Chapter 22

A PEOPLE and A 

NATION 

EIGHTH EDITION 

Norton • Katzman • Blight • 

Chudacoff • Paterson • Tuttle • 

Escott • Bailey • Logevall 

Chapter 22: The 

Quest for Empire, 

1865–1914

Ch. 22: The Quest for Empire, 

1865–1914 

• Growing US interaction with world 

• USA expand economy, military power, & 

cultural influence (religion, politics) 

• USA build empire in Latin America & 

Pacific 

• Some Americans reject imperialism 

• Foreign nationalists resist US 

empire/ways 

• Change others; USA change (world 

power) 

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 22 | 2

I. Foreign Policy Elite 

• Small, cosmopolitan group shape foreign 

policy (same people guide economy) 

• Argue US prosperity & security require 

expansion overseas & global activity 

• Assert foreign trade & investments = profit 

• Relieve farm/factory overproduction 

(1890s depression) 


II. Foreign Trade Expansion 

• Key factor in post-1865 economic growth 

• Exports & investments abroad surge (Figure 

22.1) 

• USA achieve favorable balance of trade (1874) 

• Most US exports to England, Europe, Canada 

• Trade with Latin America & Asia also increase 

• Farmers & some manufacturers (Singer) 

depend on exports 

• 1913: factory exports surpass farm exports for 

1st time, & USA surpass other nations (Figure 

22.2) 


III. Race Thinking & Male Ethos 

• Many intertwined ideas encourage empire 

• Exceptionalism, nationalism, capitalism, 

social Darwinism, & prejudice 

• Imperialists assert racial hierarchy with 

Anglo-Saxons on top 

• Also celebrate overseas action as “manly” 

• Depict foreign peoples with image of 

submissive female to rationalize US 

control 


III. Race Thinking & Male Ethos 

(cont.) 

• Strong’s Our Country (1885) celebrate 

divine Anglo-Saxon mission to lead world 

• National Geographic (1888) stereotype 

foreign peoples as uncivilized; same with 

fairs 

• Ethnocentrism/paternalism shape 

imperialism 

• US culture superior; dark-skinned foreigners 

= “children” 

• Such ideas rationalize domination of others 


IV. Immigrants to USA; 

US Missionaries Abroad 

• US racism promote restriction of 

immigrants 

• 1882: USA suspend Chinese immigration 

• 1907: restrict # of Japanese immigrants 

• Motivated by religion, 10,000 

missionaries (many of them women) 

overseas by 1915 

• Many racist & ethnocentric; others come 

to appreciate foreigners (L. Moon) 

• Spread US culture/power abroad 


V. The “Civilizing Impulse” 

• Imperialists mix self-interest & idealism 

• Empire good for USA and for foreign 

peoples 

• USA will “uplift” natives to adopt superior 

US economy, culture, & politics 


VI. Secretary Seward’s Quest for 

Empire (1861–69) 

• Adamant on large empire, but not by war 

• Trade will facilitate gravitation to USA 

• Domestic critics prevent purchase of 

Virgin Islands (1867) & Dominican 

Republic (1870) 

• Intervene in Mexico (1866) 

• Buy AK & lay claim to Midway Islands 

(1867) 

• Telegraph lines to Europe, Latin 

America, & Asia shrink globe along with 

steamships 


VII. USA-Europe Relations; 

• USA negotiate as equal with Europe 

• England & USA settle Civil War claims 

(1871) 

• US, England, Germany compete over 

Samoa 

• Share islands (1889); then divide them 

(1899) 


VIII. Mahan and Navalism 

• Major proponent of imperial/“blue water” 

navy to protect foreign trade 

• Claim navy need foreign bases to protect 

trade 

• His linkage of trade/navy/colonies shape 

other imperialists (T. Roosevelt, HC 

Lodge) 

• 1880s: USA build new steel & steam navy 


IX. Annexation of Hawai‘i 

• US missionaries, businessmen, & navy 

see Hawai‘i as base for profit & expansion 

• By 1890s, white American elite dominate 

economy and undermine native 

government 

• 1890 tariff hurt sugar exports to USA 

• Elite want USA to annex Hawai‘i 

• Stage coup (’93) with help from US 

diplomats/ navy 

• McKinley maneuver annexation in 1898 


X. Venezuelan Boundary Dispute 

(1895) 

• Quarrel with England over important 

border area 

• USA intervene 

• Tell England & world, because of Monroe 

Doctrine USA = “master” of hemisphere 

• Fearing competition with Germany, 

England retreat 

• USA & England settle border without 

consulting Venezuela (1896) 


XI. Revolution in Cuba (1895) 

• Cubans (e.g., Marti) want freedom from 

Spain 

• Migration link Cuba & USA (baseball) 

• US investments dominate Cuba (sugar) 

• Most Cuban trade with USA, esp. FL 

• 1894 US tariff create economic crisis 

• Marti launch guerrilla war; many die & 

much destruction of US property, but 

weaken Spain 

• Americans sympathize with rebels 


XII.McKinley’s Ultimatum and War 

Decision (1898) 

• McKinley support empire 

• Order Maine to Havana to show US interest in 

end to war 

• Explosion (Feb., 1898) increase pressure on 

McKinley to intervene further against Spain 

• McKinley send ultimatum 

• Despite concessions, choose war to oust Spain 

• Motives: humanitarian, secure US 

property/trade, opportunity for US 

expansion/empire 


XIII. Spanish-American War 

• Nationalism, sensationalism, & desire to 

protect US interests further explain entry 

• Only 379 of 5462 US deaths from combat 

• Most die from yellow fever/typhoid in USA 

• 1 st US victory in Philippines via new navy 

• Imperialists see islands as key to US 

expansion in Pacific/Asia 

• Spain, already weak, is defeated quickly 


XIV. Treaty of Paris (1898) 

• Cuba gain independence 

• Teller Amendment (in war declaration) 

block US annexation of Cuba 

• McKinley assume Cuba need US tutelage 

• USA get Puerto Rico, Guam, & 

Philippines from Spain 

• USA also annex Hawai’i, Wake Island, 

Samoa 

• Gain colonies/bases throughout Pacific 

• Senate debate treaty & empire (1899) 


XV. Anti-Imperialist Arguments 

• For empire, both formal (annexation) & 

informal (economic control) methods 

• Some assert empire violate US principles 

• Fear power of president & desire for war 

will increase with empire 

• Some use racist arguments (fear 

nonwhite immigration); labor unions fear 

competition 

• Anti-Imperialists never form unified group 

(domestic issues divide them) 


XVI. Imperialist Arguments 

• Imperialists (Beveridge) argue taking 

Philippines will boost US trade w/ China 

• Fear: if USA not take islands, then 

competitors (Germany, Japan) will 

• Assert empire part of America’s “white 

man’s burden” (Kipling) 

• Imperialists win in Senate (1899) 

• McKinley praise empire in 1900 reelection 


XVII. Philippine Insurrection and 

Pacification 

• Nationalists (Aguinaldo) feel betrayed by 

Treaty and continue fight for independence 

• Vicious war develop; USA crush most 

resistance by 1902, but war continue in south 

• Combat deaths: > 4000 Americans & 20,000 

Filipinos (+600,000 from starvation/disease) 

• Control Philippines via education, censorship, 

economic links 

• Also promise (1916) eventual independence 


XVIII. China & the Open Door Policy 

• Imperialist powers (Europe/Japan) carve 

weak China into “spheres of influence” 

• US missionaries & businessmen fear 

being shut out of China; lobby US Gov’t 

• USA lack power to make Europe/Japan 

stop 

• McKinley & Secretary Hay decide to 

proclaim US policy goals in China 

• 1899 note call for equal trade opportunity 


XVIII. China & the Open 

Door Policy (cont.) 

• US participate (1900) in suppressing 

China’s Boxer Rebellion against foreigners 

• Second note (1900) call for preserving 

China’s territorial integrity 

• Open Door notes settle little at time 

• Become key tenets of US policy in Asia & 

elsewhere to help US expand economically 

• Assume US economy must have foreign 

trade 

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 22 | 22

XIX. TR’s World 

• Adamant imperialist 

• Relish power & violence 

• Racist & ethnocentric 

• Realize limits to US power 

• Centralize policy-making in White House 


XX. Latin America 

• USA = dominate economic/military power 

• Enable USA or US corporations (United 

Fruit) to manipulate governments 

• USA dominate Cuba with Platt 

Amendment, 1903 

• Control Cuban foreign policy 

• Authorize US military intervention 

• Puerto Ricans debate response to US 

control and racism 


XX. Latin America (cont.) 

• TR foment revolution in Panama 

• Create dependent nation with US control of 

canal 

• Canal (1914) expand US economy/power 

• Roosevelt Corollary (1904) proclaim “police 

power” 

• Map 22.2: frequent US military interventions 

and political control 

• Mexican Revolution (1910) reflect 

resistance to US economic domination; 

Wilson send troops 


XXI. Peacemaking in East Asia 

• Japan emerge as major Asian power/rival 

• To protect possessions & Open Door, 

USA accommodate Japan & expand navy 

• Taft-Katsura (1905): USA accept Japan 

in Korea in exchange for USA in 

Philippines 

• Root-Takahira (1908): USA accept Japan 

in Manchuria for endorsement of Open 

Door 

• Roosevelt send “Great White Fleet” 

(1907) 


XXI. Peacemaking in East Asia 

(con’t) 

• Taft try Dollar Diplomacy to restrain 

Japan 

• US corporations loan money for Chinese 

railways 

• Japan issue 21 Demands (1915) to 

dominate China 

• USA protest, but lack power to block 

Japan completely 


XXII. Anglo-American 

Rapprochement 

• In response to US actions in Latin 

America, Europeans accept US 

hegemony there 

• USA try to preserve its traditional noninvolvement 

in European conflicts 

• Anglo-American rapprochement develop 

• Trade links increase; both fear Germany 

• Like other peoples, British debate 

response to expansion of US culture 

around globe 


Summary: Discuss Links to the 

World & Legacy 

• National Geographic (1888) as new link w/ world? 

• Increase knowledge of global geography, but how did 

magazine rely heavily on certain types of photos while 

avoiding controversial issues? 

• US base @ Guantanamo Bay as legacy of US foreign 

activity, early 1900s? 

• Source of continuing tension with Cuba? 

• “Gitmo” & current debate over treatment of large 

numbers of “unlawful enemy combatants?”

Chapter 22

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?