Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Louisiana Purchase
1803
Florida 1819
Texas 1845
Oregon 1846
Northern Mex. 1848
Emanuel Leutze, The Course of Empire
U.S. Foreign Policy in the 19th century
No More Frontier =
• Fading Democracy
• Diminished Equality
• Weakened Individualism
• Lost Manliness
1890
Why Become an Imperial Power?
3. The Military Explanation
America has an
obligation to
promote
democracy and
human rights
Unacceptable to
simply to sit by and
watch injustice –
i.e., Cuba
Why Become an Imperial Power?
5. The Idealism Explanation
Pears’ Soap
is a potent factor in
brightening the dark corners
of the earth as civilization
advances while amongst the
cultured of all nations it holds
the highest place—it is the
ideal toilet soap.
Why Become an Imperial Power?
5. The Racism Explanation
In 1896
both the Republican
and Democratic
parties
included planks in
their platforms
calling for Cuban
independence
America Becomes an Imperial Power
The Spanish-American War
• McKinley is mainly
concerned with American
business investments in Cuba
• So, he pressured the
Spanish to adopt reforms and
end the human rights
violations
• By late 1897, Spain agrees
and offers Cuba limited self-
rule.
• But Cuban rebels reject the
reforms and insist on
complete independence.
William McKinley
America Becomes an Imperial Power
The Spanish-American War
“a sort of
bellicose fury
has seized the
American
nation.”
-- The French ambassador
in Washington reporting
back to his government
America Becomes an Imperial Power
The Spanish-American War