Imperialism: The Origins of a Global Power

1. Why did American plantation owners and U.S. Marines topple Hawaii’s queen in 1893? Why was Hawaii considered to be a valuable prize? What was President Grover Cleveland’s reaction? Do you agree or disagree with his quote on page 1?

American plantation owner's and U.S. Marines toppled Hawaii's queen in 1893 because Hawaii was very valuable to the United States. It was very valuable because it was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean which would and did make a crucial stop for ships en route to East Asia. Also, the soil enriched from the volcanoes made it perfect for growing sugar, pineapple, and coffee. President Grover Cleveland's reaction to the topple of Hawaii's queen and the annexation of Hawaii was complete disagreement. He said that we should only take over a nation (or country or what evey it may be) that it be because they need help. Also, he said that if we come to help them when they need it than it makes the U.S. look good and they end up liking us which helps us take over them. I disagree with his quote because if a nation like the U.S. wants to take over and has the power sure go ahead and take over, but only if the state in return approves of it. Also, I think that any nation that is capable to run itself than we have no need to interfere or even forcibly take over.

2. Identify five important changes that transformed American in the nineteenth century. How did these five changes affect Americans?

One important change that transformed America in the nineteenth century was immigration. Immigration affected Americans by broadening the ethnic diversity in America, and they all leaned towards living in the cities in America (such as Boston and New York City) which made the cities crowded and harder to find jobs in the cities and there became problems in the cities such as crime and sanitation. Also, urbanization, from the influx of immigrants into the U.S., helped to transform America. It affected Americans by making it harder for them to find jobs, and some were afraid that the immigrants would take their jobs from them because they would accept lower wages. Agricultural began to fall from the U.S. which helped to transform it. More and more people took jobs that directly or indirectly worked with the land, and soon manufacturing took over agriculture as the leading source of the nation's wealth. As manufacturing took over the people relied more on the new inventions that occurred during this time. For example, when machines made it easier to make railroads and railroads were being built up like bunnies have baby bunnies farmers then relied on the railroads to transfer their goods to sell them. Also, the native-born Americans saw the immigrants as a threat to their success and progress in the U.S. become stalled because they thought that the new immigrants weren't capable of working industriously and weren't as smart as they should be (like the native-born Americans). Another transormation in the U.S. during the nineteenth century was the needed labor in the industries. The industries in America needed laborers in their factories and etcetera to make them profitable and get work done in them, and the affect of needed labores to the people was that it changed the American values, which they didn't want. Fourthly, international trade greatly transformed the U.S. It became significant in the U.S. economy because european nations and others wanted their goods and made the U.S. great profits. In turn it made Americans happier because it made them and the U.S. more successful and powerful. Also, advances in transportation and machine-assisted farming increased the amount of agricultural exports, which made American manufacturers compete in the international market. Soon big businesses gained political power and the small farmers began to dwindle in existance in politics. This greatly affected Americans; as big businesses got more power the middle-classes and lower-classes began to have no voice in politics because the big businesses (which mainly consisted of first-classes and part of middle-class) began to take over in politics.

3. How did the economic depression that began in 1893 deepen the divisions in American society? Which groups suffered the most during the depression?

The economic depression that began in 1893 deepened the divisions in American society by making everybody worry about something. For example, the city dwellers worried about insercurity, the laborers worried about losing their jobs, the plantation owners worried about losing profits, and farmers became more poor because of the even more decrease of income. The groups that suffered the most during the depression were the city dwellers, laborers, and farmers. The city dwellers found it hard to find jobs, while the laborers were fighting to keep their job(s), and the farmers became more and more poor.

4. What were the values many Americans attached to the frontier? Why did many Americans fear that the closing of the frontier would harm America’s national character?

The values that many American attached to the frontier were resourcefulness, bravery, pragmatism, ingenuity, individualism, egalitarianism, and patriotism. Many American feared that the closing of the frontier would harm America's national character because they believed that it would put their values in jeopardy. When the American economy began to dwindle they became fearful that the nation would no longer progress; without the progress their values would slowly die and they definitely did not want that to happen because then there wouldn't be "civilization" in America. They would no longer be able to prosper and spread their 'civilness' to other nations, they wanted to have power and without any more expansion they couldn't have more power or attain their duty in civlizing others.

5. Why did some Americans suggest greater involvement overseas?

Some Americans suggested greater involvement overseas because they had fears of the United States' future, like the fear about the changing American character and the belief in American power. Most Americans feared that the nation's economic growth would stall and they didn't want that, they wanted to keep getting better and progressing.

6. What policy did expansionists say would ensure the economic success of the United States? What did imperialists say?

Expansionists said that the best way to ensure the economic success of the United States would be to put a more aggressive approach towards dealing with other nations. They believed that foreign (or overseas) expansion would continue to make the economic growth in the U.S., the foreign nations would be potentially great consumers in the American market and manufacturing businesses. Also, they saw European and Japanese nations were forcing on China rules that would set standards on the Chinese trade; so America became afraid of not being able to or ever accessing the Chinese market. Imperialists said that making an empire overseas would secure export markets, raw materials, and cheap labor; and that their stragedy was essential in making America's role in the world more prominant and known. Also, they believed that expanding overseas was part of their manifest destiny.

7. How did the theories of social Darwinism and scientific racism lend support to the cause of American imperialism? How were these pseudo-scientific theories used to justify racist policies and imperialism? Are they still used today?

The followers of Darwin took "survival of the fittest" to the extreme and called it social Darwinism. They took it that they could be and are the fittest thus if they took over other nations they would be superior while the others would "die off," which supported the cause of American imperialism by saying that they could rule and have a great empire easily by taking over foreign nations. Also, they believed that they (like the Anglo-saxons) were more fit to rule and have more power than the other 'lower' races. Also, scientists said that Germans and Europeans were the highest in intelligence and energy while Africa, the U.S., and everywhere else were the "lowest levels of humankind" which was known as scientific racism. The pseudo-scientific theories were used to justify racist policies and imperialism by convincing many people, including Americans, that it was their destiny to rule and that the 'lowers' shouldn't rule they weren't 'intelligent' enough. The pseudo-scientific theories are not completely used today against all races and ethnicities. For example, African-Americans and other immigrants like the Chines aren't seem as less intelligent anymore, but now that there's a war in Iraq the U.S. government and some people believe that the Iraqians and the others around there need help from us. Implying that they can't hold power by themselves, they need more 'intelligent' people like the U.S. to help them hold power or we'll just hold it for them.

8. What did many Protestant churches say was America’s role in the world?

Many Protestant churches said that America's role in the world was to also expand overseas so they could "civilize" everyone besides the Anglo-Saxons. Also, some Protestant churches saw that it was God's plan for the human race to civilize each other. Then some said that after America's expansion in the entire world there would be peace everywhere. Another saying, some said that it was the nation's duty to civilize the other nations so that they could ensure civilization and so export markets could "spread properly."

9. Why did the United States become involved in several Latin American nations in the nineteenth century? Summarize why the United States became involved in Samoa, Hawaii, and other Latin American nations.

The United States became involved in several Latin Americna nations in the nineteenth century because they wanted to expand overseas, become more economic in the exporting market, and to "civilize" some nations. The United States became involved in Samoa because they were interested in the land for themselves like for ship refueling stations, farming, and expansion (more power). Then Germany and Britain tried to get land in Samoa which made America compete and then finally agree to share parts of the land; Britain adn Germany ended up getting some land in Samoa in a partition. The U.S. also became involved in Hawaii because of its' location in the Pacific Ocean and the volcanic rich soil that was great for sugar, pineapple, and coffee plantations. Also, the U.S. was afraid of Japanese control in Hawaii, they may not be able to access their naval base at Pearl Harbor. Also, the U.S. had interest in Venezuela because it had gold and was being 'bullied' by Britain; the U.S. then feared that if Britain took control of Venezuela and dug up the land it would interfere with U.S. foreign trade. The U.S. also got involved with Chile and the Brazilian revolution and Nicaragua because they didn't want their future plans of building a canal in Nicaragua to be canceled because of them.

10. Why was the United States concerned about British involvement in Venezuela? What concept did U.S. Secretary of State Richard Olney invoke in response?

The United States was concerned about British involvement in Venezuaela because they didn't like the fact that Britain was supposidly "bullying" Venezuela, and if Britain got control of the land and dug it up, like in Africa, looking for gold it could impede their foreign export trading and expanding America's personal ties with other Latin American countries. U.S. Secretary of State Richard Olney invoked the Monroe Doctrine, in response to the events in Venezuela, that was supposed to "prevent Britain from taking any furthur steps."