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American Imperialism has been a part of United States history ever
since the American Revolution. Imperialism is practice by which
powerful nations or people seek to expand and maintain control or
influence over weaker nations or peoples. Throughout the years there
has been many instances where the Americans have taken over other
people countries, almost every time we go into we have taken over a new
piece of land. The Americas first taste of imperialism came about five
hundred years ago when Columbus came to America. We fought the pleasant
inhabitants and then took over their land making them slaves. Americans
over the years have been known to become almost selfish, no matter how
much we have we will never be happy until we control the free world.
"The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 defined United States foreign policy in
the Americas for the rest of the 19th century and beyond. It declared
that the United States had an interest in the Western Hemisphere and
the European powers must not meddle in the affairs of any developing
nations there. The United States was a young nation in 1823 and did not
really have to powers to back up the Monroe Doctrine. However, the
policy was used to justify the sending of the U.S. troops into Mexico
in 1866 (to intimidate the French) and the purchased of Alaska in
1867". Another case of Imperialism was the United States industrial
economy was growing so fast that they were producing more goods than
they could consume. The over abundance of industrial goods led the
United States to look for new markets. Next came the Spanish-American
War, which started with the Americans not liked the way that the
Spaniards were treated the Cubans. After this an U.S. battleship
(Maine) was docked outside of Havana (Cuba's Capital) and all of a
sudden exploded from under the sea. At the time no one actually knew
the real reason why the ship exploded but many Americans thought that
it was the Spaniards. 266 officers and men were lost in the explosion.
William McKinley (U.S. President 1897-1901) went to congress and asked
for permission to send troops to help stop the fighting in Cuba. After
a couple of days he was given permission which shortly led to war.
Spain declared war on the United States on April 24th followed by an
U.S. declaration of war on the 25th. This war was no contest for the
Americans; they easily defeated the Spanish troops. Led by Gen. William
Shafter (and including Theodore Roosevelt and his 1st Volunteer
Calvary, the "Rough Riders"). The Rough Riders were National Guard
infantry regiments and a regiment of volunteer cavalry. They played a
very important role in the defeat of the Spanish Army. The war only
lasted about four months and the Americans easily won. The Treaty of
Paris (signed Dec. 10, 1898), Spain lost Cuba, Guam, and Puerto Rico to
the U.S., and also the United States gained control of the Philippines.
This was a major turning point in the history of both countries. Spain
was able to concentrate on their problems within the country and not
about over seas, while the Americans were becoming a very powerful
country expanding its property. There was a lot of talk about "Manifest
Destiny", and many people suggested that America should assume its role
as a world power.
"Manifest Destiny, jingoistic tenet holding that territorial
expansion of the Unites States is not only inevitable but also divinely
ordained. The phrase was first used by the American journalist and
diplomat John-August 1845 edition of the United States Magazine and
Democratic Review, a magazine that featured literature and nationalist
opinion. The phrase was later used by expansionists in all political
parties to justify the acquisition of California, the Oregon Territory,
and Alaska. By the end of the 19th century the doctrine was being
applied to the proposed annexation of various islands in the Caribbean
Sea and the Pacific Ocean". (Encarta 98)
The Boxer Rebellion Chinese nationalists uprising against
foreigners, the representatives of alien powers and Chinese Christians
in 1900. Expulsion of all foreigners from China was the ultimate
objective of the uprising. In 1899 a secret society of Chinese called
the Yihequan ("Righteous and Harmonious Fists"), known by Westerners as
the boxers, began a campaign of terror against Christian missionaries
in the northeastern provinces. They were secretly supported by many of
the Chinese Royal Court. "In the early months of 1900, thousands of
Boxers roamed the countryside. They attacked Christian missions,
slaughtering foreign missionaries and Christian converts. Then they
moved toward the cities, attracting more and more followers as they
came. Nervous foreign ministers insisted that the Chinese government
stop the Boxers". The United States was willing to rescue the ministers
and to emphasize it presence in China. So they sent 2,500 sailors and
marines, after rescuing many of the ministers they marched to Beijing,
fighting boxers along the way. The international troops looted the
capital and even ransacked the Forbidden City. The power of China would
never be the same.
The Panama Canal The United States had long been interested in a
Central American canal, to link its east and west coasts and expand
trade. However, it did not have the money or the will to build one
before 1900. During the 1890's Congress appropriated money to begin
work on a capital in Nicaragua, but the project was soon cancelled.
The Spanish-American War in 1898 heightened military interest in a
canal. After defeated Spain, the United States acquired the Philippines
and Puerto Rico and wanted better access for its navy to both the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans. American officials negotiated the
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty with Britain in 1901, in which the two countries
agreed that the United States alone could build and regulate the canal.
"The Panamanians had authorized Philippe Bunau-Varilla, a French
citizen and long-time official of the French Canal Company.
Bunau-Varilla gave the United States even more than it had asked for a
perpetual lease on a section of central Panama 16 km (10 mi.) wide,
where the canal would be built. The right to take over more Panamanian
land if needed; and the right to use troops to intervene in Panama. The
United States agreed to guarantee Panama's independence and pay $10
million, plus and annual fee of $250,000. In exchange for their
independence, then, Panamanians were forced to accept the treaty, which
no Panamanian ever signed, that virtually gave away the Canal Zone to
the United States.
The United States of America has come along way since the purchase
of Alaska. For one thing sense when does it say in history that we have
purchased any land. We have taken it from the weaker, but is this bad?
I don't think so, I think that we help out a lot of the countries. That
is why they are third-world countries, because they are poor and do not
have availability that we do. I think of the United States as the big
brother that looks after his younger ones until they are able to defend
themselves from the bullies of the world. The United States is a world
among it self, just saying it strikes fear in the hearts of some
people. To there is one argumentative question that not everyone will
agree on. Did we have to kill and hurt so many people to get to where
we are today? I think so, we sure didn't get here because to tend to
talk well. In this world the strongest survive our ancestors have made
sure that we are the strongest for all time.
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