Imperialism

Main Idea: Western imperialists, including the United States, claim lands in the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Hawaiian Islands. Only Siam remains independent.

 

V.       Western Powers Rule Southeast Asia

A.   Rivalries for Pacific Rim (lands that border the Pacific Ocean)

1.    European race for claims: plantation agriculture; minerals; oil

a      Sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, rubber, coconuts, bananas, pineapple

2.    Dutch East India Co., controls Indonesia, creates rigid social hierarchy

3.    British encourage large-scale immigration of the Chinese to Malaysia

4.    French try to impose their culture on their colonies

5.    Impact: economies grew; modernization, unification of areas (weak local leaders and gov't lose); migration of peoples

B.   Siam (Thailand)

1.    Remains independent- neutral zone between Britain & France

2.    Modernizes itself

C.   US Acquires Pacific Islands: 1898

1.    Disagree about colonizing other countries, economic interests spur imperialism

2.    Spanish-American War, 1898

a      Acquire Philippine Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico

b      promises self-rule with modernization

3.    Hawaii: sugar-cane plantations successful; import laborers-China, Japan, Portugal; 1820-75% of Hawaii's wealth

a      1890: McKinley Tariff Act- set off crisis; eliminated tariff on sugar-no longer competitive price

b      US business leaders push for annexation

c       Companies overthrow Queen Liliuokalani, 1893

i          Republic of Hawaii, 1894: Sanford Dole named president

ii       Annexed by US, 1898

D.  Impact: lands of the world claimed

a      Focus of 20th century: European face-off