Empire of the United States 1890-1900

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What kind of empire did the United States create for itself in the late nineteenth century? How did the American empire compare to other imperial powers of the day? Why were some Americans so concerned about the new role of empire for America? Why were some Americans enthusiastically supportive of an American empire? The last quarter of the nineteenth centruy is known as the age of imperialism, when rival European empires carved up large parts of the world among themselves.(pg 655)For most of this period the United States remained a second-rate player on the world stage.(655) The 1890's marked a major turning point in America's relationship with the rest of the world.(656) Ever since the Monroe Doctorine, many Americans considered the Western Hemisphere to be an American sphere of influence. There was persistent talk of aquiring Cuba and President grant sought to annex the Dominican Republic only to see the Senate reject the idea.(656) In 1895 the United States entered in the Spanish-American War after Spain rejected a American demand for a cease-fire on the island and eventual Cuban Independence. After Spain signed the treaty that ended the war, the United States had aquired the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam(662) and during the height of the war, the United States has annexed the Hawaiian Islands. The United States as a result of the Spanish-American War had become the rules of a far-flung overseas empire.(663) The sources of American expansionism in the late 19th century were varied. Internationally, the period was one of imperialist frenzy, as European powers raced to carve up Africa and competed, along with Japan, for influence and trade in Asia. Many Americans, including influential figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Elihu Root, felt that to safeguard its own interests, the United States had to stake out spheres of economic
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