Imperialism And Colonialism In America

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s the United States (U.S.) pursued an aggressive policy of expansionism extending its political and economic influence around the world. What is imperialism? Why this policy was adopted and how it was rationalized. The major events that took place and which countries of the world the U.S. became involved due to this policy. Finally, we will see, not everyone supported foreign affairs by the U.S. and in 1899 they founded the American Anti-Imperialist League. I will discuss their view of Imperialism and discuss the outcome of the foreign policy going into the twentieth century.

     Since its inception, America as a nation has developed and progressed according to trends of change that collectively define an era. Like all other eras, the time period of 1875-1925 experienced growth, changes, movements, and new ideals. It is the way that these changes came about that defines this era. Americans started to push for changes in many arenas of life that were previously unchallenged. New experiences and opportunities were also presented to America that caused tributaries in the former American ideal. These pressures for change could not be ignored and thus America continued its maturity in a new and unique manner. The changes in the American sphere of life and the development of greater

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 country. Throughout the years, America has had a tendency to take over other people 's land. Authors like Frederick Jackson Turner, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Albert J. Beveridge, Mark Twain, and William James all distinctive perspectives on U.S expansion and imperialism at the turn of the 20th century.

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

Throughout american history, examples of the United States’ domination of the political, economic, and social aspects of other countries can be seen. This domination, also known as imperialism, was primarily caused by a growing sense of nationalism, the influence of supply and demand, and a desire to maintain global military power. Imperialism is categorized into three different groups: colony, protectorate, sphere of influence. TRANSITION SENTENCE

During the time of the 1800s and the early 1900s the United States of America became more imperialistic than it ever has before. Some of these places that America took control of later became actual states of the United States or ended up having good relationships with America. Throughout this time, there was a real thought again about the manifest destiny method. This manifest destiny was seen beyond the United States, but also seen outside of America by taking control or influencing other countries. The expansion of the American Navy, and the victory in the Spanish-American war effected the decision to become imperialistic in the eyes of America. This war forced Spain to give control over Cuba to the United States and grant Puerto Rico, Guam,

Imperialism is "the creation and maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination.” (Johnston 375) By the 1890s, many Americans leaders started to have new attitude towards imperialistic adventures abroad. There were numerous reasons for the U.S. to turn to Imperialism at the end of the 19th century, mainly the economic, political, strategic, and humanitarian motives.

Some Americans supported imperialism from a moral rather than an economic opinion. They saw much of the world as living in darkness. It was the duty of the United States, in their view, to bring the light of freedom and Christianity to those dark places. Josiah Strong, a Christian missionary leader, was a leader of this group (Anglo- saxon civilization). Josiah Strong was a prominent leader in the movement to apply Darwinist principles to society (Social Darwinism). He, along with others like Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge believed that the Anglo-Saxon race was superior and was destined to rule the world or a large portion of it. In his influential book Our Country, Strong wrote that the United States had a “divine mission” to

The age of the empire is responsible for creating the foundation for our modern day view of race. A factor not given much thought before European imperialism, race became a key determinant of social standing after Europeans engaged in the African slave trade to acquire workers for the colonies in the Americas. Even after the colonies liberated themselves from their founding countries to become their own nations, the predisposition left by slavery to assign worth based on skin color remained. Throughout history and in the present day, misconceptions and prejudices about race continue to be an issue for countries like Brazil and the United States.

The U.S is undeniably the greatest empire in world history, in terms of both control and actual expansion of territory. This conclusion is found in the greatest annals of evidence known to literate man: History. In analyzing the history of the American continent post American Revolution, one can clearly conclude the tendrils of Imperialism in American culture. From such events as Western Expansion and the Mexican American war to the establishment of Banana Republics and overthrow of socialist governments in South America, the claim of the U.S being a gloriously successful empire is substantiated. Before such evidence however, one must historically ask oneself, “ What is an empire?”, and for the purposes of this work, it is defined as such:

The United States saw its territory more than double in the first three decades of the 19th century. Bursting with nationalist fervor, an insatiable desire for more land, and a rapidly increasing population, the western frontiers of the United States would not remain east of the Mississippi. The eventual spread of the American nation beyond the Mississippi into Native and French land, referred to as “Manifest Destiny” by John O’Sullivan, was rationalized as a realization of their God given duty. The Louisiana Purchase set the precedent for unrestricted westward expansion in America, and allowed for others to follow in his footsteps. Characterized by racist overtones, a lack of the “consent of the governed, and ethnic cleansing, there is no

In the late 19th to early 20th century, American imperialism was on the rise. The United States was expanding outside of the continent from Puerto Rico to the Philippines. While the conquering of nations was important, the ideologies behind imperialism played an even greater role. Intellectuals from sociologists to Navy admirals created arguments to justify America’s global expansion. Little did they know that remnants of their philosophies would still be in use over a century later.

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 colonization of the Americas was a time defined as when Europeans began to explore and colonize the Americas around the 1400s, but disrupted many native civilizations in their way. The Europeans realized that they needed some type of work force to help start this new world after killing off most of the Native Americans, which was a starting point for the Atlantic and triangular slave trade to support plantations in the New World. Throughout the hundreds of years that the colonization of the Americas was occurring, many European nations were able to benefit from the colonization because of either there gain of land, gain of resources, or a better trade route for that nation, but for these nations to benefit,

In essence, colonialism is the establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition, and expansion of colony in one territory by a political power from another