Imperialism In The United States

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During the late 1880’s to the early 1900’s, the United States began to look overseas to expand their territorial control through imperialism in order to gain economic growth, military strength, political power, and social expansion. Imperialism is the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories and was occurring as a major global trend around this time. There were a multitude of politicians, industrialists, historians, and even clergyman who wrote about this topic to influence the president’s decision. Leading up to the beginning of World War I, the United States practiced imperialism in hopes of gaining improved economic opportunities, an increase in nationalism, and a more …show more content…
In regards to Social expansion, Frederick Jackson Turner, a well-known historian, and many other citizens of the United States felt that the Frontier had represented the most important part of who they were as a country. They wanted succeeded in promoting nationalism, interdependence, and most importantly, democracy, while Americanizing different people. The U.S. melting pot was the result of what Turner describes as “in the crucible of the frontier the immigrants were Americanized, liberated, and fused into a mixed race.” (Turner, paragraph 3) As a young nation in the late 19th century, the US hadn’t lost a war and therefore, felt that they were better than most other nations. In fact, as Albert Beveridge said in his “America’s Destiny” speech, “[God] has marked us as His chosen people” (Beveridge, Paragraph 1). Within his speech, he is harsh on foreign nations which he believes we ought to take control of by belittling them and criticizing their capabilities to govern themselves. The senator states “They [Orientals,Malays] are not of a self-governing race” (Beveridge, Paragraph 7). American Exceptionalism is shown once again but this time, he is racist towards the other nations instead of just being nationalistic towards the United …show more content…
looks to acquire territories, the experiment of the democracy will be over, so it will just turn into another empire. Also, he states they were great even before they beat Spain; it isn’t the wars and conquests that make the U.S. great. Carnegie also presents military reasons as to why the U.S. should stay isolationists. He tells how navy is important so and by comparing our naval power with Britain’s or even France’s, it shows that we need to build up our military before we get involved with foreign affairs. He says “she [the U.S.] also must be so weakened in consequence as never to be able to play the commanding part in the world, disjointed, that she can play whenever she desires if she remains compact.” (Carnegie, Paragraph 7) At this point in time, during the turn of the 20th century, Carnegie doesn’t want the U.S. spread its military protection too thin leaving the home front

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