DEBATES About AMERICAN IMPERIALISM [APUSH Unit 7 Topic 2] Period 7: 1898-1945
Summary
TLDRThis video script from Heimler's History delves into Unit 7 of the AP U.S. History curriculum, focusing on the period from 1898 to 1945, which marked America's venture into imperial expansion. It explains the concept of imperialism and America's initial foray with the purchase of Alaska in 1867, which was initially seen as worthless but later valuable after gold was discovered. The script outlines the debate between imperialists, who sought expanded access to raw materials and new markets, justified by Social Darwinism and the need for a strong navy, and anti-imperialists, who advocated for national self-determination, warned against foreign entanglements, and questioned the extension of constitutional rights to newly acquired territories. The video is an engaging exploration of America's historical struggle with its role on the global stage.
Takeaways
- 📈 The time period from 1898 to 1945 marks the beginning of America's involvement in imperial expansion.
- 🌍 Imperialism is the expansion of a country's political, economic, and military influence over another country.
- 💰 The purchase of Alaska in 1867 was a precursor to American imperialism, with the discovery of gold in 1898 making it seem valuable.
- 🏴☠️ The U.S. had a history of westward expansion, which contributed to the desire for imperialistic expansion.
- 💬 There was a significant debate between imperialists and anti-imperialists regarding America's role in the world.
- 💎 Imperialists were motivated by the potential for access to valuable raw materials and new markets for American goods.
- 🦅 Social Darwinism and the idea of the white, Anglo-Saxon race being the fittest were used to justify expansion.
- 🚢 Alfred Thayer Mahan's theories on sea power influenced the U.S. to build a strong navy and secure strategic territories.
- 🏳️🌈 Anti-imperialists argued for the principle of self-determination for nations and against the loss of American isolationist traditions.
- ⚖️ The anti-imperialist debate questioned whether the U.S. Constitution should apply to newly acquired territories.
- 📚 The script provides a summary of Unit 7, Topic 2 of the AP U.S. history curriculum, focusing on imperialism and its implications.
Q & A
What is the time period covered by Unit 7 of the AP U.S. History curriculum?
-Unit 7 of the AP U.S. History curriculum covers the time period from 1898 to 1945.
What significant event marks the beginning of the American foray into imperial expansion?
-The purchase of Alaska in 1867 marks the beginning of the American foray into imperial expansion.
Why was the purchase of Alaska initially considered 'Seward's Folly'?
-The purchase of Alaska was initially considered 'Seward's Folly' because it was viewed as a polar icebox with no particular value until gold was discovered there in 1898.
What is the fundamental concept behind imperialism?
-Imperialism is the expansion of one country's political, economic, and military influence over another country, essentially the expansion of an empire.
What were the main motivations for American imperialists?
-The main motivations for American imperialists included the desire for access to valuable raw materials, securing new markets for American goods, justifying expansion through Social Darwinism, and the belief in the Christian duty to spread western civilization.
How did the discovery of gold in Alaska influence American imperialist thought?
-The discovery of gold in Alaska led imperialists to believe that there might be valuable raw materials in other places as well, which could be taken to expand the nation's wealth and influence.
What was the stance of anti-imperialists regarding the principle of self-determination?
-Anti-imperialists argued for the principle of self-determination, which is the idea that nations should be able to decide for themselves who rules them and what laws are passed, without foreign interference.
Why did anti-imperialists invoke George Washington's warning against foreign entanglement?
-Anti-imperialists invoked George Washington's warning to emphasize the potential negative consequences of entangling the U.S. in global affairs, such as being drawn into wars and economic disputes.
What was the debate between imperialists and anti-imperialists regarding the Constitution and the flag?
-The debate was about whether the Constitution should follow the flag, meaning if America claimed a territory, should the people there become American citizens with full rights? Anti-imperialists argued that it should, but used this as a point to critique the hypocrisy of not intending to grant full rights to non-white populations.
What was Alfred Thayer Mahan's argument regarding sea power and its relation to imperial expansion?
-Alfred Thayer Mahan argued that a robust navy was essential for a country to be strong on the world stage, and to secure foreign markets for industrialists. This led to the need for strategic territories for naval refueling and supply, thus linking naval power to imperial expansion.
What was the ultimate goal of the American imperialists in securing Pacific and Caribbean territories?
-The ultimate goal was to facilitate American naval dominance by having strategic territories where the navy could refuel and resupply, thereby securing their influence and control over global trade routes and markets.
Outlines
😀 Introduction to American Imperialism
The video script introduces the audience to Unit 7 of the AP U.S. History curriculum, focusing on the period from 1898 to 1945, which marks the beginning of American imperial expansion. The video aims to explore the similarities and differences in attitudes concerning the U.S.'s role in the world. Imperialism is defined as the expansion of a country's political, economic, and military influence over another. The script mentions the purchase of Alaska in 1867 and the subsequent discovery of gold there in 1898 as a turning point that made imperialistic expansion more appealing. The video also touches on the inherent American drive for westward expansion and the debate between imperialists and anti-imperialists, highlighting the imperialists' desire for access to raw materials, new markets, and the influence of Social Darwinism and racial motivations for expansion.
🏛️ The Debate on Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism
This paragraph delves into the arguments of both the imperialist and anti-imperialist camps. Imperialists, influenced by the discovery of gold in Alaska, sought to expand American influence for access to valuable resources and new markets. They justified their stance with Social Darwinism, suggesting that the strong should dominate the weak in politics and economics. Racial motivations were also present, with the belief that the white, Anglo-Saxon race was superior and had a duty to spread Christianity and Western civilization. Alfred Thayer Mahan's theories on sea power also played a role, advocating for a strong navy and strategic territories for naval dominance. Anti-imperialists, on the other hand, emphasized the principle of self-determination, arguing against the loss of this right for less-powerful nations if the U.S. were to take them over. They also warned of the dangers of foreign entanglement, citing George Washington's advice against it and fearing unforeseen consequences such as wars and economic disputes. The anti-imperialists questioned whether the Constitution should extend to newly acquired territories, using this as a point to argue against expansion, especially if it involved incorporating non-white populations as full citizens.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Imperialism
💡Seward's Folly
💡Self-Determination
💡Isolationism
💡Social Darwinism
💡Racial Motivations
💡Alfred Thayer Mahan
💡Spanish-American War
💡Constitution and the Flag
💡Expansionism
💡Anti-Imperialism
Highlights
The period from 1898 to 1945 marks the beginning of American imperial expansion.
Imperialism is the expansion of one country's political, economic, and military influence over another.
The U.S. entered the realm of imperialism with the purchase of Alaska in 1867.
Gold discovered in Alaska in 1898 changed perceptions of the territory's value.
American imperialistic expansion was fueled by a desire for access to raw materials and new markets.
Social Darwinism was used to justify American expansion as a survival of the fittest scenario.
Reverend Josiah Strong's book promoted the idea that the white, Anglo-Saxon race should expand its influence.
Alfred Thayer Mahan's theories on sea power influenced the U.S. to build a strong navy and secure strategic territories.
The imperialist camp argued for expansion to secure foreign markets and project American power internationally.
Anti-imperialists believed in the principle of self-determination for nations and warned against foreign entanglements.
Anti-imperialists invoked George Washington's warning against foreign entanglements and the potential for uncontrollable consequences.
The debate between imperialists and anti-imperialists included discussions on whether the Constitution should extend to new territories.
Anti-imperialists argued that the U.S. Constitution should follow the flag, but used this as a critique of the potential for unequal citizenship.
The Spanish-American War is a key event in the discussion of American empire, to be covered in the next video.
Heimler's History provides educational content on AP U.S. History curriculum.
The video concludes with resources for further study, including a playlist and an Ultimate Review Packet for AP U.S. History.
The speaker, Heimler, encourages viewers to subscribe for more educational content.
Transcripts
hey there and welcome back to heimler's history and further welcome to unit seven of the ap us
history curriculum which covers the time period 1898 to 1945. this period kicks off
with the american foray into imperial expansion so if you're ready to get them brain cows milked
imperial style then let's get to it now as we consider american empire in this video we're
basically trying to do one thing to explain the similarities and differences and attitudes
about the nation's proper role in the world so imperialism what is it well imperialism is a term
that describes the expansion of one country's political economic and military influence over
another country in other words it's the expansion of empire and you might be like america ain't
no empire but you would be wrong america went ahead and dipped its toes into the imperialist
waters with the purchase of alaska in 1867. you might recall that both russia and great
britain laid competing claims to this territory and so william seward who is lincoln and then
johnson's secretary of state proposed a purchase of the territory for 7.2 million
the act was branded seward's folly because the territory was viewed as a polar icebox
with no particular value that is until 1898 when gold was discovered there and seward was like
Hey there and welcome back to Heimler’s History,
and further welcome to Unit 7 of the AP U.S. History curriculum which covers the
time period 1898-1945. And this period kicks off with the American foray into imperial expansion,
so if you’re ready to get them brain cows milked imperial-style, then let’s get to it.
Now as we consider American empire in this video, we’re basically trying to do one thing: to explain
the similarities and differences in attitudes about the nation’s proper role in the world.
So, imperialism: what is it? Well, imperialism is
a term that describes the expansion of one country’s political, economic,
and military influence over another country. In other words, it’s the expansion of empire.
And you might be like, “America ain’t no empire, pssh.” But you would be wrong.
America went ahead and dipped its toes into the imperialist waters with the purchase of Alaska in
1867. You might recall that both Russia and Great Britain laid competing claims to this territory,
and so William Seward, who was Lincoln and then Johnson’s secretary of state,
proposed a purchase of the territory of 7.2 million dollars. The act was branded Seward’s
Folly because the territory was viewed as a polar icebox with no particular value. That is
until 1898 when gold was discovered there and Seward was like, [brushes off shoulder, heh].
And so with this territory in the bag, a territory with no connection to the main territory of the
UNited States, and furthermore a territory with buttloads of gold buried in it, imperialistic
expansion all of the sudden felt a lot more desirable. Not to mention that territorial
expansion was basically in the DNA of Americans. The whole 19th century is basically the story of
further westward expansion across the continent. And when Frederick Jackson Turner shed a single
tear and told everyone the dangers of the closing of the frontier, everyone else shed a single tear
with him, and then realized, “hey, there’s lots of land in the world—we could just go take that.”
Thus began the push for American empire. And we’re going to get into that more fully in
the next video when we talk about the Spanish American War, but for now,
it’ll be important for you to know that there was a fierce debate concerning
imperial expansion between two groups: the imperialists and the anti-imperialists.
The imperialists looked to gold discovered in Alaska and concluded, “You know,
if there’s valuable raw materials in Alaska,
maybe there are valuable raw materials in other places as well. We could just take those.” In
addition to the desire for expanded access to raw materials, imperialists also wanted to secure
new markets for American made goods, including both manufactured items and agricultural goods.
Additionally, imperialists took up that janky pseudoscientific theory of Social Darwinism to
justify expansion. Remember, Social Darwinism said that if the natural order of things is that the
strong eat the weak and only the fittest survive, then why shouldn’t that also be the case with
politics and economics. So to the imperialists, American expansion was the means by which America
could get upon the international stage and flex its giant pectorals of liberty. After all,
European nations had been expanding their empires for centuries, and if America didn’t join the
game, they might be seen as a second-class nation. Maybe your pectorals aren’t as juicy as you think.
Additionally, there were racial motivations for expansion, case in point, the reverend Josiah
Strong’s book, Our Country: It’s Possible Future and Present Crisis, which was published in 1885
but really found purchase in this period. Essentially, Strong argued that the white,
Anglo-Saxon race was the pinnacle of human evolution, and therefore was the fittest to
survive. And as a Christian minister, he added a gloss of religiosity to the mix as well. He argued
that it was the Christian duty of the white race to expand itself abroad and bring the glories of
Christianity and western civilization to the dark and backward lands of the world, which,
as it turned out, was indeed Christian duty. [I see what you did there.]
Also influencing the imperialists was a book published in 1890 by Alfred Thayer Mahan called
The Influence of Sea Power on History. Mahan argued that any country that was strong on
the world stage got that way because they had a robust navy. And this, he argued, was the only
way to truly secure the foreign markets that the industrialists were lusting after. And so,
persuaded by Mahan’s argument, Congress approved the construction of a massive new steel fleet
of ships. Now, it may seem to you like that has nothing to do with imperial expansion,
so let me show you how it does. If you’re going to rule the world through a navy,
then you’re going to need many strategic pieces of land throughout the world where you can land
that navy and refill it with coal and supplies. And so under Mahan’s influence a great race began
to secure many Pacific and Caribbean territories that could facilitate American naval dominance.
Okay, so those are the main arguments coming out of the imperialist camp. And now we’re going to
consider the main arguments coming out of the anti-imperialist camp. The main arguments for
this group began with the principle of self determination for nations. Self determination
is the idea that a nation should be able to decide for itself who ruled it and what laws
were passed. And maybe that sounds familiar, because those were the exact same arguments
colonial Americans used to reject British rule. So the anti-imperialists argued that if America began
taking over less-powerful countries, they would be robbed of the right to self-determination.
Add to that, anti-imperialists argued that America had a long history of isolationism
from foreign affairs. And they invoked George Washington himself who, in his farewell speech,
warned against foreign entanglement. They said that if we go enmesh ourselves in territories
and peoples around the globe, it’s going to have consequences that are beyond our control:
we’ll be drawn into wars and economic disputes that we have no business participating in.
But the anti-imperialists also argued against expansion with racial arguments just like the
imperialists did. One of the main debates between these two groups was this: did the Constitution
follow the flag? In other words, if America goes and plants a flag in the Philippines, for example,
do those people become American citizens endowed with American rights and privileges?
Now anti-imperialists argued that the Constitution SHOULD follow the flag. But that was not because
they, in general, thought other nations should be granted constitutional rights. For
anti-imperialists, this was a kind of ruse to hide what their true argument against imperialism was,
namely, what happens when we take over a country full of brown people—are
they going to become citizens with full rights? Of course not. So might as well not expand at all.
Okay, that’s what you need to know about Unit 7 topic 2 of the AP U.S. history curriculum.
If you need more help on Unit 7, then check this playlist right here. I’ve also got an
Ultimate Review Packet that’ll help you get an A in your class and a five on your exam in May,
so if you’re in to that kind of thing, click away. And finally,
if you want me to keep making videos then you can let me know by subscribing. Heimler out.
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