Premium Essay

19th Century American Imperialism

Submitted By
Words 1147
Pages 5
In 2014, the Affordable Care Act was created a law in order to provide all citizens the opportunity and right to receive health insurance “essential health benefits”. This has been one
Nationalism was built for diverse groups of people to have sovereignty within surrounding states. They were able to unify into a single region by sharing common laws, central administration, time zones, national markets, and language (Pollard et al, 2015). In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, “nationalism became closely linked to imperialism” (Pollard et al, 2015). Imperialism consists of extending one states control over the surrounding states to form a larger nation that shared common beliefs and traditions. Imperialism relates to a process …show more content…
The second wave of European Colonization, considered the era of New Imperialism, began due to social tensions and started rivalries among the different nations. By the twentieth century, the Great Powers consisted of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Russian Empire, the Austria-Hungary Empire, the German Empire, Italy, Japan and United States of America (Pollard et al, 2015). During this time period, the European rationales mainly focused on establishing control over Asia and Africa. No longer was it about civilizing the countries society, but to possess them. After the Second World War, which included all the great powers, lead to an era of decolonization where the great powers decided to separate into two separate groups called the Allies and the Axis (Pollard et al, …show more content…
The United States entered Japan in order to civilize the Japanese as well as expand trading and open new markets for manufactured goods. The Japanese continuously restrained this demand, only to later realize that they were not as technically advanced as the United States (Asia for Educators 2009). In whole, all of Southeast Asia was behind in technology and industrialized goods. Commodore Matthrew Perry, of the United States Navy, took this opportunity and started to fire explosives in Edo Bay, Tokyo, as a threat to Japan if they refused to open trade with the United States (Asia for Educators 2009). Terrified, the Japanese soon realized they were behind in production of military weapons when being compared to the Americans, Russians, Dutch and British (Pollar et al, 2015). Finally, the Japanese signed the Treaty of Kanagawa and agreed to open trading relationships around the world. The Meiji Restoration Era started after two ports opened in Japan allowing the United States to take on supplies (Asia for Educators 2009). In result of the Western Powers invading Japan, they brought their western technologies along, allowing Japan to enter the Industrialization era – they were one of the first Southeast Asian countries able to do so. Westernizing the Japanese population only benefited and strengthened their economy because it allowed them the opportunity to adapt and learn about the

Similar Documents

Free Essay

American Imperialism in the 19th Century

...American Imperialism in the 19th Century In the late nineteenth century, the American Imperialism movement began. Imperialism is the "acquisition of control over the government and the economy of another nation, usually by conquest." (Davidson, Delay, Heyrman, Lytle & Stoff, 2008, p. G-4) During the late 1800's, Americans had visions of empire. Their sights were aimed toward Canada, Mexico and Cuba, as well as "more distant lands in Asia and Latin America...by opening the doors of trade to foreign markets and resources." (Davidson et al., 2008, p. 611) Through imperialism, a country can gain power by amassing new territories and building wealth. The American Imperialism was adopted for many reasons. According to the Regents Prep website (2000): The public perception of the "closing of the west", along with the philosophy of Social Darwinism, contributed to a desire for continued expansion of American lands and the spreading of American culture. The result was a shift in US foreign policy at the end of the 19th century from a reserved, homeland concerned republic to an active imperial power. (para. 1) The Spanish-American War started the era of American Imperialism. Cuba was trying to gain independence from Spain. Newspapers made up stories of Spanish brutality in Cuba causing Americans to call for war. 260 Americans were killed when the USS Maine, stationed in the harbor of Havana, exploded. The newspapers immediately blamed the Spanish increasing the call for...

Words: 745 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

19th Century American Imperialism

...Europeans had a drive to set out and help other nations, and to civilize them, and bring them to their full potential... or did they? Throughout the 19th century, Europeans had become the most powerful industrial powers, and set off to conquer and carve their piece of the globe. Europeans expanded in brutal and unfair ways hurting natives of many countries. The desire to civilize and help other people in European Imperialism was not serious because European countries had major economic expansion and the control of foreign resources, and they had harsh rule over conquered countries, such as the Congo Free State, and these are bad intentions because actions determine how serious someone is in their intentions. Europeans minimal desires to...

Words: 678 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

American Imperialism In The Late 19th Century

...In the late 1800’s, Western Imperialism expanded aggressively. Imperialism is the domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region. Although the Europeans had established colonies earlier, they previously had little direct influence over people in China, Africa, or India. Expansion takes place when one territory is deemed more powerful than other territories or people. Geographical, physical, and or technological obstacles may assist or impede in the expansion process. At the end of the 19th century the United States became a colonial power after moving across the North American continent to the Pacific Ocean. American colonies in the Philippines, Caribbean, and Hawaiian Islands were...

Words: 557 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

19th Century American Imperialism

...Imperialism is The policy of extending a nation's authority by acquiring territory or establishing political and economic dominance over a territory. Beginning in the late 19th century Imperialism began to remodel the world new way. Countries like France and Britain were some of the first countries to imperialize, France took Algeria and Haiti, while Britain took Egypt, India, South Africa, and Burma. Each country and Individual person had a different reason to imperialize, some for profit, some for religion, and some because of A white man's privilege. In the 19th century, when imperialism began the industrial revolution was in full swing. In order to feed this new efficient method of manufacturing, countries needed huge amounts of cheap...

Words: 1596 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

19th Century American Imperialism

... This colonization left the country very weak, dispossessed of its resources and with a perpetrating corruption and bad governance left by the colonialist system. The many civil wars faced after 1997 shows it (three civil wars occurred until now). This led the UN to launch the world’s biggest peacekeeping mission in 1999, the MONUC. But the population is today still living in very bad conditions: in fact, according to the International Rescue Committee, 45,000 people are dying each month because of hunger or disease, and the Congolese are regularly ranked as having the lowest GDP per capita in the world. The situation is also still very unstable today because of this weakness, especially in the Eastern part of the country where armed groups are proliferating, leading to child trafficking and exploitation in the mines. Periodic spacing is disorienting: equal spacing or headings (also give room after each paragraph). You need to make more explicit links to child labour. Today, the lack of government presence and intervention is highly felt in the DRC, especially in the Eastern and most unstable part of the country (Kivu, Ituri and Katanga regions). It is a major cause of the violations of the Rights of the Child by armed forces and businessman in the DRC. At first, the country has a very inefficient taxation, redistribution and spending system because of its political instability and high corruption. In fact, it is one of the 20 lowest ranked countries on the Corruption Perception...

Words: 1132 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

American Imperialism In The Late 19th Century

...Many countries during the late 19th century and early 20th century began a policy of extending their power and influences through different forces. The majority of imperialism that the United States contributed to, helped gain and build bonds between the people of the United States and other countries. Some of the contributions included the annexation of Hawaii, the Spanish-American war, and the Panama Canal. All of these events socially, politically, and economically impacted the United States. During the late 1800s, many American planters went to Hawaii to plant sugar. This helped spread christianity from the United States to Hawaii. In 1890, Congress approved the Mckinley Tariff, which raised import rates on foreign sugar. Resulting from...

Words: 845 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

American Imperialism In 19th Century Essay

...the nineteenth century, England, France and Germany entered into a keen rivalry (competition, antagonism). The economic and financial rivalry (competition) is decisive and the high stake is the control of existing markets or of new markets as well as raw materials and, in particular, of the colonies’ precious metals. This rivalry, however, promotes a crucial scientific and technical competition. They had to improve the machine tool for a better competitiveness of the industries. They needed to ensure better health conditions for the hardworking population (the labor force) and for soldiers engaged in close or distant conflicts; better travel conditions, quality armaments, etc... The agricultural, industrial and armaments...

Words: 1449 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

19th Century American Imperialism Essay

...Imperialism had a huge impact on the world in the 19th century. Imperialism is defined as a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force, but to the people affected it was much more than that. Countries with power went into other counties and directly or indirectly controlled their territories. These nations questioned the cultures, political systems, and social systems of these places, and in some cases replaced the territories’ systems with their own. There were several principle motives for imperialism. For example, modern colonization drove countries into these territories. They not only sent colonists to live in these new places, but they sent them to take over the political, social, economic,...

Words: 559 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Late 19th Century American Imperialism Analysis

...The age of imperialism, period during the late nineteenth century when European empires divided parts of the world to themselves, brought American’s mindset into expansion. Frighten by the thought of being overpower by these empires, the United States began in search of overseas power. Of course, Cuba is the answer. The triumph over Spain, the Cuban’s oppressor, resulted in the annexation of territories in the Pacific and Caribbean. Which led many American to dispute over the issues of imperialism. While many favored the expansion, some highly opposed it. “Arguments for expansion included ‘the white man’s burden,” while arguments against included the violation on the integrity of the Republic. The “white man’s burden,” a belief that “white”...

Words: 569 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

19th And 20th Century American Imperialism Essay

...1. Imperialism goes as far back to ancient Egypt where established and stronger countries conquered less powerful neighboring civilizations. Europeans and people of that descent were the ones that benefited the most. Two types of imperialism, Informal and formal imperialism emerged as the domination grew over weaker countries. A more common form of imperialism was Informal imperialism due to the fact that it dominated commerce, trade, and all business proceedings that was profit gaining and required no direct governing. Formal imperialism was much less common as this politically controlled, involved governing, and seizing of land. In the 19th and 20th century, new imperialism boomed due to industrialization which is defined by Britannica as “the process in which a society or country transforms itself from a primarily agricultural society into one based on the manufacturing of goods and services”. Communication, military...

Words: 643 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Imperalism

...1 AMERICAN IMPERALISM 19TH CENTURY HIS204 AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 INSTRUCTOR: JOSEPH SCAHILL AUGUST 16, 2010 VANESSA HARVEY 2 AMERICAN IMPERIALISM 19TH CENTURY Imperialism played a huge part in the economics of large industrial or military – powerful nation and even the world economy in the last two centuries. Imperialism has benefited the citizens of the imperial nations, including the United States by expanding foreign commerce and thereby helping the domestic economics of each nation. By having control over lands overseas a nation can have more output for itself and foreign trade, It exports would be greater than its imports; therefore by increasing its wealth. For many imperial nations, control over a land meant more than domination. It means repression and brutality as in the case with Britain, even the United States particularly in the Philippines. Throughout the 19th century, Americans expanded their influence across the continent through the West Ward movement. Although sovereign Native American nations were suppressed and even eliminated in the process, America was not acting as an “imperial power.” At the start of the 19th century, Imperial China, under the Qing dynasty, represented a stable and prosperous nation. There was no reason to believe that the next hundred years would change that, yet the start of the next century, the dynasty had rendered powerless, and the armies of various Western powers were descending on Peking to...

Words: 604 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Imperialism: It's the Amerian Way

...Imperialism: It’s the American Way! The imperialism of the 19th century led to the overall conquering of many smaller nations throughout the world. The results of imperialism are what made America so profitable today. Although it is seldom looked at as having good outcomes as well as bad, 19th century imperialism did contribute both of these qualities. Today’s nation is in my opinion is still imperialistic simply because that is what the world is now accustomed to and capitalism is always welcomed in any facet. Although it is much less than the centuries prior, our country today is still influencing smaller lands as it did so many years ago. When referring to the imperialism of the 19th century, many things come to mind. Mainly the European expansion in Africa and the displays of ruthlessness the natives were subjected to. When the slave trade in Africa began to decline, Europeans felt there was still an opportunity for them to exploit its lands. The discovery of palm oil was only one of the exports that would soon show the Europeans that Africa was exactly where they needed to be. Although the general objective when considering overall expansion to Africa was to profit off of the lands, Europeans did justify their conquests by stating they were also interested in “civilizing” the otherwise barbarian culture. However they failed to mention to the natives that they would be treated like slaves and viciously killed if they did not comply with their orders. I’m sure that was...

Words: 710 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Colonialism

...much of Asia by sending settlers to populate the land or by taking control of governments. The first colonies were established in the Western Hemisphere by the Spanish and Portuguese in the 15th – 16th centuries. The Dutch colonized Indonesia in the 16th century, and Britain colonized North America and India in the 17th – 18th centuries. Later, British settlers colonized Australia and New Zealand. Colonization of Africa only began in earnest in the 1880s, but by 1900 virtually the entire continent was controlled by Europe. The colonial era ended gradually after World War II; the only territories still governed as colonies today are small islands. http://www.answers.com/topic/colonialism#ixzz1lYMQdYfY http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony, and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by colonizers from the metropole. Colonialism is a set of unequal relationships between the metropole and the colony and between the colonists and the indigenous population. The colonial period normally refers to the late 15th to the 20th century, when European states established colonies on other continents. During this time, the...

Words: 2538 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

American Imperialism Dbq

...American imperialism in the late 19th century and early 20th century was beneficial and necessary for the country. American imperialism was beneficial to many countries, along with America itself. It helped America with trade, benefited other nations, and helped other countries with economic advancements, and protection. American imperialism helped America with trade, because according to the map in Document C, many of America’s annexations and acquisitions were located in the Pacific. This was for both oil, and trade purposes. Because the islands were in the Pacific, and America had access to islands like the Philippines, trade was increased with Asia (specifically China). Many islands like Hawaii were also beneficial due to their abilities...

Words: 493 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Birds of Empire

...Universidad de los Andes, 2012. Intro. This book seeks to answer these and other questions by focusing on the study in perception of Colombian birds from the late 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, as a pretext to analyze social, scientific and environmental relations between the United States and Colombia. Understanding how ornithologists and collectors formed bird collections reveal s a rich story of international scientific relations and power structure throughout the 19th and 20th century. Reconstructing the story of Colombian birds allows the author to build a history that not only analyzes the early and complex scientific relations between the United States and Colombia, but also takes into account the importance of North America's growing influence over Latin America as well as Colombia's changing economic, cultural and social history to understand different perception of the natural world in both countries. For a North American, the study of birds brought forth a natural world where US imperialist intentions over Latin America were entirely legitimized. For Colombian naturalists, the study of birds offered another way to promote relations with the United States and incorporated Colombia into the international arena of science. At the same time, a toucan in 1940 had a different meaning to a North American, who in the midst of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policy, approached Latin America as an important economic and political ally, than to a...

Words: 4239 - Pages: 17