Imperialism: Europe and America

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Imperialism Europe and America

• Carving Out an Empire

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Imperialism

• the policy of one country taking over a foreign
  land and controlling it
• (usually for the purpose of creating a colony)

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1.Britain Dominates World Trade

• Britain was the 1st country to
  go through industrialization
• Gave them an advantage in gaining
  overseas markets (places to
  sell their goods for profit)
• Other countries were stuck in
  internal wars (esp. Italy and Germany)
• Britain sold many of their goods to rising powers
  (France, Germany, US)
• Made them the worlds leading power
  financially and industrially
• But other countries would soon catch up

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2.The Need for Foreign Markets

• Other countries soon industrialized and needed
  foreign markets to sell their goods
• Rather than compete at lower prices, colonies
  offered a protected market for the countries that
  owned them
• They could sell their goods at their own chosen
  price
• And raw materials from the colonies could be sent
  home to the mother country at cheaper prices to
  make the goods
• This resulted in world powers competing for
  colonies around the world
• Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, the
  Netherlands, and the US were the early leaders in
  colonial competition

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3.European Imperialism

• European powers focused most of their
  imperialism on Africa and Asia
• The Berlin Conference (1884-1885) European
  countries agreed to certain rules in carving up
  Africa
• Did not take into account African tribal lines or
  interests
• European powers also carved up China into spheres
  of influence
• Conflicts between European powers broke out over
  colonial disputes
• Many of these disputes helped fuel World War I
  (the Great War)

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4.America Claims the Western Hemisphere

• The United States believed that they should be
  the only major power in the Western Hemisphere
• 1823 Monroe Doctrine European powers are not to
  meddle in developing nations in the Western
  Hemisphere
• This led to American troops moving into Mexico in
  1866 to intimidate the French (US troops did not
  permanently stay)
• The purchase of Alaska in 1867 from Russia
• And the annexation (adding on) of Hawaii in 1898
• At the end of the 19th century Spain controlled
  Cuba (colony)
• Cubans demanded independence and Spain refused
• The US sent the USS Maine with marines on board
  to protect the Americans living in Cuba at that
  time
• Also to protect American interests in Cuba (US
  companies)
• Tensions continued to grow between the Cubans and
  Spanish

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5. Spanish-American War 1898

• Feb. 15, 1898 the USS Maine exploded and sank
  in the Havana harbor killing 266 US marines
• US blamed a Spanish mine
• Spain claimed it was an internal coal
  explosion not their fault
• Resulted in a war between Spain and the
  US (April 25, 1898)
• Spain surrendered on Aug. 12, 1898
• The US acquired Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
  Philippines (among others)
• Cuba was allowed to form their own government
  with strict US rules

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American Empire in 1900
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6.Imperialsim Leads to Conflict

• European and American imperialism led to several
  growing conflicts throughout the 20th century
• European powers battled with each other in Africa
  and against native tribes
• European countries began to build up their
  military strength in order to protect their
  colonial interests
• American imperialism upset native peoples as well
• Just after the Spanish-American war, the
  Philippine-American war broke out
• Cubans resented giving up Spanish rule for
  American rule when they wanted complete
  independence from both
• Japan became nervous over American expansion in
  their direction began to build up their
  military strength too