Imperialsim: The Origins of Global Power

Questions for Introduction and Part I - The Origins of a Global Power

1. Why did American plantation owners and U.S. Marines topple Hawaii’s queen in 1893? Why was Hawaii considered to be a valuable prize? What was President Grover Cleveland’s reaction? Do you agree or disagree with his quote on page 1?
1.) Because they favored bringing the islands officially under U.S. control.
2.) He is sincerely apologetic upon hearing of the rude take over and says that they plan to make all possible reparations.
3.) I agreed in that it was wrong for the U.S. to take over like that, but Cleveland also says that it's the U.S.'s right to help, which isn't true. It is only our right if they ask for help.

2. Identify five important changes that transformed American in the nineteenth century. How did these five changes affect Americans?-Population growth, economic expansion, expanded networking, industry boom.

- Population helped with the industrial boom as well as economic expansion because of all the new and available workers out there; while expanded networking (meaning they were broadening their horizon (meaning they had more property world wide) led to a bigger name for the U.S.

3. How did the economic depression that began in 1893 deepen the divisions in American society? Which groups suffered the most during the depression?

Beacuse it made people begin to realize that the whole nation was bankrupt pretty much, and all thes imigarants were just making it worse, which made people angry at this now expanding nation. The people who held shares in the stock market and those who were terribly poor were affected the most because they had no mney to spend now, beacause things were so expensive

4. What were the values many Americans attached to the frontier? Why did many Americans fear that the closing of the frontier would harm America’s national character?
-Soulfulness, bravery, pragmatism, ingenuity, individualism, egalitarianism, and partotism.

- Because it was American "character" or in other words, it's right to move west (Manefest Destiny)

5. Why did some Americans suggest greater involvement overseas?Because they were interested in trade routes.

6. What policy did expansionists say would ensure the economic success of the United States? What did imperialists say?If they took over islands like Hawaii and Cuba because they would provide resources that couldn't be grown in America like pineapple and sugar. they were also good navy outposts.

7. How did the theories of social Darwinism and scientific racism lend support to the cause of American imperialism? How were these pseudo-scientific theories used to justify racist policies and imperialism? Are they still used today? Because the Americans considered themselves better thtn the Filipinos, therefore they deserved to rule over the filipinos.

8. What did many Protestant churches say was America’s role in the world? To tkae over whatever we wnated because that was god's plan for America.

9. Why did the United States become involved in several Latin American nations in the nineteenth century? Summarize why the United States became involved in Samoa, Hawaii, and other Latin American nations. becasue America believed they were incapable of ruling over those lands, also other imperialist nations were choosing to go after those islands, so America realized they would be very beneficial to America in a number of ways if they could get a hold of them.

10. Why was the United States concerned about British involvement in Venezuela? What concept did U.S. Secretary of State Richard Olney invoke in response? It was on the bordee of a britsih colony that had lots of gold. Olney said that it was no longer the responisblity of Britain to rule over latin America but America.