...During the 19th and 20th centuries United States imperialism caused both positive and negative impacts on the world. Positive effects were seen in the imperialization of Hawaii and Alaska. On the other hand, negative effects were seen in the imperialization of Philippines. In the end, I believe the United States made the right choice when choosing to imperialize other countries. The imperialization of Hawaii and Alaska gave the US two major military bases and a multitude of resources. Hawaii was originally imperialized due to the fact that sugarcane grew extraordinarily well on the island. The US them signed a treaty that stated Hawaii was exempt from tariffs. This helped Hawaii since they were in the middle of a recession and this also prevented Hawaii from looking to Britain and Spain for help. Later, the US wanted to add to the treaty that Pearl Harbor would be a US military base. The island of Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific ocean, making it a halfway point between the US and Japan. Alaska was also used as a military base for similar reasons. The purchase of Alaska gave America the ability to keep an eye on the Russians since Alaska is only 2,936 miles away from Russia. Also, Alaska is home to a plethora of natural...
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...World History II Nationalism & Imperialism of the 19th century Nationalism is a positive feeling of belonging to a particular nation, often including a desire to serve the nation, based on such elements as birth and ancestry, later choice and naturalization, acceptance of a common future, and or material and cultural benefits of membership in the nation. In order to better understanding what nationalism is, one must learn the meaning of nationalism. Nationalism is the devotion to the interests or culture of a particular nation. Nationalism is a striving force that can help a country thrive. To be a bit more specific, nationalism promises to unite and empower the masses of a nation to work together for a common good. As a positive force, it views other nations as potential allies or as friendly competitors. As a negative force, it threatens to force the masses to serve the state and to turn one nation against another in destructive warfare. Nationalism was a debatable issue in 19th century. had developed differently in Western Europe and Eastern, Central Europe. Western Europe was identified with Civic Nationalism, and nationalism was also seen as an imperialist and economic movement. The first goal of nationalism was to create a modern, independent nation where none existed. Independent movements within the Ottoman Empire fought in battle to free their regions from imperial dictatorship. The American colonies fought to create a new nation, independent from England...
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...During the early 1900’s, Americans were caught up in the idea of imperialism, or extending their influence to other countries using military force. Mark Twain’s essay, The War Prayer, was written during this time, but argued against the popular philosophy of imperialism. Twain’s essay was too controversial and Harper’s Bazaar believed it was not suited for the public to read, so it went unpublished until after his death and after the idea of imperialism had lost its fervor. Twain’s essay discusses imperialism and its consequences. Twain uses two very different characters, a priest and a stranger, to contrast pro-imperialism and anti-imperialism. Ultimately, Twain’s essay reveals to readers that praying for success in war is also praying for the defeat of another nation. Twain reveals the brutality of imperialism in The War Prayer through effective use of irony, purposeful word choice, and a powerful final sentence. The War Prayer uses irony to convey Twain’s theme, as it takes place in a church. Members of a town gather every Sunday at church to pray for their soldiers. Their prayers mention their hopes to “drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded,” and “go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe.” The prayers of the townspeople wish for no mercy on the enemy, however, they are said in the very place they are taught to love all people, a church. Twain’s setting is ironic because the people pray for destruction in...
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...Rationales for United States Imperialism When thinking of the word imperialism, one may think of it as forcefully taking independence away from a country for the benefit of a more powerful country. Imperialism can be seen either positively or negatively based on the reasons and or the outcome depending on the situation. The United States imperialism began in the late 1800’s and since then, has been influencing other countries in political, economic, and cultural ways. The effects of United States imperialism have been positive in countries like Panama because of the ideal of democracy has been spread; however, Puerto Rico might view it differently. Some foreign policies also developed as a result of America’s imperialism. The United States involvement in Panama has been both helpful and beneficial to both countries. United States initially went to Panama to build the Panama Canal because they saw it as vessel to traffic goods to build economic growth using the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. It was not that easy for the United States to do so due to Columbia’s involvement with Panama at that time. Panama was owned by Columbia and would not permit America to build much less use a canal in Panama. Panama was not pleased with Columbia ruling their country, so they allowed the United States to help them get from under Columbia’s rule in return for the passageway known today as the Panama Canal. The United States helped Panama escape the Columbian control and stayed...
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...does indeed pose a threat to cultural diversity. “The negative side to globalization is that it wipes out entire economic systems and in doing so wipes out the accompanying culture.” Peter L. Berger (American sociologist) Globalization is broken down into different categories, these being cultural, economical, political and technological globalization. It is due this process that barriers are broken down and interaction occurs between individuals of different races, nationalities and cultural back grounds. It is a movement towards an integrated global economy characterized by the free exchange of goods and capital. In popular discourse, Globalization is often related to the Internet revolution, free-market economies and the predominantly western political, economic and cultural lifestyle. This movement is supported by a large range of modern technologies. It is because of globalization that society believes that wealth and higher standards of living will strike developing nations. The above statement was supported by authors of the book, the effect of globalization on African countries: an over view of Nigeria. The two authors (C. R. Eze and J Nkwede) firmly believe that globalization is a strong enforcer of development and poverty reduction in Africa. Plenty agree with Eze and Nkwede as they have deemed the process as a positive one, but from a negative perspective, globalization also results in the development of negative situations that lead to changes in societal lifestyles...
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...Advancements in transportation, technology and economics have led to the interconnectedness of individuals across the world. Formerly known as “Globalization”; this flattening of the globe has had both positive and negative implications on nations and its people (Wikipedia, 2012). In a positive sense, globalization has created a sense of competition around the world; thus promoting innovation and creativity. Moreover, advancements in technology have made it extremely fast and simple to spread new knowledge and innovation across borders. Governments are now better able to work together because now there are incentives towards cooperation. Cooperation between nations leads to a heightened awareness of issues; and the ability to better coordinate across borders has led to increased movement of capital and a higher standard of living for developing countries (Wikipedia, 2012). However, despite all the advancements that have occurred through Globalization, there are a few negative implications that have caused many to fear its continuation. For example, outsourcing has become a popular means of finding cost- effective employment for multi-national corporations; yet has taken away a large amount of jobs from nations that have higher standards of living. A factory worker in the U.S. can’t possibly live off pennies a day like those in Asian countries (Ehrenreich, 2001). Also, there is little regulation in regards in international affairs; which could lead to the spreading of disease...
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...HIS 102: Paper # 1 Imperialism There are many different opinions about imperialism and the “Age of Imperialism.” From a variety of people, like economists, writers, soldiers, and senators, all vary in opinion and idea about imperialism. This essay compares and contrasts the views from a J. A. Hobson, Rudyard Kipling, Frederick Lugard, and Albert Beveridge. In J. A. Hobson’s document, “Imperialism,” Hobson argues that the motivation for imperialism was not driven by the well being and advantages for the nation, but by the interests and private gains of different social classes. By reading this document, you can get the impression that Hobson felt that imperialism was a result from demoralization of certain classes. According to Hobson, imperialism was not just inessential for a nation, but obscene as well. This clashes with why Hobson felt that the underdeveloped countries were so desirable to build their economic assets with. He summarizes that these desirable and fortunate investments appealed to the favored classes because it gave these classes more than what was needed in sources of income. Also, Hobson was one hundred percent against imperialism and argued that the impact of imperialism was negative. In the text he states, “It is the besetting sin of all successful States, and its penalty is unalterable in the order of nature” (456). That statement lets the reader know exactly how Hobson felt about imperialism and its impact as a whole. Hobson even mentions in the text...
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...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...
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...process. Belgium was one of these imperialistic countries and Joseph Conrad depicted the effects of their take over in his novel. Colonialism, as shown in Heart of Darkness, “Heritage,” and “An Image of Africa,” has drastic effects on individuals that force them to alter both their presence in and their view of the world. Heart of Darkness illustrated the effects of imperialism on two main characters: Marlow and Kurtz. Marlow’s experience and awareness of the struggles in...
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...The quest for power could have both positive and negative effects, but in cases like these, the cons outweigh the pros. Although the outcome of a situation may depend on the person and their actions, there is always the chance that they could have a change of heart and the outcome could be positive. The majority of occasions has outcomes that are negative because of someone's quest for power. In the 1800s the United States began to imperialize other places in search of power. The Macbeths were greedy in their quest for power and resulted in more than one terrible outcome. For few reasons, stories such as The Metamorphosis could be considered an example of abuse of power as well as movies like Profoundly Normal. This is because they both show...
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...argued that the turn to imperialism by the United States in the late nineteenth century was of a piece with expansionist policy that dated back to the founding of the nation. Many of the justifications were similar, including a civilizing mission, expanding economic opportunities, competition with foreign powers, and others. Additionally, the anxieties that resulted from the closing of the frontier (most famously expressed in Frederick Jackson Turner's 1893 essay The Significance of the Frontier in American History) are often cited as driving forces for continued expansion as a way of maintaining American vitality in a modern world. Yet imperialism marked a major departure from previous US policy. For more than a century, political leaders had emphasized American isolation from the problems of the world. By mid-century, however, the desire for new markets for United States manufactured goods had resulted in increasing involvement in foreign affairs. The United States became an imperialist power for reasons of wealth, land, and power in the late eighteenth century. Though ideologically convincing, the imperialist policies that the US followed proved to be unsuccessful in a number of instances. From 1890 to about 1911, many Americans held the strongest of reservation either in favor or against United States imperialism. Thus, the debate over imperialism is split into two categories: Imperialists and anti-imperialists. The debate surrounding imperialism was indeed one of the greatest...
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...University of Phoenix Material American Imperialism- Learning Team “C” Part 1 Complete the chart by identifying the following: ➢ Identify the countries or areas where the United States engaged in imperialistic actions during the period from about 1870 to 1914. ➢ Discuss why each area was important to American empire building (political, economic, and social). ➢ Explain America’s expansionist ideals. What were some of the factors that justified American imperialist actions? ➢ Identify the current political status of these places in relation to the United States. Age of Imperialism: 1870 to 1914 |Place |Why was there interest? |U.S. actions |Status today | |Hawaii |Our interest was with the sugar plantations. |In 1893 some American rebels and troops seized |Hawaii is now a state within the United States. | | |There was also interest there since America |Queen Lili’uokalani and declared a provisional | | | |wanted Hawaii to become a part of the US due |government. | | | |to the tariff policy. Also...
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...Cultural Imperialism: The Impact of Western Influences on the Cultures of others through media Written by Edward Marcus, Nur Lillah and Sylvester Introduction With the vast advancement of technology today, the world has become progressively interconnected. Together with the rise in connection and communication, countries’ borders are also increasingly unclear as cultures cross borders and people adopt new ways of life styles and new manners of thinking. Most Asian societies for example, view the world from the eyes of the Americans or western culture and hence, they tend to adopt a foreign lifestyle in their apparel choices, the way they converse, even the type of food and eating etiquettes. Cultural Imperialism Over the past few decades, the vast improvements in technology have enabled efficient communication of information across the globe. Businesses in the best of nations have risen increasingly in scale and value. This, in turn, helps a handful of powerful nations exert influence over the world. Not only these few nations dominate the majority’s media consumption, they also consequently transmit their values and ideologies through these media channels. This process of dominating and influencing the mass through the media texts is known as cultural imperialism, which is the main component of capitalism and hence promoted by developed nations across the continents. Cultural Imperialism through Television A high percentage of Americans are couch potatoes...
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...stratification is defined as the inequality amongst countries in the world. The differences in rich and poor countries and the patterns of global stratification are imperialism, world system, culture of poverty and dependency theories. “Each country that is stricken with poverty will be becoming rich as the United States is becoming poor” (Hira, R. 2004). More jobs are being sent overseas, although a company such as Nike has a world headquarters in Washington State, there are many other headquarters in other countries such as; Canada, Austria, Japan, and Mexico. When the company decided to branch off and send jobs elsewhere, this leaves the United States’ workers out of jobs, which then will cause loss of homes, and ability to pay their bills and take care of their families. Having no job means the unemployment rate has skyrocketed in the past several years. The positive effect this has no the United States is that the price of merchandise will be cheaper, due to the fact materials that are used to make the product is cheap, but if made in the United States the price will rise for sales, because the materials is higher quality. When we look at the government having the company out of the nation will be cheaper on the economy. Nike is a huge company in which would need at a bailout from the government if something negative would affect the...
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...Imperial America EDGE Fall Quarter 2003 Tim Chueh Ambert Ho 12/5/03 What Is Imperialism? “Imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism…characterized by monopoly corporations and the compulsion to export capital abroad for higher profits. Unlike capitalism in the earlier stages, in the imperialist stage, capitalism has no more progress to bring the world…the cause of contemporary militarism” – Lenin “The policy, practice, or advocacy of seeking, or acquiescing in, the extension of the control, dominion, or empire of a nation, as by the acquirement of new, esp. distant, territory or dependencies, or by the closer union of parts more or less independent of each other for operations of war, copyright, internal commerce, etc.” – Oxford dictionary The word imperialism derives from “empire.” As such, it is useful to spend a bit of time to define the word. In working towards a minimal definition, Stanford Professor of Archaeology J. Manning in his first lecture on Ancient Empires starts with: “An empire is a territorially extensive hierarchically political organization.” Unfortunately this definition is too vague. All states encountered in human history are by definition hierarchical, and many nations today are vast compared to the...
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