Transcript American History Chapter 10: Becoming a World Power

American History Chapter 10:
Becoming a World Power
I. The Pressure to Expand
Bell Ringer
• What is an Empire?
• Roman Empire – British Empire
• Has the United States ever been
imperialistic?
• What state did the US “acquire” in the
1890s?
• Read Setting the Scene page 352
Objectives
• Find out about the factors that led to the
growth of imperialism around the world.
• Learn about the ways in which the US
began to expand its interests abroad in
the 1800s.
• See the arguments made in favor of US
expansion in the 1890s.
• Main Idea: In the late 1800s, as
European nations took over vast areas in
Africa and Asia, American leaders looked
to extend American influence abroad.
A) Growth of Imperialism
1) imperialism: Policy by a stronger nation to attempt
to create an empire by dominating weaker nations
economically, politically, culturally, or militarily.
• four factors led to the growth of imperialism:
economic, nationalistic, military, and
humanitarian
2) nationalism: devotion to one nation – better then
everybody else
• “sun never sets on the British Empire”
3) annex: join a new territory to an existing country
B) Expanding US Interests
• At first US isolationists – Monroe Doctrine
• Imperialistic tendencies – Mexican War
(Manifest Destiny), troops to Mexico
(French), Alaska (Seward's Folly),
Commodore Perry (Japan), Midway
Islands, Hawaii.
C) Arguments for US Expansion
•
Promoting Economic Growth – produced too
much – needed markets abroad
4) Banana Republics: Term used to describe a Central
American nation dominated by US business interests
• Protecting American Security – Admiral Mahan
argued that we need a strong navy to protect
our trade – US navy rotting – by 1900 one of
the strongest in the world
• Preserving Americans Spirit – West closed –
pioneer spirit, where do we go? Also, better
than everybody else – spread our message
• What problems come from expansion? War!
Review
• What factors led to the growth of
imperialism around the world?
• In what ways did the US begin to expand
its interest abroad in the late 1800s?
• What arguments were made in favor of
US expansion in the 1890s?