Roots of Imperialism: Alaska and Hawaii
Background: Imperialism and its causes
What is Imperialism?
Imperialism is when a nation works to expand its power and influence over a weaker country. In most cases, countries establish control be coercion--for example, through infiltration and annexation, political pressure, war and military conquest. Once conquered, this controlled country is referred to as a colony of the "mother country". Imperialism was achieved through a few things:
Imperialism is when a nation works to expand its power and influence over a weaker country. In most cases, countries establish control be coercion--for example, through infiltration and annexation, political pressure, war and military conquest. Once conquered, this controlled country is referred to as a colony of the "mother country". Imperialism was achieved through a few things:
- Economic benefits
- Military strength
- National superiority
EConomic Benefits
America chooses to imperialism during this time for economic benefits. Economic benefits include cheap labor, control over the market, and natural resources. These imperial countries would extract the raw materials and natural resources from the smaller country and send them to their home country to then make a profit. The conquered colonies were a great source of cheap labor for the mother country. They provided trading ports and agricultural land for the imperial nation.
Military Strength
In order to be ready for the upcoming war, most nations began building up their armies and increasing their stockpile of weapons. This was known as the arms race. A country that was heavily prepared was Germany. Germany, at this time, had the deadliest weapons and could face Britain's navy, the best in the world at the time. In the USA, Alfred T. Moahan encouraged the US navy to expand its world influence, promoting imperialism.
National Superiority
This idea of nationalism is extreme devotion to one's country. This made it real easy for countries to want improve imperialism; they thought they were the best, and they wanted everyone else to be like them. Instead of a country having many different ethnic groups, nationalists wanted the nation to express the nationalism of one single group. For example, France wanted to regain their lost territory of Alsace-Lorraine. Nationalism threatened minorities, because there was no longer a place in society for them. This idea of Social Darwinism, the idea that the best fit for society will survive in society, was extremely prominent in nationalism. A nationalistic approach to imperialism was accomplished by using racial, national, and cultural superiority as a justification. Nationalism influenced the arms race, as well.
Alaska And Hawaii
America takes over hawaii
USA first became interested in Hawaii as a supply point for shippers and sailors, as well as a midway point to East Asia. New England missionaries started living on the islands in 1820, and their descendants continued living there growing sugar. Sugar was a cash crop in Hawaii. The only problem was the US planters did not want to pay the high tariffs on the sugar, and the Queen in Hawaii also did not want the US planters to own land. To overcome these issues, they wanted to gain more influence on the islands. Eventually the USA told other countries to stay out of Hawaii. Before Hawaii even belonged to America, we made a commercial trade agreement and and a treaty to guarantee the US with a naval base there, Pearl Harbor. Queen L. opposed the USA conquering her country, but the whites in Hawaii, the minority, organized a revolt that was assisted by US troops who landed under John L. Stevens, US minister to Hawaii. They conquered Hawaii and set up a provisional government.
Americans applied for the annexation of Hawaii in 1893. The president, Grover Cleveland, denied the application because he felt that it was morally wrong. But in 1898, Hawaii was annexed into the USA, and Queen L. lost her throne. This imperial move to take Hawaii falls under the imperialist strategy of economic benefits, mostly. Hawaii was seen as a way to make profits for America by growing sugar. The significance of the USA taking Hawaii is that it started imperialism for America. This event also increased a sense of nationalism. The Americans living in Hawaii had a nationalistic point of view in mind when they decided they wanted to take over Hawaii. This mindset translated over to the mother country, and it influenced the people at home to want to expand and be enthusiastic about America. The legacy of this feat would be that the USA gained Pearl Harbor as a naval base.
Key Points:
Americans applied for the annexation of Hawaii in 1893. The president, Grover Cleveland, denied the application because he felt that it was morally wrong. But in 1898, Hawaii was annexed into the USA, and Queen L. lost her throne. This imperial move to take Hawaii falls under the imperialist strategy of economic benefits, mostly. Hawaii was seen as a way to make profits for America by growing sugar. The significance of the USA taking Hawaii is that it started imperialism for America. This event also increased a sense of nationalism. The Americans living in Hawaii had a nationalistic point of view in mind when they decided they wanted to take over Hawaii. This mindset translated over to the mother country, and it influenced the people at home to want to expand and be enthusiastic about America. The legacy of this feat would be that the USA gained Pearl Harbor as a naval base.
Key Points:
- Hawaii was a way station and a supply area for shippers, as well as a midway point to East Asia.
- Hawaii was economically important to America because of their valuable sugar crops.
- Imperialism is shown by the way the US planters revolt against the Hawaiian Queen to annex Hawaii.
- Originally, the US president did not want to annex Hawaii for moral reasons, but in 1898 Hawaii was annexed into America.
- Pearl Harbor was gained.
- A sense of nationalism and an increase of imperialism was taken away from this American feat.
America Takes Over Alaska
Russia offered to sell Alaska to the US in 1859, believing that if US purchased it then it would throw of Russia's greatest rival in the pacific, Britain. The sale was originally offered during Buchanan's administration, but the American civil war happened, putting Alaska on the back burner. After the war, Secretary of State, William H. Seward, agreed to purchase Alaska for $7.2 million. This purchase can be known as the "Treaty with Russia". At this point in history, Alaska was an unexplored, icebox that critics believed had no worth buying. Because of Alaska's current conditions, Seward's decision to buy Alaska from Russia on March 30, 1867 was called "Seward's Folly". This situation can be seen as an increase in imperialism for America in a certain way. Because at this point in time people had no idea of the natural resources in Alaska, the only way it can be perceived as a move towards imperialism in through the utter want to control more land. Later on, Americans realized how valuable Alaska really was, having natural resources like gold, fish, and petroleum.
The purchase of Alaska had a major impact at the time, and a long lasting legacy for America. The purchase of Alaska prevented British and Spanish expansion into North America, and the purchase allowed America to expand and imperialize. Later on, Alaska became the gateway to the Klondike gold fields. Also, Alaska was found to have a large supply of oil. The purchase of Alaska was seen as a key milestone on America's road to power.
Key Points:
The purchase of Alaska had a major impact at the time, and a long lasting legacy for America. The purchase of Alaska prevented British and Spanish expansion into North America, and the purchase allowed America to expand and imperialize. Later on, Alaska became the gateway to the Klondike gold fields. Also, Alaska was found to have a large supply of oil. The purchase of Alaska was seen as a key milestone on America's road to power.
Key Points:
- Russia wanted to originally sell Alaska to America in 1859, in order to throw of the British.
- Secretary of State, William H. Seward, bought Alaska in 1867 for $7.2 million, but critics called his his purchase "Seward's Folly", because they thought he was crazy.
- This was imperialistic at the time because America wanted to control more land, and Alaska was an easy grab.
- Later on, the Klondike gold fields, oil, and great fishing were discovered in Alaska, ultimately earning back every penny spent.
- Ultimately, Alaska expanded America's borders and reaped many natural resources.