The Beginnings of American Imperialism #47

The Beginnings of American Imperialism #47

Imperialism – A national policy of extending one nation’s authority over another through territorial acquisition, economic influence and/or control over the government through military means in the conquered nation.

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  Great Britain had established colonies all over the world
  

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  Then the Monroe Doctrine in 1823
  
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  The US would be the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere
  
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  Manifest Destiny was used to justify westward expansion
  

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  Now Manifest Destiny and Social Darwinism was
  
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    Used to justify US expansion outside its borders
    

1. 
   Economic competition
   

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  For the US economy to continue expanding
  

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  Business would need to find new consumers
  
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    Or new markets for their products
    
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    And new sources for raw materials
    

2. 
   Political and military competition - strong naval forces
   
3. 
   Belief in racial and cultural superiority of Anglo-Saxons
   

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  Social Darwinism
  
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    Fit to rule vs. unfit to rule
    

4. 
   Humanitarian duty
   

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  Missionaries spread Christianity to the heathens
  
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  Doctors spread the advances of western medicine
  
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  Politicians spread liberty and democracy
  

Many entrepreneurs began to spread their economic influence

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  Some controlled the economies of small countries
  
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    Standard Oil and American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) dominated international markets
    
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  Minor C. Keith and the United Fruit Company
  
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    Began exporting 50 million bunches of bananas a year
    
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      From Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras
      
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    They exerted so much control over those
    
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      Governments and their economies
      
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        That these countries became known as
        
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          Banana Republics
          

By 1880, the Navy convinced the Congress to invest in

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  Building a new modern navy
  
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    Instead of wood and sail power
    
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  Build steel ships, powered by coal fired steam engines
  

The Naval Advisory Board was established in 1881

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  In 1883, Congress authorized building 3 cruisers
  
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    And 2 battleships, including the U.S.S. Maine
    

In 1890, Admiral Alfred T. Mahan argued for a stronger navy

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  In his book, The Influence of Sea Power upon History
  
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    Mahan wrote:
    
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      Any country desiring to be a world power
      
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        Would need a strong, modern navy
        

According to Mahan, for America to be a world power

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  And to expand her influence, she must:
  
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    Develop a modern fleet
    
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      In order to protect shipping lanes
      
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    Establish strategic naval bases for re-supply
    
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      Acquire Hawaii and other Pacific Islands
      
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      Acquire bases in the Caribbean
      
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    Construct a canal across Panama
    

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  Battleships, gunboats, torpedo boats, and cruisers