Difference Between Expansionism And Imperialism

1300 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Expansionism and imperialism during the late 19th century and 20th century

Zuhayr Alvi Mr. Tweed Honors US History II September 4, 2014 Growth of America There is a very fine line between expansionism and imperialism. Expansionism is defined as a policy to increase a country’s size by expanding its territory, while imperialism can be defined as a policy of extending a country 's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Expansionism is a good thing; if it were not for expansionism, the United States of America would not be one of the biggest powers in the world as it is today. Imperialism however is immoral and unjust. Unfortunately a lot of the “super power countries” began to turn away from expansionism and towards imperialism. In a political cartoon by Thomas Nast in Harper’s Weekly newspaper, there …show more content…

After the United States of America expanded all the way westward into what is now present day California, we still were greedy. We started looking towards taking over small islands and territories that we could easily dominate and control. In the Supreme Court decision, Downes v. Bidwell the ruling states that any territory that we acquire, we can govern and we can prescribe our culture on to them (Document H). This statement from the court case shows how the United States managed to acquire territories and force the people to accept the “American way.” In the early 1900’s the United States had one of the biggest navies in the world. It was known as the Great White Fleet because we were parading the ships around the world just showing off our firepower. Using these massive ships we were able to dominate and dictate any battles on the sea. This was show in Alfred T. Manhan’s Interest of America Sea Power. This source talks about how we should keep Hawaii and Haiti away from foreigners just so we can use their ports for our trade and shipping purposes (Document C). We used our navy to take control of both of these territories and thirst for land still was not satisfied. Throughout history the United States of America often

Show More
Related

  • Compare and contrast America’s “Manifest Destiny” of the mid-19th century with its “Imperialism” of the late 19th century.

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    The United States of America was founded on the basis that we should be a free and independent country from Great Britain and its empire. Rather than simply being a part of its empire, America wanted to become its own country to fend for itself. Great Britain, after the American Revolution, realized that maybe it was the best idea to let America set off and accomplish their own endeavors. After America gained its independence from Great Britain, the Manifest Destiny became a popular idea to follow; it was God’s will for America to expand their land to the West Coast. However, after this was accomplished, Imperialism came about a short time period later. Imperialism is much like the Manifest Destiny, but in a more greedy way. Imperialism is most definitely glorified to seem like a favor America is doing—by becoming an empire—and taking these smaller nations and countries ‘under their wing’ to nurture them and teach them the ways of being a ‘civilized’ person. However, what is the reason for Imperialism being brought about? After claiming from the East to West coast in America, why would they need to expand their area further—other than ‘teaching’ right from wrong to the ‘uncivilized’ people of the world? America’s Manifest Destiny era and America’s Imperialism era definitely have similarities, such as their apparent motives or rewards, but they also have their differences, like their underlying motives and purposes.

    Read More

  • Westward Expansion and Imperialism

    654 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout most of the nineteenth century, the United States expanded its territory westward through purchase and annexation. At the end of the century, however, expansion became imperialism, as America acquired several territories overseas. This policy shift from expansionism to imperialism came about as a result of American's experience in the Spanish American War and the Congressional debates that followed the American victory.

    Read More

  • United States: Thirst for New Market

    527 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imperialism is a policy by which a country gains power over the world or other countries. It begun in 1865 and it caused US to expand. America had “Thirst for New Market”. The business in The United States was developing rapidly so it needed more supplies (trade) from other countries. The United States used different methods such as Jingoism/Racism, Economic Expansion and American superiority over Europe, but however, economic expansion contributed most for the US Imperialism. This meant more money and power compare to other countries.

    Read More

  • Expansionism Under James K. Polk

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the years surrounding James K. Polk's presidency, the United States of America grew economically, socially, and most noticeably geographically. In this time period, the western boundaries of the Untied States would be expanded all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Many Americans in the 19th century believed that the acquisition of this territory to the west was their right and embraced the concept of "Manifest Destiny". This concept was the belief that America should stretch from sea to shining sea and it was all but inevitable. Under the cover of "Manifest Destiny", President Polk imposed his views of an aggressive imperialistic nation. Imperialism is the practice of extending the power and dominion of a nation by direct territorial acquisitions over others, and clearly America took much of this land by force rather than peaceful negotiations with other nations. Polk acquired three huge areas of land to include: the Republic of Texas, the Oregon Territory, and the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico under the Mexican Cession.

    Read More

  • The Truth about the War with Mexico

    1229 Words  | 3 Pages

    American imperialists had in mind to control the West Coast even before the Louisiana Purchase. “But no historian has yet dramatized the story of how Americans began, even before they acquired Louisiana, to view the ocean as their next frontier.” Acquiring the West Coast would give U.S shorter trading route to Asia than Europe had, and a path for further territorial expansion. At the same time, Americans would have controlled vast natural resources like gold and agricultural properties. In 1830s and 40s, w...

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny

    542 Words  | 2 Pages

    From western expansion to foreign imperialism the United States has always been an expansionist country. Early America’s focus was to conquer the natives and obtain western land within North America, but in the latter of America’s history, specifically in the nineteenth and twentieth century, foreign imperialism became the new focus. America’s activity in foreign imperialism was a continuation and departure of the United States’ early expansionism. It was a continuation in terms of manifest destiny, the spread of Christianity, and by the concept of “the city on a hill” and a departure in terms of foreign involvement.

    Read More

  • Stripped of Personal Freedom: Native Americans in the West

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    While the US may have prided themselves in the fact that we didn’t practice imperialism or colonialism, and we weren’t an Empire country, the actions conquering land in our own country may seem to rebuff that claim. In the 19th century, the West was a synonym for the frontier, or edge of current settlement. Early on this was anything west of just about Mississippi, but beyond that is where the Indian tribes had been pushed to live, and promised land in Oklahoma after policies like Indian removal, and events like the Trail of Tears. Indian’s brief feeling of security and this promise were shattered when American’s believed it was their god given right, their Manifest Destiny, to conquer the West; they began to settle the land, and relatively quickly. And with this move, cam...

    Read More

  • The Continuation and Departure Trends of United States Expansionism

    1256 Words  | 3 Pages

    middle of paper ... ... Clearly, the United States' expansionism in the late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century was both a continuation and a departure from previous United States expansionism. The country's remarkable evolution from a quiet, small country with a great idea (expansionism) to a large, amazingly successful (economically and politically) and not despotic country is truly supported and based on expansionism and imperialism. The U.S. has strayed from its previous ideas through the "new" expansionism (the navy, the new foreign policies (Roosevelt Corollary, and Monroe Doctrine, etc.)).

    Read More

  • Expansionism in the late 19th/ Early 20th century

    703 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout history, the United States had come off as a stubborn nation that would take what they wanted at any cost. This was prevalent in both cases of expansion as the Americans risked war and national safety for the sake of gaining land, or even merely for proving a point. During the early years of expansion, the Americans had pushed aside the Native Americans and whoever else inhabited the land they wanted. They believed that the land was rightfully theirs and that everyone else was merely squatting on their territory. This idea continued into the early twentieth century as the Americans looked to the oceans for new territories to their kingdom.

    Read More

  • Essay On American Imperialism

    1190 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some in America continued to decry the policy as being wrong, and bad for America. The supporters of imperialism were quick to point to the drastic increase in America’s economic standing and all but silenced these dissenters. Of course, the anti-imperialists were never truly silenced. Even today we see a Democratic party more concerned with domestic issues and internal stability, while the Republicans seem to continue to embrace their heritage of global influence. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the expansionism was known as new imperialism. The term was a carry-over from European imperialist endeavors, which had surged before dying out years before. These European countries had again turned to imperialism during this time, earning the age the title of new imperialism (Magdoff 117). While America’s imperialist ambitions never really disappeared, they have ebbed and surged. Some would cite the end of the nineteenth century as a unique time for America’s expansions, but it does not appear that imperialism has changed very much throughout human history. Even today, America cannot resist the base urge to expand its influence around the globe. In recent years wars have been fought in Iraq and Afghanistan for the proclaimed purpose of fighting a terrorist threat against America. Following the dismantling of the terror networks, the United States set forth to construct new governments in these countries. The ultimate goal would be the stabilization of the region by nations now sympathetic to American interests. This is much like the case of Cuba and its liberation from Spain. Of course, like Cuba eventually turned on America, it appears that America may be losing control of its interests in the Middle East. History does indeed repeat

    Read More

  • American Imperialism Essay

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    American Imperialism developed from the struggle of a new formation of a country in which had no influential power other than in Great Britain; into a massive leading, dominant and powerful American quest for empire. Imperialism is when a nation works to expand its power and influence. In America, imperialism was practice through expansion, control, specifically economically, and politically; whether or not through peaceable means. Throughout the years, imperialism is demonstrated as internal in which America transformed from expanding into the frontier by taking away land from others ,to external in conquering Spanish territories in the western hemisphere through military and economic means , and having complete influential power around the

    Read More

  • 1890-1910 American Imperialism

    1117 Words  | 3 Pages

    Imperialism is defined as a policy to dominant other countries and rule them. Then, these new colonies surrender their markets, industries, and resources to their invaders. “US imperialism, supported by US politicians, was intended to bring profits to US manufacturers (capitalists)…” (lecture4-p13). Although the period of 1890-1910 is usually known as “the age of the US imperialism”, the US imperialism is not limited to that era. Overseas imperialism began during 1890-1910 with the invasion of Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, which was an attempt to expand the American’s territory to reach natural resources such as minerals, timber, oil, and land. These new territories could also provide corporations with cheap workers and military bases. There have been numerous other examples of the US imperialism. Starting from North America, the US government took over the Pacific Ocean and found its way into Asia. “A State Department list... shows 103 interventions in the affairs of other countries between 1798 and 1895” (Zinn-12), including Argentina, Uruguay, China, Angola, Nicaragua, and Japan to protect American’s interests in those countries. The same motivation was pursued in attacking Vietnam. According to Zinn, the main reason of the US intervention in WWII was to follow its imperial interests. “For those interests, in the thirties, an anti-Soviet

    Read More

  • Imperialization Vs Imperialism

    1269 Words  | 3 Pages

    Religion, race, and profit all played a pivotal part in western nations (the USA alongside Europe) increasing role as the dominant imperialist powers of the world. Profit, however, was the leading factor in these western nations’ mission of dominating the world. Religion and race were factors that were used to justify the imperialization of foreign territories no doubt, but the ultimate driving force behind imperialization was profit and power. Profit ultimately compelled the western armies into marching through Cairo, Manila, and Hong Kong. Western elites undoubtedly maintained views of racial and religious supremacy over non-whites, denoting them as savages, uncivilized, and unfit to rule themselves. These same western elites dictated the

    Read More

  • the spanish american war

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Imperialism was a popular trend among the large, powerful countries. Imperialism is defined as “The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations”. Imperialism cannot be said as either good or bad, but as a general rule: If you live in an annexed country, imperialism is not good, if your country annexes smaller ones to gain profit, land, and respect, then imperialism is good. The United States was not much of an imperialistic country until we won the Spanish-American war. As a result of this war, we annexed Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.

    Read More

  • Expansionism, Isolationism And Exceptionalism Analysis

    1816 Words  | 4 Pages

    Each individual maintains within his own psyche an idea of who he is, an idea of his essential character which psychologists refer to as his ‘self-concept’. Actions he takes in life which are in line with this ideal of the self serve to further reinforce it, while those actions which fall outside the scope of this model provoke an uncomfortable tension in the mind between what impulse or necessity has caused him to do and this ideal of who he is on a fundamental level. In much the same way that Liberalism conceptualizes the nation as a collective of individuals, people, perhaps particularly Americans, have a strong and guiding notion of who they are collectively

    Read More

More about Difference Between Expansionism And Imperialism

Open Document