Day 10: American Imperialism

Focus:  Identify the variety of factors that contributed to the ultimate American decision to become more imperialistic.

Understand the relationship between American economic interests, especially tariff policy, and developments in Hawaii and Cuba.

AmericaBecomesanImperialPower

Background: 

1. By the late nineteenth century, the growing industrial economy of the United States was producing many more goods than the nation itself could consume.  This overabundance of industrial goods led the United States to look for new markets abroad.  
2. European nations such as England, Spain, France,  Russia, Portugal, Germany, and Belgium had already carved up Africa and large parts of Asia into colonies and "spheres of influence" by the late 1900s.  To remain competitive, the United States reacted to European imperialism by looking for a way to secure its own economic future through a policy of expansion.  

 Task:  

1. What is the definition of imperialism? 
2. Why would a country  a colonial empire? 
3. Has the United States ever tried to create a colonial empire? 

 Activity One:  (With a Partner)

Hawaii-United States Treaty (1826)

The United States first became involved with Hawaii when missionaries traveled there to convert its residents to Christianity in the 1820s. When missionaries arrived, kings and queens ruled the Hawaiians in a system that had existed for a thousand years.

The following is one of the first treaties between the United States and Hawaii.

Questions to Consider:
1.What does "perpetual" mean in this context?
2.Who does the term “Sandwich Islands” refer to?
3.Who did Hawaii agree to open their ports to?
4.What circumstances would permit Hawaii to close their ports to this country?
Link:  Hawaii-United States Treaty: http://www.hawaii-nation.org/treaty1826.html

Activity Two:

Treaty Of Reciprocity Between the United States of America and the Hawaiian Kingdom (1875)

A large sugar plantation was established in Hawaii in 1935 by a Boston merchant. This was just the first of many American-owned plantations in the islands. As the US sugar plantation owners continued to make money, they expanded their enterprises and began to import laborers from China and Japan. By the 1870s, most of Hawaii’s land and trade was owned and controlled by Americans.

In 1875 another treaty was made between the United States and Hawaii.

Questions to consider:
1.What does it mean when the treaty says the United States is “free of duty?”
2.In Article IV it says “so long as this Treaty shall remain in force, he will not lease or otherwise dispose of or create any lien upon any port, harbor, or other territory in his dominions, or grant so special privilege or right of use therein, to any other power, state, or government, nor make any treaty by which any other nation shall obtain the same privileges, relative to the admission of any articles free of duty hereby secured to the United States” What does this mean for the United States and Hawaii?
3.Based on Article V, how long was this treaty supposed to last?  
Link: http://www.hawaii-nation.org/treaty1875.html


Reading:
In 1886, Americans in Hawaii formed the Hawaiian League. The goal of this group was to overthrow the king and have the US annex Hawaii. In July 1887, the new constitution for Hawaii was written and the Hawaiian League forced King Kalakaua to sign it. This constitution both limited the king's power and limited native Hawaiians' right to hold government office.
After King Kalakaua died, his sister Queen Liliuokalani took over the throne. She was a strong believer in Hawaii nationalism and wanted to overturn the Bayonet Constitution. Many Americans did not want her in power, especially when she announced her plan to create a new constitution. Shortly after this announcement, Americans in Hawaii forced themselves into government buildings and took them over. Marines came ashore, supposedly to protect American lives and property. Queen Liliuokalani then stepped down to prevent the loss of life.

Sanford B. Dole took over as president of Hawaiian islands and asked the US government to annex them. However, President Grover Cleveland did not agree with the events that led to Dole becoming president and refused to annex Hawaii.



Homework: 

The Beginning of the Spanish-American War

Americans had sugar plantations in other foreign places besides Hawaii. Cuba was another island in which Americans had economic interests. But unlike Hawaii, Cuba was a colony of Spain. The people in Cuba had tried to revolt against the Spanish but were unsuccessful. In 1895, the Cubans again tried to revolt and this time the US became involved. Because there were Americans in Cuba when the 1895 revolt began, President McKinley sent the USS Maine to help any United States citizens in need.
On February 15, 1898, the Maine exploded killing 260 Americans. Many Americans blamed Spain for the sunken ship and on April 19, 1898, Congress declared war on Spain. Thus began the Spanish-American war.

This is a letter written by a crew member the day after the USS Maine was lost.
The first photo shows the U.S.S. Maine entering Havana harbor, about three weeks before it exploded. In the second photo, a U.S. Navy diving crew works on the wreckage.

Questions to consider:
1. According to George Blow's letter, was the crew of the Maine expecting any violence? Does he know why the Maine exploded?
Links:
The George Blow Letter can be found on the web at http://www.spanamwar.com/blowlet1.htm
Photo of the Maine before the explosion: http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/remember.html
Photo of the wrecked Maine: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h46000/h46774.jpg

Admiral Dewey: Report on the Battle of Manila Bay (May 4, 1898)

As soon as the Spanish-American War began, the US began offensive operations in Spain's main base in the Pacific, the Philippine Islands. Like the Cubans, the Filipinos had previously attempted to overthrow the Spanish and, in 1898, they were again trying to gain their independence. This was the backdrop for the first battle in the Spanish-American War. The Battle of Manila Bay started at dawn and, by 11 a.m., the US had wiped out the entire Spanish fleet. After the Spanish surrendered to the US in the Philippines, the US annexed the islands. The Filipinos continued to fight for their independence, this time against a new foe. Puck magazine published the following cartoon depicting Cuba's difficult situation in the 1890s. The official report given by the head of the Pacific fleet, Admiral George Dewey, appears below. This Edison movie shows Raleigh," which fired the first gun at Manila. Question to consider: 1. Why were the Filipinos angered by the actions of the United States after the Spanish-American War? 2. Interpret the symbolism of the cartoon below.

Links:

The Report on the Battle of Manila Bay: http://www.spanamwar.com/dyreport.htm Puck cartoon http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/cartoon.html Edison movie: http://memory.loc.gov/mbrs/sawmp/0020.mov

The End of the Spanish-American War

The Spanish-American War lasted only four months. In this “splendid little war,” as Secretary of State John Hay referred to it, only 345 Americans died in combat. The war ended with the capture of Santiago, Cuba by the Rough Riders, led by Theodore Roosevelt. The document below formally surrendered Santiago to the US. Secretary of State John Hay is pictured as well. Questions to consider: 1. What did the US have to do with the Spanish troops? 2. If the “Spanish forces known as volunteers, mobilizados, and guerrillas” wanted to stay on the island what did they have to do? 3.When was Santiago surrender formalized?

Links:

The Formal Surrender Document can be found on the web at http://www.spanamwar.com/santiagocapit.htm Photo of John Hay: http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/fists.html