American Imperialism In The Late 1800s

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A great change United States history was the development of the country as a whole, regarding its magnitude in land mass and overall spread of acquired territory. Also known as the Age of American Imperialism, this significant expansion came about from foreign relations with other nations. Through peaceful negotiations, as well as violent conflicts, the U.S.’s sphere of influence and control expanded across various bodies of water. Increased involvement with world relations triggered a shift in power from one side of the world to the other, which would lead to the establishment of the U.S. as a world power, or an independent entity powerful enough to bring change on a global scale. Foreign relations between the U.S. and other nations during the late 1800s and early 1900s increased and became more complex as their involvement within global affairs likewise intensified. Moreover, major reasons for these increased relations included political, economic, religious, and cultural reasons, and for the purpose of saving the idea of masculinity within American men. Imperialism, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the extension of power of a particular nation for the desire of gaining control or dominion over territory. For the U.S., imperialism became a …show more content…

Written and published by Alfred T. Mahan, an extremely influential historian and naval officer in the 1800s, “The Influence of Sea Power Upon Hisory, 1660-1783” urged leaders to increase the power of American Naval forces in an attempt to gain global strength. Mahan believed a more powerful navy would benefit the nation’s ultimate prosperity and greatness. In this assertion, the U.S. government decided to increase their Naval forces by the production of 11 new steel battleships. The increase in military allowed the U.S. to influence more parts of the globe as well as participate in additional complex foreign