What lead to US Imperialism?

Answer 1

Many historians believe American imperialism dates back to before the United States was independent from Great Britain itself. In 1775, during the American Revolution, an unsuccessful American invasion of Canada was repelled by defenders in Quebec. The urge to free neighboring colonies from British control fueled this invasion, along with the subtle urge to expand. Had the defenders not been victorious, Canada today might very well be a part of the US.

After the war, the American people feverishly sought what they had been after which caused tension between them and the British crown in the first place: Native American land. Settlers continually pushed westward into Indian territory, now unhindered by binding Parliament restrictions. Although President Washington knew it would be relatively unwise to anger neighboring populations and expand while still a newborn nation, he also realized it would not be a good idea to impose restrictions on a people who recently fought for independence from a tyrannical government. Therefore, he reluctantly agreed to not interfere with the urge to expand.

The United States really began to increase in size during the 19th century, with Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase, which effectively doubled the size of the US, and the concept of Manifest Destiny, the idea that the US was destined to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Both events, along with the Alaska Purchase, ultimately culiminated into the imperialistic Spanish-American War in which the USS Maine stationed off the coast of the Spanish colony of Cuba was destroyed in an explosion by unknown causes killing over 250 sailors. The American population reacted belligerently, demanding war against Spain. The war ended with an American victory, but subsequently led to the Philippine-American war. As a result of both conflicts, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines all became unincorporated territories of the US, leading to the rise of modern US imperialism.

After World War I, the United States was recognized as a world superpower. Such status and prestige offered a multitiude of gains that could be made territorially and economically. American pride soon engulfed the population, and there was little local opposition against American expansion. The Kingdom of Hawaii was subsequently overthrown by the US and the Hawaiian Islands also became unincorporated territories until its acceptance as a US state in 1959.

American expansion soon slowed after the annexation of Hawaii. The combined force of popular demand and the tempting prestige acquired from imperialistic expansion culiminated into the American imperialism still present today.

Answer 2

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