Imperialism Dbq Essay

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

A generation earlier, the American idea of manifest destiny fueled American colonization of the West. At that time expansion fever exploded for reasons of national pride, acquisition of resources and foreign competition for the land. Around that time the American border reached the Pacific coast, European nations started to colonize much of Asia and Africa acquiring the resources and global power their countries desired. The American imperialists believed it was their duty to join in the frenzy or lose any opportunity for expansion to foreign competition. Imperialists also cited an alleged duty for whites to colonize others. They felt that a mission to civilize and Christianize others was a perfect justification. (doc 3). They also believed that other races were unfit for self-government (doc 5). The belief was often held by Republicans, like McKinley and Roosevelt, who supported big business as a party policy. Big business would appreciate political imperialism to aid their economic imperialism (the dominance of foreign markets and production by American companies). These paternalistic attitudes towards colonized people made it easy for imperialists to justify taking the territory and not granting citizenship to the

These anti-imperialists feared a lack of freedom for other races and for their own democracy. Many believed that the steps necessary to enforce government on foreign people was undemocratic and opposite to true American ideals. In doing so to the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico, Americans were acting like the Spanish oppressors they fought to remove (doc 2). Although some considered the foreign subjects less civilized, they still considered moves like the Platt Amendment (which subordinated Cuba to the US for a time) as unfair. Progressive thinkers and reformers, like Jane Addams, also feared what might result at home (doc 4). The spirit of war had so filled America through the hyped yellow journalism and government propaganda, that crime was on the rise. The militaristic, despotic policies that were instituted in the colonies could have crept their way into domestic American law. In a time when the workers were being oppressed by the Captains of Industry, it seemed likely that if this coupled with a militaristic attitude that American democracy would be lost. The US had so stretched itself that a uniform policy of oppression could have taken hold (doc 7). Reformers, educators and writers with progressive mindsets called out to an America wrapped up in nationalistic pride and glory to beware the dangers of an