Imperialism

Imperialism is defined as extending one countries ideals and values over another nation. A strong advocator of imperialism was Teddy Roosevelt. Imperialism greatly benefited the United States in the early 1900’s. Imperialism acted upon less developed countries in order to make them successful and able to thrive. Imperialism morally benefited both countries’ in that free trade became possible, America gained land, and economic development occurred.

Free trade is trade between nations or countries without a protective tariff. When annexing a country it becomes possible to have this. America has importation laws that state there is a fee that must be paid while sending something into America. If a country can develop into part of the United States then it is possible to override those tariffs. The sugar industry was overwhelming in Hawaii, but because of the import tariff, large fees had to be paid in order to ship it. When the annexation of Hawaii occurred, it was evident that both countries would benefit from Hawaii’s natural resources. America could now greatly benefit from the resource that once seemed inaccessible. Hawaii’s main exporter, Samuel Dole made millions of dollars when the tariff was waived because of the annexation. Combining the nations was an intelligent and beneficiary action taken by President McKinley.

Expansion is a major part of America’s history. People always wanted to discover new land or expand on what they already had. Annexation of nations helped to add to that expansion in which people strived for. Having more land meant having more room for immigrants, or for new opportunities. Businesses being able to expand meant more profit and income for the business owner. Also a major benefit of annexation was the Panama Canal. This giant canal made it possible for ships to sail through the country, instead of having to go all the way around Latin America. It quickened