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America’s acquisition of Alaska
Seward arranged for the United States to purchase Alaska from the Russians for $7.2 million in 1867. Seward had some difficulty persuading the House of Representatives to accept the purchase's finance. Some individuals thought it was a blunder to purchase "Seward's Icebox" or "Seward's folly." They were proven to be incorrect over time. Alaska became a state in 1959. The United States had purchased territory rich in forest, minerals, and, as it proved out, oil for roughly two cents per acre. -
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Reasons for Imperialism
3 things fueled American Imperialism
1. Desire for military strength
2. Thirst for new markets
3. Belief in cultural superiority -
Acquisition of Hawaii
The acquisition of Hawaii encouraged imperialism in the United States in 1898, making Hawaii a territory in 1900. This was one of the major examples of American imperialism because the United States had access to all of Hawaii's resources and goods, which benefited America's economy and role as a world power. This caused Hawaii to be yet another win and trophy for the States' age of imperialism. -
America and the Philippines
Americans fought to aid Cubans in the fight for Cuban sovereignty, and the United States ended up colonizing territories they won from Spain, like the Philippines. There were many trading operations owned by Americans in the Philippines at the time; several of which were in the sugar trade. -
America and China
Nationalism, is deemed a predominant cause for imperialism in China. American imperialism in China \led to many conflicts, including struggles with language barriers, economic system differences, and changes to the structure of government. The involvement of the US during The Open Door policy led America to become more interested in Asian events and culture. -
The Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War, an armed conflict between the Unites States and Spain, resulted in the end of Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and gain of Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines as territories. The Caribbean Area had been a major target of American Imperialism and after the US gained possession, the States emerged as a world power and Cuba gained independence from Spain. -
America and Puerto Rico
In December, the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Spanish-American War and releasing Puerto Rico to the Americans. United States forces launched an invasion, successfully asserting that they where freeing the inhabitants of Puerto Rico from Spanish colonial rule. American troops raised their flag over the country and established authority over its one million residents. -
America and Cuba
The United States helped Cuba to win their independence from Spain, and the US retained control over much of Cuba's relations and land. American imperialism was fueled by the political and military competition because the Spanish government rejected the United States' ultimatum and then proceeded to cut off ties completely with the US. -
Roosevelt and Foreign Policy
Under the leadership of President Theodore Roosevelt, the United States emerged with ambitious goals on global power through military might, territorial expansion, and economic influence. Roosevelt believed that the nation's economic troubles were largely home-grown. Roosevelt believed that because of the country’s recent military successes, it was useless to use force to achieve foreign policy goals, so long as the military could threaten force. -
Wilson and Foreign Policy
Wilson did have a few successes regarding his foreign policy in Latin America but his interventions, especially in countries like Haiti, Cuba and Nicaragua, eventually led to the dictatorships that would very soon stir up nationalistic feelings within those countries.