The Rise of U.S. Imperialism and Its
Effect on Democracy
Imperialism and it’s origin
What is “imperialism?
 Modern context of “imperialism”
refers to British Empire.
 U.S. imperialism began within last
100 years.

– U.S. was an infant nation before 1900.
– U.S. maintained isolationist policy.
The Origins of U.S. Imperialism
U.S. imperialism began with the
Spanish-American War.
 U.S. imperialism affected both the
Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean.
 Fear of our enemies was one of our
excuses to justify imperialism

History of U.S. Imperialism

Spanish-American War caused the
beginning of U.S. imperialism.
 Theodore Roosevelt was primary advocate
of imperialism in U.S.
 U.S. imperialism around the world
between 1900-1909
–
–
–
–
–

Puerto Rico
Cuba
Panama
Hawaii
Nicaragua
U.S. imperialism after 1909
Effects of U.S. Imperialism on Puerto Rico

Current legal status of Puerto Rico
 Issue of Puerto Rican democracy vs. U.S.
imperialistic policy.
– U.S. Territory vs. statehood

Negative view of U.S. because of its
imperialistic policy
– U.S. is considered a bully
– U.S. harms the country
• U.S. Navy and Viesques Island
Bibliography
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Bhana, Surendra. The United States And The Development
of the Puerto Rican Status Question, 1936-1968. Kansas:
University Press of Kansas, 1975.
Campbell, Charles S.. The Transformation of American
Foreign Relations 1865-1900. New York: Harper & Row, 1976.
Malavet, Pedro A. America’s Colony. New York: New York
University Press, 2004.
Musicant, Ivan. The Banana Wars. New York: Macmillan,
1990.
Schoonover, Thomas. War of 1898 and the Origins of
Globalization. Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky,
2003.