Anti Imperialism Dbq Essay

In the twentieth century, the United States of America held the position of one of the largest navies in the world, had a tremendous, extensive international empire, and the right to call itself a major world power. To acquire this reputation, America both went through a continuity of the past and a change in their expansionistic motives. Its imperialistic actions included a rapid and extensive colonization and expansion, and competition with many of the world’s largest and strongest world powers. This role of an imperialistic power was not immediate, however and was the result of much continuity and change of the past. While the United States expansionism of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries had a clear social and cultural continuity, its political and economic motives were changed.

Many Americans thought occupying foreign countries, like the Philippines after the Spanish American War, was a bad idea because it contradicts the American values of equality found in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. (Doc D) However, a majority of America sided with people like Senator Albert J. Beveridge who believed people were chosen by God to expand into China and the Philippines to open more Asian markets. (Doc E) This was a continuation of past expansionism because acquiring land for money Manifest Destiny have been motives for expansionism for

At the height of the Gilded Age, the want of power outside of the American borders controlled the causes and ends of war, specifically the Spanish-American War. A war that lead a country whose history was founded on independence to seek dominance over its own colonies. There were two clear opinions to this imperialist stance, for and against. Both opinions were ironically based in the same general ideas only with different perspectives on them. Arguments and questions based on morality, economic stability, and God given purposes.

Opposition to Spanish - American War Following the explosion of the USS Maine in February 15, 1898, while many Americans favored going to war with Spain, some were adamantly against the notion. The few who were against the idea of going to war include President McKinley, a fraction of African Americans, and one significant group, “ The Anti- Imperialism League”. Immediately after the explosion of the USS Maine, President McKinley, who disliked the idea of going to war ordered an investigation of the explosion. Americans claimed that an external force caused the sinking of the ship and the death of 266 crew members while Spain claimed that the sinking was the result of an internal force.

In the late 1800s, Europe was scrambling to conquer vast amounts of land. Imperialism had swept the continent by storm, with many countries vying for pieces of Africa and Asia to control. From 1880 to 1900, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy fought for African possessions and by 1900, nearly the whole continent had been split and placed under European rule. There was plenty of motivation for Europeans to conquer the world, and while some supported it, others didn’t. Most people in Europe at this time held ethnocentric views toward the “uncivilized” cultures in the world.

Since its revolution from Britain, America has been an isolationist country, determined to not get involved in foreign affairs in order to focus on reforming itself. It was not until the world wars that the United States started to depart from its traditional isolist practices and provide aid to nations in need. It was specifically after World War II that the United States started to develop into an internationalist nation. In fact, World War II was a turning point in the United States that helped the country out of the Great Depression, brought about social reform for marginalized groups, and led to the United States' emergence as a global power. It was the U.S changing their familiar ways that guided them to becoming the powerful nation it

After the Civil War, the second Industrial Revolution swept the US and the country began to flourish. Baring the economic prosperity, many Americans grew the urge to expand overseas. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, foreign policy was the hot topic among citizens and government officials. There were two sides to the argument; some Americans pushed for the aggressive foreign policy while others favored for the US to keep their nose out of foreign affairs. Notable figures in government took bold stands for and against foreign affairs.

He also wrote that we have “our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.” This evidence shows the U.S. was justified in going to war because of Manifest Destiny, which eventually expanded the U.S. This was said to improve the American economy. A second reason the

Before the 20th century the United States was an isolationist nation but around the late 19th century America decided to convert into an imperialist power. They had numerous reasons to shift into being an imperialist nation. America didn’t want to begin imperializing to settle and live in the nations they were taking over, they already had America for that reason, they wanted to adopt these nations for what they had to offer, which was many things. America saw an opportunity to improving their nation and took it. Even if there were many causes for America to imperialize, three of them stood out the most.

At the start of the 19th century, America was already expanding its territory. In 1803, the United States of America had bought the Louisiana Territory, it was bought from France which had made the country two times larger. In 1819 Spain had given up their territory of Florida to the United States. President Monroe issued the “Monroe Doctrine” in 1823, its main purpose was to warn the European countries to not enter the Western Hemisphere. In order for America to achieve its goal of becoming an imperialist nation they had conquered other countries economically, culturally, and with a strong military in the late 1800’s.

As America became a great power, it has continued its legacy of territorial expansionism through neo-imperialist policies. Aside from acquiring land and expanding American territory, the United States has established policies that have allowed direct and often indirect military and political control, economic exploitation, and the introduction of American ideals. The U.S. has justified this form of colonialism by claiming that it is for mutual economic pursuits, the spreading of democracy, and the establishment of stable governments in developing countries. Despite America’s noble causes, American imperialism has caused many repercussions. The United States should cease to be an imperialist power as it is economically damaging to countries under its rule, costly to America, violates the fundamental American principle of self-governance, and exacerbates social and political situations in countries America has tampered with.

Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. It is a great way to strengthen the economy and gain power and territory for countries that practice it, though it often failed and resulted in war and the deaths of innocents. Four intellectuals that played a big part in influencing American imperialism were Frederick Jackson Turner, Alfred T. Mahan, Herbert Spencer and John Fisk. All of these influencers had different ideologies and came together to justify American imperialism. They believed America needed to expand power and gain territories.

He thought the Filipinos could not govern themselves and they needed the americans to help them become more civilized (doc3). This idea was reflected in some of the “march of the flag” speech. It argued that the United States can take over these territories because they are not fit to govern themselves. After some time the united states annexed even more territories like cuba and puerto

In being an anti-imperialist the worrisome is not that one opposes the idea of expansion of religion, commercial, and constitutional. It’s that with the annexing of these tropical islands would come to a result of the American system of self government would be that America might abandon this idea that makes America that nation it is to this point. Three reasons why the U.S should avoid imperialism is because it fails to follow that criteria of the constitution, could lead to tyrants like behavior, and could lead to conflict One argument that can’t be missed is the fact that the constitutions sets forth a principle that states “consent of the governed” after further research this means that to imperialize and annex other islands would violate

Did you know that from 1875 to 1900 there were 26 million deaths caused by famine in India? As the East India Company (Britain) saw India growing weaker they took that as an advantage and sent troops to India and defeated them. Britain soon took power over India, They formed a group of Indian Soldiers called sepoys to join their army. Starting out, Britain improved many things, but after a while they started taking advantage of India by using their raw materials and people to grow their own empire. British Rule in India resulted in the in them taking over the government, taking all the material from the Indians and destroying their land and ending in a large amount of India's population dead because of famine.