American Imperialism Research Paper

After the civil war, United States took a turn that led them to solidify as the world power. From the late 1800s, as the US began to collect power through Cuba, Hawaii, and the Philippines, debate arose among historians about American imperialism and its behavior. Historians such as William A. Williams, Arthur Schlesinger, and Stephen Kinzer provides their own vision and how America ought to be through ideas centered around economics, power, and racial superiority.

American Imperialism has been a part of United States history ever since the American Revolution. Imperialism is the practice by which large, powerful nations seek to expand and maintain control or influence on a weaker nation. Throughout the years, America has had a tendency to take over other people's land. America had its first taste of Imperialistic nature back when Columbus came to America almost five hundred years ago. He fought the inhabitants with no respect for their former way of life, took their land, and proceeded to enslave many of these Native Americans. The impact of the 1820's and 1830's on American Imperialism is undeniable. Although the military power was not fully there during this time period, their ideals and foreign

In 1910, Europe was the city that rested upon a hill. It was home to countries that

Josiah Strong, a reverend and famous Protestant clergyman, wrote in his book, Our Country, about why the United States should support imperialism. He himself is American, but where exactly in America is unknown. It is important that this established, as it makes it easier to understand his motivations for promoting what he thinks are best interests for America. The exact date of this publication is not given, but further research states it is from 1885. At around 1885 was a period of time where imperialism was a concept which was spreading quickly to many large countries, and there were many who supported it in the United States. His book, given the quote, appears to embrace American imperialism for spreading the ideals of the United

Imperialism is when a larger, more powerful nation takes control of smaller, weaker nations. The American idea is for freedom. As a nation the United States promotes the freedom of itself and other countries. America once fought for the freedom from a larger, more powerful nation, so why would the government want to go back on what this country was started on, which was freedom.

Professor Walter Nugent, of “California and New Mexico, 1846-1848: Southward Aggression II,” argues that the Mexican War was indeed an exercise of American imperialism. Throughout his presidency, James K. Polk made a promise to the American people to honor Manifest Destiny, expanding the territory of the United States to the Pacific Ocean. Polk was blinded by his tunnel vision, and was more than willing to pay the cost of thousands of Mexican lives (over twice as many as Americans) in pursuit of his goal. The Mexican government was weak, so, Polk took advantage by sending representatives to monitor, what he considered, the borders between their nations. Polk was aware that this would manipulate the Mexican government to strike, spilling ‘American blood on American soil’. This action resulted in support from Congress to declare war; although, many voted in favor out of fear of being considered unpatriotic. Alternatively, many voted in favor of war in order to expand the amount of representatives opposed to slavery. Polk was not considered a strong nor wise ruler, Isaiah Berlin contends that Polk was “a hedgehog, not a fox,” he explains, “Jefferson, FDR, and Bill Clinton were foxes. Jackson, Polk, and George W. Bush were hedgehogs. Whereas a fox has many ideas… hedgehogs, like Polk, have one.” For those reasons, the Mexican war was an unjust war, and a result of American imperialism.

Why was the United States interested in expansion in these areas? Why was America building a global empire?

During the time between the late 19th century and early 20th century, America was going through significant changes. Following a revolution in Cuba against the Spanish, and the Americans intervening to start the Spanish-American War, the Americans received several territorial concessions from their defeated opponent. Thus, America started on the path to imperialism. McKinley and Roosevelt gained several territories in a short amount of time, and would look to continue America’s success since they had a strong navy and intelligent leaders. To a large extent, United States expansion continued in a social and cultural aspect through Manifest Destiny, yet it differed in how the new land was acquired and for what purpose.

As the United States was gaining nationalism, they began to consider expanding their boundaries once they began demanding for it. As the ideas of Manifest Destiny quickly spread during the early 19th century, the patriots of obtaining the nation’s “destined” lands were more aggressive than passive through their expansionist policies, disregard towards minorities, and the effects that these policies would later reveal.

Why was the United States interested in expansion in these areas? Why was America building a global empire? The America Imperial aimed at the extension of political, economic, and cultural control nation boundaries that were weak. I was four ways for it to be accomplished by military conquest; by treaty or simply lending money to a weak country or recipient country that are unable to pay. The United States engaged these activities to get higher authority. They required a good will and good retentions and expand markets through out the east and west hemisphere. But, was not efficient enough to be successful because, of the intervention they had caused among the affected countries caused by resentment and bitterness. “Imperialism grew in America because of three major reasons- the first reasons are economic interests, the second reasons are military interests, and the last reason is cultural superiority. If we hadn't become an imperialist nation, then we would have never gotten the islands of Hawaii or Alaska. We also helped the Cubans and Philippines to gain their freedom and got Puerto Rico as a territory too. Imperialism was a much better foreign policy than the Monroe Doctrine.”

This part of the story began, not in the Americas, nor in Europe, but in the Middle East. Carrying the message of the new prophet Mohammed out of the Arabian Peninsula, Muslims began making major inroads into western Asia and northern Africa in the seventh century, eventually encroaching on Europe’s southern and eastern frontiers. In 1095, Pope Urban II responded to a request for aid from the Byzantine emperor, whose dominions were under attack by Muslim invaders, launching the era of the Crusades. For two centuries, European-based Christians battled with Muslims in the Holy Lands and elsewhere. For the elite classes who engaged in crusading, provincialism died away, replaced by new information and contacts in the wider world. Soon Europeans would begin turning this new knowledge and these new tools against the people from whom they were appropriated.

The US, for most of it’s history had an isolationist tendency. Part of which stemmed from being physically separated from other nations by two oceans and the rest came from tradition. Washington set a precedent for foreign policy with his farewell address which called the nation to “abstain from foreign entanglements, avoid large naval commitments and expenditures, and refrain from absorbing peoples of ¬¬alien race and tradition” (The National Experience, 1993). Washington’s advice would be mostly abandoned in favor of economic and political pursuits, but similar xenophobic trends would present themselves in immigration policy; the successful growth of American Imperialism can ultimately be linked to the might of the United States’ navy and military might, to quote Alfred T. Mahan “Whoever rules the waves rules the world.”

Imperialism extensively impacted quality of life. Many countries and great powers such as have dealt with imperialism in both the past as well as present day. Imperialism is the act in which a country or power attempts to extend its influence through diplomacy or military force. However much of imperialism was not dealt through diplomacy but instead with an act of force and aggression. This way of imperialism cost many people their lives, lands, and freedom.

American Imperialism has been a part of United States history ever since the American Revolution. Imperialism is the practice by which large, powerful nations seek to expand and maintain control or influence on a weaker nation. Throughout the years, America has had a tendency to take over other people's land. America had its first taste of Imperialistic nature back when Columbus came to America almost five hundred years ago. He fought the inhabitants with no respect for their former way of life, took their land, and proceeded to enslave many of these Native Americans. The impact of the 1820's and 1830's on American Imperialism is undeniable. Although the military power was not fully there during this time period, their ideals and foreign

What is American Imperialism? It is the influences that the United States makes on other countries. Some of the influences are economics, military, and culture. Expansionism is conquering those countries and taking over the land. Without imperialism and expansionism, our county would not be as big and productive as it is in today 's society.