Transcript Essential Questions on American Imperialism

Essential Questions on American
Imperialism
What two ideas dominated American
political policy prior to the period that
saw a growth of imperialistic ideas?
• American Industrial Growth
• Economic Depression
• Anti-Imperialism (those who were against the
United States expansion).
List Three causes of American
imperialism:
• 1) Industrial Revolution
• 2) Increased American Military Strength
• 3) Missionaries spread Christianity
Describe Mahan’s Theory about
sea power:
Other countries were building strong militaries
and the United States needed to compete.
Evaluate the impact on racial attitudes
from Kipling’s idea of the “white mans
burden” and how that affected
imperialistic goals.
• American Way of life is best!
• Civilize the inferior and savage people
• Spread Christianity and White Anglo Saxon
Protestant values.
Explain the dichotomy between the
religious ideals supporting missionary
work and people’s attitudes toward
native peoples.
• People wanted to help the natives, but felt
that they were inferior.
Define Social Darwinism
• Survival of the fittest! Countries had to
compete in order to survive.
How did the closing of the American
frontier impact the need to expand
overseas?
• Investors had to look elsewhere for economic
opportunities.
Compare British and American
Imperialism
• United States: Spanish American War,
Humanitarianism (Sympathy), Economic
interests.
• Great Britain: Controlled over ¼ of world’s
territory and population. Egypt, South Africa,
Australia.
Analyze how events in Hawaii
demonstrate American
imperialistic policy
• Americans went to Hawaii in the early 1800s as
missionaries and for economic interests (sugar
plantations). In 1891, the Queen changed rules
surrounding sugar plantation owners (she thought they
had too much power). American planters overthrew
the Queen and set up their own government. Hawaii
was eventually annexed.
Spanish American War
• Tariff of 1894: Restrictions on sugar imports. Hurt
Cuban planters. Cuba was a Spanish colony.
Cubans began to revolt against the Spanish
regime.
• The United States became concerned and sent
the USS Maine to rescue US citizens who might
be endangered.
• The Maine mysteriously blew up! Americans
went into a frenzy- President McKinley declares
War.
• For the last questions- use what you have
learned!
• These are opinion questions for the most part.
• These questions will guide a class discussion
that we have on Wednesday!