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American Imperialism In The Late 19th Century

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America in the late nineteenth century, experienced a period of radical imperial expansion. This was due to a multitude of reasons. In 1890, the Census Bureau announced that the western frontier had ended, this limited the American ideal of venturing and escaping civilisation for a dangerous and adventurous conquest for land and a new life. Due to the end of the frontier, the romance of the West ended with it. This caused a lot of psychological stress to many American citizens that their dreams were diminished. Another reason for imperialistic expansion was due to the increase in population, wealth and industrial production; this made many Americans believed they had to expand or explode. These ties with economic incentives allowed the political …show more content…

America’s occupation of Hawaii and expansion into the Pacific caused a major recession, the Panic of 1893. America became a victim of its own success, with mass production in agriculture and manufacturing. Its markets were overflowing with production more than consumption in both food and tertiary goods. This led to America expanding to access overseas markets for the control of trade and taxation on neighbouring shipping vessels. Market access requires a strong naval body for protection, which utilised distant harbours for maintenance of naval boats and refuelling. America utilised the ideas of expansionism conquering Hawaii and Atlanta. Social Darwinism meant earth belonged to the strong and fit hence America, this generated stronger nations dominating weaker ones as part of natural laws [F 2]. Thus meant that when America annexed Atlanta in order for its survival, America had to compete of modern states; changing to become an imperial power. Since early 19th century, America gradually came to regard Hawaiian Islands as an extension of the Pacific Coast. They believed that by annexing Hawaii and its sugar, that America had full control over its land and use. This led to the access to key canals and chokepoints which tied into America’s contribution to the 1898 Spanish-American War [F …show more content…

This forced congress to feel that they needed to get involved in order to conclude the war. 1898 Spanish-American War marked a major turning point in U.S. history. It allowed America to gain authoritative control over the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific islands. During the puberty of his career, Theodore Roosevelt (Teddy) was essential in preparation for the Navy fleet succession in the Spanish–American War and was a passionate proponent of piloting America’s navy military in battle, claiming "I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one" [F 1]. By the 1890s, Cuba and Puerto Rico were now one of the only remaining countries of Spain’s once vivacious empire in the New World. In 1898, Senator Albert Beveridge promulgated that the expansion of America’s markets was absolutely necessary; "American factories are making more than the American people can use; American soil is producing more than they can consume. Fate has written our policy for us; the trade of the world must and shall be ours."[F 3] The war with Spain resuscitated America’s interest in building a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, uniting the two great oceans merging Spain’s multicultural tribes into one hybrid. The utmost usefulness of this canal allowed sea trade that has long been acknowledged by major commercial nations of the world; the French had started creating one in the late 19th

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