American Motives for Imperialism

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  • Created by: Pip Dan
  • Created on: 20-09-17 14:17

There had been much debate among historians as to what motivated US imperialism at the end of the nineteenth century which brought changes in American foreign and imperial policies.

  • Accidental Empire - Some historians, such as Harold Evans in his book 'The American Century' (1998) , have argued that the USA never actually sought an empire at all. He argues that the decision to annex the Philippines was due to the deciding vote of Vice-President Garret Augustus Hobart. Evans insists that, for economic reasons, the USA did not need an empire because it was carrying out a huge amount of trade with Britain.
  • Progressive Imperialism - The historian Walter McDougall in 'The American Encounter With the World Since 1776' (1997) suggests that US imperialism was motivated by a desire to improve the lives of non-Americans, shown for example in the removal of yellow fever in Cuba and the building of hospitals and schools. In other words, the export of American values to less well-developed countries. Indeed, some historians go further and suggest that the USA became an imperial power because it wanted to dominated the world by creating countries in its own image - believing that other countries would benefits from the pursuit of Americans to civilise the world This was linked to the missionary work undertaken by Americans. The impetus to do this work was linked to the belief that White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPS) were a superior peoples who had a duty to help members of 'lesser races' improve their lives by following their example. Missionaries were often followed by colonists, as was the case in the Philippines and Hawaii.
  • Need for Markets - The need for markets was the primary motive according to William A. Williams in his book 'The Tragedy of American Diplomacy' written in the 1950s. However, the USA believed that this need for markets could be met by the 'Open Door' policy rather than actual territorial expansion. Another historian, Niall Ferguson, in his book 'American Colossus' published in 2003, also stressed this economic motive with the Depression of

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