Imperialism: The Origins of a Global Power

Questions for Introduction and Part I - The Origins of a Global Power

1. Why did American plantation owners and U.S. Marines topple Hawaii’s queen in 1893? Why was Hawaii considered to be a valuable prize? What was President Grover Cleveland’s reaction? Do you agree or disagree with his quote on page 1?

American plantation owners and the U.S. marines toppled Hawaii's queen in 1893 because they supported full U.S. control over the islands. This was because Hawaii was so valuable due to its resources and location. It was an important stopping point for American ships on their way to Asia, and its volcanic soil was very fertile for profitable crops like sugar, pineapples, and coffee. Grover Cleveland detested this act of overthrowing the queen because they unjustly took her place at the throne. Therefore, he denied the treaty that the new Hawaiian government had approved for the U.S. to annex Hawaii.
I completely agree with Grover Cleveland's quote on page 1. I agree that it was unfair to overthrow the Hawaiian government when the belief of the Americans was freedom and equality. That did not fit in with freedom or equality.

2. Identify five important changes that transformed American in the nineteenth century. How did these five changes affect Americans?

Five important changes that transformed America in the nineteenth century are: a rapid increase of immigration, urbanization, industrialization, and a dramatic increase in trade. In the mid-1890s, more than 45 percent of the U.S.'s population was made up of immigrants and their children. Most of the immigrants settled in the cities, which led to the urbanization of the U.S. In the time of George Washington, less than five percent of the nation's population lived in cities. By the end of the nineteenth century, that number increased to a bout one-third. The overpopulated cities brought about problems such as overcrowded public transportation, insufficient sanitation, increase in crime, poor housing, and political corruption. Also spurned by the immigration was the industrialization. In 1776, ninety percent of the American population made their profit from agriculture. By the end of the nineteenth century, manufacturing was the primary source of income. During the 1890s, iron and steel became the largest industries in the nation. New inventions and discoveries in electricity, oil, and chemicals brought about other industries. Farmers relied on machinery to do work that men and animals once did and railroads to transport their products. With the increasing economy, trade became a large source of income to America. During the 1890s, the annual income of exported goods went above $1 billion. The exports changed from cotton, grain, beef, tobacco, and dairy to mostly manufactured goods. The rising power of U.S. trade frightened other countries, and to protect their own factories by placing high tariffs on U.S. goods, so the U.S. traded with less developed countries. China was especially popluar.

3. How did the economic depression that began in 1893 deepen the divisions in American society? Which groups suffered the most during the depression?

The economic depression led many workers to realize how vulnerable they were with an economy based on manufacturing and industry. Workers went on strike in a attempt to gain recognition and control in their work; 500,000 workers went on strike and 600,000 more were fired to to strike-related activity. The depression and following strikes struck fear and instability into everyone. The groups that suffered most in the depression were the city dwellers, laborers, and farmers.

4. What were the values many Americans attached to the frontier? Why did many Americans fear that the closing of the frontier would harm America’s national character?

Many Americans attached to the frontier valued resourcefulness, bravery, pragmatism, ingenuity, individualism, egalitarianism, and patriotism. Many Americans feared that closing the frontier would harm America's national character because that national character was based on exploration and discovering new land and resources. Without any frontier, they had no new land or untapped resources.

5. Why did some Americans suggest greater involvement overseas?

Some Americans suggested greater involvement overseas because some, led by the fear of the changing American character and the belief of American power, believed that an aggressive approach to dealing with other countries would perpetuate the American success. Some businessmen believes that overseas expansion would fuel economic growth.

6. What policy did expansionists say would ensure the economic success of the United States? What did imperialists say?

The expansionists said that acquiring strategic ports in the seas that would service trade and assist foreign trade would ensure the economic success of the U.S. Imperialists believed in building an overseas empire with which America could conquer and rule strategic territories and nations.

7. How did the theories of social Darwinism and scientific racism lend support to the cause of American imperialism? How were these pseudo-scientific theories used to justify racist policies and imperialism? Are they still used today?

Imperialists used social Darwinism and scientific racism to argue that the people they believe in conquering were intellectually, socially, and generally inferior to the white Americans, and that the U.S., being superior, had the right to take the weaker nations. "Survival of the fittest," the idea of the stronger surviving and the weaker dying out, was used to support this idea. Their success reflected their superiority. "Scientific racism" were stereotypes that were supposedly "proven" scientifically with methods that were in no way accurate, but people believed them to be at the time. This made people truly believe that other races were inferior. These ideas were used to justify imperialism. People said that they were the "fittest," and that their domination of the "inferior" races was just a natural process in the advancement of civilization. These ideas are not used today.

8. What did many Protestant churches say was America’s role in the world?

Many Protestant chirches said that America's role in the world was to "lift up" the "downtrodden" of other nations.

9. Why did the United States become involved in several Latin American nations in the nineteenth century? Summarize why the United States became involved in Samoa, Hawaii, and other Latin American nations.

The U.S. became involved with several Latin American nations in the nineteenth century because they made a deal with Samoa: to gain free access of its harbors in return for protection. Then Germany and Britain tried to take parts of Samoa and for eight years the U.S. was involved in protecting it. Then the secretary of state, Richard Olney, was concerned that Britain was bullying Venezuela, and did not want other nations to pick apart Latin American territories because that would prevent American connection with them. Hawaii was annexed because, after the U.S. attempted to restrict Japanese immigration, Japan warned them not to do so. So to prevent the Japanese from overthrowing and taking power in Hawaii, McKinley annexed the islands, and it passed with a large margin in Congress. The U.S. also assisted revolutions in Chile and Brazil, and negotiated with Nicaragua to ensure that the canal-building company would stay there.

10. Why was the United States concerned about British involvement in Venezuela? What concept did U.S. Secretary of State Richard Olney invoke in response?

The U.S. was concerned about British involvement in Venezuela because if Britain and other European nations picked apart Latin American territories and gained power, then America would not be able to extend their commercial ties into Latin America. In response, U.S. Secretary of State Richard Olney invoked the Monroe Doctrine to try to stop Britain in its tracks.

Spanish-American War (1898)

Causes: How did each of the following help to cause the outbreak of the Spanish-American War?

1. American business owners
American business owners and industries had an interest in Cuba for a long time, but when they tried to buy it, Spain responded that they'd see it sink before they sold it to the U.S

2. José Martí
Launched a Cuban resistance against Spain, in which he destroyed American property to provoke the U.S. to intervene.

3. Valeriano Weyler
Spanish response to revolt. He treated the Cubans brutally. He put them in concentration camps where many died, and this angered the U.S.

4. Yellow journalism
Over exaggerated the treatment of the Cubans, which got a lot of attention and got the U.S. very angry at Spain.

5. De Lôme letter
The Spanish minister insulted the President in the De Lôme letter, and it was stolen and released into the U.S. media, which greatly fueled the U.S.'s anger towards Spain.

6. U.S.S. Maine
The U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor on Cuba exploded due to an internal explosion, but the U.S. claimed that they believed it was a hostile act of Spain, but was likely just their perfect excuse to go to war with Spain.

Effects: What happened to each of the following territories as a result of the Spanish-American War?

7. Cuba


8. Puerto Rico
U.S. gained possession

9. Guam
U.S. gained possession

10. Philippine Islands
U.S. gained possession

U.S. Imperialism begins

1. Name at least five factors that fueled American Imperialism.
The industrial revolution had made travel across the ocean possible
The Americans wanted to spread Christianity
They wanted new economic markets and resources
They wanted military ports to control the Pacific Ocean
Other countries wanted colonies so the U.S. had to compete to get there first

2. Choose two of the above five factors and describe them in your own words.
Because Hawaii and many other islands filled up the Pacific Ocean, the country that possessed Hawaii, which was directly in the center of the ocean, would have power over the entire Pacific. Also, the islands could serve as many naval ports and as coaling stations for more coal to fuel steamships.
With the economy and industry booming, the businesses had a thirst for more markets. Hawaii and the other islands had the resources for new industries like, for example, pineapples and sugar plantations.

3. What was known as “Seward’s Folly” and why?
Alaska was known as "Seward's Folly" because William Seward strongly supported it's purchase because he believed that it's resources were plentiful. People called it "Seward's Folly" because they thought it was a useless "ice box" and ridiculed him for insisting on buying it. They believed it wasn't worth the price.

4. What plantation-based product accounted for three-quarters of Hawaii’s wealth in the
mid-19th century and who controlled this product?
The plantation-based product that accounted for three quarters of Hawaii's wealth was the sugar plantations. This product was controlled by the United States.

5. Using as much detail as possible, outline the sequence of events that led to America gaining possession of Hawaii? In other words, why was the United States interested in these Pacific islands?
The U.S. was interested in Hawaii because it could benefit them in many ways. First of all, it was located directly in the center of the Pacific Ocean, and therefore control of Hawaii meant control of the Pacific. It had a great potential naval port, Pearl Harbor. It also had good resources for new markets. On the island, pineapples and sugar could be produced. Also, Hawaii was one of the many islands that could be used as a coaling station, where ships would stop for more coal for fuel. Furthermore, there was a competition between countries to settle in colonies, and Hawaii was a potential place.

Child Labor Reform Photographs

Objective Assessment


As you view each photograph take note about what you see. (note people, background, objects) Pretend you were describing the image to someone who could not see it. Try to avoid making judgments.

Where are these children? List any clues relating to their surroundings.
Describe any tools or objects you see.
Describe their clothing. What do their clothes reveal about their work?

Subjective Assessment


What questions do you have about each of these photographs?
Based on your observations, list three things you might infer about the lives of these children. (Be sure to consider Hine's notes about the photographs when considering this.


Photograph A
Objective
There is a very small, young girl standing in a narrow lane between the wall and all of the spinning equipment in a textile mill. She seems very sad and rather frightened. Her clothes look rather plain and simple and in all likelihood are probably poor quality clothes. She is alone i this narrow alley way.
Subjective
The girl does not even know her own age, she only knows that she is too young to work, but still does. It seems that she has little family or social life, because she doesn't know her own age. Her facial expression shows that she does not receive good treatment. She looks sad and frightened so clearly is subject to harsh conditions even at her young age. She seems almost mature for such a young girl, so one can assume that she endures hard work and has been forced to "grow up early."

Photograph B


Photograph C

Photograph D

Photograph E

Photograph F

Photograph G

Photograph H

Progressism Under Taft and Wilson's New Freedom

1. How did William Howard Taft get selected to run for president?
Theodore Roosevelt handpicked his secretary of war, William Howard Taft, to run for presidency.

2. How did Teddy Roosevelt come to oppose Taft for the presidency in 1912?
Taft's overly cautious nature as president caused Roosevelt to oppose his presidency in 1912, and he competed with Taft for presidency.

3. What events helped Woodrow Wilson win the election in 1912?
Woodrow Wilson won the election in 1912 because he stayed out of the dirty competition between Roosevelt and Taft, and because he thought monopolies were evil and had good intentions for the country.

4. What legislation did Wilson use to attack trusts and monopolies?
To attack trusts and monopolies, Wilson used the Federal Trade Commission.

5. What was the Nineteenth Amendment?
The Nineteenth Amendment granted women the right to vote in 1919.

6. How did America's entry into World War II affect the reform movement?
America's entry into World War I ended the progressive era and reform movement.

Urbanization

1. What is Urbanization?

Urbanization is the growth of cities

2. For what reasons did a number of Americans move from the country to the cities?

A number of Americans moved to cities because they were the cheapest, most convenient places to live. The cities also offered steady, reliable jobs in the mills and factories.

3. What were the housing problems that many poor city dwellers faced?

Many poor city-dwellers had to choose from housing in the outskirts of the city which created transportation problems, or rent out very crowded rooms in boarding houses. The development of tenements made things better, housing many families in one block, but after a while they went to waste and became even worse living environments.