American Expansionism/Imperialism

Question 1

All but which 3 states were part of the US by 1897?

Answer 1

Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma

Question 2

How did the US acquire Alaska?

Answer 2

They bought Alaska from Russia

Question 3

How did the general population react to the acquisition of Alaska? What proved them wrong?

Answer 3

The population said that this was not a good idea: “Seward’s Folly”. What proved them wrong was the thick forests, fish, wildlife, gold, copper, coal, and eventually oil.

Question 4

Why did some Americans object to expansionism/imperialism?

Answer 4

Some Americans said that it was against American values. They said taking over countries goes against democracy. They warned that takeovers would cause revolutions abroad.

Question 5

Why did some Americans support expansionism/imperialism?

Answer 5

Some American business leaders were eager to dig mines and establish plantations in new places. Some wanted new markets for finished products. American expansionists wanted to follow Europe’s example of imperialism - building empires by taking control of the governments and economies of other countries.

Question 6

What were America’s two biggest trading partners? Where were they located?

Answer 6

Their 2 biggest trading partners were in Southeast Asia. They were located in China and Japan

Question 7

How did trade with these countries lead to American expansion? What island is an example of this?

Answer 7

They increased their sphere of influence and trading partners. One Island that was an example of this was the Midway Islands.

Question 8

Why did Americans first travel to Hawaii? What would become the focus of American business in Hawaii?

Answer 8

They traveled to Hawaii on missions to convert the natives to Christianity. The focus of American business in Hawaii was to establish large sugar plantations.

Question 9

How did Queen Liliukalani’s view American influence in Hawaii?

Answer 9

She did not like America’s influence in Hawaii

Question 10

How did American sugar planters in Hawaii react?

Answer 10

They demanded she would be removed removed from her throne and they took over and established a provisional government

Question 11

How were Americans first involved in Cuba?

Answer 11

Americans established huge sugar plantations in Cuba

Question 12

Why did Americans believe we should annex Cuba?

Answer 12

They claimed it was time to enforce the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that no European country should control territory in the Western Hemisphere.

Question 13

How did the Spanish react to Cuban attempts at revolution and independence?

Answer 13

They crushed the movement for Cuba to revolt against Spain by herding Cubans into “concentration camps.” They were forced to live without beds, toilets, medical care, or much food. Tens of Thousands of people died.

Question 14

Why was the sinking of the USS Maine important?

Answer 14

It was important because it was the cause of the war and the justification that the war would happen.

Question 15

What happened to Cuba and Puerto Rico at the end of the war?

Answer 15

Cuba and Puerto Rico had a treaty that stated that Cuba becomes an independent country and that America gained control of Puerto Rico. America can also keep Naval bases in Cuba.

Question 16

What happened at the Battle of Manila Bay?

Answer 16

The Philippines provided Spain’s main base in the Pacific. General Emilio Aguinaldo had begun attacking the Spanish army. The entire Spanish fleet was burned or sunk. Only one American had died that day.

Question 17

What happened between the US and the Philippines after the end of the Spanish-American war?

Answer 17

The US bought the Philippines from Spain for 20 million dollars. Aguinaldo’s government feels betrayed and calls for war without quarter to the false Americans who have deceived them. For 3 years, over 80,000 Filipino fighters fought off better-trained and better-armed American troops.

Question 18

Where did Theodore Roosevelt stand on the expansionist debate?

Answer 18

He favored expansionism and viewed Latin America as a key part of American foreign policy.

Question 19

Why did Roosevelt believe that a canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans was so important?

Answer 19

He believed this because if ships could move quickly between the Atlantic and the Pacific, the navy would be better able to defend America’s new territories and businesses would gain from lower shipping costs.

Question 20

Why did Columbia reject Roosevelt’s offer of $10 million dollars for the land in their province of Panama?

Answer 20

They rejected this offer because he felt that the US was trying to take a weaker country’s valuable resources.

Question 21

How did Roosevelt react to that Rejection? How did the Panamanians become involved?

Answer 21

Roosevelt reacted by sending war ships to Panama. The Panamanians became involved because they wanted independence from Columbia, and they got it with the American’s help.

Question 22

Why was the purchase deal with Panama labeled “gunboat diplomacy”?

Answer 22

It was labeled “gunboat diplomacy” because the US sent their ships to Columbia and forcefully got this deal with Panama.

Question 23

When did construction begin on the Panama Canal? Who was the initial workforce and who replaced them?

Answer 23

It began in 1904. The initial work face was the US workers, and it shifted to workers from the West Indies.

Question 24

What were conditions like during the construction?

Answer 24

They had to bathe, wash our clothes in the same river; drink the same river water and cook with it. Many workers eventually quit, and the workers were replaced with workers from the West Indies. Yellow Fever and Malaria were threat diseases, and the soldiers slept in nets.

Question 25

When did the Panama Canal finally open? What was the legacy of the canal?

Answer 25

It finally opened in 1914. The legacy of the canal was Anti-American feeling in Latin America and Panama resented American control of the Canal.