Western Imperialism Essay

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

Imperialism was a time period in which more developed nations colonized less developed nations. The developed nations took advantage of the less developed nations resources, people, lands, and much more. Many countries lost their freedom and independence due to imperialism, however, they also received new technologies and innovations.

“African Perspectives on Colonialism” is a book written by A. Adu Boahen. This book classifies the African responses to European colonialism in the 19th century. Boahen begins with the status of Africa in the last quarter of the 19th century and follows through the first years of African independence. This book deals with a twenty year time period between 1880 and 1900. Boahen talks about when Africa was seized and occupied by the Imperial Powers of Europe. Eurocentric points of view dominated the study of this era but Boahen gives us the African perspective. There are always two sides of the story and Boehen tells us the side less talked about informing us of what he knows.

Imperialism is the spread of control over territories across the globe. The Industrial Revolution and interests in nationalism created a new period of imperialism around 1750. Old imperialism lasted from 1450- 1750, but imperialism alone remained until 1914.Old imperialism and new imperialism shared the same basic concept of controlling and utilizing foreign countries. Old imperialism focused mainly on systems of trade while new imperialism took bolder steps to overtaking nations.

With the late 19th century came a great change in the ideas of expansionism in the United States, but also a continuation of its ideals. The idea of imperialism, where the United States would extend its power around the globe, stood in contrast with the original Manifest Destiny ideal of the 1840s and 1850s when America was expanding west from ‘sea to shining sea.’ However, the inherent social and cultural sentiments were still present in the late 19th century expansionism, though the economic and political purposes had changed.

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

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

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

Before the arrival of the missionaries, the Ibo religion was highly significant to the government and its people. “While many countries have adopted a system of the separation of church and state, the Ibo people base their governance on the gods,” (Vees). With their religion having

     Throughout American History the U.S. has sought to expand its boundaries. This need increased greatly during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century with the start of the industrial revolution. This Expansion was a big departure from earlier attempts to expand the boundaries of the U.S. The needed for Natural resources forced the U.S to look for places that could supply them with the natural resources they needed and markets where they could sell their goods in. The need to imperialize caused the U.S. to look to foreign places to gain resources to better the nations industries.

The arrival of Europeans into Africa greatly changed the lives of natives. Imperialism and colonialism into the villages of Africans altered their culture which had developed so many years being untouched by outside civilization. In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe portrays the response of Igbo culture to the changes initiated by European colonization through the resistance of change of Okonkwo. Change is the main component that comes along with cultural collision. In Things Fall Apart, the motherland, Mbata, and the fatherland, Umuofia, goes through many transitions upon the arrival of Europeans.

Throughout the late 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century, most of Africa faced a number of invasions from the British. Their culture and traditions were altered to meet the goals of Britain. Chinua Achebe’s book, Things Fall Apart, is set in a Nigerian town where the British government had taken over. The main character, Okonkwo, is followed as the story progresses and shows how the new leaders were constantly battling against the indigenous people of the village. The book maps out the change from colonialism to imperialism in Africa during this time period. Although not all of the transitioning was through brute force and exiling, the Africans still had little to no free will in what happened. Their entire way of life was

The atmosphere of injustice developed everywhere at the time that actually disturbed the lives of Igbo society. Achebe in this book claims that the white colonizers were responsible for bringing injustice in Igbo society as they oppressed Igbo society and cause mass destruction at the time. All the writings before Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” had been write down by European writers regarding Africa and its people. In reality, most of the writings of European writers delivered a sense of Africans like state of uneducated and uncivilized people. With the intention of this, they observed themselves as superior, talented, and more educated people than the Africans. For this reason they determined to control over the lands of Africans with the aim to transform them their way of living and way they reflect their society and culture to make them more sophisticated and more civilized people as a whole.

The book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe tells the story about a native living in Africa during the period of European imperialism. By placing the book during this time period Achebe can first explain traditional Ibo culture and then talk about the effect that the white European evangelists had on Ibo society. The book dispels the commonly held view of Africans before colonization as savage and godless beings. Achebe explains the very advanced social order in Umuofia and the complex Ibo religion. In bringing together what I have learned about Europe and Africa during the time of Imperialism I will draw a comparison between the two continents politically, religiously, and economically.