At the most basic level American imperialism was driven by the need to develop and secure foreign markets for the sale and consumption of the surplus goods grown and manufactured in the United States. At the time many Americans were unwilling to recognize the profit motive or influence of greed, but rather justified America’s imperialistic tendencies as a just and morally christian thing to do. Many Americans believed that it was an advanced societies duty to bring the ideas of a “civilized” society to those who are less advanced. The idea of the White Man's Burden is much older than America, but was definitely a part of America’s need to “civilize” the world. American’s saw there way of life as superior and as the best way