The Explosion of an American Superpower At the end of the 19 century, America was becoming a formidable superpower, she had reached the limits of her national frontier, and had achieved the manifest destiny. As any up and coming superpower would do, she turned her interests to the international scale. The sinking of the USS Maine on February 15th 1898, which killed 260 U.S Navy servicemen. This attack on American servicemen gave America the excuse it needed to get involved in a foreign war, and set the precedent for decades of American Foreign Policy. As the 19th century was drawing to a close, so was the expansion west, and the western frontier. The mass migrations westward slowed and America ran out of room to grow. The acquirement of
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The fighting lasted a little under a year and ended with the Treaty of Paris signed on April 11th 1899. Very few Americans died, this war which didn’t even last a year was one of the most important wars in United States history. It was the first time American business and profits had sparked a war between America and a European superpower. As a result of the war America became an imperialist superpower. On top of that, Spain forfeited their control of Cuba and allowed an independent Cuba. On top of this Spain handed over Guam, Puerto Rico, the West Indies and the Philippines to America for the lump sum of 20 million …show more content…
In other words how America could justify its dwelling in other countries affairs, was by claiming it was their burden to protect the world. The ideal was supported by the fact that at the time, the white man believed themselves to be superior and have thus have all the right tools to help the natives achieve a better life. The White Man’s Burden gave way to Roosevelt’s Corollary. Although this poem in of itself did not directly change American Foreign Policy, it gave ideas to powerful men such as Theodore Roosevelt. With the excuse of the White Man’s Burden, America and it’s leaders could justify their actions overseas. In the eyes of the public, America remained a non-imperialistic power because they weren’t taking over the countries for America’s gain but rather for the gain of the natives, or occupants of said
The fighting lasted a little under a year and ended with the Treaty of Paris signed on April 11th 1899. Very few Americans died, this war which didn’t even last a year was one of the most important wars in United States history. It was the first time American business and profits had sparked a war between America and a European superpower. As a result of the war America became an imperialist superpower. On top of that, Spain forfeited their control of Cuba and allowed an independent Cuba. On top of this Spain handed over Guam, Puerto Rico, the West Indies and the Philippines to America for the lump sum of 20 million …show more content…
In other words how America could justify its dwelling in other countries affairs, was by claiming it was their burden to protect the world. The ideal was supported by the fact that at the time, the white man believed themselves to be superior and have thus have all the right tools to help the natives achieve a better life. The White Man’s Burden gave way to Roosevelt’s Corollary. Although this poem in of itself did not directly change American Foreign Policy, it gave ideas to powerful men such as Theodore Roosevelt. With the excuse of the White Man’s Burden, America and it’s leaders could justify their actions overseas. In the eyes of the public, America remained a non-imperialistic power because they weren’t taking over the countries for America’s gain but rather for the gain of the natives, or occupants of said