Imperialism: The Origins of a Global Power

1. American plantation owners and U.S Marines toppled over Hawaii’s queen in 1893 because Hawaii would have been a huge benefit to America. They had many natural resources, very soil land that could be used, and now foreign trade could occur. Grover Cleveland saw this as absolutely absurd and thought this violating the freedom of all people. He thought it went against what America was about, independence and the rights of people being protected. I sort of do in a way agree with his beliefs, but then again I know that taking over Hawaii was overall the best decision for America. It was sad that the queen had been completely stripped of all her power, and that Hawaii had no choice in maintaining their independence, but it overall was a smart move of America.

2. Five important changes that transformed America in the nineteeth century were:
Urban Growth: Made the United States stronger economically

Immigrants: the vast amount of immigrants immigrating to America for jobs, and hoping to escape the poor treatment of their own country’s.

Concept of the Frontier: Made the United States stronger,

Expanding West/Imperialism: gave America more political power, and natural resources.

Trade: made the United States grow massively economically, United States also made a lot of money off this.

3. At this time two railroad companies had gone bankrupt which left other companies in the same situation since they couldn’t transport the goods, which prevented any selling and profit from happening. Laborers and farmers were most effected by this, leaving them with no jobs, and no money to support their families. This definitely deepened the divisions in American society, leaving many laborers going on strike.

4. The values that many Americans attached to the frontier was, bravery, boldness, patriotism and individualism. Many Americans feared that closing the frontier would harm America’s national character, because they believed that America had reached it’s physical limits, and was overall running out of the necessity of resources and space.

5. Some Americans suggested greater involvement overseas because there were many other country’s to take into the U.S that would bring in even more money and power to America. For example China’s trade was very successful and if the U.S. was able to gain control of the Chinese trade they would be making even more money and it would greatly benefit America. Also rules were being made for Chinese, European, and Japanese trade.

6. The policy of expansionists sad that in order to ensure the economic success of the United States, the U.S. needed to catch up to the other big countries that were expanding themselves and bringing in tons of money. The Imperialists said that America should take over countries to make territories, this way there would be more resources.

7. The theories of social Darwinism and scientific racism lended support to the cause of American imperialism because, social Darwinism first was the belief that the strongest will survive and the weakest will not, basically survial of the fittest. Also that it’s the poor’s fault that they are poor, because they’re “lazy”. This relates to imperialism since the smaller weaker countries would be taken over by bigger stronger ones and have no say in it all. For example, America taking Hawaii. Hawaii was a weak country and could not overcome America. Scientific racism supported the cause of American imperialism because if a person was of a different ethnic group they could or could not expand.

8. Many Protestant churches say that America’s role in the world was to send missionaries all over the world.

9. The United became involved in several Latin American nations in the nineteenth century because America wanted to ‘civilize them’ and kind of more, ‘americanize’ them. They became more involved in Samoa, Hawaii and other Latin American nations so that they could obtain the land and gain more power/money, also because other big countries were looking to control these lands also.

10. The United States was concerned about British involvement in Venezuela because they didn’t want European countries to think that they could divide up the Latin America for other colonies, and leave America out. Richard Olney used the Monroe Doctrine in response.