Causes Of American Imperialism

Throughout history many countries have enacted upon a type of foreign policy known as Imperialism. The agenda of a country with an imperialist foreign policy is to increase the size, materials, or power of said country by use of force and or politics. Imperialism was a highly profitable foreign policy and caused cultural diffusion that assimilated many social/economical/political progressions to different countries and cultures. Around this time period many countries began to embark on their own imperialist foreign policy such as, the United States of America, Japan, Great Britain, Germany, France, and Spain. These countries all had different yet similar ideas on their own imperialistic ideas. But all of them were mainly sparked by the main
Towards the end of the eighteenth century, the industrial revolution broke out in Europe and the Americas, which transformed them from primarily rural farm areas into industrial urban societies. The industrial revolution embarked the countries affected on a demand for raw materials and new markets. For years countries endlessly invaded other countries to try and colonize them, for example; The United States, India, and South Africa were all colonies of England. This agenda by countries really sped up after the industrial revolution, but by the time the United States got involved most of the world had been divided up and claimed. One landmass that had not been claimed was Hawaii, which at the time was ruled by a weak monarchy. Hawaii was in control of a major sugar market and was a main exporter to the United States up until the McKinley Tariff was passed which practically diminished their market (Hall 11). From this point many of those sellers wanted Hawaii to be annexed by the United States in its purpose diminishing the tariff completely. As the monarchy lost support and power the Hawaiian Islands and its people where in peril. That is when the on-looking United States stepped in with their executive leader, Benjamin Harrison, delivering a speech to congress regarding his imposition to annex the Hawaii Islands. Harrison describes the Hawaiian government as being, “Evident that monarchy had become effete and the Queen’s government so weak and inadequate (Harrison 30)”. The United States’ congress ended up approving of the annex of Hawaii and so began the United States economic prosperity from the territory, resources, and newly acquired