Imperialism in the 1890s

During the decade of 1890 the USA extended its influence in the Pacific and Latin America and fought a war against Spain which was a major turning point in American foreign and imperial policy

Pacific

The USA became increasingly involved in the Pacific in the 1890s.

Samoa - US actions in Samoa were an example of preclusive imperialism. America's interest in Samoa first began in 1872 when the King of Samoa offered the USA the naval base of Pago Pago on the eastern island of Tutuila. Although this was refused, the USA was aware of increasing German and British interest in the area, with the German Trading and Plantation Company turning Samoa into the most important trading post in the Pacific. During a civil war in Samoa in 1898, the Americans and British supported the opposing side to that of  the Germans. The following year the three powers abolished the Samoan monarchy and signed the Tripartite Convention in which Britain relinquished all rights to Samoa, the USA established a protectorate in  Eastern Samoa while Western Samoa became a German colony. The British relinquished all rights to Samoa in return for being given other Pacific island chains formerly belonging to Germany.

Hawaii - In 1898, the USA annexed Hawaii. Hawaii was important as a stopping station on the way to Japan and China and US missionaries had settled there. Moreover, since 1875 the USA had imported Hawaiian sugar duty free and Hawaii became increasingly dependent on the US economy. By the 1890s, there were 3,000 American sugar growers out of the 90,000 Hawaiians living on the island. In 1887, the USA established its major Pacific naval base at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. In 1890, the McKinley Tariff removed duties on…