Essay On American Imperialism

Improved Essays
Imperialism is the act of controlling smaller nations for military, social, economic, and political benefits. Exploitation is the act of harming others for personal benefit. The two of these combined is a history filled with resentment but plenty of positive progress. The exploitation America caused is justifiable due to the benefits imperialization had on America including the imperialised territory. Some may think the main idea of exploitation is the harm, but the part that needs attention is the progress and accomplishments.
Ever since 1890 when imperialization took place, America’s economy has increased its exportation resulting in a better conditioned economy. (US Trade Expansion, 1865-1915, 11/24/15) Hawaii interested America at first because of the sugar plantations it had. Hawaiian sugar had a higher price on it and it made a profit in America. The US advanced on Queen Liliuokalani and annexed Hawaii totaling the US into fifty states. (Hawaii
…show more content…
Many social advancements inside and outside America’s boundaries took place during imperialization. During the 1920’s and 30’s, Filipinos began immigrating to America. Many students from the Philippines received scholarships and were able to get a quality education. Filipino culture thrived since the migration, providing jobs, educations, and a new life. America had made a firm bond with the culture, especially after fighting together in World War II. Across the globe, America and several other countries decided to practice equal trade within China. There were no disputes, but China was divided between France, Britain, Russia, Japan, and Germany in spheres of influences. (U.S. and China, Japan. 12/4) This way, America practiced civilized trade with foreign parties. The Open Door Policy was civilized, and an example of a benefit from imperialism. Advancements such as the Open Door Policy overlap the exploitation of other

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The imperialized countries economies, such as Cuba, Philippines, and Hawaii have had a dramatic increases in income, profits, and trade; but, it was also beneficial for the U.S. because of the increase in profits, land, and military superiority. As shown in Document E, it is a picture of congressman T. Reed which past the spending bill, which the native is not happy of. Even though the native is not happy this bill was necessary to turn the Philippines into a thriving country with great economy. Plus, this was good for the U.S because it helped them have more control over the Philippines. Imperialism was a good policy for the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century because it improved their own economy, while they were strengthening the imperialized nations economy as well which gave them even more dominance and control of other countries in the world.…

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even though the British provided the Indians with advanced technology and education, Imperialism within India was mostly negative because of famine, the Sepoy Mutiny, and their bad regimen or bad treatment towards them. First and Foremost in India there was famine due to imperialism. The more cotton that was being grown, the more famine deaths there were. For example, in document 3 according to the chart it shows that between 1876-1879 there were between 6.1 million- 10 million famine deaths.…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    1. Imperialism in the 1890s reflected both continuities and changes from earlier American history, as America continued to expand but do change in the ways the expand, as well continued to have similar reason toward imperialism. To begin with, America continued to believe that i was their destiny to expand into areas and promote democracy and civilization. While previously in history this idea was called Manifest Destiny, the Americans now justified their imperialism with the idea of American Exceptionalism which was the idea that it was America’s destiny to spread democracy and civilization. The difference here is that, while previously America conquered through land, and just moved west on their own land, now the Americans started to increase…

    • 1283 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s it was a time where America finally stopped isolating itself and got involved in world affairs. There was a big competition between American and European countries seeing who had more influence on the world. The United States went to war with Spain in order to help Cuba gain their independence. After Cuba was free from Spain, America was given the Philippines as a gift even though we promised the Filipinos independence our only choice was to annex it. This led to a rebellion against America.…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Manifest Destiny is the name for the American expansion that occurred in the 1800s. It was an imperialistic act. The exact definition of imperialism is a policy of extending a country 's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. The United States was behaving like an imperial power through its expansion westward. There were already people living in those areas.…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Advocates believed that this problem could be resolved through imperial expansion into the non-western part of the world. Imperialism would supply the needed markets and therefore, more jobs for the people. In addition, pro-imperialists felt that the conquered countries were not only valuable customers, but…

    • 148 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Throughout history, there have been many instances of colonization. Countries would enter weaker territories in order to gain control of the land and the people. They would exploit these lands in order to gain power and make economic advances. Some examples of colonization that are often thought of are the Spanish conquest of Southern America, British occupation in India, and Belgium 's control of the Congo. The United States is not above these economic and political strategies.…

    • 1809 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The 1800’s was a time of American expansion from the quaint east of the North American continent, in which the majority of citizens resided. Americans began to migrate to the west, creating the country known today as “The United States of America”. They then looked toward distending into the rest of the Western Hemisphere including the islands of the Caribbean and parts of Pacific Asia. Big businessmen, government officials, American military, and the presidents of this era began to invade and take control of these territories and implemented their power, thus creating the term imperialism. The reasons behind this extension was primarily to rebuild a struggling U.S economy and gain control.…

    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The American foreign policy has changed over time has reflected the change in its national interest. The American foreign policy is a major issue for the people today is because the terrorists just attacked Paris and over a hundred citizens were killed in the aftermath. Therefore, the United States was debating on whether that they should declare war on Isis; however, for the Congress claims that they should become neutral and don’t start a war. The reason why the Congress doesn’t want to start a war with Isis is because if the United States were to declare war on them it will only provoke more terrorists in the country, and also the problem will solve on its own.…

    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In 1898, the United States fought a short war with Spain and won . As a result, some Spanish colonies like Cuba, and the Philippine Islands were questionable as to what the United States should do with them. Eventually, the U.S. gave Cuba back but wanted to Annex the Philippines. When the United States annexed the Philippines, it was seen as having an imperialistic motive. The United States has suddenly become a world powerful and this has made many Americans proud and excited.…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the United States went to great lengths to expand its influence overseas. Fueled by the belief in imperialism, America expanded its global powers to Central America to places such as Puerto Rico, Panama, and the Philippines. The issue of whether or not the U.S should annex the Philippines struck a controversy and led to varying opinions of U.S expansion among Americans. Different understandings of America's identity as "the land of the equal" as opposed to a superior power among other countries, defined America's contrasting views of U.S overseas expansion. Americans in desperate need to justify U.S overseas expansion turned to religion to support their claims that the U.S must annex the Philippines.…

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The United States had a long tradition of expansion across the continent, but by the late 1800s, people started urging the U.S to start expanding overseas, following European’s model of imperialism. America’s actions in Cuba and the Philippines were the first steps in its quest to build an overseas empire. Many people say that for a complete explanation of U.S. actions in the 1890s, one would have to give equal weight to four motives: racism, nationalism, commercialism, and humanitarianism. However, humanitarianism was not a major cause of U.S’s actions in Cuba and the Philippines. The goal for the U.S was not to help people’s lives in those countries, but rather for commercialist, nationalist and racist reasons.…

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the 19th and early 20th Century, industrialization became the main cause for the development of new industries, as well as the expansion of many nations around the world. With the discovery of new ways to use the raw materials found during the First Industrial Revolution, in addition to the finding and creation of new resources such as electricity, steel, and chemicals in the Second Industrial Revolution, major countries around the world set their sights on having spheres of influence in other nations that served as the most opportune sites and destinations for the trading world and industrialization. This led to the transformation of several nations, as the world powers at the time became imperial powers when they began to dominate other countries not just in an economical sense, but socially and politically as well. Although countries such as the United States and Japan engaged in part of these imperialistic tactics, the majority of the countries that exemplified imperialism were located in Europe. Nations like Great Britain, Germany and Russia began to flex their regal muscle over most of the other the countries in the Eastern Hemisphere through the use of the manipulation of the newly found…

    • 988 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Due to spread of imperialism, the economy of the U.S. improved. Businesses grew due to the grow in trade with other countries, including Cuba and China. Cuba had been a “monoculture”: an economy based on sugar production in a world market dominated by U.S. imperialism (Lotta). With control over the Cuban sugar industry, the U.S. was able to benefit from trade by placing low tariffs which boosted the fortunes of both countries’ economies, making it easier for US to take over Cuba.…

    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Due to the end of WWI and after The Great Depression, America looked into ways on how to stay out of the issues of other nations. Isolationism became the answer. Isolationism mainly focuses on America staying out of the issues of Europe and Asia conflicts; it was also designed for America to stay out of any other international affairs of other nations. This was the shape of America’s foreign policy (American Isolationism in the 1930's, n.d.).…

    • 1365 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays