Wenzheng Yu Period 6/7 U.S. Imperialism: A Continuation of Past U.S.

Expansion American history in the 18th and 19th centuries was marked by persistent expansionism, from Jeffersons purchase of Louisiana in 1803 to the mid-century pursuit of Manifest Destiny that spread the United States across North America. The extension of American influence to foreign areas continued on a wider scale during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century as the U.S. actively engaged in imperialism around the globe. America managed to acquire vast territories in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands and exerted its control over them. To a great extent, U.S. imperialism in the late 19th century and early 20th century constitutes a continuation of past expansionism. During both times, America used similar economic, political, and moral justifications. The economic motivations that propelled the United States to expand westward and those that drove the U.S. imperialism were, for the most part, alike. During western expansion, the settlers were motivated by opportunities for trade. The fur business brought American trappers and traders to Oregon as early as 1811 and a decade later to the Rockies. By the 1830s, a commerce in California cowhides and tallow developed, bringing in clothes, boots, hardware, and furniture manufactured in the East. The existence of new markets attracted people to settle West. In a similar fashion, during imperialism, America looked for greater opportunities for trade. As Senator Albert J. Beveridge stated in his speech to the 56th Congress in 1900, Americas largest trade hence forth must be with Asia. In fact, he characterized the Pacific as the ocean of the commerce of the future. As shown in Document G, China was a crucial area in which America wanted to extend its influence. America desperately needed to find new markets for its goods as the growing production of the country demands it (Document C). The
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United States moved from fourth place in the world in manufacturing in 1870 to first place in 1900, doubling the number of factories and tripling the value of farm output. To maintain economic prosperity, America sought to extend its influence to establish new markets for its goods to be sold. Another key evidence that imperialism was a continuation of past U.S. expansion was that they were both justified by the thirst for natural resources. Settlers of the west were eager to open up mining opportunities to take advantage of the abundant resources such as coal. Mining camps housed hundreds of miners and people serving them. When America expanded in the early 20th century, it was also hunting for resources available in foreign lands. For example, sugar, coffee, fruits, oil, rubber, and minerals were abundant in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands. Hence, America extended its influence to these areas to acquire their rich resources. Although U.S. imperialism was for the most part a continuation of westward expansion, some notable departures existed. In western expansion, the American people partly justified their actions by the need to gain land for family farming. They saw the vast western territories as golden opportunities to cultivate crops. The government supported those who settled west to farm by offering free land through the Homestead Act. Unlike this aspect of western expansion, imperialism was characterized by peoples desire to invest in foreign lands. American direct investments abroad increased from about $634 million to $2.6 billion between 1897 and 1914. Unlike those who settled west to farm, investors took advantage of golden opportunities abroad to brighten their economic prospects. In terms of political justifications, western expansion and imperialism were also mostly the same. In both cases, America strived to outcompete the strong European powers. Back in 1815, Spain held title to most of the trans-Mississippi region. Great Britain, Spain, and Russia all had claims to the Oregon country. America saw itself as surrounded by numerous territories owned by European powers. Hence, people settled west in an attempt to drive those powers off
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the continent. During imperialism, the U.S. was eager to acquire its fair share of territories. As depicted in Thomas Nasts The Worlds Plunderers, countries such as Germany, Britain, and Russia were aggressively extending their influence and control over foreign lands. Therefore, an essential aspect of the political motive was to not fall behind the European powers in gaining territories. The rationale was that if the United States failed to keep up with the imperialistic actions of other powers, then those strong powers would have acquired territories near America, limiting its political power. As Alfred Mahan wrote in 1897, it was essential that no foreign state should henceforth acquire a coaling position within three thousand miles of San Francisco. Despite these similarities, imperialism constituted a departure from previous expansionism in the sense that the new land in the west became states whereas territories acquired during imperialism did not gain the same political status as states. This meant that people from Nebraska were U.S. citizens and hence could vote and exercise other constitutional rights as the people in the original states could. However, residents of Hawaii, for instance, did not have the same rights as people in Massachusetts because Hawaii was lower in political status than states. This distinction was outlined in the Supreme Court Decision of Downes v. Bidwell, in which the Supreme Court declared that there is an implied denial of the right of the inhabitants to American citizenship. Although the thirst for power of the U.S. was similar in both western expansion and imperialism, the political status of the new territory gained differed. Similar moral justifications further reinforce the idea that imperialism constituted a continuation of past U.S. expansion. During both periods of expansionism, the main moral motivation was to civilize and Christianize the natives who were inferior to the white population of America. Two Presbyterian missionary couples, Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and Henry and Eliza Spalding, were among the first to travel to the Oregon Territory, hoping to convert Oregon Indians to Christianity. Their fervor drew strength from the fires of the Second Great
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Awakening and their belief that unconverted Indians were doomed to hell. A similar sentiment arose during imperialism, as Josiah Strong demonstrated in his writing. Christianity, according to Strong, was bound to spread itself over the earth, and that America constituted the highest civilization. This belief of white superiority was widespread at the time as people believed that God and the Anglo Saxons held a special relationship. Hence, as Senator Beveridge put it, America was obligated to civilize the rest of the world and lead in the regeneration of the world. Without help from the superior white Americans, people of the era insisted that those inferior people would be worthless. Therefore, as Roosevelt addressed to Congress in 1904, the other nations will ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation. Although the duty of Americans to Christianize and civilize was the main moral justification, imperialism involved other moral motivations too. With western expansion, little opposition arose to the settlement of the west. On the contrary, there was organized opposition to the imperialistic actions of the U.S. In particular, the American Anti-Imperialist League voiced concerns regarding the morality of dominating over weaker nations. As expressed in Document D, the Anti-Imperialist League was furious that the foundation of the Republic is undermined through imperialism. In the views of the League, U.S. compromised its values and principles defined in the Constitution by extending control over other countries. This sentiment was not expressed during western expansion and hence reflects the slight departure of imperialism from past U.S. expansion. In essence, U.S. imperialism was, to a great extent, a continuation of western expansion. The economic, political, and moral justifications were mostly alike with a few exceptions. Those exceptions reflect the changing face of American society as it developed over the years. Imperialism was a crucial period of expansion as it firmly established the U.S. as a world power.