Imperialism
Since the foundation of this country, the United States has always been an imperialist nation. From the moment Christopher Columbus first set foot on the east coast, the United States has been controlling and inevitably destroying the cultures of groups different than their own. A country of immense pride, the nation has forever believed that the American way of living is the best and only way anyone should live. Through the use of propaganda, and exploits by the media (primary newspapers), the U.S. government has dictated to its citizens, the conquerization of other peoples is not only acceptable but ultimately in the best interest of all parties. At the 1904 Worlds Fair, various groups were used in an attempt to convince American citizens that the expansion of the United States was a beneficial, if not noble humanitarian act. The largest, most popular and persuasive exhibition of the Fair was that of the Philippines. The exhibition convinced some doubters of the expansionist theory, and cemented the belief of others who already supported an overseas empire. Several factors lead to the push for overseas expansion. A widespread phenomenon coined “manifest destiny”, by John L. O’Sullivan, forcefully swept over the nation, spurring the desire to extend over the frontier. Manifest destiny was an expression used to explain the urge to expand, and is not a tangible concept that can be tied to a date. It is inherently tied to American culture, and is a reflection of Anglo-Saxon attitudes. The word manifest is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “easily understood or recognized by the mind.” Destiny is a word that implies a religious connotation and is defined as, “a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency.” Together the expression defines America’s future as having a clearly evident and inevitable future of expanding into the Pacific. As the country's God given right, America deserved to take over the frontier. Some even suggested world domination was a probable future prospect. In the Monroe Doctrine President James Monroe warned the world (specifically Europe), to “stay out of the western hemisphere”. For some, manifest destiny was rooted in their deep religious beliefs. They believed God wished for them to expand globally to control and Christianize other less fortunate groups of people. Expansion was a duty, and it was generally believed that it was “white mans burden to conquer and Christianize the land.”Missionaries truly believed their actions were genuine and justified. They brought modern technology and health to foreign, less developed countries. However, some missionaries tried to westernize as well as Christianze, and in the process destroyed many cultures and traditions. Others viewed expansion as a necessity for the country to remain economically competitive. Due to a cycle of economic depressions businessmen viewed expansion as an oppurtunity to regain wealth and prosperity.