Eddie Vedder once said that “If it’s a good cause, I’ll play just about anything”. Following the years during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s this same ideology was presented to the United States. During this time period, the United States sought for more power not only within the nation’s borders, but past the nation’s borders. This eventually led to the rise of imperialism. In addition, the rise of imperialism and various other factors led the United States to make several changes regarding its foreign policy. For instance, in several occasions the United States had to leave its place of neutrality to join war. Examples of this include the Spanish-American War and World War One as shown in Documents 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Finally, the causes
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For instance, following the Spanish-American War, Spain had lost all its territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Thus, Spain had lost its status as a major imperial power and the United States finally emerged as a Great Power, extending Manifest Destiny. The United States seized on the situation to turn Cuba into a neo-colony. The Platt Amendment, which was added to the Cuban Constitution allowed the United States to substantially determine Cuban affairs. Moreover, the US had become an empire with several international holdings that included the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico as territories. Guam went from Spanish to American rule and was utilized as a military base. The annexation of the Philippines caused major problems, however. The Filipinos had fought with the Americans against the Spanish, thinking that the Americans were there to liberate the Philippines in the same way they were liberating Cuba. When hoped for freedom failed to materialize and the Americans did not go home, the Filipinos felt betrayed. Emilio Aguinaldo led a revolt against the Americans. The US sent in reinforcements to put down this "rogue" government. Fighting against the Filipino nationalists they had fought alongside months earlier, the US endured two harsh years of battle. Aguinaldo's guerilla fighters put the US through a much more difficult and bloody conflict than the relatively easy Spanish-American War. Still, the Filipino's never had much chance against the superior force of the Americans. The US finally put down the Filipino revolt by capturing Aguinaldo. Theodore Roosevelt emerged as an American hero and icon. He played a key role in the actual war when he left his government job and joined the
For instance, following the Spanish-American War, Spain had lost all its territories in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Thus, Spain had lost its status as a major imperial power and the United States finally emerged as a Great Power, extending Manifest Destiny. The United States seized on the situation to turn Cuba into a neo-colony. The Platt Amendment, which was added to the Cuban Constitution allowed the United States to substantially determine Cuban affairs. Moreover, the US had become an empire with several international holdings that included the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico as territories. Guam went from Spanish to American rule and was utilized as a military base. The annexation of the Philippines caused major problems, however. The Filipinos had fought with the Americans against the Spanish, thinking that the Americans were there to liberate the Philippines in the same way they were liberating Cuba. When hoped for freedom failed to materialize and the Americans did not go home, the Filipinos felt betrayed. Emilio Aguinaldo led a revolt against the Americans. The US sent in reinforcements to put down this "rogue" government. Fighting against the Filipino nationalists they had fought alongside months earlier, the US endured two harsh years of battle. Aguinaldo's guerilla fighters put the US through a much more difficult and bloody conflict than the relatively easy Spanish-American War. Still, the Filipino's never had much chance against the superior force of the Americans. The US finally put down the Filipino revolt by capturing Aguinaldo. Theodore Roosevelt emerged as an American hero and icon. He played a key role in the actual war when he left his government job and joined the