Hawaii
American imperialists were interested in Hawaii. They were not the first to think in such terms, as the British had previously explored Hawaii. Soon missionaries had settled on the island to convert the Hawaiin natives to Christianity. They were soon growing sugarcane and soon they were turning huge profits and becoming extremely rich. Workers were soon imported to keep these huge plantations runnning. Chinese, Japanese, and Philipino workers came to Hawaii. Kalakaua became king in 1874. He wanted to put Hawaiins back in power. He especially resented the influence the Americans had over the region. A group called the Hawaiin League was formed to overthrow the monarchy and annex Hawaii to the U.S. The king was soon forced to sign a constitution on threat of being shot. This constitution greatly limited the king and the people under his rule. In the end the United States annexed Hawaii, continuing its power of imperialism.
Building the panama canal
President Roosevelt oversaw the building of the Panama Canal. First the United States tried to the permanent rights to the strip of land the canal is located on from the Columbian government but their senate would not ratify it. Thoedore Roosevelt instigated a Panaminian revolution. On November 2, the revolution began. The next day Panama was independent. A treaty with the new Panama was reached and the United States had complete and unending sovereignty over the land the canal was to be built on. The 50 mile long canal was the greatest engineeting feat in modern history. 30,000 men gave their lives to build the canal. To this day the canal remains essential to our nation's power.
china open for trade
Both China and Japan have been closed off from the rest of the world for more than 200 years. Many were coming to conclude that they must create trade, for they could be missing out on valuable materials. The British finally used force to open 5 bays for trade, and soon the US gain border trading privileges. Soon american leaders feared that the US would be shut out of valuable Chinese trade. That that time John Hay proposed the Open Door Policy, this would give all nations equal trading right in China. Now with China open to trade many wanted to create trade with Japan.
Japan OPEN FOR TRADE
Japan had been looking at shutting itself off from almost all foreign contact. Soon Japan had been receiving pressure from the US to open up ports for trade. The US would bring 4 ships to bay to display the naval power that the US contained. Japans leaders knew they could not fight back. Japan would then start a rapid succession to industrialization . Japan conflicts soon sparked a war in 1904. The Russo-Japanese Ware broke out, both sides had major losses. Japan requested that Roosevelt step in and negotiate a peace treaty, nevertheless Roosevelt brought forth a compromise. Roosevelt would receive the Nobel prize for this compromise that brought the fighting to a halt.
Cuba and the philippines
Currently Cuba and Puerto Rico was the only remaining Spanish colonies. Neither wanted to be under the Spanish empire any longer, Jose Marti would spark a movement that would create a civil war. Marti's plan soon worked when the US had gotten involved. Before the US got involved in war Congress recognized Cuba's independence and adopted the Teller Amendment. This stated that once Cuba is freed itself from Spanish rule, the US would leave the government and control of the Island to its people. When the US did send the troops, they were not prepared for what awaited them. They had wool uniforms in tropical heat, horrible sanitation, and overcrowded ships which led to many leaving essentials behind. Soon the Spanish troops would surrender to the US troops. The ending of the war led to peace, money, and the US finally gaining the imperial title. The Philippine's will also be lost by Spanish. US began a naval war, the ships of the Spanish would be crushed. The US steel fighting old style wooden ships seemed to have a great effect in the war. The US came out victorious and stopped the Spanish rule of yet another nation.