AMERICA CLAIMS AN EMPIRE

AMERICA CLAIMS AN EMPIRE

Cultural Imperialism 1898: "Ten Thousand Miles From Tip to Tip." This political cartoon shows the extent of U.S. domination (symbolized by a bald eagle stretching from Puerto Rico to the Philippines).

Imperialismis the policy of extending the control or authority over foreign countries as a means of acquiring and/or maintaining an empire. Cultural imperialismis the practice of promoting the culture or language of one nation in another. Definitions

IMPERIALISM AND AMERICA Throughout the 19th century America expanded control of the continent to the Pacific Ocean By 1880, many American leaders felt the U.S. should join European nations and establish colonies overseas Thus began America’s foray into Imperialism – the policy in which stronger nations extend control over weaker nations

WHY IMPERIALISM? Desire for Military strength Thirst for new markets – to spur economy & trade Belief in Cultural Superiority – a belief that Anglo-Saxons were superior

1846-1848 The Mexican-American War is often viewed as imperialistic Early Imperialism and the United States • 1898 Spanish American War, 1899-1913 Philippine-American War. • In the Philippines, the U.S. killed more than 1 million people. Army General Shefter said: "It may be necessary to kill half of the Filipinos in order that the remaining half of the population may be advanced to a higher plane of life than their present semi-barbarous state affords." Latin America 1898-1998The U.S. has invaded Cuba five times, Honduras four times, Panama four times, the Dominican Republic twice, Haiti twice, Nicaragua twice and Grenada once

THE U.S. ACQUIRES ALASKA • In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward arranged for the United States to buy Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million • Some thought it was a silly idea and called it “Seward’s Icebox” • Time has shown how smart it was to buy Alaska for 2 cents an acre • Alaska is rich in timber, minerals, and oil Alaska

Alaska Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 for the price of $7.2 million. Purchased by U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, many people criticized the move as “folly.”

U.S. TAKES HAWAII Hawaii had been economically important to Americans for centuries To avoid import taxes (tariffs), sugar growers pleaded for annexation The U.S. knew the value of the Islands – they had built a naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1887 Led by Sanford Dole, American annexed Hawaii in 1898 and it formally became a state in 1959

The Annexation of Hawaii Queen Liliuokalani became the leader of Hawaii in 1891. She was overthrown by American planters because she wanted to limit their power. The U.S. eventually annexed the islands by 1898.

The Anti-Imperialist League was formed in the United States against the annexation of the Philippines. Among the writers of that time was Mark Twain, vice president of the League from 1901 until his death in 1910. Mark Twain wrote an essay entitled “To the Person Sitting in Darkness.” This essay sparked a nationwide controversy about a country controlling another country. Teddy Roosevelt and the Panama Canal. Now that America's empire stretched from the Caribbean across the Pacific, the idea of a canal between the two oceans took on new urgency. President Teddy Roosevelt embodies imperialism with his actions in digging the canal. Arguments Pro and Con for Imperialism

THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR • America had long held an interest in Cuba • When Cubans unsuccessfully rebelled against Spanish rule in the late 19th century, American sympathy went out to the Cuban people • After Spain abolished slavery in Cuba in 1886, Americans invested millions in Cuban sugar Cuba is just 90 miles south of Florida

CUBA’S SECOND WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE • Anti-Spain sentiment in Cuba soon erupted into a second war for independence • Led by poet Jose Martí, Cuba attempted a revolution in 1895 • Martí deliberately destroyed property, including American sugar plants, hoping to provoke American intervention Marti

WAR FEVER ESCALATESYellow Journalism • Newspaper publishers William Randolph Hearst (New York Journal) and Joseph Pulitzer (New York World)exaggerated Spanish atrocities and brutality in “Headline Wars” Political cartoon: Pulitzer (left) and Hearst escalating and instigating war between the U.S. and Spain

U.S.S MAINE EXPLODES • Early in 1898, President McKinley ordered the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba in order to bring home American citizens in danger • On February 15, 1898 the ship blew up in the harbor of Havana, Cuba • More than 260 men were killed Before After

The Maine Explodes Unknown artist , 1898 Notice the men flying dramatically through the air

WAR ERUPTS WITH SPAIN • There was no holding back those that wanted war with Spain • Newspapers blamed the Spanish for bombing the U.S.S. Maine (recent investigations have shown it was a fire inside the Maine) • “Remember the Maine!” became a rallying cry for U.S. intervention in Cuba

THE WAR IN THE CARIBBEAN • A naval blockade of Cuba was followed by a land invasion highlighted by Roosevelt’s Rough Rider victory at San Juan Hill • Next, the American Navy destroyed the Spanish fleet and paved the way for an invasion of Puerto Rico (Spanish colony)

ROOSEVELT AND THE ROUGH RIDERS • Roosevelt grabbed national attention by advocating war with Spain in 1898 • His volunteer cavalry brigade, the Rough Riders, won public acclaim for its role in the battle at San Juan Hill in Cuba • Roosevelt returned a hero and was soon elected governor of NY and later McKinley’s vice-president

Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

U.S. WINS; SIGNS TREATY OF PARIS • The U.S. and Spain signed an armistice on August 12, 1898, ending what Secretary of State John Hay called “a splendid little war” • The war lasted only 16 weeks • Cuba was now independent • U.S. receives Guam, Puerto Rico, and “bought” the Philippines for $20 million Treaty of Paris, 1898

ACQUIRING NEW LANDS • The U.S had to decide how to rule the new lands • Puerto Rico wanted their independence– but the U.S. had other plans • Puerto Rico was important to the U.S. strategically • The U.S. set up a civil government, full citizenship, and a bicameral system • Became U.S. Commonwealth

CUBA AND THE UNITED STATES • The Treaty of Paris granted full independence to Cuba • The U.S signed an agreement with Cuba known as the Platt Amendment 1903 • Key features of “Platt” included the right of the U.S. to maintain naval stations on the island and the right to intervene in Cuban affairs • Cuba had become a “protectorate” of the U.S. Today the U.S. has a prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

THE WAR IN THE PHILIPPINES • U.S. forces surprised Spain by attacking the Spanish colony of the Philippines • 11,000 Americans joined forces with Filipino rebel leader Emilo Aguinaldo • By August, 1898 Spain had surrendered to the U.S. after the Battle of Manila Bay. The U.S. annexed the Philippines after Spain ceded it to the U.S. • The U.S. eventually granted the Philippines its independence in 1946.

FILIPINOS REBEL • Filipinos reacted with rage to the American annexation • Rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo vowed to fight for freedom and in 1899 he led a rebellion • The 3-year war claimed 20,000 Filipino rebels, 4,000 American lives and $400,000,000 (20x the price the U.S. paid for the land) U.S. troops fire on rebels

FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN CHINA Foreign nations were opening the door to China’s trade • China was a vast potential market for American products • Weakened by war and foreign intervention, many European countries had colonized in China • In 1889, John Hay, U.S. Secretary of State, issued the Open Door Policy which outlined his plan for free trade among nations in China

BOXER REBELLION • European nations dominated China’s cities • Resentment arose in the form of secret societies determined to rid China of these “foreign devils” • The Boxer’s were a secret group that rioted in 1900, killing and vandalizing all things foreign • Foreign Troops were called in to put down this “Boxer Rebellion”

AMERICANS PROTECT RIGHTS IN ASIA • After the Boxer Rebellion, John Hay again issued a series of Open Door Policies • These policies reflected American beliefs in the importance of exports, the right of America to intervene to keep foreign markets open, and the belief that America’s survival depended on access to foreign markets

AMERICA AS A WORLD POWER • Two events signaled America’s continued climb toward being the #1 world power • 1) Roosevelt negotiated a settlement between Russia and Japan who had been at War – his successful efforts in negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth won Roosevelt the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize • 2) Construction of Panama Canal The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually

THE PANAMA CANAL • By the early 20th century, many Americans understood the advantages of a canal through Panama • The Panama Canal would greatly reduce travel times for commercial and military ships by providing a short cut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans “The shortcut”

BUILDING THE PANAMA CANAL 1904-1914 • The French had already unsuccessfully attempted to build a canal through Panama • America first had to help Panama win their independence from Colombia – which it did • Construction of the Canal stands as one of the greatest engineering feats of all-time Cost- $380 million Workers– Over 40,000 (5,600 died) Time – Construction took 10 years

This view, provided by NASA, shows the thin blue line (canal) cutting across the middle of Panama

Almost 1,000,000 ships have passed through the canal, which became sole property of Panama in the year 2000

When Coca Cola was first marketed in China in the 1920's, the name was translated phonetically ("ke-kou-ke-la) to mean "female horse stuffed with wax" or "bite the wax tadpole" depending on the dialect. It was quickly revised to sound more like "happiness in the mouth." The affects of cultural imperialism = cultural misunderstandings

An American baby food jar with a smiling baby on the label caused African villagers to be horrified. They thought that "the jar must contain food not made for babies, but made of babies."

Nike made a television ad promoting its shoes, with people from different countries saying "Just do it" in their native language. Too late they found out that a Samburu African tribesman was really saying, "I don't want these” Cultural misunderstandings • Ford’s low cost truck the Fiera meant "ugly old woman" in Spanish. It's Caliente in Mexico was found to be slang for "streetwalker." The Pinto was introduced in Brazil under the name of Corcel which was discovered to be Portuguese slang for "a small male appendage."

When President George Bush went to Japan, he made explicit and direct demands on Japanese leaders. To the Japanese it is a sign of ignorance or desperation to lower oneself to make direct demands. Some analysts believe it severely damaged the negotiations and confirmed to the Japanese that Americans are barbarians Larger Repercussions

The dominant culture often imposes its beliefs, using force to back them up. One race, ethnicity, or group is often marginalized based on its identity. Imperial Side Affects:Violence, Enslavement, War, Genocide The Dark Side of Imperialism

Cultural influence can be seen by the "receiving" culture as either a threat to or an enrichment. However, the dominant culture’s attitude is often that as a conquered nation, the conquered people are inferior. Destroying Culture Edward Said has argued that in accumulating territories and peoples, empires classify them, verify them; but above all, they subordinate them.

90% of traffic worldwide on the Internet is in English Most information and entertainment products are produced by a few, increasingly powerful American companies American movies, television, and music are popular throughout the world. Many argue that these serve to indoctrinate populations with American values while at the same time destroying indigenous cultures Today will the Internet be another source of cultural imperialism?

The Internet allows people to continue to participate in their "local" culture no matter where in the world they are. The Internet can be a tool for the preservation and celebration of culture. BUT…it can also be argued that...

Match the term in the second column with the description in the first column. Write the letter of your answer in the blank. America Claims an Empire Assessment a. Cuba b. Imperialism c. Alaska d. Boxer Rebellion e. Open Door Policy f. Panama g. The Philippines h. Hawaii i. Cultural Imperialism j. Puerto Rico ______ 1. The U.S. helped this country gain its freedom from Spain ______ 2. Land the U.S. purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million ______ 3. The idea of free trade in China ______ 4. Extending the control or authority over foreign countries as a means of acquiring and/or maintaining an empire. ______ 5. Country where the U.S. built a canal linking the Atlantic to the Pacific ______ 6. The practice of promoting the culture or language of one nation in another. ______ 7. A secret group rioted in China in 1900, killing and vandalizing all things foreign ______ 8. The U.S.S. Maine blew up in the harbor of this country’s capital city ______ 9. Became a commonwealth of U.S. ______10. Land the U.S. annexed in 1898

AMERICA CLAIMS AN EMPIRE