American Expansionism

Reflection Paper #3: American Expansionism Around the late 1980s, the United States was an imperial power among the other international imperialism countries. People who had favored the imperialism justified it by saying it will bring modern civilization to backwards people. The savages would be western values, Christianity, and also labor practices. The imperialism for Americans was so focused on expanding trades. The industrial and agricultural production was in the United States, so corporations and businesses were looking like foreign consumers. Imperialism was supported by people who were directly involved in businessman, trade, and also and people who was highly influenced by nationalism. People who was against imperialism formed the
Anti-Imperialist League. The Anti-Imperialist was writers, social reformers, businessman, and racists. The argument was about an empire that is not compatible with ideas of democracy. They also believed that the United States should be assisting them in gaining their freedom, than their colonial rule. I chose the Philippines among any other territories because they welcome American intervention. They were looking forward to having access to American markets, they had admired democratic ideals, and political self-government. They also believed that American intervention would assist in gaining all of that. The contrary said that America didn’t do anything that was listed above. The Philippines still not free. The Philippines had to fight people that was supposedly helping them to get freedom. The second Philippine was took about (100,000) lives. I didn’t get surprised that the United States was helping the Philippines gain their freedom from Spain.
I was surprised when the United States had control over the Philippines afterward. There was no other country that could have the better understanding the Philippines situation than the U.S. that was considering the United States also had fought for their survival from Great Britain. The Philippines had the perfect situation to promote democracy and to provide the example for other nations and colonies. American troops had burn villages, and abused the civilians. I think if I was living during the Philippine war I would’ve felt like I was a small person. Andrew Carnegie was the leader of the expansionist. He said “You seem to have about finished your work of civilizing the Filipinos.” It was about eight thousands of them who completely civilized. I don’t agree with the statement the United States that justified in asserting imperialism, but in the Philippines. I think if the goal of the United States was uplifted and if the Filipinos was Christianize, then the U.S. don’t have interfered at all. Most of the people from the island is already Roman Catholics. The Filipinos was controlled by the United States and they couldn’t even be American citizenship. The Philippines had not control in being a self-government
colony. The Filipinos was allowed to gone and join the army in World War II. They got to join because they was nationals but not illegal citizens. The United States still had rule over the Philippines until World War II. The Philippines get to be their own nation. Puerto Rico was still a United States territory. Puerto Rico was classified as United States citizens. Work Cited
Production, Cynful. “Filipino American History.” California State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.