In the beginning of the 19th century, the United States had minimal interest in becoming an empire who controlled overseas countries. Instead, Americans decided to just use Manifest Destiny on their own continent as their form of expansion. In the late 1800s, the frontier was announced to be “closed”, so Americans were forced to look overseas in order to expand trade by looking for new markets. After America made the decision to support Cuba in its revolt against Spain during the Spanish-American war, the United States gained its own colonial empire when it defeated Spain in 1898. Once the war ended, Americans had to debate between becoming an imperialist empire or remaining in isolationism.
In history, it is evident that Imperialism has direct implications of industrial advancement; however, when discussing the topic of moral stature, it is clear that imperialism is a damaging force. Document 1, document 2, and document 7 all discuss the industrial aspect of imperialism. Document 1, written by Parker T. Moore, a white man, talks about exporters and manufacturers. Moore states that colonial markets require political control and imperialism to thrive. The British come in and set up their markets, pushing the natives away.
Throughout American History, imperialists and anti-imperialists ideals have opposed each other, but each for a valid reason. The imperialists were for expanding the United States and for spreading their ideas of government. The anti-imperialists wanted to play it safe and prevent any conflict that could have risen. It is also existent in today's world with modern day conflicts about the current imperialistic values. The views of American Imperialism were similar about the concerns for racism, but the views also differed because some believe the US was strong when others do not.
After the Civil War, the United States had begun to prosper because of this second industrial revolution. With this property, the people had begun to expand across the whole of the United States causing the frontier line within the US to disappear, which lead to the rise of the idea of imperialism and stronger foreign policy. Because of the rise of yellow journalism, the closing of the frontier line, the expansion of the United States Navy, and the rise of colonization of foreign European powers within Asia, debates and conflicting views had begun to arise on the idea of imperialism and whether or not it is a good idea to expand overseas and become a world power. Advocates for the expansion of the United States argued that it was the duty of
Imperialism allows countries to extend their power through a policy and influence through diplomacy or military force. The late nineteenth century was known as the “Age of Imperialism” a time when the United States rapidly expanded, defending many countries with not enough power to defend for themselves. United States was on a specific world mission to spread liberty and democracy. Along the way America came across China and it’s valuable resources, U.S. could trade for. Imperialism is a positive policy for the U.S.A. because it enlarges trade, helps weaker countries allowing them to spread culture, and expands industry.
Throughout the turn of the 19th Century a big question was raised among the American people and their leaders, was America going to become an Imperialist state or not? The question was not really raised previously during the 1800’s. The people of America were previously occupied colonizing its own land and settling towns throughout the area. However, once they reached the end of their exploration, which ended at the Pacific Ocean, where would they go? Should they start to colonize other islands around the world, or shall they be content in their own little world?
The United States is an ever-evolving country that learns and benefits from not just its mistakes but right doings as well. Imperialism is the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies. Many imperialists claimed moral responsibility as the reason to expand American land claims, the anti-imperialists decried it because of the negative effects on the colonized. In both camps, the issue of race relations was the source of most similarities and differences. The pro-imperialist group felt it was the duty of the American race to colonize others and subjugate those peoples without offering citizenship, while the anti-imperialists felt it was unfair to foreigners to
The social reaction to expansionism continued throughout both movements because the opposing sides of each argument disagreed on completely different topics. Many during the time of Imperialism believed America was destined to expand due to the believed superiority of the Anglo-Saxon race (Doc 1), and was justified in expanding due to the fact that America would spread democracy and that they were required to expand because it was the “White Man’s Burden” (Doc 1-POV). This is also true for Manifest Destiny, which was built on the idea that God ordained the western hemisphere for Americans.
During the late 19th and early 20th century the United States began to expand internationally, adopting a new imperialistic foreign policy. While the transition from westward expansion to imperialism was a change geographically, the new imperialistic direction the United States, was taking was a continuation of the old ideas of expanding west. Motives for expansionism remain the same the ideals of westward expansion continuing into a new era of American foreign policy. Much of America’s motive for an aggressive imperialist policy is the desire for land and wealth.
In the late nineteenth and century, many Americans agree with the view of imperialism, but in the early twentieth century America disagreed with the overseas expansion because they believed it went against the whole U.S. believe in freedom and self-rule. Many Americans believed it was the U.S. burden to teach undeveloped countries into civilization; therefore, the U.S. helped Cuba and the Philippines after the and during Spanish-American War. As Time progressed, Americans did not want to get involved in any other war. As a result, the U.S.passed the Espionage Act of 1917 to avoid entering future warfare.
Imperialism, a policy in which one country of cultural, economic and cultural life influences and dominates another nation. There were several causes responsible for the new imperialism that took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, one being the improvements that regions made due to the Industrial Revolution. A sense of biasness from the Western nations, as well as America, and the desire to stand as the top, strongest country came about, triggering political and social forces to occur. Social Darwinism, an element of ruthlessness, the African slave trade, and demands for raw resources were a few economic forces that also led to the new imperialism.
Imperialism is the process in which a country extends their power over another. In the 19th century, industrialization occurred, causing specific countries to exploit other countries for their natural resources in order to maximize their profits. Because of this, continents such as Asia and Africa became imperialized. During the 20th century, multiple wars broke out, in which the imperial countries demanded service from the imperialized countries. This played a large factor in the imperialized countries wanting to become self determined.
In this time period industrialism was very prevalent. The first Industrial Revolution consisted of worker abuse, outbreak of diseases, and gender exploitation. Throughout this period there were many reforms and changes made in order to ease people’s comcerns and issues. Afer the reforms were made, there was a period known as the Second Industrial Revolution. Throughout this time, Germany was also progressing at a great speed , and Henry Bessemer figured out how to mass produce steel using super heated air to melt iron’s imperfections.
In being an anti-imperialist the worrisome is not that one opposes the idea of expansion of religion, commercial, and constitutional. It’s that with the annexing of these tropical islands would come to a result of the American system of self government would be that America might abandon this idea that makes America that nation it is to this point. Three reasons why the U.S should avoid imperialism is because it fails to follow that criteria of the constitution, could lead to tyrants like behavior, and could lead to conflict One argument that can’t be missed is the fact that the constitutions sets forth a principle that states “consent of the governed” after further research this means that to imperialize and annex other islands would violate
Nationalism is about having the greater love, pride for one’s state, its about loyalty and devotion to the shared cause of nation building. For the most part of early nineteenth century it played a uniting role in European politics which gave them some form of stability and common cause to fight for. So, when the fervor of nationalism crosses that invisible line then it leads to Imperialism. Imperialism is about forcing other people, foreign territory into subjugation who are different. Japanese attack on China and Korea before and during second world war was a form of Imperialism.
