The Policy of Imperialism

Imperialism is the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, and military control over weaker territories. It’s important because it helped extend our territories over weaker territories. I think imperialism was a proper and legitimate policy, even though it led to some bad outcomes, there were more good outcomes. The three countries that I chose to write about are Cuba, Philippines, and Panama.
In Panama, the Panamanians allowed the United States to rent the land needed to build the Panama Canal. The U.S. wanted to build the Panama Canal because they gained control over Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The canal would allow warships to pass between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without circling South America, making it easier to defend the United States. So the Panama Canal benefits the U.S. by allowing warships to pass between the two oceans, helping the growing trade of Asia, and making it easier to defend the United States.
Many Cubans welcomed the presence of U.S. troops to restore stability, law, and order. After Cuba gained independence, President William McKinley set up a U.S. military government to administer the island. The U.S. was also interested in protecting Cuba’s independence because they wanted to restore order, establishing a provisional government. Imperializing Cuba was a good thing because under the U.S. military governor, programs of public works, education, sanitation, court reform, and self-government were instituted.
In 1898, the U.S. wanted to take over the Philippines, a Spanish colony. U.S. businesses saw the Philippines as a good source for raw materials as well as a key to new markets for imports and exports. The islands were in a good strategic position for access to the markets of China. McKinley concluded that the best choice was for the U.S. was to “take and educate the Filipinos, uplift, civilize, and Christianize them.” Even though the Philippines revolted against the U.S. rule with a three year battle, imperializing the Philippines was a good thing towards America.
The imperializing of many new territories, not only Cuba, Philippines and Panama, but for china, Hawaii, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic led to many good things for the U.S. and other countries. Take Cuba for an example, the U.S. established a provisional government and many things were instituted. In Panama, the Panama Canal helped defend the U.S. and the growing trade of Asia. The Philippines were a good source for raw materials and the United States saw them as a key for new market imports and exports. Therefore imperialism was a good policy because it led to many good things in America and other nations.