American Imperialism

African Americans and Imperialism

American Imperialism was a time period where the United States expanded their military, economic, and cultural reach over other countries. However, America was still extremely racially divided during this time period. Many African Americans protested and demanded that before America expanded its reach to other countries, they needed to solve racial problems at home.

Review Sources:

1. African Americans and American Empire: Voices from the Archives

2. The African-American Mosaic

3. “Americans Have Carried American Hatred”: Black Intellectuals, Imperialism and Policing

4. American Slavery, American Imperialism

Books: 

1. Black Americans and the Quest for Empire by Willard B. Gatewood, Jr

2. The Black Man’s Burden by Michele Mitchell

Review Questions:

1. Why did many African Americans resent imperialism?
2. What were some ways African Americans tried to change racist views in America?

Hispanic people and Imperialism

The main focus of American Imperialism was economic control in Latin America. In countries where the United States wanted some kind of control, American officials would justify their actions by saying that the natives were “savages'' who could not govern themselves. One instance of this was in the constructing of the Panama canal.

Hispanic people and American Imperialism

Review Sources: 

1. Panama Canal: Justified imperialism?

2. Imperialism in Latin America

3. Timeline of American Imperialism.

4. The Cruel Hypocrisy of American Imperialism

Books: 

1. Power and Resistance by James Petras and Henry Veltmeyer

Review Questions:

1. Why did America want control of Latin America?
2. How would American officials justify their control of Latin America?
3. Why did America want to create the Panama Canal?