When a stronger nation takes control of a weaker one, its actions are called imperialism. Europe had been involved in imperialism for centuries. Now around the turn of the century, the United States would give it a try. With the western front closed, some in the United States became interested in new frontiers. It seems that manifest destiny did not stop at the California coast. If America was to trade with the Far East, it would need some navy bases in the Pacific. The idea that the United States should obtain new territories was called expansionism, and the people who supported it were called expansionists. Alaska. One of the first places that the United States expanded was Alaska, but this expansion wasn’t considered imperialistic since America bought the land. William Seward, the Secretary of State during Lincoln and Johnson’s presidencies, bought Alaska from Russia in 1868 for $7.2 million. At the time, people referred to this purchase as “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Icebox” because too few people saw the value of the property. In the 1890s, gold was discovered in Alaska, and the purchase didn’t seem so foolish after all. Since that time, Alaska has become a valuable resource for oil, minerals, and fishing. The territory finally became a state in 1959, just ahead of Hawaii. Hawaii is an archipelago, a chain of islands, located in the Central Pacific. Unlike Alaska, annexing Hawaii was due to around the middle 1800s, American began to migrate to the islands of Hawaii to start businesses, especially sugarcane and pineapple. At that time, the islands were ruled by a monarch, Queen Liliukalani. In 1893, wealthy foreign businessmen, mostly American planters who were growing sugarcane and pineapple in Hawaii, took over the government and overthrew the queen. For economic reasons, these American planters in Hawaii wanted the United States to annex the islands. President Grover Cleveland opposed the annexation and would not allow the process to continue. When William McKinley became President in 1896, he started the annexation process again. By this time, the United States had a renewed interest in having a permanent naval presence in the Central Pacific. They already had a naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and annexation would make that base permanent. Hawaii was officially annexed into the United States in 1898 (shortly after the Spanish-American War had started) and soon became a territory. Over 60 years later in 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state. By the end of the Spanish-American War, the U.S. was occupying four of Spain’s former colonies “Imperialists” saw this as an opportunity. They believed the U.S. should take its own colonies before European countries got them all. Because other powers were competing for naval supremacy, many in the U.S. thought the U.S. must be able to compete. The U.S. had itself been colonies, many Americans felt uneasy about forcing colonial rule on others. Opponents felt imperialism violated the basic democratic principles of self-government on which the U.S. was founded. Some formed the American Anti-Imperialist League in 1898 to oppose colonial acquisitions. After the Spanish-American War, the U.S. acquired a colonial empire consisting of the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, Samoa, and Midway in the Pacific and Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Virgin Islands, and the Panama Canal Zone in the Caribbean. The Philippines– Fought the United States until 1902 for independence, since they were disappointed that the U.S. did not grant them independence after the Spanish-American War. Guam – Was taken from Spain by the U.S. during the Spanish-American War in 1898. It was an important port-of-call crossing the Pacific. Today, it is an unincorporated territory of the U.S. Samoa and Midway – Midway became an American possession in 1867, even before the Sp.-Am. War. In 1899, Samoa was divided between Germany and the U.S. These Pacific islands provided valuable naval bases and refueling stations for American ships traveling to Asia. The Hawaiian islands once provided a refueling station for American ships. American settlers built sugar and pineapple plantations .Missionaries were sent to convert the natives to Christianity. In the 1890s, Queen Liliuokalani tried to take political power back from American landowners. She was overthrown in 1893. Geography placed America in an advantageous position for trade with East Asia. Clipper ships brought Chinese tea and other goods from East Asia to the U.S. After 1898, control of several Pacific Islands gave the U. S. greater influence in the Pacific. Pacific island acquisitions increased American opportunities for trade with both China and Japan. In the 1850s, European powers had created “spheres of influence” (areas where they had special privileges).Though the U.S. had no sphere of influence, they had carried on trade in China for some time. U.S. Secretary of State, John Hay, announced the “Open Door” Policy, giving equal trading rights to all foreign nations in China (he declared this by sending notes to all major powers). Shortly after Hay announced the Open Door Policy, the Boxer Rebellion broke out in China (the Boxers were opposed to Western influence in China).The Boxers threatened the lives of foreigners in China. The U.S. participated in an international army that crushed the rebellion. Hay announced that the U.S. would oppose any attempt by other nations to use the Boxer rebellion as an excuse to interfere in China. The U.S. opened Japan who was an isolationist country to Western trade and influence. Commodore Matthew Perry landed there with American gun ships in 1853.By 1890s, Japan had adopted Western ways. It became the first Asian industrial power. Adopted imperialist ways (defeated China in 1894, and Russia in 1905)President Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize when he helped Russia and Japan negotiate a peaceful settlement in the Treaty of Portsmouth (1905).

Became an American possession after the Spanish-American War .In May of 1900, the U.S. government established a civil government in Puerto Rico. Structure: a governor, upper house of delegates (picked by the President and approved by Congress), and a lower house (elected by popular vote).Largest island in the Caribbean. Became a “protectorate” under American control after the Sp.-Am. War. Forces remained on the island and American businesses invested heavily in Cuba. Forced to agree to the Platt Amendment giving U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs at any time (repealed in 1930).Part of Columbia – The U.S. and Columbia entered into negotiations but could not reach a deal for Panama. T. Roosevelt struck a deal with Panamanian rebels to help them win independence. Sent a warship to protect the rebels and recognized Panama as a new country. In return, Panama gave the U.S. complete control of a 10-mile strip of rainforest through Panama, known as the canal zone. The Monroe Doctrine (1823) – prevented Europeans from establishing new colonies in the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt Corollary (known as the Big Stick Policy – “walk softly but carry a big stick”)declared that the U.S. would act as an “international police power” in Latin American affairs. was often used to justify sending U.S. troops to the West Indies and Central America (Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Dominican Republic).Was deeply resented by Latin Americans. Taft encouraged bankers to invest in Caribbean countries. Dollar Diplomacy – American investments were used to promote American foreign policy goals. If Latin American countries couldn’t repay loans on time, U.S. troops were sent in to ensure payment. Wilson wanted to turn from the bullying tactics of previous presidents Sent troops to Haiti, Nicaragua, and the Domincan Republic to protect American interests. Purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917.Wilson adopted a policy of “watchful waiting”. Retaliated against Pancho Villa when he murdered American in New Mexico and retreated across the border. Wilson sent an American Expeditionary Force into Mexico under General John J. Pershing to apprehend Villa. Villa eluded capture and the force was withdrawn in 1917, when the U.S. entered WWI in Europe.