal tactics by the Spanish

4. The DeLome Letter

  1. Events

1. Teddy Roosevelt, aided by the 9th and 10thCalvary units, led the Rough

Riders to victory at San Juan Hill

2. US Marines capture Guantanamo BayCuba

3. US Navy destroys the Spanish fleet as it attempts to break out from Santiago

harbor

4. Commodore Dewey destroys the Spanish fleet in ManilaBay

5. Filipino General Emilio Aguinaldo defeats the Spanish Army

(Summary: fighting in the Philippines and the Caribbean Islands)

  1. Results

1. US Pays Spain $20 million for the Philippines

2. Treaty of Paris of 1898

3. Spain gives the US control of Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guam (all were Spanish

controlled territories)

Why was the Spanish American war called “a splendid little war”?

  • Quick war, few casualties, and big rewards (new territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific)

IV. Annexation of the Philippines (p. 599)

  • US helps the Filipinos break away from Spanish rule
  • US then takes over (annex’s) the Philippines
  • Emilio Aquinaldo leads the rebellion against the US because he believed the Filipino people had a right to self-government
  • US captures Aquinaldo, the rebellion is over
  • US has control of the Philippines until 1946 when the US granted them independence

V. Arguments Against Imperialism

A. It violated (went against) basic American principles and beliefs:

Freedom, self-government, equality, liberty

VI. US involvement in Latin America (pg. 604-611)

A. President T. Roosevelt’s foreign policy-

Big Stick Diplomacy: the US would use its Navy to achieve its foreign policy goals

1. Panama Canal- Pres. Roosevelt sent the Navy to the Coast of Panama to support the

Panamanian Rebellion from Colombia. In return, Panama granted the US the Canal

Zone.

  1. Roosevelt Corollary: the US would be the police force of the Western Hemisphere

B. President Taft’s foreign policy-

Dollar Diplomacy: the US would increase investment in businesses and banks in Latin

America

C. President Wilson’s foreign policy-

Moral Diplomacy: Promote human rights, opportunity and integrity when dealing with

foreign countries (treat them with respect)

Roosevelt Taft Wilson

VII. The Great War (WWI)

A. MAINCauses of the Great War (WWI)

1. Militarism

2. Alliances

Triple Entente Triple Alliance

France Germany

Great Britain Italy

Russia Austria-Hungary

3. Imperialism

4.Nationalism

B.Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary is assassinated by Serbian

terrorists

C. WWI begins 1914

Allies / Central Powers
(Centrally located in Europe) / Not Involved
Russia
France
Great Britain
Italy
Serbia / Germany
Austria-Hungary
Turkey (Ottoman Empire)
Bulgaria / US
  1. New weapons and technology
  1. machine gun
  2. u-boat
  3. airplane
  4. tanks
  5. poison gas
  1. The war becomes a stalemate because of trench warfare
  2. US Position at the start of the war: Neutral

Why did the US get involved?

1. Germany’s use of unrestricted submarine warfare

2. Zimmerman Telegram: sent from Germany to Mexico purposing an alliance

between them.

G. US enters the War: April 1917

Allies / Central Powers
(Centrally located in Europe) / Not Involved
France
Great Britain
Italy
US / Germany
Austria-Hungary
Turkey
Bulgaria / Russia (1917 the Russian Revolution began)
USSR (1922 Russia becomes the Soviet Union)

H. Wilson’s Peace Plan: 14 points: post-war plan to maintain world peace

“Peace without victory”

  1. The war ends 11-11-1918
  2. Treaty of Versailles
  3. GB and Fr. want to punish Germany in the treaty
  4. US never approves the peace treaty b/c our Senate opposed the League of Nations