define and describe United States imperialism from its inception in the late 19th Century to the present. Is the imperialist impulse an explanation for U.S. involvement in all its military involvement

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The United States Imperialism
Introduction
American imperialism is the economic, and military as well as cultural influence that they exert on neighboring nations that often results in expansion into foreign territories. The 19ht century was mostly called the imperialism age because it was a duration when the U.S as well other major states of world powers increased territorial boundaries. American imperialism anchors on the exceptionalist ideology that the U.S varies significantly from other nations due to the unique world mission that aims to increasingly disseminate liberty as well as the democracy (Immerman 4). For instance, the Annexation of Hawaii that occurred in 1898 is an ideal example of American Imperialism that enabled the U.S to stamp authority of the nation. The U.S took control of all properties belonging to the government of Hawaiian Island including ports, public property, buildings, and military equipment as well as harbors. However, certain groups like the American Anti-Imperialism League consistently opposed the imperialism arguing that the practice despised the Republicans’ American ideal as well as the consent of the led.
Expansion and Power
The American imperialism first gained its popularity during the era of President James K. Polk making the notion of an American Empire true throughout the 1800s. During that period, the American businessmen looked for new global markets where they could deliver their products because of as their companies were already undergoing industrialization.

Moreover, the rapid influence of Darwinism made Americans believe that the U.S was responsible for the evolution of concepts of Christianity and democracy as well nations with fewer development records. The social Darwinism refers to the ideology that tends to apply the Darwinism theory’s concept to sociology as well as politics. The concept applies under lethal assumptions that conflict between groups in a society results in social progress because the superior groups surpass the inferior counterparts. Therefore, the combination of such attitudes and other factors marshaled the U.S towards imperialism.
American imperialism arises from American exceptionalist role of striving to promote freedom, the rule of law and democracy across the world. The theory traces back to the words French observer, Alex de Tocqueville in 1800s. The French observer argued that the U.S exhibited uniqueness that was incomparable to other countries. Additionally, other historians assert that the American imperialism started after the Constitution. Historian Donald W. Meinig suggests that American imperialism began during the Louisiana, enumerating the event as the aggressive indulging of a particular people in the territories of another. Donald W. Meinig refers to the policies of United States directed towards Native Americans that were formulated to restructure them into people who are adequately geared to desires of imperialism (Ninkovich 80-83).
Irrespective of its genesis, American imperialism reached a climax towards the end of the 1800s all through following the 2nd World War. During the Age of Imperialism, the United States exercised political, economic and social control over numerous countries including Japan, Cuba, Korea, Germany, and the Philippines as well as Austria. The 1889 Hawaii’s annexation presents an ideal example of imperialism where the U.S gained possession and full control over public property, ports, harbors, and military equipment as well as buildings belonging to the government of Hawaii Island. Afterward, the Hawaii kingdom’s last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani encountered coup d’état in 1893, after attempting to create a different Constitution. American people who were opposing the creation of the new Constitution led the coup operation eventually making Hawaii the 50th state of U.S in 1859.
The financial panic of America in 1893 made Americans experience a significant economic depression. Conservatives run the American government and corruption matters faced the country for several years. However, the progressive movement entered the government after 1980. The two major factors that led to American imperialism include the provision of the U.S Navy as well as the expansion of economic interest of America overseas. As the industrial production of America increased rapidly in the mid-1800s, the overall population could not keep up with the production. The Americans were unable to purchase all the industrial products thus catalyzing the country to expand its tread overseas to acquire foreign markets for its produce. The American government then established the United States Navy to protect the interest of America abroad as the country expanded trade and gained their control over other regions throughout the globe. The Americans applied two primaries approached to exert imperialism, including military conquest and political diplomacy. America either conquers the enemies of democracy including long-serving presidents or carried out diplomatic relations with those countries.
The desires for economic growth and the America’s belief that the country had superior values over others as well as the desire of the United States to spread religion majorly fuelled the imperialism. As a result, the explored countries lost their identity while their infrastructure is increased. However, the imperialism mostly benefited the colonizing country rather than the colonized nations. The quality of roads, electricity, and buildings increased in the imperialized countries; the U.S benefited more. They were able to exert extra military presence and get access to natural resources as well as markets.
Through imperialism, the Americans demonstrated and extended the American military powers as well as the scope of influence overseas. Moreover, the Americans practiced imperialism not only through military powers but also using political diplomacy. Nevertheless, the military forces still played a major role in the process of imperialism. The United States was an isolationist country that did not take part in international affairs. However, the policy of Isolation that early America’s president enforced, including George Washington, ended with the participation of the U.S in World War I (Omi and Howard 12). The America government had an economic intention to expand its market globally and gain additional revenue. Therefore, the U.S actively decided to implement the imperialism policies and methods after the great depression of 1920 to mend the damaged economy and effect immediate change. Thus, through imperialism, the United States experienced a significant development in technology that effectively improved the process of production of goods and services.
Major Causes of American Imperialism
Most Americans started to believe that it was necessary for the U.S to expand or explode because of the increased wealth, and industrial production as well as a rapid population that required more resources. Also, some of the Americans feared that the internal resources of the U.S were limited and might eventually dry up. Besides, the panic experienced in 1893 convinced majority of the businessmen that the industry had expanded leading to overproduction and under-consumption. Moreover, the violence of labor and agrarian unrest because of industrialism evoked the international expansion to overseas nations.
Additionally, the United States viewed the overseas markets as possible safety measures for their internal pressures. The subjugation of the plain Indian tribes immediately after the Civil War resulted in an experience that established a desire to exert colonial control over countries that were dependent. The foreign trade was becoming increasingly important to the economy of America during the 19th century triggering the Americans to actively expand to foreign markets through the acquisition of new colonies. Also, the United States desired to participate in competition with European for the overseas empires.
Various proponents influenced the process of American expansion. For instance, Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan influenced the sea power in the 1890s as controlling the sea was a significant aspect of dominating the world. Under his influence, the United States built a large Navy and defensive bases as well as refueling stations strategically positioned on the world seas. Therefore, the U.S took over Hawaii and other Pacific Islands. Also, the U.S developed a canal positioned across the isthmus of Central America that linked Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Therefore, the U.S managed to have the fifth most powerful Navy in 1898 and the third in 1900. Other proponents include Josiah Strong, Samoan crisis at Pago Pago, and Pan-Americanism (Friedman 35).
Opposition to Imperialism
The American Anti-Imperialism League fought against the American conquest of the Philippines as an isolated region. Besides, the League felt that the Spanish-American War was hidden as a liberation war though it was an imperialist war. The anti-imperialists were opposing the suppression because of their belief that imperialism breached the ideal of republicanism more so the desire for the consent of governed (Omi and Howard 22). Moreover, the anti-imperialists never opposed the expansion on commercial, humanitarian, and constitutional as well as religious grounds. Instead, they had a strong belief that the invasion and governance of developing tropical regions signified the disputation of basic ideals of American that supports self-leadership (Appy 50).
The U.S Declaration of Independence and the George Washington’s Farewell Address, as well as the Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, clearly express the ideals of self-government. Besides, American imperialism led to social and economic inequalities. Additionally, the Anti-Imperialism League founded on an earlier era and represented an older generation. However, they lost to the public opinion, the election of 1900, and the actions of Congress as well as the president because most of the younger progressive leaders who were joining power supported the act of imperialism.
Conclusion
The nineteenth century was the “Age of Imperialism” as it was a period when the United States and other major countries of world powers rapidly expanded their territorial boundaries. American imperialism based on the exceptionalism idea that the United States is different from other countries because of its unique world mission that aims to spread liberty and democracy. For example, The Annexation of Hawaii in 1898 enabled the United States to stamp authority of the nation. The U.S had possession and control of all properties belonging to the government of Hawaiian Island like ports, public property, buildings, and military equipment as well as harbors. The economic depression of America triggered imperialism as the country wanted a larger market for its industrial production causing them to seek for foreign markets. However, some groups like the American Anti-Imperialism League consistently opposed the imperialism arguing that the practice conflicted with the American ideals of Republicans as well as the consent of the governed.  

Works Cited
Appy, Christian G. Cold War Constructions: The Political Culture of United States Imperialism, 1945-1966. Amherst: Univ. of Massachusetts Press, 2000. Print.
Friedman, Hal M. Creating an American Lake: United States Imperialism and Strategic Security in the Pacific Basin, 1945 – 1947. Westport, Conn.; London: Greenwood Press, 2001. Print.
Immerman, Richard H. Empire for Liberty: A History of American Imperialism from Benjamin Franklin to Paul Wolfowitz. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010. Print.
Ninkovich, Frank. “The United States and Imperialism.” A Companion to American Foreign Relations (2001): 79.
Omi, Michael, and Howard Winant. Racial formation in the United States. Routledge, 2014.