United Fruit Company's Expansion In The United States

In 1783, the United States of America won its independence from the Great Britain after the American Revolution. From that time until 1848, the United States expanded greatly across the continent of North America, from the East Coast to the Pacific Coast with the total of 48 states. This indicates the nature of the United States is expansion, and such an expansion did not stop in 1848. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the United States became a global power with a well-equipped military and a strong economy that allowed it to expand beyond the border, which led to the question of whether American expansion was imperialism. Within the context of this essay, imperialism can be briefly defined as “Government Sanctioned Expansion.” During …show more content…
Albeit Hawaii was not annexed as an American territory until 1897, Americans had started exerting their influence over the islands earlier as American businesses began their operation in Hawaii, and the most noted one was the United Fruit Company. The fruits of sugarcane and pineapple attracted the United Fruit Company’s attention to Hawaii, and it attempted to create a good relationship with the Hawaiian Nobility since the majority of power and lands in Hawaii were held by this social class. Having such a good relationship, the United Fruit Company would be able to influence the Hawaiian labor system, therefore producing more fruits under less expensive costs. However, the peasants disagreed with such an idea and started to revolt. King Kalakaua of Hawaii, in order to save his life, appealed for support from the United States, but the United States government rejected. He subsequently turned to American businesses, and the United Fruit Company agreed to support him …show more content…
Prior to the war, Cuba was a Spanish territory, and American public was outraged with the atrocities that Spanish troops had committed by executing the Cuban Revolutionary fighting for their independence without proper trials. Although the United States government declared its intention of not intervening the conflict in Cuba, it still sent a fleet of American Naval Force to travel surrounding the Cuban water. In February of 1898, the USS Main, one ship of American fleet stationed in the Cuban water, mysteriously exploded with the death of more than 200 American sailors. American public immediately blamed the responsibility of the explosion on Spain, and under the pressure of declaring war on Spain coming from the public, President McKinley sent an ultimatum demanding Spain to withdraw from Cuba or go to war. On April 23, 1898, Spain declared war on the United States, with the combat taking place in the Spanish territories. In the Pacific, most of the fight took place in the Islands of Philippines. Because of its geography that was convenient for trading with China, the Philippines was more important to Spain than any other territory; therefore, Spaniards occupied the islands with a strong army. Although it had won the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines, the