Causes And Effects Of Imperialism

Throughout its history, the United States has claimed to be a democracy that fights for freedom for all. Americans have opposed imperialistic states and have fought against empires. However, based on specific definitions of imperialism, U.S. leaders have been guilty of fighting multiple wars to build their empire, even if their explicit reasons for doing so suggest otherwise. Examples of these imperialistic trends include American actions during the First Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, and the annexation of the Philippines.

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

During the 1890’s, the United States began building and advancing their economy, as well as focusing more independently on becoming an even more powerful nation. Not only did the Americans begin to create a stronger national military and navy, they also began to look overseas towards the Pacific Ocean for resources and territories; this is when America began to look less like a national power and more like an imperial power. There were many reasons as to why the United States began to expand between 1880-1929, two of which include the military opportunities countries abroad had to offer, such as Pearl Harbor, as well as the domestic and political objectives the U.S. felt obligated to fulfill. Although, there were many important reasons for the United States to began to expand, the most significant reason for the expansionist foreign policy was the economic resources and opportunities other foreign countries had to offer the U.S.

The Spanish-American War began as a humanitarian effort to free Cuba from Spain’s colonial grasp and ended with the United States itself acquiring territory overseas and fighting a dirty guerrilla war with Filipino nationalists who, like the Cubans, sought independence. Behind the contradiction stood the twin pillars of American foreign policy: The Monroe Doctrine made Spain’s presence in Cuba unacceptable, and U.S. determination to keep open the door to Asia made the Philippines attractive as a stepping-stone to China.

The Spanish-American War in 1898 was a point where American’s demonstrated their power and true colors. America wanted to free the Cubans from Spain, but it was not purely out of the interest of the Cubans. America was in it for the Philippines. Spain had control of the Philippines, and the Philippines were located in close proximity to China. The issue here was that the Philippines was not interested in having the U.S. around and rebelled against the American forces (47) .The U.S. wanted to capitalize on the economic struggles in China and the Philippines was

acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America. They declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. As a result Spain lost its control over the remains of its overseas empire. This war increase the idea of imperialist by gaining more power, crops, and land. Some could say that WWI was a war on imperialism, I would have to agree. The Europeans in the late 19th century increase to safeguard their access to markets and by return seizing military control on underdeveloped countries. To this day some would say the United States is still imperialistic but in a more economical way than the 19th century. Some would argue that the war on Iraq was to protect the oil supply the American economy depends on. Others world argue that we control a certain territories a specific level of power to give an influence

The Spanish-American War of 1898 could be seen as the pivotal point in foreign policy as it marks America’s first engagement with a foreign enemy in the dawning age of modern warfare however, one could also argue that the idea had always existed in American politics.

Throughout United States history, there have been a variety of trends in foreign policy. While these international relations are all unique, some share striking similarities. American foreign policy during the early 20th century in Latin America and the late 20th century in Asia are very similar as they share an important underlying factor: imperialism.

The United States experienced a period of growth and maturation during the twentieth century. Now, this is not to say that this was the only period of growth, but it was a significant time during which the United States began to establish its military force at an international level. By establishing itself during the twentieth century as one of the world’s largest superpowers, America grew to be respected by most of the world’s nations. America also grew to become much more active in foreign affairs, even in ones that had no relation to the nation. The United States began to look for chances to expand their country, as well as opportunities to benefit financially from these territories. Imperialism is the word that best describes the foreign

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

Imperialism advertises exclusivity; it is the military, cultural and economic exportation of influence to other countries. Rooted in ‘American exceptionalism,’ the idea that the United States is different from other countries led by the mission to spread liberty and democracy, American imperialism creates an economy of desire, expanding its sphere of influence. The height of American imperialism supported expansion overseas, creating an American empire. In WWII, Germany bade for hegemony across Europe, and as Stalin and Churchill recognized as “a power to dominate the world.” Following WWII, the United States created hegemony, based on liberty and freedom, sustaining their economic, ideological soft-power, and spreading to countries like Cuba and the

The US has been in the spirit of manifest destiny since the mid-19th century and with the search for new economic advantages and motivation to become a power in a European dominated world came imperialism. America focused on broaden its economic horizons in search for resources, markets, geologically strategic locations, exercising the Monroe Doctrine, and spreading western ideologies. China became a large focus of this as their market was profitable and unsaturated. So, America began to search for means of bridging to Asia across the Pacific Ocean through geological control. Then with the American urge share the western/Angelo-Saxon way, Cuba became a focus when they revolted against Spanish control. The U.S. entered into the American-Spanish War with media coercion to liberate Cuba and other Spanish owned territories. The United States won the war which lead to their rights for Guam, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Cuba. The Philippines was the U.S.’s first experience in nation building and was a hot bed for social issues to include torture. This eventually led to the development of the anti-imperialist who were against the British like methods of control and imperialism.

The history of the world is one filled with war, brutality, and greed from nations exerting their might to gain power or land. Driven by greed, history is written by the wants and desires of nations to become larger, wealthier, at the expense of those smaller forms a never-ending cycle from the time of the earliest writings, to modern days. The United States is no different. From the time we occupied the east coast, driving the Native Americans west, to our westward expansion, further driving the Native Americans and Mexico out of their lands, we have never been satisfied. Once we reached the west coast, our eyes began scanning across the oceans. With the country secure, the United States needed foreign lands to establish the empire. The Philippines would provide this opportunity for us. The Spanish-American war delivered the opportunity for America’s entry into the Philippines. The annexation of the Philippines transformed the United States into an empire and better prepared the Filipino people for independence.

expanding it boarders in the early and mid 1800’s. Throughout the world in the 1880’s there was a large need for countries to gain places where they could get natural resources. Almost every Western European Nation was in need to imperialize. Examples of this were the scramble for Africa, and the spheres of influence. The cartoonist Thomas Nast depicts this in his cartoon “The worlds plunder” which appeared in Harper’s weekly in 1885. America’s need to I imperialize was similar to that of Europe. The way the U.S. went about gaining markets was no different then what they had done before to gain land. The U.S. looked to fighting to gain land and when they saw the Cubans wanted independence from Spain the U.S. looked to help Cuba to get land in return. Throughout the war there was yellow journalism to gain support from the American population. Also when the USS Maine got bombed the American immediately blamed it on Spain. Years later it was found the explosion happened internally and Spain couldn’t have bombed it. The U.S. easily defeats Spain and in return for helping Cuba the U.S. gained Puerto Rico, The Philippines, and Guam. After Cuba Got there independence the U.S. wanted to keep their influence in Cuba so they passed the Platt amendment which made Cuba a protectorate and gave the U.S. a naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It also would not let Cuba Make a treaty Without The U.S. The U.S. Justifies their actions for helping Cuba and gaining