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American Imperialism In The 20th Century

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During the time period of 1895-1920, as the United States entered the 20th century, America based its foreign policies on imperialism and the spreading to other nations. Inquiries on whether the nation should operate its power and influence beyond the North, became the essential topic of national discussion and debate. Although anti-imperialists argued that America was foresaking the republican ideals of the nation’s founders, advocates of imperialism argued that the United States had an obligation to promote democracy, civilization, and free trade to the world. Cases such as the Spanish-American War, china, and Panama demonstrated that when it came to negotiating with other nations, the United States government often started from an idealistic …show more content…

This war originated in the cuban struggle for independence from Spain in February 1895. And Spain’s brutally repressive measures to halt the rebellion were graphically portrayed for the U.S. public by several sensational newspapers, and American sympathy for the rebels rose. All changed after the unexplained sinking in Havana harbour of the battleship USS Maine, which had been sent to protect U.S. citizens and property after anti-Spanish rioting in Havana. Spain announced an armistice on April 9 and speeded up its new program to grant Cuba limited powers of self-government, but the U.S. Congress soon afterward issued resolutions that declared Cuba’s right to independence, demanded the withdrawal of Spain’s armed forces from the island, and authorized the President’s use of force to secure that withdrawal while renouncing any U.S. design for annexing Cuba. Self-interest then became the primary objective for the US government after knowing that it could obtain Cuba and expand it’s power beyong it’s own borders. The United States’ entry into it’s war with Spain started cries of liberty for the Cuban people but ended with the hostility occupation of the philipines, and the chains of the Platt Amendment that established the eight conditions to which the Cuban Government had to agree before the withdrawl of the U.S. forces and the transfer of soverignty would begin. With the Treaty of Paris, Spain renounced all claim to Cuba, and ceded Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States, and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for $20,000,000. (Document A,

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