American Imperialism In The 1800s

This topic is on imperialism, imperialism is a time that took place around 1800-1914. What is imperialism? Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. During the time of imperialism there were a lot of countries taking over other countries. Imperialism impacted racism and power by rich powers taking over poor powers. In this essay I will be talking about those different powers taking over other powers.

Starting from the middle of the nineteenth century, the Age of New Imperialism took over the world. Imperialism is the method by which a country extends its borders either through military force or by diplomacy. The main motives that drove colonization and imperialism were belief in European superiority and industrialization or modernization. As the Industrial Revolution escalated, countries needed lands with raw materials and natural resources, as well as new markets across the globe that would greatly benefit their economy. Because Europe had advanced so greatly due to industrialization and the modernization of technology in such a short amount of time, Europeans believed that they were the superior race of the world. With that attitude, they believed that they should plant their flag on as many places as possible across the world. Most important however was the economic motivation to be a strong world power through trade and finance. During the Imperialism era, almost all regions modernized economically either due to European colonization and domination like in Africa and India, or in attempt to block out western influence like in China and Japan.

This had worked for many many years, but times had changed and the U.S grew both in power and economically. Ideas such as social Darwinism-survival of the fittest-, nationalism-loyalty and support of one’s country-, and imperialism-a stronger nation extending its power by inhabiting a weaker country-supported overseas expansion. The major turning point for the United States was the Spanish- American war, in which America intervened in the conflict between Cuba and Spain. Cuba was controlled by Spain, but Cuba wanted to gain independence.

This helped to US to show that they were indeed powerful and can be imperialistic. With the US promising help Cuba it will give the US more power to intervine in the Cuban economy if needed. The US also helped Venezuela and other South American countries from debt of European countries. With the US helping this countries they showed that they were powerful and trustful to help them. The US gained imperialism through this that helped them set negotiations with them are still standing today.

European economies suffered a severe depression in the late nineteenth century and this forced merchants and manufacturers to impose tariffs and cartelize domestic markets (Falola 159). Imperialism followed soon after, out of the Europeans’ desire to stabilize national income, manage extreme fluctuations of the business cycles and promote the effective growth of capitalist economies globally (Wehler 137). At the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, which was called to manage the ongoing process of colonization, European nations set out conditions for the acquisition of territory (Craven 31). Colonies were expected to provide an avenue for cheap raw materials, captive markets and investment outlets. This is clearly evidenced because as late

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the United States was the most dominant power in the Western Hemisphere. European nations conceded to the United States their right of any intervention in the Western Hemisphere and allowed the United States to do whatever they wanted. The United States took this newly bestowed power and abused it. The United States intervened in many Latin American countries and imposed their policies on to these countries against their will. A perfect example of this aggression is what occurred in the Dominican Republic in 1904. The United States intervened in this sovereign nation and took control of their economy and custom houses. A memorandum from Francis B. Loomis, the United States Assistant

After the Spanish-American war in 1898, America attained much power. The defeat of Spain led the U.S. to the broadening their horizons through international expansion. Seeing how the U.S. rivals had already established overseas empires, the U.S. wanted to emulate. They jumped into action and produced a ‘foreign policy’ giving America the right to build empires in areas such as Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. The american foreign policy of imperialism, exerting military, economic, or political control over weaker nations, was unjustified due to geographic greed for resources, unjustified subjugation, and cultural oppression through white washing.

Imperialism refers the process when one country takes another country and forces its government, economic, and cultural practices over the conquered land/people. Imperialism has the relations of the European powers with Africa and Asia. Great European states were no longer involved in-state or out of state violence or war, what “allowed them to concentrate their energies and resources on imperial expansion, which new advanced technologies facilitated.”

The term Eastern Question defined the games of politics and diplomacy in the Middle East from the mid-eighteenth century until the breakup of the Ottoman Empire orchestrated by Western European powers after First World War. The Ottoman Empire was increasingly becoming very dysfunctional, ravaged by internal conflicts between rulers, governors, and opposing factions, which put Western powers on edge, prompting military coalitions that abridged the Ottomans territorial controls and influences. After the fall of Adrianople the Europeans scrambled for two years to find a solution for the lands controlled by the Ottomans for fear that one country would “benefit exclusively. “ This is a clear example that the Europeans themselves were staunchly divided

Before the Spanish-American war of 1898, America practiced a foreign policy of isolationism, excluding it to gain influence and territories. Unlike European super powers such as France, Germany, Spain and Britain which had colonies overseas and were involved in international affairs, America decided to avoid international affairs to focus on domestic affairs. This isolationist policy started vanishing when America fought the Spanish-American war, where America facilitated Cuban independence from Spain and claimed former Spanish colony of the Philippines. After the war, America had annexed Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. This war marked the beginning of the imperialism in America’s foreign policy.

In the late nineteenth century, between around 1875 and 1900, a modest bunch of European countries vanquished a large portion of Africa. Since this came after over three centuries of moderately agreeable exchanging movements in the middle of Europeans and Africans, it speaks to a noteworthy flight in world history. The "Age of Imperialism" additionally had long-run outcomes including the spread of European dialects around the world, the formation of outskirts that started numerous ensuing clashes, and the development of establishments that made globalization conceivable. Today, we, for the most part, study Imperialism in association with WWI, European countries ruled littler nations, called colonies, and contended with one another to gather

First, consider the transition of the United States’ foreign policy from an isolationist tendency to imperialism at the turn of the twentieth century. Most famously perhaps, our first president, George Washington, delivered his farewell address to caution against permanent alliances and U.S. entanglement in the affairs of other nations. However, as the nineteenth century progressed, the United States became much more active in the Western hemisphere and continuously tried to exert its influence. In fact, beginning in the late 1890s, the United States began to adopt a “Big Brother” policy in Latin America and tried to establish U.S. hegemony there. As the twentieth century dawned, the U.S. officially gained control of Puerto

Since the beginning of humankind, Africa had always been a difficult continent to colonize. The amount of natural barriers, the rainforest, the climate, and the dry and wet seasons are why Africa wasn’t able to be colonized until the 19th century. The Europeans were first able to colonize Africa in the late 1880’s but, that success didn’t come without many challenges they faced. They had issues with medicine, politics and their economy was failing. In the 1500’s, European colonialists tried to invade Africa in the 1500’s, before being fought off by unified African forces. The Songhai empire and the Mali empire were responsible for the defense against the Europeans. However about 300 years later, the cure to malaria was found in 1832. This drug

(d). “Speak softly and carry a big stick—you will go far." These are words said by President Theodore Roosevelt. Indeed, the "big stick" was a naval force sent by Roosevelt on a world tour to show the might controlled by the United States. The Machiavellian ideas expressed negotiating peace while simultaneously threatening with military power. This decisive action mentality portrayed the exercise of striving for peace, while maintaining the intelligence of having back up power to support any unknown future problems.

The new Manifest Destiny, essentially U.S’ expansionist fever, leads to our participation against the Spanish empire with rebels on both sides. The Spanish American War made the US an international power with our footholds in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. Also, our annexation of Cuba will lead to multiple opportunities in the future. This 3 month long war was diminutive and swift but showed how the US were unprepared, obviously by their landing at Daiquiri. What followed were naval attacks in the Philippines, which the US had occupied and later taken over. We maintained a streak of victories in both Cuba and the Philippines. The events that transpired in these areas will most likely continue to shape our future along with Cuba’s and the Philippine’s.