American Imperialism (APA Citation)

American Imperialism in the Late 19th Century

There were two main reasons for American overseas expansion in the late 19th century: economic and nationalistic reasons. As America entered the industrial revolution, it wanted to expand commercially, this meant overseas materials and markets. Alfred T. Mahan explained this concept in his 1890 book The Influence of Sea Power upon History, and argued that modern industrial nations need foreign markets for their goods, and they must have a naval force capable of protecting these markets. As the United States began to industrialize it's navy, it also began to develop a strong sense of nationalism. Beginning with the concept of "Manifest Destiny," where American believed that God had given them the entire continent to settle and civilize; by the late 1800's Americans had developed this concept and expanded it beyond the shores of the Pacific Ocean. But instead of...
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